The Vanderbeekers Make a Wish

Papa is about to turn forty, and the family has planned a surprise party for him, his best friend’s mother dies, and Papa has to fly to Indiana, but he will be back in a few days. In a total surprise, Mama’s parents arrive the day Papa leaves. They are staying the whole week! Grandma seems to criticize everyone for everything — Isa doesn’t play the violin well enough, Oliver doesn’t study enough, they all eat too much cheese, and Grandpa never says a word. The kids find a letter Papa’s father, Pop-Pop, had written to Papa just before Pop-Pop died that had never been given to Papa. It sends the kids on a quest for more information about Pop-Pop and his plans for a trip while under the watchful glare of Grandma.

The latest volume in this wonderful series will not disappoint Vanderbeeker fans. The characters, including neighbors and pets, are all completely believable. The Vanderbeekers are a special group, quirky, loving, and inordinately kind and caring. Their home, a brownstone in Harlem, New York, makes for an interesting setting for this group of fiercely independent, worldly-wise children. This book will charm and satisfy readers.