This was a great story about the destruction that happened to neighborhoods when the federal interstate highway systems was built. Great history (including some photos) nestled in a nice coming of age story. Good for middle grade and adult readers.

As a fan of urban geography, I’ve been fascinated by the story of Rondo since I first heard about it, well into my adult life. Part of that fascination comes from “How did I miss what was going on?”

My dad worked for the Minnesota Highway Department, my great aunt—who we visited frequently—lived in an apartment just a few blocks from Rondo, and we frequently were in and around (and even briefly lived in) St. Paul during the late fifties and early sixties. I even started reading the daily newspapers around 1963 when most of this book is set. Yet somehow, I never saw the construction, never read about it in the paper, never heard anyone in the family even mention it.

And I guess that’s the story of Rondo: an enormous interstate highway project, taking place in plain sight for the better part of a decade. It tore out an entire neighborhood, completely altered the landscape through the center of the city, and displaced more than 600 families and countless businesses. But somehow all of that remained invisible to the people in the surrounding community.

Debra Stone’s book (of which I read an advance copy) is listed on Amazon for young adults. And I wondered about that when I first started reading it—Rondo is seen through the eyes of seventh grader, Zenobia, who spends the summer of 1963 with her grandparents and experiences firsthand the impact of the project on her family and the community.

The reader can’t help but share Zenobia’s feelings of powerlessness and confusion as one by one, houses are taken and razed, as longtime friends and neighbors suddenly are gone. It’s powerful stuff.

While the author never says it outright, Zenobia seems to be reliving Stone’s own memories. Told vividly, but without hyperbole, this is not just a book for young adults. It transcends YA, standing as a hidden history of what happened in plain view of a larger community that chose to ignore it—a wonderful and heartfelt book.

The only things that initially had me a little confused were in the last quarter of the book. The actual transition of Zenobia’s family to their new house was skipped over. And a handful of unexpected elements were either injected into the story or expanded from earlier on, including the ghost boy, the anthropomorphizing of the house, and Ruby Pearl’s “talking” dog.

Even so, all of those were effective ways of telling parts of the story. It chooses not to follow the traditional template one might expect from a novel, unless maybe you read As I Lay Dying and your expectations were shaped by someone like William Faulkner.

It presents slices of life in a way that tells a larger story, one where even when the bad guys win, the resilience of the protagonists is able to carry them forward. It’s deeply rooted in history and family history, and while it may appear to be “only” a story about Rondo, it’s really a story about people and in its telling reveals so much more.

The hardest thing for me to overcome is the writing style of this book. I’m not sure of the targeted age demographic, but it’s not my preferred style at all. It was like poetry but in novel form. It could be meaningful for some readers, I did enjoy learning about the historical black events specifically with housing and such. I didn’t hate it, just didn’t love it. It’s a quick read so wasn’t bad, just not my preference.

"The House on Rondo" is a beautiful telling of the progress of the African American community, eminent domain, and the complex relationships that make up both family and community. The writing style was a little choppy for my taste but it was a quick read and I could picture myself in the place of each of the characters. This is an important novel for capturing our nation's history. *I received a complimentary e-ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

The House on Rondo was a great read, highly informative, and heartwarming as well. It tells the story of a neighborhood of black families that gets torn down to build an interstate. The houses (and families) on Rondo Street are memorable and resilient, and it's remarkable to see the growth of Zenobia, a young girl, who is sent to Rondo Street with her younger siblings to live with her grandparents while her mother recovers from a stroke.

I can see the comparisons to the House on Mango Street, however this is more of a novel sharing the lives of each resident than a series of vignettes. Or maybe they're more similar than I can remember.

While Zenobia and her family is front and center, I really enjoyed learning about all the neighbors and their stories as well. Definitely recommend this for school classrooms. Ages 8+.

The House on Rondo is a beautifully wrought, emotionally powerful debut. Stone doesn’t just tell us about a neighborhood lost, she invites us into it, into its people, its laughter, its pain, and its fight. A poignant reminder that even when communities are torn apart, their spirit stays alive through the stories that continue to be told.

The House on Rondo is truly one of the best books I’ve read this year. Stories like this are why I love middle grade historical fiction so much.

Taking place in 1963, the story follows 13-year-old Zenobia. Her mother is recovering from a stroke, so Zenobia and her younger siblings are going to spend the summer with their grandparents on Rondo Avenue, home to a thriving black community.

Zenobia plans to spend her summer reading comics, playing outside with her friend Betty, and helping her grandparents. But she gradually learns that all the houses on Rondo are set to be demolished to make space for a new interstate highway. Her grandparents don’t want her worrying about it, but Zenobia is troubled by the news. The demolition of Rondo would mean displacement for the majority of the residents.

Zenobia’s story is interwoven with her family’s history and the lives of the other Rondo residents. With the encouragement of neighbor Mrs. Ruby Pearl, Zenobia decides to take a stand on behalf of her community.

In The House on Rondo, both characters and places come to life. The story also touches on issues such as alcoholism, abuse, parental abandonment, colorism, illness, and the loss of a child. Despite the heaviness, these topics are all handed with the sensitivity they deserve.

Another thing I really appreciated was how Debra J. Stone never talks down to her young readers. She doesn’t sugarcoat history to make it more palatable or pleasing. She doesn’t downplay the severity of difficult situations. This is part of what makes The House on Rondo such an excellent book for readers of all ages, not just children.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. I know I will be thinking about this story for a long, long time.