Great story about community, friendship and art. It teaches that there is always more to the story than meets the eye, and has a nice little twist that I didn’t see coming. Well done, again, Colleen Nelson!

The Umbrella House is full of culture, life, and color. SO many awesome pieces of life in NYC is woven in to the story; I can't wait to get this into the hands of my newest bunch of 5th graders!

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

This is a really lovely children's book. I'd say for kids in grades 3-6. Based very loosely on a true story, we follow the story of a middle schooler named Ruby. She lives in Umbrella House in the East Village New York. She and her best friend enjoy making and posting YouTube videos. When the story starts, she and her friend are getting ready to enter a young reporters video contest and are looking for an issue that is meaningful enough to help Ruby and her friend, Scout, win the contest. Unfortunately, they soon discover that their neighborhood and their very loved apartment building are under threat from a developer who has started buying and tearing down many local buildings. Ruby also has to contend with the changing friendship with Scout and her grandmother. This is a well-paced modern story about friendship, family, and community. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Pajama Press in exchange for my honest opinion.

Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Age: Middle Grade
Representation: Different Races, Economic Diversity, LGBTQ (two gay mothers are mentioned)

I love how THE UMBRELLA HOUSE tackles a real issue. If everything is purchased and gentrified, where will all those displaced people go? Who has the right to determine what a neighborhood's flavor is? The residents or outsiders?

The Umbrella House in NYC is a real place! I thought that added another dimension to this story about community.

Ruby and Miguel are best friends that nothing can separate, right?
But when Miguel has a secret, and Ruby is determined to win the Young Voices competition, they're not exactly talking like they used to. Ruby is confused and tied up in knots, showing a complex character. I love nuance in my characters.

There's also the secret of the Midnight Muralist. Who is this artist? Could they help save the video and the neighborhood? The added touch of a mystery is always a plus in any book!

I love the focus on family, friends, and art in this book. It captured me from the beginning! This is a great book to read whether you live in the city, suburbs, or countryside. It's also interesting to see how this story brings a conversation about gentrification in older, economically struggling areas—a problem in all large cities. The original owners of the Umbrella House were squatters that made it livable after it was abandoned and the city poured cement through the pipes. Why? When there's a need for affordable housing. Teachers are going to love having this book in their hands to teach about community and so many other good things.

Happy reading!

This is exactly the type of book I like to bring into my classroom. With themes of friendship, community, perseverance, and leadership, it ties together standards across Language Arts, Social science, and social emotional development. An added bonus is that it is based on real events. I can't wait to introduce this book to my students.

Thank you Netgalley and Pajama Press for the advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautiful book and I loved it even more when I found out it was based on a true story!

The fact that Umbrella House is a real house in New York City makes this book EXTRA cool. I know I will be planning a visit one day! The story behind Umbrella house is fascinating and one I think everyone should hear. I think the book does a good job of walking through how gentrification can affect families and neighborhoods in an age-appropriate way. I enjoyed the storylines of kids recognizing their talents and using them to make the world a better place. The Author's note in the taking about her research was insightful as well.
parental warning: themes of homosexuality

Thank you Netgalley and Pajama Press for the advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book so much! Intrigued by the cover, I couldn’t wait to read it. An incredible story of a team determined to save their beloved building from developers. I was so surprised to read it’s based on a true story! Powerful themes of speaking up, persevering, finding your voice, what makes a place a home.

The Umberella House is a great read and a very interesting story based around a community of friends and family.
I think kids will enjoy the cover of the book and this will draw them in to a wonderful story.

Ruby and Scout run a vlog about their East Village community, but when their building, THE UMBRELLA HOUSE, becomes the target of a developer looking to gentrify the neighborhood, they know they have to save it. They dig deep into the origins of their home and in doing so discover some family secrets. While their home is under threat, Ruby and Scout have to figure out what it means to be a team while chasing their individual passions, all while worrying about leaving the safety of what they've always known. This is a great book about family, dreams and kids accomplishing whatever they set their mind to, all while discussing the serious issues of gentrification and what gets lost when profit is put over people.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I initially thought this was a picture book, but I liked it enough to continue reading—excellent story for middle schoolers about making videos and friendship.