The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

The Vanderbeeker’s brownstone is located on 141st Street along with other buildings of similar height and style, but each has its distinct personality. The Vanderbeeker’s home has a weathervane and a basement, and the house is messy and chaotic. The quaint neighborhood has an antique feel with its 100-year-old churches and charming streetlamps, and the Vanderbeeker children feel at home there. The children convene another meeting to plan Operation Beiderman. Isa examines her siblings’ distinctive features: “As a biracial family, the kids exhibited an eclectic mix of physical characteristics and loved comparing which traits they got from what parent” (19). Isa suggests singing Christmas carols to Beiderman, but Oliver says he may be Jewish. When Isa says they can sing Hanukkah songs, Laney starts singing the dreidel song. If singing is off the list, they can ask Miss Josie to help them plant flowers around the building, but Jessie reminds them it is winter. Poinsettias are toxic to pets, wreaths are pricey, and the kids feel like they are running out of ideas. Only Beiderman’s grocery delivery person, whom the kids call “bird lady” (22), goes into his house, so the kids don’t know what he likes. Jessie tries to look him up on the internet, but Mama says they had to shut off the internet service to save money. They agree to end the meeting and reconvene after dinner to see if anyone has any new ideas.

Oliver goes outside to the rope swing on the maple tree and pretends he is on a pirate ship and Beiderman is a thieving pirate he must battle. He expertly climbs the rope, a skill he learned from his gym teacher Mr. Mendoza, who is a Navy SEAL, to the tree house Uncle Arthur built for him. Oliver uses a walkie-talkie to call his best friend Jimmy L. Using their code names, Magic Jay for Jimmy and Captain Kidd for Oliver, he tells Jimmy he has an emergency and explains their impending move. Jimmy is shocked and concerned and says he does not want Oliver to leave.

Hyacinth enjoys crafting, and she wonders if she can make something for the Beiderman to make him like their family and allow them to stay. She spies her mother gathering moving boxes and is reminded of their sad situation. The mailman Mr. Jones arrives and greets them by giving Franz a dog treat. Mr. Jones wears an official postman’s uniform and a few custom-made buttons fashioned by Hyacinth. Mr. Jones can tell she is sad about something as she hands him a bag of peanut butter dog treats that she and Mama made for Señor Paz, their neighbor’s Chihuahua. Mr. Jones mentions how much his dog Snuggles enjoys their homemade dog treats. His comment reminds Hyacinth of her blanket named Snuggles, “which made her think of her bed and bedroom, which reminded her of the move” (33). Hyacinth can’t hold in her emotions and blurts out the news of the move. Mama arrives with homemade cookies just as Mr. Jones hears the news. He has known Papa since he was a baby, and he knew the Beiderman when he was younger. Before falling on hard times and becoming a landlord, Mr. Beiderman was a college art history teacher. Hyacinth is intrigued by this new information but is sad to see Mr. Jones leave, unable to imagine life without him.

Laney is not as worried about the move as the older children and crawls around the floor dressed as a panda, feeding carrots to their pet rabbit Paganini while Mama bakes. Mama convinces Laney to eat three carrots for a cookie. Hyacinth also gets a cookie but doesn’t enjoy it as much. Jessie is working on a molecule model made from toothpicks and gumdrops and pretends they are Beiderman’s eyes. Meanwhile, Isa practices her violin etudes. Neither have any ideas for Operation Beiderman. They begin planning the Christmas Eve meal, which is their responsibility, and decide to keep it simple with beef stew, roasted vegetables, and carrot cake for dessert. When they make the guest list, thinking about their neighbors Miss Josie and Mr. Jeet makes them sad. The Vanderbeekers help the older couple with tasks around the home and their calendar management, and Laney has grown close to them. They add Auntie Harrigan and Uncle Arthur to the list and Mr. Van Hooten, Isa’s violin instructor. Isa wonders if they should invite the Beiderman, but Jessie is skeptical that he would come.

Papa arrives home, scoops up Laney in a hug, and praises Isa’s playing. Mama wonders why he must wear a uniform to complete his superintendent duties around the building, but he tells her it is not a uniform. He wears the coveralls since the jobs might stain his regular clothing. Papa notices everyone is moping and realizes they are not handling the news of the move well. He and Mama agree that no matter what happens that they will always treasure the six years they lived in the house.

Since Oliver is the only boy, Uncle Arthur built him his own room in a closet complete with a loft bed and bookshelves. Uncle Arthur helped Oliver start his book collection and got him interested in adventure books like his current favorite, Treasure Island. Lost in his pirate fantasies, Oliver misses Mama calling him to dinner, so Laney finds him and smothers him with hugs and kisses. After a chaotic attempt to set the table, the entire family sits and eats together. Oliver asserts that they must see Beiderman’s face before they leave, thinking that he owes it to them for making them leave. Each child wonders aloud what he is like, and Papa says that even though he’s been inside Beiderman’s apartment, he’s never seen him. Hyacinth tells everyone what Mr. Jones said about the Beiderman working at City College. Mama interrupts reminding them that they must begin packing the next day and the children finish their dinner in silence.

The children gather supplies including hoodies and a water bottle and climb the fire escape to the REP or “Roof of Epic Proportions” (51) to convene their next meeting. They quietly climb the stairs, especially the part near the Beiderman’s window. The roof is made of red tiles and has a stunning view of the skyline including the castle-like City College. The previous summer, Jessie built Isa a Rube Goldberg water wall for her birthday consisting of tubes, pipes, and wheels that makes a musical sound as the water slowly trickles through it to the ground floor where it waters Mama’s herb garden. Before they convene the meeting, they all close their eyes and listen to the sounds of the city. Everyone worries that they will have to leave, but Oliver insists that Papa’s lived there all his life and cannot leave.

Oliver’s only idea is for everyone to get swords, but Isa suggests that they each use their talents and says Hyacinth should go first and use her crafting skills. When she refuses, Isa nominates Jessie to go since they already know the Beiderman doesn’t like Isa’s violin playing. Laney and Oliver agree to go with her for support, though they beg him not to be too overdramatic. They pack their REP supplies and leave the roof confident that their plan will work.