15 Delightful Books Like The Vanderbeekers

If you liked the quirky personalities of the Vanderbeeker kids, each of whom has their own unique gift, you’ll appreciate the siblings in this story. Tristan’s sister Jeanine gets perfect grades and a spot in the gifted and Talented program, but Tristan has their mom’s gift for baking tasty treats. When the family is uprooted from New York City to what Tristan terms “the middle of nowhere,” he decides to go on a quest for the town’s secret chocolate cream doughnut recipe to prove to himself and his family how talented he is.

The latest release from beloved children’s author Korman tackles hard issues through the eyes of middle schoolers. Link, Michael, and Dana’s quiet town gets a wake-up call when their school is vandalized with antisemitic graffiti. As the three classmates try to find out who is behind the hate crime, and more swastikas appear around town, they come face to face with not only issues in the present but the crimes of the past as well.

Like The Vanderbeekers, Louise Fitzhugh’s books are wonderful for the way they allow young readers to see New York City through the eyes of a kid. Growing up, I loved reading about Harriet’s adventures and her independence in navigating city life, and this book still hooks middle grade readers today.

If you or your child likes books about families, pick up this historical fiction novel about three orphaned siblings at the beginning of World War II. After their grandmother dies, Anna, Edmund, and William are sent to a country village for the war’s duration. As they endure unfriendly homes and loneliness, the three children find comfort in each other and Nora Muller, the town librarian. This is a book with plenty of love and warm fuzzies to go around!

The Gaither Sisters is a good choice for anyone who loves books about kids on adventures. Delphine and her sisters have been sent to Oakland, California, from Brooklyn, New York, to spend time with the mother they barely know. However, it turns out that their mother is not too thrilled by their arrival and resents their intrusion on her activism, so she packs them off to a Black Panthers summer camp where the girls spend the summer of 1968 learning about how fast the world is changing around them.

Another series for upper elementary and middle grade readers, Winterhouse incorporates elements of fantasy and mystery, along with a creepy, old house. Elizabeth Somers is an orphan shipped off to Winterhouse Hotel, but she doesn’t mind too much. After all, there’s a library full of secrets and the strange but welcoming Norbridge and his family to keep her company. When Elizabeth finds a book that might help her lift the curse that’s been set on Winterhouse, she’s determined to use it and help save her new home.

A classic of books about boisterous and loving families, this is the story of sisters who, along with their new friend Jeffrey, spend the summer exploring the Arundel estate. From outdoor explorations to eating the cook’s gingerbread cookies, this is a story of a beautiful childhood summer that families will love.

This book, along with Harriet the Spy, formed my childhood dreams of New York. Set on the Lower East Side at the turn of the twentieth century, the everyday adventures of these five “stair-step” sisters are ones I still recall fondly to this day. Fans of historical fiction will love this book!

This book draws on Caribbean mythology to introduce us to Josephine, a lovable, mischievous 11-year-old who’s determined to scare away anyone woman who tries to date her dad. Her plan? Distract him from dating by joining the school’s cricket team. The catch? Coach Broomes won’t allow girls to join the team, and a frustrated Josephine cuts into a silk cotton tree, thus summoning a sea witch who is determined to become her new stepmom. Can Josephine find a new plan before it’s too late?

Like the Vanderbeekers, Kitty faces a big move: from London to New York. Ever since her mother died, Kitty worries that leaving London will mean leaving her memory behind. But as Kitty explores her new city, she learns that memories can travel with you and that with the help of some new friends, she can make wonderful memories in her new home, too.

When Nurah and her family move from Karachi, Pakistan, to Peachtree City, Georgia, she’s mostly focused on trying to blend in at her new school. When she meets lonely classmate Stahr at swimming tryouts, she’s happy to find another girl who wears a covering swimsuit, though for different reasons, and Nurah makes it her mission to become a star swimmer and Stahr’s friend.

Just like the Vanderbeekers, Wes Henderson is facing eviction from his beloved home. In Wes’s case, it’s because a developer has offered to buy Kensington Oaks, and no one in his community can agree on what to do. With all the grownups fighting, can Wes and his friends find a way to save their neighborhood?

Gabrielle is thrilled to be moving to America from Haiti, even if it means temporarily leaving her parents and living with relatives she doesn’t know that well. But when she arrives in Brooklyn, it’s a lot less welcoming than she hoped, and Gabrielle struggles with the language and cultural barriers she faces. When a witch offers to make her “American,” Gabrielle readily agrees, but she doesn’t realize all that she’ll be giving up to get her wish.

Georgia Rosenbloom’s father was famous for a series of paintings: the first of a bird, the second of himself, and the third of Georgia’s mother. Everyone tells Georgia that the fourth painting, which her father died before completing, was going to be of her, but Georgia isn’t so sure. When she finds a sketch of herself similar to the other three paintings, she goes on a quest through the museums of New York City to learn more about her father’s art and find out if the sketch connects her to the last painting.

Rigel Harman loves her life in remote Alaska: hunting rabbits, going to school by mail, and living in a two-room cabin under an endless sky. However, her world is disrupted when her parent’s divorce and Rigel, her mom, and her sister move to Connecticut. Rigel’s only hope is the deal she made with her dad: stick it out for one year, and then she can return to Alaska. Can Rigel survive 365 days in the suburbs? And is it possible that her new home has some wilderness of its own?