The Umbrella House

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Author(s)

Colleen Nelson

Publisher Name

Pajama Press

Genre(s)

Age Range

10+

Release Date

June 06, 2023

ISBN13

978-1772782790

ISBN10 or ASIN

In this intimate and inspiring novel about the power of art and the value of community, award-winning author and former New Yorker Colleen Nelson brings life and liveliness to an eccentric cast of New York City neighbors.

Middle-schooler and Manhattanite Ruby Markowski wants to tell the truth fearlessly and powerfully, just like her idols at Veracity News. She and her best friend Scout already make YouTube videos together about East Village life, so when Veracity News announces a Young Voices video competition, Ruby knows it’s the perfect opportunity to make a name for herself, if only she can find a story worth telling. When a real-estate mogul threatens to buy her historic East Village apartment building, Umbrella House, Ruby sets out to create a video about the people who live in her building, depicting their love for art, community, and family.

With time—and her options for saving Umbrella Houserunning out, Ruby finds herself caught up in the mystery of the Midnight Muralist, a famous East Village artist whose murals once buildings famous and valuable. Could finding this enigmatic artist be the key to saving her historic East Village apartment building?

Editor review

1 review

Interesting bit of New York history

June 06, 2023

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

Roxy and Scout live in the East Village of New York City in (the fictionalized) Umbrella House. In the 1980s, the building was abandoned, but artists who needed homes squatted in the building and fixed it up. Roxy's grandmother, who finds and refurbishes vintage items to sell, was one of these first residents. The community is very close, but worried about the changes in their neighborhood brought on by a developer who is trying to gentrify the area. Roxy is very interested in news reporting, and Scout in videography, and the two want to enter a Young Voices competition run by Veracity News, which they love. They've been reporting for the EaVill Kids network, so feel they have an edge if they just just settle on a riveting topic. When a neighboring building is sold to the developer and a beloved joke shop has to go out of business, they think this might work, but Roxy finds out information about her family's past and ties to the Midnight Muralist who brought a lot of attention to the area. When the developer threatens the Umbrella House itself, Roxy and Scout know they need to act. Will they be able to save the artistic integrity of their neighborhood as well as their home?

Good Points

New York City has so much rich history, and I know so little of it! I'm always glad for books like Tarpley's The Harlem Charade or Rodriguez and Bell's Doodles from the Boogie Down that offer a tantalizing glimpse into a more urban existence. It's fascinating that a city would choose to cut holes in the roof of a building and fill the pipes with cement rather than trying to sell or tear down an abandoned edifice. The artistic culture that Roxy's grandmother is part of certainly benefitted from it, and the portrayal of a neighborhood in transition is an interesting one.

Roxy and Scout are very dedicated to their news reporting, and Veracity News is an interesting outlet. Many writers get their start in Young Voices competitions, so seeing the struggles that the two had to get their episode produced will appeal to young reporters. Scout has an opportunity to go to camp which puts a realistic strain on their project as well as on their relationship.

I can't say that I have ever seen a book that portrays gentrification as a good thing, so The Umbrella House will be a good choice for readers who enjoyed Dilloway's Five Thing About Ava Andrews, Giles' Take Back the Block, Watson's This Side of Home, or Broaddus' Unfadeable. I'm old enough to remember when gentrification was called "urban renewal" and was generally thought of as a way to get people into safer housing, but I understand that things are viewed differently now.