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Operation Sisterhood #1
Operation Sisterhood
Fans of the Netflix reboot of The Babysitters Club will delight as four new sisters band together in the heart of New York City. Discover this jubilant novel about the difficulties of change, the loyalty of sisters, and the love of family from a prolific award-winning author.
"[A] jubilant middle grade novel." - The New York Times
Bo and her mom always had their own rhythm. But ever since they moved to Harlem, Bo’s world has fallen out of sync. She and Mum are now living with Mum’s boyfriend Bill, his daughter Sunday, the twins, Lili and Lee, the twins' parents…along with a dog, two cats, a bearded dragon, a turtle, and chickens. All in one brownstone! With so many people squished together, Bo isn’t so sure there is room for her.
Set against the bursting energy of a New York City summer, award-winning author Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich delivers a joyful novel about a new family that hits all the right notes!
“This ode to Black girlhood and the communities that serve them offers humor, tenderness, and charm.” –Renée Watson, New York Times bestselling author
“A beautiful, rich, and deeply comforting story about family and the powerful choice to live with joy, Operation Sisterhood is a book to savor.” –Rebecca Stead, New York Times bestselling author
“Operation Sisterhoodbubbles over with humor, heart, and big-blended-family enthusiasm --a joyful love letter to Black girls, New YorkCity, and the transformative power of sisterhood.” – Kate Messner, author of Chirpand Breakout
"[A] jubilant middle grade novel." - The New York Times
Bo and her mom always had their own rhythm. But ever since they moved to Harlem, Bo’s world has fallen out of sync. She and Mum are now living with Mum’s boyfriend Bill, his daughter Sunday, the twins, Lili and Lee, the twins' parents…along with a dog, two cats, a bearded dragon, a turtle, and chickens. All in one brownstone! With so many people squished together, Bo isn’t so sure there is room for her.
Set against the bursting energy of a New York City summer, award-winning author Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich delivers a joyful novel about a new family that hits all the right notes!
“This ode to Black girlhood and the communities that serve them offers humor, tenderness, and charm.” –Renée Watson, New York Times bestselling author
“A beautiful, rich, and deeply comforting story about family and the powerful choice to live with joy, Operation Sisterhood is a book to savor.” –Rebecca Stead, New York Times bestselling author
“Operation Sisterhoodbubbles over with humor, heart, and big-blended-family enthusiasm --a joyful love letter to Black girls, New YorkCity, and the transformative power of sisterhood.” – Kate Messner, author of Chirpand Breakout
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 4, 2022
34 people are currently reading
1198 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
April 22, 2022
This was such a cute story about a patchwork family and the adventures that the girls in the family share together. Although the story wasn't cohesive at all times, I really enjoyed learning more about Harlem through the eyes of the main characters.
Operation Sisterhoodfocuses on Bo and the relationship that she shares with her mother. Although she isn't necessarily bothered by her mom's boyfriend Bill, Bo starts to feel a little differently once they end up moving to Harlem. Not only is Bo expected to live with Bill and his daughter, but also with two other adults that have twins Lili and Lee. Honestly, if I was in Bo's shoes I would have been just as shocked. It's a huge adjustment to go from living as an only child to having to share a space with 4 adults and 3 other kids and a slew of pets. She also goes from attending school to homeschooling which the girls call "freeschooling."
There were several things that I absolutely adored about this novel. Rhuday-Perkovich did an excellent job with the character development as readers explore the different personalities of each one of the girls. It's easy to tell that Lili, Lee, and Sunday are all trying to make the adjustment easy on Bo. They admire her especially for her organization skills and they can tell that she's struggling with the idea of having to live with so many people. While I enjoyed Bo getting to know the twins, I think I enjoyed watching her relationship with Sunday evolve more. There was an emphasis on their relationship because their respective parents were dating. And though they both lived with the twins, I think that their relationship was more tricky because they were actually becoming siblings. It's clear that the majority of this novel is about Bo's adjustment to her environment and the adjustments that have to be made in regard to the relationship that she has with her mother, but I LOVED the small tid-bits that we got about the history of Harlem and the visuals created by the representations of so many different cultures in one city. I lived for all of those moments. It added so much variety to narrative.
One of the things that I struggled with most in this story was the amount of things that happen at one time. There's already a lot going on in terms of character development, but there is even more to add to that in terms of plot development. Bill is the owner of a bookstore which isn't doing well so the girls come up with a plan to help save it. Then there's the plot line associated with the community garden and the plot line about the other neighborhood kids that don't exactly get along with the sisters. It ends up being a lot to follow and in some ways I feel like it was overwhelming to deal with so many varied plots and then new characters associated with each respective plot line.
Overall, this was a great middle grade novel that focuses on friendship, family, culture, tradition, and sisterhood. There was clearly an emphasis on joy which a lot of readers will appreciate. I know that this author has written other titles so I look forward to checking those out!
Operation Sisterhoodfocuses on Bo and the relationship that she shares with her mother. Although she isn't necessarily bothered by her mom's boyfriend Bill, Bo starts to feel a little differently once they end up moving to Harlem. Not only is Bo expected to live with Bill and his daughter, but also with two other adults that have twins Lili and Lee. Honestly, if I was in Bo's shoes I would have been just as shocked. It's a huge adjustment to go from living as an only child to having to share a space with 4 adults and 3 other kids and a slew of pets. She also goes from attending school to homeschooling which the girls call "freeschooling."
There were several things that I absolutely adored about this novel. Rhuday-Perkovich did an excellent job with the character development as readers explore the different personalities of each one of the girls. It's easy to tell that Lili, Lee, and Sunday are all trying to make the adjustment easy on Bo. They admire her especially for her organization skills and they can tell that she's struggling with the idea of having to live with so many people. While I enjoyed Bo getting to know the twins, I think I enjoyed watching her relationship with Sunday evolve more. There was an emphasis on their relationship because their respective parents were dating. And though they both lived with the twins, I think that their relationship was more tricky because they were actually becoming siblings. It's clear that the majority of this novel is about Bo's adjustment to her environment and the adjustments that have to be made in regard to the relationship that she has with her mother, but I LOVED the small tid-bits that we got about the history of Harlem and the visuals created by the representations of so many different cultures in one city. I lived for all of those moments. It added so much variety to narrative.
