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naomiysl's review
3.0
I enjoyed the Latina sisters welcoming the Black sisters into the white house. That part was great. The hijinks were...ok. I did not enjoy the amount of emotional tension that was clearly present throughout the prank war, and would have appreciated all the same pranks but where everyone understood it was in good fun and enjoyed themselves. Still, gotta love the premise.
barberchicago_books's review
4.0
What a timely book, just finished three days before the inauguration of President Biden. Shaking Up the House is a story of learning how to be who you are, of understanding when things are funny and when things go too far, and of growing into friendships through incredible circumstances.
Shaking is at times a laugh riot and at other times quite poignant. All four first daughters (the representation!! I’m swooning) are groundbreaking characters whom I hope will be reflected again in reality very soon. My only wish was that we saw their growth from pranksters to allies and friends a little sooner in the plot.
Shaking Up the House is a fast-paced, fun-filled ride. Winnie, Ingrid, Zora, and Skylar are each singular in their own way, and I loved reading the events from each character’s unique point of view. I’ll definitely be adding this to my classroom library, as I know my students will LOVE it!!
Shaking is at times a laugh riot and at other times quite poignant. All four first daughters (the representation!! I’m swooning) are groundbreaking characters whom I hope will be reflected again in reality very soon. My only wish was that we saw their growth from pranksters to allies and friends a little sooner in the plot.
Shaking Up the House is a fast-paced, fun-filled ride. Winnie, Ingrid, Zora, and Skylar are each singular in their own way, and I loved reading the events from each character’s unique point of view. I’ll definitely be adding this to my classroom library, as I know my students will LOVE it!!
pucksandpaperbacks's review
3.5
I thought this was a good middle grade that teaches children about American politics and also emphasizes the importance of representation specifically having a Black and Latinx president, First Lady, and children in the White House. The children even say in dialogue how George Washington would hate having them there. This book had great conversations and some fun mischief between the two families: Zora & Skylar and Winnie and Ingrid. However, I wasn't very invested in this story and it didn't make me want to keep picking it up to see what happens next because the plot slows down a bit. But, I would recommend this to children 12 and up!
mldavisreads's review
funny
informative
3.5
Middle grade realistic fiction. This story takes us inside the White House, where a Latinx family is ending their term, and a Black family is moving in. The Lopez daughters moved in so young that they can't remember life without secret service agents following their every move. The incoming Williams daughters, who are twins, are a bit nervous about living up to the picture-perfect image that the two Lopez daughters portrayed. A renovation glitch means that the Williams family is moving in a bit earlier than usual, weeks before the Inauguration. Ingrid and Winnie discover a tradition of pranks towards the incoming first family and get to work. Their first prank goes a bit wrong, and they know that Zora and Skylar will be retaliating. Can the girls share the house for weeks without hurting each other or getting in the tabloids?
I loved that this story incorporated real facts about the White House and presidential history in it. I had a little bit of trouble keeping the four girls straight and thought the public nature of the pranks made them more mean than funny. I definitely liked the idea that a Hispanic man was the outgoing president and a Black woman was the incoming president. It will be great for kids to see that representation.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read a digital advanced copy of this book.
I loved that this story incorporated real facts about the White House and presidential history in it. I had a little bit of trouble keeping the four girls straight and thought the public nature of the pranks made them more mean than funny. I definitely liked the idea that a Hispanic man was the outgoing president and a Black woman was the incoming president. It will be great for kids to see that representation.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read a digital advanced copy of this book.
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