June and Maybelle and their mother used to live in New York City's Chinatown until they were evicted one day. It happened because her father was killed in a car accident and her mother just shut down and stopped talking and existing. June has been trying to keep everything together until she couldn't. The family is sent to a homeless center called The Huey House. She is told right away that. musical instruments are not allowed and June is a viola player who needs her music. Fortunately, someone helps her out and sneaks her instrument into the center. She finds lots of friends in her new home.

The center has all kinds of interesting characters including a grumpy director, a loving social worker, a couple of trickster boys, and lots of families trying to figure out to get back on their feet. Not all parents in the center have the means or ability to get out of the center and so some kids have been there for a while including a boy named Tyrell who has been part of Huey House for over three years.

Tyrell has a daily appointment to listen to a neighbor play her violin each evening. He sits in a window and soaks in the beautiful music. When He discovers that June plays, he helps her find a safe place to practice. Music plays a big part in this story. The author has given you a list of music mentioned in the book at the end. Make sure you listen to some of the music.

The city has decided that they need to get people out of the center and into other housing more quickly. However, the new housing is in dangerous neighborhoods, too far from transportation, or in terrible condition. Some leaders are ready to make this happen while others are concerned but no one is listening. Of course, in any great middle-grade book, the kids get involved in getting changes to happen.

This is a very hopeful and perhaps even joyful "homeless" story. I know that all homeless situations are different but this story is about music, grief, found family, and hope. I think this is a great story.

Thank you @netgalley for this free e-galleyI love @karinaisreadingandwriting and the Vanderbeekers series. Her first stand alone had the same themes of found family. What a sweet story. I loved June and her friends and would love to see more of what happens to them. I love how Karina Yan Glaser writes from her life experiences and appreciated her author's note here about her work with an NYC homeless shelter teaching literacy to kids. Happy Pub day 4/5/22!

In New York City, there is a homeless shelter that houses families semi permanently. When June moves in with her mother and sister, she finds more of a neighborhood than she expected. Everyone has their own issues yet they all share the common theme of homeless.
Opinion
This is an absolutely great story which addresses a growing problem, homelessness. By putting this in the hands of students, it allows them to see that homeless people face some of the same issues they do as well as the obvious issues. Written with short chapters, this book is perfect for the upper elementary and lower middle grades students. Each chapter, while short, is packed with adventure. With all of the issues from the residents, each reader is sure to find someone they can commiserate with.
Many thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

A Duet for Home by Katrina Yan Glaser made me question my whole rating system. It's a cut above other books I've rated five stars, including The Vanderbeeker series by the same author which I adore. Where the Vanderbeeker children are charming and relatable the main characters of ADFH June and Tyrell, are real in the depths of their struggles. They remind me so much of students I've had who face challenges many adults never have to endure.

Van Glaser addresses the main concerns of homeless families along with the many contributing factors, and symptoms of homelessness with such sensitivity and realism. Realism that is heart wrenching to read at times. I cried so much in this book but I wouldn't have homelessness portrayed any other way. Children's lives and stability are precious and it should break our hearts when their basic needs are not met.

Don't let me trick you into picturing ADFH as a depressing or unsuitable read for young kids. On the contrary, June and Tyrell's expirences are a perfect gateway to this relevant issue. The book is centered on the kids' story and never comes across as preachy. Kids who are naturally compassionate will follow the story driven by hope for their favorite character. Even the altering perspectives was done perfectly and gives readers even more opportunities to connect.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💥
Six stars and my new favorite read of the year.
Thank you @netgalley and @harpercollinsch for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. The book is released on Tuesday, April 5th!

Karina Yan Glaser, you are an auto-read author for me! You weave together stories of multicultural community and resilience, while not dulling the importance or impact of hard topics.

This is a heartwarming story of some sixth graders who find themselves living in a homeless shelter in NYC. They bond over a love of classical music and in opposition to a new housing policy that threatens to wreck the lives they are building for themselves. I loved how just as in the Vanderbeekers these characters have stellar and not so stellar adults in their lives and how they must choose to fight for what they believe is right.

Karina Yan Glaser's books are everything Middle Grade should be. She is also the author of my beloved Vanderbeekers series! This book is about homelessness, racial and socio-economic stereotyping, family love, friendship, activism and having a passion in your life. I highly recommend this book for Middle Grade (7-12) aged readers. It would make a wonderful family chapter, or two, a night read aloud story.