One of the things that I struggled with most in this story was the amount of things that happen at one time. There's already a lot going on in terms of character development, but there is even more to add to that in terms of plot development. Bill is the owner of a bookstore which isn't doing well so the girls come up with a plan to help save it. Then there's the plot line associated with the community garden and the plot line about the other neighborhood kids that don't exactly get along with the sisters. It ends up being a lot to follow and in some ways I feel like it was overwhelming to deal with so many varied plots and then new characters associated with each respective plot line.
Overall, this was a great middle grade novel that focuses on friendship, family, culture, tradition, and sisterhood. There was clearly an emphasis on joy which a lot of readers will appreciate. I know that this author has written other titles so I look forward to checking those out!
June 25, 2022
This was an entertaining story.
It’s deliberately heavy on cultural (black, mostly Jamaican American and African American/Nigerian American) references, and that did make it of particular interest.
All four girls in this book are 11 years old and I think I would have really enjoyed the book when I was in the 9-11 age range.
This is a good story about a blended family. It’s not just the change that comes with a blended family but in this case one of the girls, the one from whose point of view/perspective the story is told (though in third person) but the change is from her living with her mother to moving into a two family house in a different neighborhood (the Bronx to Harlem in Manhattan) that has four adults and four children and having to share a room with one of the other girls and going from traditional school to home free schooling. Also, having lots of companion animals as part of the household which is another new thing for her. The changed relationship with her mother and their ways of communication is poignantly related. The jealousy and confusion and also the pride and fun and love she feels are written in a way that feels authentic. The characters’ personalities are distinct and the relationships ring true. I thought the ending felt a bit rushed but perhaps that was just because I wanted more about this family and their neighbors.
I had to look up Mikey Likes It ice cream and its Brady Bunch flavor. I love how so much about NYC is shown in this book. It’s a bit of a love letter to New York.
This book made me really hungry. There is a lot of baking & cooking going on. It’s not a vegan friendly story but I’m good at veganizing everything in my head. I appreciated how the story/narration continues as part of the cake recipe included at the very end of the book. It made reading the recipe more fun than if it had been presented only as a recipe.
There is a not detailed enough for me but still fun map near the start of the book and excellent small illustrations at the start of each chapter.
There is a lovely Author’s Note at the end that gives some biographical information about the author, including books she loved as a child and how this story came to fruition. I partly identified with what she had to say and it made me love this book even more than when I was reading the story proper.
I read a Kindle edition. The map would have been more effortless to view with a paper book. I also had access to the audio edition from chapter 10 on.
Recommended for 9-11 year old girls & other readers too, those interested in music, and also cooking, those who love companion animals, those interested in NYC, kids who have nontraditional families and/or schooling or want to learn more about them. This is a great book for independent readers in middle grade and would also make for a great classroom or family read aloud.
3-1/2 stars
It’s deliberately heavy on cultural (black, mostly Jamaican American and African American/Nigerian American) references, and that did make it of particular interest.
All four girls in this book are 11 years old and I think I would have really enjoyed the book when I was in the 9-11 age range.
This is a good story about a blended family. It’s not just the change that comes with a blended family but in this case one of the girls, the one from whose point of view/perspective the story is told (though in third person) but the change is from her living with her mother to moving into a two family house in a different neighborhood (the Bronx to Harlem in Manhattan) that has four adults and four children and having to share a room with one of the other girls and going from traditional school to home free schooling. Also, having lots of companion animals as part of the household which is another new thing for her. The changed relationship with her mother and their ways of communication is poignantly related. The jealousy and confusion and also the pride and fun and love she feels are written in a way that feels authentic. The characters’ personalities are distinct and the relationships ring true. I thought the ending felt a bit rushed but perhaps that was just because I wanted more about this family and their neighbors.
I had to look up Mikey Likes It ice cream and its Brady Bunch flavor. I love how so much about NYC is shown in this book. It’s a bit of a love letter to New York.
This book made me really hungry. There is a lot of baking & cooking going on. It’s not a vegan friendly story but I’m good at veganizing everything in my head. I appreciated how the story/narration continues as part of the cake recipe included at the very end of the book. It made reading the recipe more fun than if it had been presented only as a recipe.
There is a not detailed enough for me but still fun map near the start of the book and excellent small illustrations at the start of each chapter.
There is a lovely Author’s Note at the end that gives some biographical information about the author, including books she loved as a child and how this story came to fruition. I partly identified with what she had to say and it made me love this book even more than when I was reading the story proper.
I read a Kindle edition. The map would have been more effortless to view with a paper book. I also had access to the audio edition from chapter 10 on.
Recommended for 9-11 year old girls & other readers too, those interested in music, and also cooking, those who love companion animals, those interested in NYC, kids who have nontraditional families and/or schooling or want to learn more about them. This is a great book for independent readers in middle grade and would also make for a great classroom or family read aloud.
3-1/2 stars
January 10, 2022
One of the easiest 5/5 stars I've given in a while.
February 10, 2022
It started out strong. Sort of a blending of The Lotterys Plus One and The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street but 2/3 of the way through it lost its focus.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2022/comm...
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2022/comm...
May 1, 2022
Nice addition to the MG family/surviving middle school genre of books. There are some pacing issues, particularly in the middle of the novel that detracted from it being truly amazing. It probably could have been shorter, which would have been GREAT as we need some shorter contemporary novels in this age category, but publishers haven't seem to catch that yet so the bloating may have been an insistence at getting it too 300 pages. (WHY???)
July 21, 2025
this was a really cute book and the cover is soo pretty! I loved the story line but sometimes it was a little chaotic. Otherwise, recommended!
July 23, 2022
I wanted to love this book, but I didn't.
This is the story of Bo and her mom (from Nigeria) and how her mother's marriage to Bill (from Jamaica) means a whole new family. They move to a new section of NYC, and introduce Bo to communal living, "free-schooling" and 3 other "sisters" Bo's same age. The two families that share a home also share a vast array of pets. All of the parents have "creative jobs" which ends up meaning that none of them are very good at making any money. Bo vacillates between being glad she has this new living situation and then feeling sad and grumpy about her new life.
