Shaking Up the House - by Yamile Saied Méndez (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Ingrid and Winnie Lâopez have lived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for eight years, but their friends Skylar and Zora Williams--the new first daughters--are about to move into the White House with their mom, the president-elect. What the Williamses don't know is that incoming presidents' families are often pranked by the folks they're replacing, and Ingrid and Winnie take that tradition very seriously. But when the four girls get wrapped up in an ever-escalating exchange of practical jokes and things spiral out of control, can they avoid an international incident? Or will their battle go down in American history and ruin their friendship forever?"--

Book Synopsis

A friendly prank war at the White House spirals out of control in this hilarious and heartfelt middle grade novel written by acclaimed author Yamile Saied Méndez and perfect for fans of President of the Whole Fifth Grade and Merci Suárez Changes Gears.

Ingrid and Winnie López have lived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for eight years, but their friends Skylar and Zora Williams--the new first daughters--are about to move into the White House with their mom, the president-elect. What the Williamses don't know is that incoming presidents' families are often pranked by the folks they're replacing, and Ingrid and Winnie take that tradition very seriously.

But when the four girls get wrapped up in an ever-escalating exchange of practical jokes and things spiral out of control, can they avoid an international incident? Or will their battle go down in American history and ruin their friendship forever?

Review Quotes

"Delightfully silly and enjoyable." -- Kirkus Reviews

"An entertaining read, and a clever reimagining of First Daughter tropes, showing that anyone can be in the White House and have fun doing so." -- School Library Journal

"Fun, fast, and full of laughs, you've never seen the White House like this!" -- Ally Carter, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Gallagher Girls

"A delightful story of pranks and misadventures, proving that friendships with rocky starts are often the best friendships of all." -- Saadia Faruqi, author of A Place at the Table and the Yasmin series

"Laugh-out-loud funny and joyously optimistic, Shaking Up the House reminds us that even when things go utterly awry, good-intentioned and caring people can set them right again. Yamile Saied Méndez deftly juggles multiple viewpoints to weave together a timely tale of the power of tradition and friendship. And in these fraught times, the story of two first families coming together in respect and common purpose is a bromide for the soul." -- David Bowles, award-winning author of They Call Me Güero and the 13th Street series

"Full of fun, mischief, and surprising insider secrets about the White House, this book will have readers laughing and cheering along with every new prank. The López and Williams girls definitely get my vote!" -- Christina Soontorvant, author of The Changeling series and A Wish in the Dark

Praise for Where Are You From?: "Lyrical language and luminous illustrations. An ideal vehicle for readers to ponder and discuss their own identities." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"An enchanted, hand-in-hand odyssey [and] opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the many, many backgrounds, roots, histories, of those who live in these United States." -- Shelf Awareness (starred review)

"A much-needed title that is a first purchase for libraries and classrooms." -- School Library Journal

"This touching book addresses a ubiquitous question for children of color, and in the end, the closeness between the girl and Abuelo shows that no matter the questions, she knows exactly where she's from." -- Booklist

"Although the book begins as a gentle riposte to narrow cultural and ethnic categorizations, its conclusion reaches out to all readers, evoking both heritage and the human family." -- Publishers Weekly