“One for Yes” by Allie Millington

“One for Yes” is a mix of happy and sad, funny and serious, friendly and disagreeable. These opposites are a reflection of our world, but one that kids can navigate within the safety of a book.
Allie Millington has created another unique story about a family that has been affected by circumstances beyond their control. The loss of the protagonist’s sister and the impending loss of their home have been bearing down on all the characters in the story.
I enjoyed the shifting points of view and the unique characters created by this style of writing, including Prue and Lewis, as well as the building, called the Odenburgh, and Carl, the building caretaker. The variety of views give the reader insight into the story while leaving a bit of their own mystery. Millington ends the story with a good tidying up of the mysteries and best of all, hope for the future.

Oh man. this one was such a heartwarming read. I loved the shifting POV's and the fact that the building itself got to tell its story. This one was absolutely beautifully written and I will recommend it to any and all younger readers that I know. Definitely keeping Allie Millington on my "to watch" list.

I did not love this book, it just wasn't for me. Shifting points of view (including one that is the building the main characters live in/across from), a drawn out story of the death of a sister that took way too long to unfold, and characters that I couldn't get attached to - maybe due to the constant shifts. This might be good for some, but it didn't draw me in. I appreciated the eARC from Feiwel and NetGalley.

Allie Millington is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I loved Olivetti and in Once for Yes found another book I will highly recommend to my middle school readers.
The unique protagonist, the wholesome and quirky characters, and the themes of home and hope make Once for Yes a winner.

The Odenburgh is an old apartment building that has the thankless job of keeping everyone safe and housed even if they’re constantly complaining. So when it is set for sale and demolition, the building decides to fight back. And it has an ally in Prue, a girl who doesn’t want to lose her apartment because it is where all the memories of her sister that passed away. Told in alternating points of view focusing on this pairing of a building and girl trying to save each other, this is a beautifully written story of grief, family, community, and gentrification. A great choice for fans of Jenn Reese’s PUZZLEHEART. Highly recommend!

The Odenburgh is an apartment building at the edge of an urban area that has "Downtown Disease" and is the only older building left on the block. Since the original builder is portrayed as still owning the building, I would guess that the no nonsense, flat-roofed, red brick structure is from the late 1960s. All around are larger, more expensive apartment buildings devoid of style and soul, and the building is concerned about its future. It's put up with having residents, but doesn't really enjoy them, since they are loud and always have problems. One of these residents, Prue, has her share, and uses a defunct landline to perform her bathtub podcast and to talk to herself. She used to do the podcasts with her older sisters, Fifi and Lina, but Lina has passed away in an accident, and Fifi is not longer interested. When the news arrive that the building is going to be torn down, Prue is devastated, since it was where she has lived her whole life, and where she feels connected to Lina. Fifi is glad to move, and the parents, who don't discuss Lina, are practical and locate a new home. There is some mystery surrounding what happened to Lina, and when Prue meets Lewis, a boy who lives across the street, some of the questions are answered. We hear frequently from the building itself, and when Prue decides to mount a campaign to try to save it, the Odenburgh attempts to help by playing tricks with the lighting. Prue's best resource is Niko, who is taking pictures of both the demolition and rebuilding, and the residents do band together to paint the building and to record what the building meant to them. It is to no avail; the Odenburgh comes down, but the stone with the name on it survives, and is included in a park where the memorial bench to Lina is also placed.
Strengths: Millington does a great job at creating a sense of close knit if dysfunctional family, and her portrayals of urban neighborhoods are exceptionally rich. The use of a landline that is still connected but largely inoperable was interesting. This follows the current zeitgeist about land use in cities; I've even seen 1960s era houses in neighborhoods in Cincinnati being torn down so that larger, newer ones can be built. Prue's relationship with Fifi is realistic, since siblings often grow apart when age differences become apparent. I appreciated that this didn't end with the building being saved, which would have been somewhat unlikely given its condition and the problem with rodents.
Weaknesses: If inanimate objects speak, wouldn't it be more interesting if they were under happier and more adventurous circumstances? Like this author's Olivetti, there is a wealth of family trauma in this book, and my students just don't ask for this sort of book.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who are interested in the topic of gentrification and who enjoyed Dilloway's Five Thing About Ava Andrews, Nelson's The Umbrella House, Giles' Take Back the Block, Watson's This Side of Home, or Broaddus' Unfadeable.

Who knew that a story told mostly from the point of view of a historic, brick apartment building would hold so much insight and beauty in its old, cracked mortar?

The voice of the Odenburgh was organic, poignant, and wonderfully charming. Little moments like “The day started as they all do. Sunrise. Pigeons. Tenants ignoring their alarms” brought me so many smiles as I read.

And for every moment I laughed and smiled, I was also moved to tears because at its core, this is a story about family, found family, and how to adapt and move on after experiencing grief.

Lina and Lewis were characters I’d brave any storm for, and their character development was beautifully crafted, authentic in voice and in every quirk.

If I can grow old to appreciate life and be proud how I lived it as the Odenburgh did, I will consider myself a lucky woman.

To quote one of my favorite moments: “I’d lived more in the last two weeks than I had in fifty years. And I didn’t regret a thing. It was worth it to hope. To care.”

Thank you, Allie Millington, for once again, writing a unique and heartwarming story.

Once For Yes is a heartwarming and emotional book that will keep you engaged till the very last page! I laughed, I cried, and I had a fantastic time reading this beautifully articulated story. Allie Millington knocks it out of the park yet again!

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my unbiased opinion.