Here are the good things about it:
*All of the NYC references--places, statues, modes of transportation, neighborhoods, boroughs, parks, etc.
*The theme of a family changing up and trying to adapt to those changes (could be good for a child whose parents are divorcing, or remarrying or adding a new baby)
Here is where it fell short for me:
*This book can't decide what it wants to be. It covers just about everything and it all feels like too much. I'd rather that the author picked 1-2 themes rather than trying to be a specialist on NYC, on Hip Hop Music, on animals, on sewing, on cooking, on organizing, on babysitting, on fashion, on relationships, on girl bands, on gardening, on black history, etc.
It's "The Penderwicks" meets "Dr. Dolittle" meets "Babysitters Club" meets "The Vanderbeekers of 141st street"...
*It's tangential. The author loses a lot of plot advancement opportunity by throwing in so many extra details about island music or NYC locales. Here's a sample sentence: "After the fruit salad (along with some homemade vanilla whipped cream) was finished, though Bo had homework to do (because Ms. Phillip was the kind of teacher who gave homework until the very last second of school), they settled in the living room for a game of dominoes before bed."
*There was no conversation about where Bo and her mom would live when they got married. She was suddenly just living at Bill's house with another family in kind of communal situation, calling all of the adults variations on mom and dad and calling all 4 girls "sisters."
*Bill is in wheelchair? How could he have been in the first 3 chapters, and we never are introduced to the fact that he's in a wheelchair until chapter 3? Even after that, it's hardly mentioned.
* Small, but important details go missing frequently. Such as the first cake that Bo bakes. What happens to it? Where did it go? Did she eat it? Toss it? Give it away? She was making a cake, and then her mom came home and smelled it and there was no cake.
*The whole story feels too long at 320 pages and nearly 9 hours of audio. I think it would have been better to have divided these stories amongst several books and made them a series.
*The babysitting club seems representative of the amount of "stuff" that's packed into this book. Their babysitting club operates out of pa's bookstore and also performs live band numbers, while promoting Pa's bookstore, while allowing the participants to play with live animals, while hoping the participant's parents will adopt the animals while inviting them all to the garden party, which is also a community talent show, which is also a wedding celebration for their mom and pop, which is also a chance for their mother to offer her cookie samples for her new business, which is also a battle of the bands, which is a large scale project to count for "free-school credit" which is once again a hopeful place to offer animals for adoption, which is also an opportunity for local businesses to share their goods, which is also a community building activity...
This book isn't terrible, but it just wasn't that engaging or great. The theme is really important, but I'm not planning to add to my classroom library.
This is the story of Bo and her mom (from Nigeria) and how her mother's marriage to Bill (from Jamaica) means a whole new family. They move to a new section of NYC, and introduce Bo to communal living, "free-schooling" and 3 other "sisters" Bo's same age. The two families that share a home also share a vast array of pets. All of the parents have "creative jobs" which ends up meaning that none of them are very good at making any money. Bo vacillates between being glad she has this new living situation and then feeling sad and grumpy about her new life.
Here are the good things about it:
*All of the NYC references--places, statues, modes of transportation, neighborhoods, boroughs, parks, etc.
*The theme of a family changing up and trying to adapt to those changes (could be good for a child whose parents are divorcing, or remarrying or adding a new baby)
Here is where it fell short for me:
*This book can't decide what it wants to be. It covers just about everything and it all feels like too much. I'd rather that the author picked 1-2 themes rather than trying to be a specialist on NYC, on Hip Hop Music, on animals, on sewing, on cooking, on organizing, on babysitting, on fashion, on relationships, on girl bands, on gardening, on black history, etc.
It's "The Penderwicks" meets "Dr. Dolittle" meets "Babysitters Club" meets "The Vanderbeekers of 141st street"...
*It's tangential. The author loses a lot of plot advancement opportunity by throwing in so many extra details about island music or NYC locales. Here's a sample sentence: "After the fruit salad (along with some homemade vanilla whipped cream) was finished, though Bo had homework to do (because Ms. Phillip was the kind of teacher who gave homework until the very last second of school), they settled in the living room for a game of dominoes before bed."
*There was no conversation about where Bo and her mom would live when they got married. She was suddenly just living at Bill's house with another family in kind of communal situation, calling all of the adults variations on mom and dad and calling all 4 girls "sisters."
*Bill is in wheelchair? How could he have been in the first 3 chapters, and we never are introduced to the fact that he's in a wheelchair until chapter 3? Even after that, it's hardly mentioned.
* Small, but important details go missing frequently. Such as the first cake that Bo bakes. What happens to it? Where did it go? Did she eat it? Toss it? Give it away? She was making a cake, and then her mom came home and smelled it and there was no cake.
*The whole story feels too long at 320 pages and nearly 9 hours of audio. I think it would have been better to have divided these stories amongst several books and made them a series.
*The babysitting club seems representative of the amount of "stuff" that's packed into this book. Their babysitting club operates out of pa's bookstore and also performs live band numbers, while promoting Pa's bookstore, while allowing the participants to play with live animals, while hoping the participant's parents will adopt the animals while inviting them all to the garden party, which is also a community talent show, which is also a wedding celebration for their mom and pop, which is also a chance for their mother to offer her cookie samples for her new business, which is also a battle of the bands, which is a large scale project to count for "free-school credit" which is once again a hopeful place to offer animals for adoption, which is also an opportunity for local businesses to share their goods, which is also a community building activity...
This book isn't terrible, but it just wasn't that engaging or great. The theme is really important, but I'm not planning to add to my classroom library.
May 10, 2022
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a physical copy. All thoughts are my own.
Operation Sisterhood was an adorable middle grade book about a patchwork family.
We follow Bo, whose mother has just remarried, leading to the pair of them moving in with their new family. They now live in Brooklyn with what they call a "patchwork family," including Bill, his daughter, Sunday, a pair of twins named Lil and Lee, and their parents, so there are four parents coparenting four girls. The book primarily centers around Bo adapting to this new family.
I really liked the characters. All the girls were adorable in their own way. I do feel like the grownups are just there, we never really got to know them.
This book could have been a lot shorter in my opinion.
