Summary

In the middle of a quiet block on 141st Street, the Vanderbeeker family gathers inside their brownstone. The parents ask their kids, Isa, Laney, Jessie, Oliver, and Hyacinth, whether they would like to receive good news or bad news first. The kids speculate that Mama and Papa are getting a divorce, flying into a fit of nerves. Mama and Papa calm them by asking how much they enjoy living in their current home. They reply that they believe their home is the best place in the world. Papa tells them that their landlord, Mr. Beiderman, has not renewed their lease and they must move at the end of the month. The children ask their parents a mountain of questions before they promise that no matter where they must move to, everything will be okay. The children decide to plan how they can convince...