A Review of The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

The Vanderbeekers, a biracial family of seven with five children (Isa, Jessie, Oliver, Hyacinth, and Laney) ranging in age from twelve to four and three quarters, live together in a Harlem brownstone that’s almost like another family member to them. But five days before Christmas, their reclusive landlord, who hasn’t left his apartment in years, suddenly refuses to renew their lease. The five siblings draw closer together than ever in a shared mission to save their home. In doing so, they uncover his tragic past, and they must reassess what they have done. In this touching story about a delightfully close-knit family who’s always there for one another and who would do anything to save their home, the children are forced to explore love, trust, grief, and family in an entirely new way.