This is the story of a family moving into the dilapidated Songberd's Grove, kept run down by the concerted efforts of Lennie to whom it's disrepair is a mater of personal pride. The characters in this book are elegantly described. You get to understand the points of view of most of the major players through succinct sketches of their backgrounds, giving the book a much more rounded feel. This detail is exemplified in the main character Martin's hobby of carving typefaces out of stone. This doesn't play a large part in the plot but does inform his character as a fairly quiet boy who would ideally keep to himself but who has certain artistic sensibilities. This is highlighted when he returns the scrawled note of 'Number 1' with a much more carefully penned 'Number 1'. In many ways these small acts of rebellion form the core of the book. From Lennie's rebellion against a sense of how things should be to assert power over the street in a society where he feels powerless to Martin and Geneva's (an ally in opposing the bullies) little changes to bring beauty to the neighbourhood. It is also a story of resilience, at most times the odds seem impossibly stacked against Martin and Geneva but they don't give up. It encourages the taking of pride in your surroundings and the battle for the red door perfectly echoes an heroic last stand in miniature. All of this combines to make it a very good read, there is always tension as you wait for the other shoe to drop on small steps of progress, there is real present danger and you care whether Martin and Geneva are successful.