Overall I did like it and I recommend it if you enjoy middle grade books.
Operation Sisterhood was an adorable middle grade book about a patchwork family.
We follow Bo, whose mother has just remarried, leading to the pair of them moving in with their new family. They now live in Brooklyn with what they call a "patchwork family," including Bill, his daughter, Sunday, a pair of twins named Lil and Lee, and their parents, so there are four parents coparenting four girls. The book primarily centers around Bo adapting to this new family.
I really liked the characters. All the girls were adorable in their own way. I do feel like the grownups are just there, we never really got to know them.
This book could have been a lot shorter in my opinion.
Overall I did like it and I recommend it if you enjoy middle grade books.
February 16, 2025
This is a sweet story of a blended family (who is part Nigerian/part Jamaican) living in Harlem. It’s just Bo and her mom until Bo’s mom gets remarried, and suddenly Bo has 3 sisters, a menagerie of pets, and lots of changes. Eventually, the sisters bond over their love of music, animals, and good food. You’ll also get a tour of New York City and the fun places to go!
December 22, 2021
Operation Sisterhood, by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, follows Bo, whose mother has just remarried, leading to the pair of them moving in with their new family. They now live in a Brooklyn brownstone with a "patchwork family," including Bill (Bo's mother's new husband), his daughter, Sunday, a pair of twins named Lil and Lee, and their parents, so there are four parents coparenting four girls. The four are all homeschooled (which they call "freeschooling," a method of teaching driven almost entirely by the students), and the book primarily centers around Bo learning to adapt to this new family.
Bo is a fairly likable protagonist. She's very pragmatic and organized. She plays the drums and loves baking, the latter of which is something that she's always shared with her mother. Since it has always been just the two of them, she has a hard time adjusting to her new family, and especially to her new sister Sunday, who has a very different personality. I enjoyed reading about her character development over the course of the story, though I do wish she'd been given more of a personality outside of her disliking change.
The other characters were all enjoyable too. Sunday, Lil, and Lee all were relatively distinct, though they definitely tended to blend together sometimes; the only thing that was notably different about them were their different interests. I understand that introducing three new similarly aged girls at the same time makes it difficult to add much distinction, but I think a little more variance would definitely have allowed for more connection with each of them.
Similarly, Bo's mom is the only one of the adults who gets any sort of personality, and even then she isn't developed much; Bill doesn't do much, and the other parents are barely even present. Considering that the parents should be a pretty large aspect of Bo adapting to her new family, they definitely ought to have been mentioned more; I understand that the book is primarily about sisterhood, but there was definitely room for some discussion of parenthood as well.
I think that Bo's relationships with Sunday and with her mom are definitely the most interesting parts of the book; I just personally don't think that they are emphasized enough. Bo spends the entire book feeling sidelined by her mother and like there's no time for her in her mother's life any more, and that entire plot line never feels like it's addressed sufficiently; there's a short scene dedicated to it, but, considering that it's the main point of tension in Bo's character arc, it definitely deserved more time dedicated to it. Likewise, her growing resentment of Sunday is just kind of magically fixed without them ever actually seeming to work through it beyond one short scene. These are both very interesting character arcs and relationships, and, as the main driving forces behind Bo's story, definitely deserve more attention than they are given in the book.
I did really enjoy the New York City setting. There's a lot of discussion of different parts of Bo's new and old neighborhoods, and the author definitely does a great job of fleshing out the background characters so that it actually feels like reading about a community. That aspect of the book is definitely immersive, and I think one of its strongest aspects.
It's honestly just such a fun and comforting book; it isn't stressful, and it's primarily just about Bo getting used to a new life and new family members. What sources of stress that are there aren't overwhelming or overly urgent; while Bo definitely has a hard time at some points, it never feels overwhelming to the reader.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. I do always love reading books about familial relationships, particularly about learning how to fit into new families, and Operation Sisterhood definitely fit that box. Even though there isn't too much character depth, it's nevertheless a fun story of adapting to new surroundings that is perfect for anybody who is themselves scared of change. I would recommend it to anybody who loves reading about sisterhood, community, found family, or learning to live with change.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free electronic copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Bo is a fairly likable protagonist. She's very pragmatic and organized. She plays the drums and loves baking, the latter of which is something that she's always shared with her mother. Since it has always been just the two of them, she has a hard time adjusting to her new family, and especially to her new sister Sunday, who has a very different personality. I enjoyed reading about her character development over the course of the story, though I do wish she'd been given more of a personality outside of her disliking change.
The other characters were all enjoyable too. Sunday, Lil, and Lee all were relatively distinct, though they definitely tended to blend together sometimes; the only thing that was notably different about them were their different interests. I understand that introducing three new similarly aged girls at the same time makes it difficult to add much distinction, but I think a little more variance would definitely have allowed for more connection with each of them.
Similarly, Bo's mom is the only one of the adults who gets any sort of personality, and even then she isn't developed much; Bill doesn't do much, and the other parents are barely even present. Considering that the parents should be a pretty large aspect of Bo adapting to her new family, they definitely ought to have been mentioned more; I understand that the book is primarily about sisterhood, but there was definitely room for some discussion of parenthood as well.
I think that Bo's relationships with Sunday and with her mom are definitely the most interesting parts of the book; I just personally don't think that they are emphasized enough. Bo spends the entire book feeling sidelined by her mother and like there's no time for her in her mother's life any more, and that entire plot line never feels like it's addressed sufficiently; there's a short scene dedicated to it, but, considering that it's the main point of tension in Bo's character arc, it definitely deserved more time dedicated to it. Likewise, her growing resentment of Sunday is just kind of magically fixed without them ever actually seeming to work through it beyond one short scene. These are both very interesting character arcs and relationships, and, as the main driving forces behind Bo's story, definitely deserve more attention than they are given in the book.
I did really enjoy the New York City setting. There's a lot of discussion of different parts of Bo's new and old neighborhoods, and the author definitely does a great job of fleshing out the background characters so that it actually feels like reading about a community. That aspect of the book is definitely immersive, and I think one of its strongest aspects.
