The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue

Karina Yan Glaser, HMH Books for Young Readers (SEP 17) Hardcover $16.99 (364pp) 978-1-328-57757-3

The Vanderbeekers are back! The energetic cast, several new friends, and wacky new adventures will keep young minds guessing.

In The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue, it is spring break in Harlem and excitement abounds. The kids are out of school, and Mama’s in-home bakery business will be featured in Perch Magazine, complete with a photo shoot spread! There are only a couple of obstacles to Mama’s big opportunity: the downstairs needs painting and a little TLC, and the baking area has to pass an upcoming inspection by the Department of Agriculture and Markets.

When the inspector arrives early and Mama isn’t home, the five Vanderbeeker kids let him into a chaotic household featuring beloved pets zooming about. Now, because of violations, including pets accessing the kitchen, Mama faces losing her home processor’s license and her baking business right along with it.

Instead of telling Mama of the failed inspection, the kids set out to remedy the violations themselves. They arrange for a reinspection and plot how to hide their pets. But someone is surreptitiously leaving homeless animals on the Vanderbeeker doorstep. Just when all might be lost, the Vanderbeeker kids put their creativity and resourcefulness to work in order to save Mama’s dream business.

Real-world issues like growing old and the plight of abandoned pets are handled with compassion in the middle of a fun, upbeat story. Clear narration makes it easy to keep up with the book’s many characters, whose individual goals, likes, and talents differentiate them from one another. Conversations ably capture the fast-paced, chaotic life of the Vanderbeeker household.

The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue is an engaging and encouraging tale of what is possible with work, a bit of luck, and the help of family and good friends..