The Vanderbeekers Lost and Found

By Karina Yan Glaser

Book #4 in the The Vanderbeekers series

A hidden identity in the garden challenges the Vanderbeekers' compassion.

5.5/7 Bookroo expert·4.5/5 Goodreads · 4,828 ratings

351 pages· 50,086 words· Est. 7 hour read

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Bookroo's summary

Autumn on 141st Street brings new challenges for the Vanderbeekers. As they prepare Mr. Beiderman for the marathon, they discover a mysterious figure living in the community garden shed. Isa, Jessie, Oliver, Hyacinth, and Laney must navigate the complexities of helping someone in dire need, testing their resolve to improve their neighborhood. What secrets will they uncover, and how will it change their lives? Join the Vanderbeekers as they face an unexpected journey of empathy and understanding.

From the publisher

New York Times best-seller Karina Yan Glaser brings everyone’s favorite Harlem family back in this poignant fourth novel in the “delightful and heartwarming” (New York Times Book Review) Vanderbeekers series.

When autumn arrives on 141st Street, the Vanderbeekers are busy helping Mr. Beiderman get ready for the New York City Marathon and making sure the mysterious person sleeping in the community garden gets enough to eat. But when they discover the true identity of the person making a home in the community garden’s shed, their world turns upside down as they learn what it means to care for someone in an impossible situation.

In this fourth book in the Vanderbeekers series, return to 141st Street with Isa, Jessie, Oliver, Hyacinth, and Laney as they attempt to make their neighborhood a better place, one heartfelt plan at a time.

At a glance

Format
Pages: 351
Words: 50,086
Reading age: 8–12
Audience: Middle Grade
Lexile: 840L

Themes & topics

Books about friendship Books about family life Books about siblings Books about city and town life Books about lifestyles

For the grown-ups

The parent guide

What families may want to know

Every family reads differently. These are the concepts our editors noticed in this book — worth seeking out for some readers, worth knowing about for others. The list isn't exhaustive, but it's a spoiler-light head start.

Serious Subject Matter

*Spoiler* The Vanderbeeker children discover that one of their friends has been evicted and is homeless.

Presence of Death

*Spoiler* One of the Vanderbeekers' neighbors passes away near the end of the story. Though the family mourns the loss, the death was not unexpected.

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.5

out of 7

5.5

“I really enjoyed this story of a family living in Harlem, New York City. The interactions of the siblings and their parents, as well as their neighbors and friends, is really inspiring. I love their rooftop cinema. Though this is part of The Vanderbeekers series, it can be read as a standalone story.”

The Goodfather

Trusted reviewer

For readers who can't stop at one