The Umbrella House by Colleen Nelson
This children's book is not only entertaining, it also teaches a bit about American social history, a movement that I was not aware of previously. The Canadian author lived in New York City for a few years, and was interested in the real Umbrella House history and wove it into this story set in the present day. Umbrella House was an abandoned apartment building that the city took possession of, and tried to make unliveable for any squatters. The city filled the drain pipes with concrete, tore holes in the roof and created barricades to access. In 1988 people began living in the house regardless. They began fixing it up to be liveable, and at first used umbrellas to protect against the water coming in through the holes in the roof, giving the building its name. In 2010, they legalized the building as a low income coop.
In this story, big developers threaten the building once again, and the book shows how housing has an impact on community. Many of the original tenants were artists and this book shows the impact of art as well.
I enjoyed the stories around the two middle grade kids at the center of this novel, both tenants of the building. Roxy lives with her grandmother, one of the original tenants, and her friend Scout lives with his two mothers, more recent tenants. They also run an e-newsletter about the community, with Roxy writing, and Scout doing graphic art. Part of their story is a competition involving a short video, and Scout has also had a teacher recommend a residential summer school to advance his art skills, which he can apply to for free attendance.
I liked the passion of both the kids and adults and the relatable story about affordable housing in urban areas, one I've seen friends and coworkers struggle with.
A great read.
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