Operation Sisterhood by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Out Now from Crown Books for Young Readers; 305 pages
Content Warning: Microaggressions, racism, single parent, remarried parent, moving houses, new blended family, bullying, financial struggles, loss of parent’s job, discussion of racism, discussion of gentrification
About the author: “Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich is the author of 8th Grade Seuperzero, the nonfiction books Above and Beyond: NASA’s Journey to Tomorrow and Someday Is Now: Clara Luper and the 1958 Oklahoma City Sit-Ins, and the upcoming Mae Makes a Way and Saving Earth: The Climate Crisis and the Fight for Our Future. She is the coauthor of the middle-grade novel Two Naomis, which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award, and its sequel, Naomis Too. Inspired by some of her family favorite stories in the city she loves, Operation Sisterhood is a celebration of the sweetness and spice of sisterhood. Olugbemisola is a member of The Brown Bookshelf and a former board member of We Need Diverse Books. She lives with her family in New York City, where she writes, makes things, and needs to get more sleep. You can find her online at olugbemisolabooks.com” (Bio taken from About the Author page.)
Find Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich on the following platforms:
Bo, short for Tokunbo, has only ever had her mom. But that all changes when Mum gets engaged to her boyfriend, Bill. Now, Bo and Mum live in Bill’s brownstone in Harlem, which is filled with dogs, cats, chickens, a bearded dragon, and 3 new sisters: Sunday, Lil, and Lee. Bo struggles to adjust to this crowded new life, but she begins to bond with her sisters through their love of music. As the girls devise a plan to throw the best block party ever, they realize they are not only growing as sisters, but also bringing their community together.
Operation Sisterhood is a beautiful, colorful celebration of family, sisterhood, and the Black community in New York City, with as much liveliness and fun as it has tenderness and heart. Each character and setting is more vibrant, heartwarming, and complex than the last. Bo, Sunday, Lil, and Lee all have such a special dynamic. There is someone for every reader to identify with! We also loved how relevant this story is to today’s culture. Throughout the story, there are references to the fight for social justice and the Black authors and musicians that bring those movements to life. Another thing that stood out in this book is Bo’s personal growth. As Bo adjusts to her new life, we see a true and emotionally intelligent portrayal of a child going through a big life change. Bo overcomes her own internal conflict both with her mother remarrying and gaining a new family. We really enjoyed how Rhuday-Perkovich approached these complex emotions with care, making Bo’s struggle realistic and relatable. If we had read this as children, we would have felt heard—like our own big emotions were normal and valid. At its end, neither one of us wanted to put the book down and exit the cozy and colorful world. But, if Bo taught us anything, it’s that sometimes endings are just new beginnings.
Wanna know more about Operation Sisterhood? Be sure to read our upcoming interview with author Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich!
PRR Writers, Bethany Harrison & Erika Brittain