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The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
Karina Yan Glaser
Children Ages 8-12
The Vanderbeeker family loves their life on the first floor of a brownstone in Harlem. But their happy world is shaken when their landlord, Mr. Beiderman, suddenly announces he is not renewing their lease, and the Vanderbeekers have to be out in two weeks. Mama and Papa promise that their family can be just as happy elsewhere, but the five Vanderbeeker kids set out on a mission to convince Mr. Beiderman that the neighborhood needs them.
Questions Just for Fun
If you were one of the children in this book, which would you choose to be and why?
Which idea did you think was the best for convincing Mr. Beiderman that the Vanderbeekers should stay?
Questions to Think Critically and Biblically
In the book, we see a big conflict arise between the twins, Isa and Jessie. What was the root cause of this conflict?
Discussion Guide - Discuss how Jessie withheld the truth from Isa because she was scared of losing her friendship with Isa. Then, discuss how this is a temptation we will all face at times and what the appropriate response is (telling the truth).
What did the Vanderbeekers love most about life on 141st Street? Is this love something that aligns with the biblical worldview or not?
Discussion Guide - Discuss how what the Vanderbeekers loved most was the relationships they had with their neighbors on 141st Street. Read Genesis 1:26-27 and John 13:34-35. Discuss how God has created all humans in His image. Because God is relational, we are relational. So, relationships should be important to humans! Then discuss how Jesus calls His followers to love others. This means that relationships should be even more important to Christians.
In what ways did we see Oliver grow throughout the book?
Discussion Guide - Discuss how Oliver mostly thought about himself and his wants at the beginning of the book. However, as he and his sisters worked on “Project Beiderman,” he realized he was thinking selfishly and he started thinking about how he could intentionally love his family.
Toward the end of the book, the Vanderbeeker children learn that Mr. Beiderman lost his wife and daughter in an accident and that Isa’s violin playing continually reminds Mr. Beiderman of that loss. How did understanding Mr. Beiderman’s situation help the children love him better?
Discussion Guide - Discuss how, before they learned of his situation, the Vanderbeeker kids focused solely on keeping their home. Once they learned the truth, they changed their focus to caring for Mr. Beiderman, showing him that he was loved and being willing to give up what they wanted for his good.
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