It's honestly just such a fun and comforting book; it isn't stressful, and it's primarily just about Bo getting used to a new life and new family members. What sources of stress that are there aren't overwhelming or overly urgent; while Bo definitely has a hard time at some points, it never feels overwhelming to the reader.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. I do always love reading books about familial relationships, particularly about learning how to fit into new families, and Operation Sisterhood definitely fit that box. Even though there isn't too much character depth, it's nevertheless a fun story of adapting to new surroundings that is perfect for anybody who is themselves scared of change. I would recommend it to anybody who loves reading about sisterhood, community, found family, or learning to live with change.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free electronic copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
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September 18, 2024I am convinced the e-galley I have must have been thrown together from a mixed up file (pun not intended but it works!). That's the only way to explain why there were multiple places in this novel where a chapter would start talking about a thing as if it was new or hadn't happened yet when it had already been happening for weeks in the previous chapter. I constantly felt like I had no idea what was going on.
Anyway, I can see and appreciate all the references to beloved family and club stories, like All-of-a-Kind Family and The Baby-sitters Club and the Vanderbeekers, and I also love all the shoutouts to contemporary authors of color who are Gbemi's friends (and mine!), and I love all the references to NYC Black history, but it did feel like a whole lot was trying to be packed into this book with all of that PLUS dealing with Bo's whole "don't touch my stuff/my stuff is my stuff/how could I ever get rid of stuff" thing and the mean neighbor auntie and the community garden and the bookstore struggling and and and. Like the number of Things in this book could easily have filled an eight-book series instead of one volume.
Anyway, I can see and appreciate all the references to beloved family and club stories, like All-of-a-Kind Family and The Baby-sitters Club and the Vanderbeekers, and I also love all the shoutouts to contemporary authors of color who are Gbemi's friends (and mine!), and I love all the references to NYC Black history, but it did feel like a whole lot was trying to be packed into this book with all of that PLUS dealing with Bo's whole "don't touch my stuff/my stuff is my stuff/how could I ever get rid of stuff" thing and the mean neighbor auntie and the community garden and the bookstore struggling and and and. Like the number of Things in this book could easily have filled an eight-book series instead of one volume.
December 29, 2021
Bo (short for Tokunbo - a name which always makes her feel like royalty) is Nigerian, and for the longest time, her life has consisted simply of her mom, her, and cozy days filled with cooking/baking. Even Mum's boyfriend, Bill, isn't so bad - until he starts to bring along his own daughter, Sunny, who just so happens to be Bo's age, and that's when the troubles start. Sunny is just so... happy, and it's starting to grate on Bo's nerves. Not to mention, all the new changes that are taking place, like Mum spending less and less time with Bo, and their both spending more time getting to know Bill, Sunny, and their whole wacky family. Bo is positive that she'll hate it (she hates change of all sorts anyways), but as she grows accustomed, she starts to wonder if change isn't such a bad thing after all.
Operation Sisterhood was a heartwarmingly beautiful book, threaded with food, music, and sisterly misadventures all set against the backdrop of Nigerian and Black culture in New York. This book somehow made everything seem so realistic, like explaining change can be fun, but its also plenty hard as well as highlighting microagressions against the African-American community without blowing it out of proportion. In addition, it indirectly talks about the difficulties of fitting in - and then standing out.
The only thing I would suggest is that I wish the author explained who "Mama Lola" was from the beginning because it left me wondering for a long while who that was until I reached the 90% mark. Overall, however, it is a wholesome and highly recommended book.
Operation Sisterhood was a heartwarmingly beautiful book, threaded with food, music, and sisterly misadventures all set against the backdrop of Nigerian and Black culture in New York. This book somehow made everything seem so realistic, like explaining change can be fun, but its also plenty hard as well as highlighting microagressions against the African-American community without blowing it out of proportion. In addition, it indirectly talks about the difficulties of fitting in - and then standing out.
The only thing I would suggest is that I wish the author explained who "Mama Lola" was from the beginning because it left me wondering for a long while who that was until I reached the 90% mark. Overall, however, it is a wholesome and highly recommended book.
Read
November 18, 2023Operation Sisterhood centers around Bo, an 11-year-old Black girl from the Bronx who is comfortable in her one-bedroom apartment with just her mom, surrounded by family-like neighbors. Suddenly, her world gets turned around and she finds herself in Harlem, living with her mom’s boyfriend, Bill, and his patchwork family: his 11-year-old daughter, Sunday, and another family with a mom, a dad, and twin 11-year-old daughters. Bo goes from being her mom’s sole focus to being encircled by an eclectic group of people, sharing a room, and being free schooled.
What this book did well was create a large group of fully fleshed-out characters with motivations and needs outside of Bo and her own story. From Bo’s neighbors and community in the Bronx to her new family-like cohort in Harlem, Bo is surrounded by a cast of characters that collectively feel like a love letter to New York. I wanted to know what was going to happen with everyone, I wanted to know what came next, and I wanted there to be more to the story than we got.
However, it felt like the book did not know exactly what it wanted to be. We had this beautiful group of characters and this incredible setting, but there were too many plots and storylines to feel like we ever fully arrived anywhere. I know selling a series is hard, but I truly think this would have been an exceptional one. First, focusing more on Bo’s move from the Bronx to Harlem, then on Bo meeting this new family and neighborhood, then diving into free schooling, then forming the sisterhood band, then bonding with this new community while keeping ties with her old community, and so on. Bo’s patchwork family’s story deserved more than just a hodgepodge of storylines rushed together.
Overall, this was a heartwarming story about navigating yourself, new feelings, and a new family. The story between Bo and her mother was the heart of the book for me, and I will always love a story about a sisterhood. I wish the pacing had been different and the plot more concise, potentially spanning over a series of books following this sisterhood instead of rushing through one, but I still would recommend this to a middle grade reader, especially one amid change.
What this book did well was create a large group of fully fleshed-out characters with motivations and needs outside of Bo and her own story. From Bo’s neighbors and community in the Bronx to her new family-like cohort in Harlem, Bo is surrounded by a cast of characters that collectively feel like a love letter to New York. I wanted to know what was going to happen with everyone, I wanted to know what came next, and I wanted there to be more to the story than we got.
