SOLVED. Children novel. parallel universe. They share a wall with us and are aware of us. The wall between the two universes is quite thin, and rips. They have an emergency squad on the other side that comes to sew up the wall. [s]

[Adrienne]

When the wall tears there is are two emergency response teams. The first comes and starts cramming things back through the hole as fast as they can. Things from our world are sucked into theirs. The second squad sews up the tear. But closing the tear is the priority, so the crew who is shoving things back through has to do it quickly. Which is why you find your keys in the fruit bowl--the keys got sucked through, and the other people didn't have time to put them back properly, but just shoved the keys back. But the wall is littered with things from our world because they don't always have time to shove things back through before the tear is sewn.

[Rainbowheart]

When did you read it?

[Sycorax]

It sounds like Finders Keepers by Emily Rodda.

[Adrienne]

Rainbowheart wrote: "When did you read it?"

Probably before 1995.

[Adrienne]

Sycorax wrote: "It sounds like Finders Keepers by Emily Rodda."
I will get a copy and check!

[Kris]

Here's the link for Sycorax's suggestion - Finders Keepers by Emily Rodda. There are multiple cover images.

[Adrienne]

Solved! Thank you so much!