This is such a wonderful book, with themes of home, family (and found family), grief and healing, finding one's voice, and the power of music. I loved the characters, the storyline, and Karina Yan Glaser's excellent writing. It will stick with me for a long time. I will recommend A Duet for Home to both children and adults as a top notch middle grade read.

I was thrilled to hear that Karina Yan Glauser was writing a new book! I have loved following the adventures of the Vanderbeeker siblings and was intrigued to read a new, stand alone novel from Karina!

The first thing that sticks out to me is how masterful she creates her settings. I was transported once again to New York City and experienced all the sites and sounds of the city. Karina creates settings that feel both comfortable and engaging. I felt at home at Huey House surrounded by the many different people that become family. I could see the painted hallways, smell the cafeteria food, and hear the music from next door. I was transported to Chinatown and felt drawn to June's former home. Even Tyrell's visit to a dark spot in his past felt so real and I felt his pain as he felt trapped by what had happened there. New York is a huge city yet Karina makes it feel cozy and familiar.

Karina also creates characters that are easy to cheer for and impossible to forget. I loved June from the first moment we meet her. She is trying to keep her family together and build a new life after the tragic death of her father. I admired her passion for music, her determination to make things better for her family, and her tender love for her sister Maybelle. Unlike an average kid, June has to deal with some hard things. I admire how she takes those experiences and makes herself stronger. Tyrell is a fascinating and complex character. I was a little intimidated by him at first, but in a good way. He seemed so cool! At first, it seems like he has everything together. He has lived at Huey House for years, has a best friend there, does well in school, and pulls pranks without much backlash. But as the story progresses, we learn so much more about him. I was drawn to his journey to be his own man and overcome his family's past and racial stereotypes. His experiences at the end of the book are so satisfying.

As always, Karina's storytelling is vibrant and engaging while tackling tough themes. The stories flow from the page and capture readers attention until the end. I always read her books quickly because they are so engaging. This is a book about two kids that are homeless. That is a hard topic to read about especially when it focuses on kids. Yet, this story is so hopeful and engaging. From the first page, I was invested in June and Tyrell's stories. I wanted them to succeed and I was surprised to see how well they fit into the Huey House family. Before reading this book, I had very little knowledge about homelessness. I appreciated the author's note at the beginning of this book and how she brings her experiences in this field to the story. Homelessness isn't just about numbers and moving people out of shelters. These people have stories, relationships, and dreams that can be relit as they connect with others and are given opportunities to improve.

I loved this new novel from Karina Yan Glauser. The characters are relatable new friends. The setting is vibrant as it comes alive on the page. And the storytelling is as engaging as ever. Flowing through the story is a beautiful musical journey as June develops her viola skills and Tyrell's world shifts as he discovers musical talent of his own. These protagonists show us that there is hope in dark times, hard work can bring change, and friendship can overcome even the toughest of barriers. I couldn't put this one down!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.

4.5 stars for A Duet for Home. I am a big fan of books that can advocate for a cause or issue through beautiful storytelling. I think it is much more powerful than simply writing a "preachy" book. And Yan Glaser does this wonderfully with A Duet for Home. I thought the dual POV was done well and I enjoyed the musical aspect of the book.

“Home was a funny thing. You thought it meant one thing, only to discover that it meant something else entirely.”

What a beautiful and important book by the amazing Karina Yan Glaser. I adored the Vanderbeekers of 141st Street series and I now adore her most recent release, A Duet for Home. I will definitely recommend this book to tweens at my library branch.

Absolutely touching. After a tragic accident, June, her sister, and her mom end up in the same Bronx homeless shelter as Tyrell, who's been in the shelter with his mom for years. After a prank with the cafeteria cranberry juice, June and Tyrell don't exactly start off on the right foot, but they soon connect over their love of classical music. Their friendship grows further when they realize that the city is pursuing a new housing policy that simply doesn't work for families. Glaser brings us characters who struggle with their emotions and experience personal growth, which is especially key for middle school characters. A great book for kids who enjoy realistic fiction titles like No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen, The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez, Ghost by Jason Reynolds, or Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead.

This tender story is told in alternating perspectives between Chinese-American and biracial Black main characters, set in a Bronx homeless shelter. Great for middle school readers and fans of the author!

After reading all of the Vanderbeeker series, and this newest from the author, I will automatically buy whatever she writes. As a mom to take boys 8/10 - these are such great read alouds at night. She tackles some pretty heavy topics with such grace and access to conversations with your kids.