However, it felt like the book did not know exactly what it wanted to be. We had this beautiful group of characters and this incredible setting, but there were too many plots and storylines to feel like we ever fully arrived anywhere. I know selling a series is hard, but I truly think this would have been an exceptional one. First, focusing more on Bo’s move from the Bronx to Harlem, then on Bo meeting this new family and neighborhood, then diving into free schooling, then forming the sisterhood band, then bonding with this new community while keeping ties with her old community, and so on. Bo’s patchwork family’s story deserved more than just a hodgepodge of storylines rushed together.
Overall, this was a heartwarming story about navigating yourself, new feelings, and a new family. The story between Bo and her mother was the heart of the book for me, and I will always love a story about a sisterhood. I wish the pacing had been different and the plot more concise, potentially spanning over a series of books following this sisterhood instead of rushing through one, but I still would recommend this to a middle grade reader, especially one amid change.
February 20, 2022
Hello Again!
I have another big batch of reviews to share with you! I have been reading a lot lately, (I think my total in January was 10 books completed, and with a bit over a week to go in February I have read 5 so far, with a 6th almost done)! There are just so many titles I want to pick up either that are coming out or that are back-listed! In the last year or so, I have taken to reading a book on my phone, when at doctor’s appts, in the car, etc… My latest phone read was Operation Sisterhood! I was able to read this book a little early as an E-ARC through Netgalley, so a massive thank you to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions! So without further ado, let’s jump in!
SPOILERS AHEAD
Bo’s life is changing in big ways. Bo and her mom live in a small NYC apartment. Bo spends a lot of her time baking and babysitting (or hanging out) with the kid down the hall Dougie. That is until her mom starts seriously dating someone. Now things are changing because they want to move in together and get married. Bo really loves her apartment, baking, her time with her mom, and her life, but maybe moving to the Brownstone and having a sister will not be so bad? However, when Bo moves to the brownstone things are much different, she doesn’t just get a sister and step-dad, there is another family that lives in the brownstone with them and they have two kids! Also, there are lots and lots of pets. All of this is a lot for Bo to take in, but she is really going to try her best!
This was a really fun story. I loved Bo and her family. Each character was super unique and brought their own special dynamic to the story! I loved seeing the family come together at different times throughout the book. I believe this book came out in January, so if you are interested, definitely check it out!
Goodreads Rating: 4 Stars
**A massive thank you to the publisher for the E-ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
I have another big batch of reviews to share with you! I have been reading a lot lately, (I think my total in January was 10 books completed, and with a bit over a week to go in February I have read 5 so far, with a 6th almost done)! There are just so many titles I want to pick up either that are coming out or that are back-listed! In the last year or so, I have taken to reading a book on my phone, when at doctor’s appts, in the car, etc… My latest phone read was Operation Sisterhood! I was able to read this book a little early as an E-ARC through Netgalley, so a massive thank you to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions! So without further ado, let’s jump in!
SPOILERS AHEAD
Bo’s life is changing in big ways. Bo and her mom live in a small NYC apartment. Bo spends a lot of her time baking and babysitting (or hanging out) with the kid down the hall Dougie. That is until her mom starts seriously dating someone. Now things are changing because they want to move in together and get married. Bo really loves her apartment, baking, her time with her mom, and her life, but maybe moving to the Brownstone and having a sister will not be so bad? However, when Bo moves to the brownstone things are much different, she doesn’t just get a sister and step-dad, there is another family that lives in the brownstone with them and they have two kids! Also, there are lots and lots of pets. All of this is a lot for Bo to take in, but she is really going to try her best!
This was a really fun story. I loved Bo and her family. Each character was super unique and brought their own special dynamic to the story! I loved seeing the family come together at different times throughout the book. I believe this book came out in January, so if you are interested, definitely check it out!
Goodreads Rating: 4 Stars
**A massive thank you to the publisher for the E-ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
October 28, 2022
E ARC provided by Netgalley
Bo and her mother have always made a great team, and while Bo doesn't mind her mother's boyfriend, Bill, it's still a big change to move to Harlem to live with Bill and his daughter, Sunday. It's an even bigger adjustment because the two live in a shared house where there are lots of pets and two other girls, twins Lili and Lee. It's also a different neighborhood, and she misses some people from her old stomping grounds. Bo is a drummer, and Sunday plays the keyboard, so along with the twins, they put together a band. They have a lot of big plans, but have trouble getting along, and finding the right songs to play. Bo, whose mother is from Nigeria, embraces her cultural heritage and tries to recreate some family recipes, and is also looking forward to visiting Lagos. Bill, who is in a wheelchair, runs a bookshop that is struggling, and the girls try to use their skills to help his business. Bill, as well as the people in the house, are trying to better their neighborhood in a variety of ways, including reopening a garden and keeping the area clean. With so much going on, will Bo be able to settle in to her new life with her mother?
Strengths: There was a note at the beginning that the author was a big family of Elizabeth Enright and Sydney Taylor, and their books about big, bustling families in different locations. This updates that type of story, setting it in New York City and utilizing a nicely diverse cast. Bo has her own interests, but also has typical tween issues with friends and family. I love the cover!
Weaknesses: There were a lot of characters, and a lot of activities going on in a variety of locations, so keeping everything straight was a bit of a challenge.
What I really think: This was on the younger end of middle grade, but definitely captured Enright's Melendy Family vibe. Hand this one to fans of Glaser's The Vanderbeekers series.
Bo and her mother have always made a great team, and while Bo doesn't mind her mother's boyfriend, Bill, it's still a big change to move to Harlem to live with Bill and his daughter, Sunday. It's an even bigger adjustment because the two live in a shared house where there are lots of pets and two other girls, twins Lili and Lee. It's also a different neighborhood, and she misses some people from her old stomping grounds. Bo is a drummer, and Sunday plays the keyboard, so along with the twins, they put together a band. They have a lot of big plans, but have trouble getting along, and finding the right songs to play. Bo, whose mother is from Nigeria, embraces her cultural heritage and tries to recreate some family recipes, and is also looking forward to visiting Lagos. Bill, who is in a wheelchair, runs a bookshop that is struggling, and the girls try to use their skills to help his business. Bill, as well as the people in the house, are trying to better their neighborhood in a variety of ways, including reopening a garden and keeping the area clean. With so much going on, will Bo be able to settle in to her new life with her mother?
