Based on an actual building, The Umbrella House is a symbol for the resilience and can-do attitude of New Yorkers. A lot happens in this book, but the way it unfolds initially is pretty anticlimactic. Roxie and her best friend Scout are interested in winning a contest by creating a documentary about Umbrella House, an abandoned building that was renovated and claimed by squatters who are now the residents. Roxie seeks to learn more about her father through his sketchbook, but uncovers the fact that her grandmother was the "midnight muralist" creating graffiti murals in the neighborhood.

Soon her familiar summer plans get shaken up by the fact that her best friend Scout may be leaving for a photography camp, and her grandmother's building is in jeopardy because of the way it was acquired. Suddenly the documentary becomes an important way to portray the history, diversity, and eclectic nature of Umbrella House as they fight in court against gentrification.

There are a lot of unique topics and the children get the chance to be advocates and fight for something they believe in. I don't know that the tweens and teens in rural Illinois would find a lot to relate to in this book, but it would be a good window to look at life as a city kid.

What a sweet book.

This is what I’m looking for in an audiobook! Megan Gage’s wonderful voice brought the characters to life that Colleen Nelson so descriptively created.

There are some important topics in this book that are touched on in an age-appropriate matter — economic hardship, gentrification, jealousy, losing gracefully & what makes a safe secret.

I cannot wait to read this with my older kids!

I loved this book. The characters felt real and I loved that they were fighting for something real. I know the outcome was not the same for many neighborhoods and apartment buildings, but I love the happy ending in this one.

Very uplifting, suspenseful, fun junior high read. Ruby and her friend Scout try to save their home, Umbrella House, from being bought and destroyed by a real estate mogul. Ruby combines trying to save her home with a video competition that will bring her closer to her lifelong dream of being a news reporter. In addition to attending city council meetings, interviewing and making videos of the residents of Umbrella House, Ruby and Scout are trying to locate the mysterious Midnight Muralist. The artist who, long ago, painted murals on the outside of other buildings in the area and whose murals are saving those buildings from destruction.

The Umbrella House was a perfect Grade 6-8 novel/audiobook. I think that middle schoolers would enjoy the production of the audiobook in the classroom or not. The novel deals with the social justice issue of gentrification. There are many issues that could be explored, debated and challenged by those reading/listening to this novel. I loved the strong bonds between the FMC and her grandmother and best friend it really added depth to the story.

Thank you Net Galley, Colleen Nelson and The Audio Legacy for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions shared are my own.
The Umbrella House is now available.

I was able to get an advanced copy of the audiobook. The narrator read this perfectly! A cute story about two kids learning about the history of the building they grew up in and the gentrification going on around them.

Thank you so much to Pajama Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC (advanced reader copy) of this book. The following review is my honest opinion.

In this middle grade fiction novel, we follow Roxy from New York City. She finds out about a ‘Young Voices Video Competiton’, which she is determined to win with the help of her best friend Scout. While he is carrying a secret, Roxy is trying to find out who the Midnight Muralist is and how to stop the residents of umbrella house from being victims of gentrification.

First of all, I loved the found family and tight-knit community aspect in this book. Almost all characters seemed to have some sort of depth to them. Roxy often shows introspective thinking, which I prefer to emotionally underdeveloped main characters. I also liked how the author includes difficult topics such as gentrification. This could serve as a good educational point and leaves room for discussion.

The narrator did a very good job of depicting the main character. It was a very pleasant experience listening to this audiobook.

I've only been to New York a few times but I'm always impressed with the people and the mood. What makes this story particularly wonderful is how The Umbrella House is based on a real house and shows the amazing sense of community and belonging in the neighborhood.
The young protagonist is also wonderful and we get to see her resilience and intelligence as she learns about her home and works to save it. Her relationship with her friend Scout shows how conflicted they could be about leaving their home, even for great opportunity.
Thanks to NetGalley, I got to listen to the audiobook. The narrator portrayed the young girl brilliantly.