This is a special book that speaks directly to the heart. Like in Glaser's Vanderbeekers series, there are many characters in this community who shine brightly, show compassion, go out of their way for others and stand up both for things they believe in and against injustices they see. The entire cast of characters is well thought out and bring intrigue and purpose to the story. A Duet for Home kept me turning the pages despite my claims I was only going to read one more chapter. I could not make myself walk away from the characters or their story. Kids and adults alike will not only LOVE this story, but they will likely find it one they want to discuss with one another. It honors music, community, found families, comfort food and so much more. A definite must add to any middle grade collection.

Outstanding! Teachers-preorder this now. It will make both a great read aloud and student book club choice. The story tackles a tough subject- life in transitional housing/a homeless shelter as friendships are formed and families go through difficult times. It will definitely provide “food for thought” as readers consider life circumstances they may not have personally encountered. And, it gives readers ideas to consider should they want to advocate for changes within their local government.

This book is a gutting, warm hug, intergenerational fight for justice. Switching perspectives from June and Tyrell, we get two complex stories interwoven together with a background of supporting characters. This is getting ordered for my library as fictional books featuring homelessness are critical for helping people see themselves in literature and/or unlearn biases. Thanks to Clarion Books and NetGalley for an early read.

Karina Yan Glaser does a commendable job of looking at homelessness from a variety of angles, humanizing those who live in shelters. A Duet for Home is a book I would have wanted in my sixth grade classroom. It's important for students in upper elementary and middle school grades to appreciate that some of their friends may be experiencing homelessness or home insecurity.

“Home was a funny thing. You thought it meant one thing, only to discover that it meant something else entirely.”

June has just moved into Huey House, a temporary shelter, with her mom and younger sister. After her father was unexpectedly killed in a car accident, her mom shut down, eventually losing her job and their apartment. It was up to June to pack them up and move here.

Tyrell has lived in Huey House for more than three years and he knows enough about everyone who lives and works there that he can plan escapades behind the eyes of the shelter's director, Mrs. McMillan. I appreciate how Yan Glaser makes Tyrell multi-dimensional, demonstrated through his love of classical music.

It is that interest in music that brings June and Tyrell together, each helping the other out, June helping to teach and practice on the viola with Tyrell, and he helping June hide her viola and practicing from Mrs. McMillan. That's another aspect of this book that I appreciated. There was a sense of community among the families that lived at Huey House. It wasn't all rosy, with everyone getting along and working together. There was rage, neglect, and depression. But there were also adults who understood and occasionally stepped in to help out. Just like in real life.

Beyond their own experiences, June and Tyrell learn about plans for Huey House that mean don't make sense to them. And so they try to do what they can to change them. While not entirely realistic to my adult mind, I would never want to take away any opportunity for a child to believe, having read this book, that they could make a difference!

This book would make for an interesting and thoughtful read-aloud!

This was such an important read that I absolutely recommend anyone who can read to read the book! I started reading this book with the expectations that I would enjoy it based on it's topics but it blew my socks off. The whole book was written with attention and care. I highly highly recommend!!

The author presents the problem of homelessness through the eyes of 2 young people, June who is Asian and passionate about her viola, and Tyrell. Tyrell has been at the shelter for 3 years and June has just arrived with her younger sister and mother who has been lost in grief for a year after her husband died. The grief has resulted in her mother not working so they lost their apartment. Written for pretweens because much is predictable with problems that resolve more quickly and would realistically.

I was expecting that this book would be like others I had read about homelessness. While it does describe the plight of the homeless, it is a story of friendship and perseverance.
June and Tyrell, two children who live in the shelter, are the main characters. The story tells about how they ended up there and how their friendship grew. June plays the viola. It is her escape from the conditions around her and from a mother who was often unresponsive. With the help of Tyrell, she finds a place where she can practice. She meets a eccentric woman, a well-known violinist,. She learns how to improve her skills to achieve her goal. Her playing inspires Tyrell to learn as well.
The most important topic of the book, though, is how the government changes policies thinking that they are helping the homeless. June fights for her family and others. That fight leads to better treatment of those at the shelter.
I find this novel very relevant today as people search for ways to end homelessness. It shows that more thought coupled needs to be taken and the homeless themselves should be involved in a solution.
I would highly recommend this book because of many levels of topics it has. It could help teach character development and conflict in the classroom. It could also lead to more earnest discussion about a critical situation that exists in society.