Strengths: There was a note at the beginning that the author was a big family of Elizabeth Enright and Sydney Taylor, and their books about big, bustling families in different locations. This updates that type of story, setting it in New York City and utilizing a nicely diverse cast. Bo has her own interests, but also has typical tween issues with friends and family. I love the cover!
Weaknesses: There were a lot of characters, and a lot of activities going on in a variety of locations, so keeping everything straight was a bit of a challenge.
What I really think: This was on the younger end of middle grade, but definitely captured Enright's Melendy Family vibe. Hand this one to fans of Glaser's The Vanderbeekers series.
January 24, 2022
Bonding in a new family dynamic is hard and Bo is going to have a time of it as she acclimates to a new neighborhood now that her mother is going to be marrying a new man who has additional children. Luckily there are already some things in common to hopefully help-- animals and music and the idea of family.
So with all of the adorable family chaos as there are some struggles to come together and the new dad's struggling business, it is a big-hearted middle grade story about finding your place and being a part of something larger than yourself. I was particularly entertained by the cooking aspects as well as the cultural aspects of Bo's mom's Nigerian heritage. There was also some notable representation since Bo's new stepdad is in a wheelchair too, which is a part of the story but not *the* story.
Feel good for sure.
So with all of the adorable family chaos as there are some struggles to come together and the new dad's struggling business, it is a big-hearted middle grade story about finding your place and being a part of something larger than yourself. I was particularly entertained by the cooking aspects as well as the cultural aspects of Bo's mom's Nigerian heritage. There was also some notable representation since Bo's new stepdad is in a wheelchair too, which is a part of the story but not *the* story.
Feel good for sure.
April 21, 2022
A celebration of black joy, sisterhood, and all the neighborhoods of NYC. A read-alike to the Penderwicks and The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street, with a gentle story of a gaggle of kids freely learning and roaming in a large and supportive family. Also the story of a girl experiencing huge changes in her life as her mother remarries into a crazy quilt of a family, throwing her from being a single child of a single mother, to a group of 3 sisters. Many of the changes are good and welcome, but there are so many of them all at once, can she handle them all?
January 4, 2022
This one is cute and a good representation of blending families and trying to find your place within that new family. I loved Bo, she was spunky & feisty and has so much heart. I loved how she always let Dougie tag along. I liked the "operation sisterhood" of the story too and watch Bo figure out this new group and friendships.
A good middle grade read!
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!
A good middle grade read!
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!
October 24, 2022
Since I am a grownup (sigh) reviewing books like this, I read the afterword first. And it made me want to love this book. Not only is the author a Bronx girl like me (though my family's neighborhood is at the other end of Sedgwick Avenue),but she gave shout outs to two of my favorite authors: Sydney Taylor of the All-of-a-Kind Family books and to Noel Streatfeild of the immortal Ballet Shoes. I really wanted to love this.
But I don't.
Yes, it's lovely to see all the Black culture, but there's way to much material stuffed into this book. The author rushes past Bo and her mom moving into the brownstone and her mom and Bill getting married-both just happen. We learn early on that Bill is in a wheelchair, but not why, and after it's mentioned a time or two, it never comes up again. Bo's new "sister" Sunday and the twin cousins have no issues with Bo moving in--only Bo seems to feel the change and perhaps it's because there are so many people and so many activities. All the adults work freelance type jobs, the girls are (UGH) "freeschooling" and everyone is involved in everything. The pace is more frenetic than traffic on the West Side Highway during rush hour. Just reading about it all exhausted me.
Aside from the fact that the characters are virtually all black (the one white character I noticed was a "Karen" type lady at the playground, not really a positive character), the plot line here is just a classic childrens/tween novel about blended families, and not the best one I've ever read. The reason that the author loved the classics she mentioned is that despite the cultural differences, girls (and boys) of all backgrounds can empathize with those characters.The things they FEEL are universal.
P.S. Minor beef: does the author know anything about cats? Because very few self respecting felines allow belly rubs, and most will claw you for trying......
But I don't.
Yes, it's lovely to see all the Black culture, but there's way to much material stuffed into this book. The author rushes past Bo and her mom moving into the brownstone and her mom and Bill getting married-both just happen. We learn early on that Bill is in a wheelchair, but not why, and after it's mentioned a time or two, it never comes up again. Bo's new "sister" Sunday and the twin cousins have no issues with Bo moving in--only Bo seems to feel the change and perhaps it's because there are so many people and so many activities. All the adults work freelance type jobs, the girls are (UGH) "freeschooling" and everyone is involved in everything. The pace is more frenetic than traffic on the West Side Highway during rush hour. Just reading about it all exhausted me.
Aside from the fact that the characters are virtually all black (the one white character I noticed was a "Karen" type lady at the playground, not really a positive character), the plot line here is just a classic childrens/tween novel about blended families, and not the best one I've ever read. The reason that the author loved the classics she mentioned is that despite the cultural differences, girls (and boys) of all backgrounds can empathize with those characters.The things they FEEL are universal.
P.S. Minor beef: does the author know anything about cats? Because very few self respecting felines allow belly rubs, and most will claw you for trying......
January 4, 2022
Thank you to Crown Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the eARC to read and review!
Operation Sisterhood radiates the joy that can be found between sisters, in family, and in a community. It’s the kind of story I wish I had growing up.
The story takes place primarily in Harlem and the surrounding area. Bo is having a difficult time adjusting to her new family, living situation, and freeschooling without putting a damper on her mother’s happiness about their new life. She worries all these changes will cause her to lose her individuality.
It was interesting following the day-to-day of this new lifestyle Bo is now living in. It’s a warm, loving environment conducive to learning, responsibility, teamwork, self-reflection, and exploration. I love that they live with so many animals too, especially a bearded dragon who seems to enjoy wearing hats.
I love the sisterhood between Bo, Sunday, Lili and Lee. Each sister has a distinct personality and a passion. Bo is a drummer, super organized, and loves to cook. Sunday (Bo’s stepsister) loves to write, is quirky, and plays the keyboard. She tries so hard (sometimes too hard) to make Bo feel welcomed and a part of the family. I forget which twin (Lili and Lee) liked what but one is a huge animal lover while the other is a fashion designer. They also play an instrument (guitar and bass).
