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The Vanderbeekers Lost and Found
Last updated Friday, December 3, 2021
Author: Karina Yan Glaser
Date of Publication: 2020
ISBN: 0358256194
Grade Level: 5th (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Dec. 2021
Synopsis:
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.
| Note to readers: |
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This is the 4th book in the Vanderbeekers series. We have only the first 65 pages of a 300+ page book today. Please remind the kids that they can get this book at the school library to finish it.
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The opening pages of this book throw lots of characters at you. Page 8 has a diagram of who is who and what their relationships are.
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This is the fourth in a series of books about a family that lives in a brownstone in Harlem, New York city. There are five children, ages 6 to 14, including a set of twin girls. They live with their parents and share their building with an elderly couple and their landlord.
There are drawings at the beginning of each section that indicate a row of brownstones on a block. You should explain what a brownstone is as we don’t have very many here in L.A. area.
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| Discussion topics for before reading: |
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The Vanderbeeker children have discovered that someone (the PM, Person of Mystery) has been sleeping in the shed used to store tools and materials in the Community Garden. They set out to find out who this person is and how they might help him/her.
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The Vanderbeekers, children and parents, have a close relationship with their fellow building tenants and neighbors. They all interact with each other frequently and help each other out. There is a drawing on page 5 that show the family, their friends and various pets.
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The Vanderbeeker family members are kind and thoughtful to one another and to the people they love and admire. They embrace and support the members of their community and their friends. When did you make a kind, helpful gesture to a friend or member of your community?
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Who has read one of the Vanderbeeker series books before?
Vocabulary:
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brownstone - a brown Triassic–Jurassic sandstone. A brownstone—the structure—first popped up in New York City in the early 19th century and is typically a city rowhouse clad in the eponymous sandstone. ... In fact, many of the earlier rowhouses have only a brownstone facade—the rest of the structure is brick—while later houses are made entirely of the sandstone.
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Harlem - section of New York City, found in the northwest corner of the island of Manhattan. It was established by the Dutch in 1658 (when New York was called New Amsterdam). The name means, roughly, “high dune”. A multi-ethnic community that was and is the center of African-American cultural activity.
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hypothesize: to make a proposition that sets forth to explain an occurrence or situation.
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fertilizer: a substance used to enhance soil to improve the growth of plants. May be man-made chemicals or organic materials.
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marathon: a foot race over a course that measures 26 miles, 385 yards. The New York City marathon is one of the most prestigious in the world and is run, usually, the first Sunday in November.
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community garden: in urban and suburban areas, a plot of land that is set aside to be used by individuals and families as their own space to grown vegetables, fruits, flowers for their own use.
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Hyacinth: a flower native to the Mediterranean and Africa but also the name of the second youngest Vanderbeeker child.
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Billie Holiday: a famous African-American singer (1915-1959) known for singing jazz and blues songs but also the name of the Vanderbeekers elderly upstairs neighbors’ dog.
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| Discussion topics for during/after reading: |
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The Vanderbeekers interact with their fellow building tenants, neighbors and friends. They help each other out (e.g., walk the neighbors’ dog) and their community. Do you have an opportunity to do that? In what ways do you do it?
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How does Orlando hurt Jessie and their friendship? Why does Orlando act that way?
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What ideas do Isa, Allegra, Oliver, Angie, and Jimmy L conceive to help convince Orlando to stay in Harlem?
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What is Orlando's response to the ideas? What reasons does Orlando give for returning to Georgia?
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The Vanderbeekers own several animals that they love. How does their love of their animals reflect
their personalities?
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| Special activities: |
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Do the word search that includes words from the first 2 chapters here: https://thewordsearch.com/puzzle/3026208/the-vanderbeekers-lost-and-found/
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The kids can write a thank-you note to someone they appreciate: for example, a friend, a teacher, a doctor, a neighbor, or someone in their family. Tell that person what you like about them and why you appreciate them.
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*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions.
You can use them, but you don't have to use them.
You can expand upon them, or add your own twist.
Remember, though, that the focus of your time should
not be on the development and execution of a craft;
the focus should be on the read-aloud and the
enjoyment of the book!
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