These new sisters are expressive, big-hearted, outgoing and enthusiastic. It was great seeing how they worked together to solve problems, make their parents happy, bring the community together, and support one another.
Operation Sisterhood was a good story with a vibrant cast of characters that I think readers will greatly enjoy. I also adore the cover art – I think it sums up the story perfectly.
Operation Sisterhood radiates the joy that can be found between sisters, in family, and in a community. It’s the kind of story I wish I had growing up.
The story takes place primarily in Harlem and the surrounding area. Bo is having a difficult time adjusting to her new family, living situation, and freeschooling without putting a damper on her mother’s happiness about their new life. She worries all these changes will cause her to lose her individuality.
It was interesting following the day-to-day of this new lifestyle Bo is now living in. It’s a warm, loving environment conducive to learning, responsibility, teamwork, self-reflection, and exploration. I love that they live with so many animals too, especially a bearded dragon who seems to enjoy wearing hats.
I love the sisterhood between Bo, Sunday, Lili and Lee. Each sister has a distinct personality and a passion. Bo is a drummer, super organized, and loves to cook. Sunday (Bo’s stepsister) loves to write, is quirky, and plays the keyboard. She tries so hard (sometimes too hard) to make Bo feel welcomed and a part of the family. I forget which twin (Lili and Lee) liked what but one is a huge animal lover while the other is a fashion designer. They also play an instrument (guitar and bass).
These new sisters are expressive, big-hearted, outgoing and enthusiastic. It was great seeing how they worked together to solve problems, make their parents happy, bring the community together, and support one another.
Operation Sisterhood was a good story with a vibrant cast of characters that I think readers will greatly enjoy. I also adore the cover art – I think it sums up the story perfectly.
January 2, 2022
I really enjoyed Operation Sisterhood and the charming story is shared. Main character Bo is both likeable and relatable - in the story, her mom marries and Bo finds herself not only adapting to a new neighborhood, but a whole new family that includes three other girls her age. The book takes the reader on a vibrant journey in New York full of new experiences and shares all the greatness city life offers. Bo struggles with adjusting to a new family, free-schooling, sharing space with others, and figuring out where she fits in while the family works through challenges around owning your own business and being your own unique self.
There is A LOT happening in the story and I sometimes felt a little lost on the fun chaos of the plot but that didn't really detract from the experience. Keeping track of the cast of characters could be tricky and I'd love to see more development of some of those other felt on the periphery should the author write a sequel (the parents, Marcus, Django, Ms. Tyler, Auntie Sunflower).
Overall, a really fun read with an excellent sprinkling of Black Girl Magic.
There is A LOT happening in the story and I sometimes felt a little lost on the fun chaos of the plot but that didn't really detract from the experience. Keeping track of the cast of characters could be tricky and I'd love to see more development of some of those other felt on the periphery should the author write a sequel (the parents, Marcus, Django, Ms. Tyler, Auntie Sunflower).
Overall, a really fun read with an excellent sprinkling of Black Girl Magic.
November 17, 2021
This is the story of Bo, who’s mother marries Bill, who already has a daughter, about her age. Bill lives in a brownstone, in Harlem, with another couple, who also have two girls. So it is very much a blended family. And Bo has to go from being a single child, to being part of a sisterhood of four.
There are wonderful details about Harlem sprinkled throughout the book, and because the sisters are all freeschooled, a form of home schooling where the girls all do projects, such as sewing or baking, or researching local history, Bo is doing school all summer long, whether she wants to or not. She even gets to go on a tour of Louis Armstrong’s house, as part of her research.
The girls are into music, and Bo, who likes to do drums, fits right in, that aspect.
It is a fun, story, full of both liking to be in a full household with her “sisters” and wanting things to be the way they used to be when it was just her mother and her.
THanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
There are wonderful details about Harlem sprinkled throughout the book, and because the sisters are all freeschooled, a form of home schooling where the girls all do projects, such as sewing or baking, or researching local history, Bo is doing school all summer long, whether she wants to or not. She even gets to go on a tour of Louis Armstrong’s house, as part of her research.
The girls are into music, and Bo, who likes to do drums, fits right in, that aspect.
It is a fun, story, full of both liking to be in a full household with her “sisters” and wanting things to be the way they used to be when it was just her mother and her.
THanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
February 11, 2025
Operation Sisterhood by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich is an absolutely delightful middle grade read. Written by a wonderful Christian author, the story follows Bo and her mom as they become a blended family. Going from an only child is hard enough, but Bo's new sisters are wildly unorganized free spirits who love herds of strange pets, untraditional homeschool lessons, and living crowded together in a Harlem brownstone. Can Bo ever find her balance and her place in her crazy new world? I won this book in a giveaway and absolutely loved it!
April 17, 2022
I learned about this author because she made a list of books about dragons, and I have a dragon-loving toddler. If it weren't for that list, I wouldn't have discovered a great new author!
It was enlightening to read about lives so different from my own. Despite our differences, I could relate to Bo and how overwhelming the changes in her life were.
The beginning was a little hard to follow. I'm not sure why. But once I got into the story, it was a delight to read.
It was enlightening to read about lives so different from my own. Despite our differences, I could relate to Bo and how overwhelming the changes in her life were.
The beginning was a little hard to follow. I'm not sure why. But once I got into the story, it was a delight to read.
December 6, 2022
Such a good feeling family story. One of my favorite quotes: .."the Parents would say it's like we're stitched together with a lot of love, but each of us is still totally our own self, like a patchwork quilt."
February 26, 2025
🎧: I wanted to read this book so I could encourage my middle grade kids to read it! There was so much I enjoyed… the story, the redemption, the fun. I did find it hard to keep track of so many characters—that was my biggest challenge.
Want to read
October 7, 2021Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
May 1, 2022
4.5 stars; so much humor and love in Gbemi’s books
January 5, 2025
I Enjoyed this book. It was such a joy to read. The family dynamics and the 4 sisters were beautifully put together.
February 25, 2025
3.5* rounded up
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