Operation Sisterhood

November 1, 2021
An 11-year-old only child must learn how to accept her new blended family. Nigerian American Tokunbo Marshall thought life was perfect with just her and her Mum in their Bronx apartment. They had their special recipes, always discussed things, were planning to visit Paris and Lagos, and had a community Bo loved. Then Mum began dating Bill, and Bo noticed her smiling more, so she went along with the changes that ensued. Now, with Bill and Mum getting married and their moving in with him in his chaotic family's Harlem brownstone, Bo feels adrift. It is a major adjustment for methodical Bo to go from two people to eight--counting Bill's daughter, Sunday, plus Bill and Sunday's chosen family, twin sisters Lee and Lil and their parents--not to mention a slew of pets. She feels overwhelmed with learning to be a sister while maintaining her own identity, but she soon discovers that sharing parts of herself is easier than she thinks. Working together to plan the ultimate wedding garden party helps as well. Rhuday-Perkovich's love letter to New York City is brimming with heartwarming moments in which Bo discovers how she fits in with her new patchwork family amid constant changes. The limited omniscient narration allows the personalities of each sister to shine, adding depth to their characterizations, but it also makes for storytelling that is densely detailed. Most characters are Black. A loving display of family and community. (Fiction. 8-12)

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December 6, 2021
In a one-bedroom apartment in the Bronx, 11-year-old Tokunbo “Bo” Marshall, who is Nigerian American, engages in her passion for baking, her love of music, and her babysitting expertise while sharing special recipes with her single mother. But as her mom prepares to marry, Bo needs time to feel through the transition, the new sibling she’ll soon gain in bookstore owner Bill’s pianist daughter, and the chosen family also living in Bill’s Harlem brownstone. Change comes quickly as Bo and her mother move from their community into Bill’s building, Bo starts freeschooling, and finances put a hold on Bo and her mother’s long-planned trip to Black Paris and Lagos. Despite the upheaval, Bo and her newfound family learn how to love each other and plan a “wedding block party” for their parents. Rhuday-Perkovich (It Doesn’t Take a Genius) interweaves Black culture with a realistic depiction of what a transition to a blended family—and being raised by a village—can look like. Ages 8–12. Agent: Marietta Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary.

December 15, 2021
Grades 4-7 Tukunbo "Bo" and her mother (who she calls Mum) are very close and share many interests, including a love of baking. When Mum finally marries her boyfriend, Bill, Bo gets a new family, including Bill's daughter Sunday, Mama Hope, Papa Charles and their twin daughters, Lil and Lee, who all live in a brownstone in Harlem. This blended family's unorthodox way of life is not understood by their neighbors, but that doesn't impede the family's happiness. Bo and her sisters share a love of music, and to celebrate Mum and Bill's marriage, the girls plan a party with their new band as entertainment. The party quickly becomes a neighborhood event, but can the girls pull it off? They don't even have a band name yet! Operation Sisterhood is a warmhearted story about what makes a family. The cast of characters is funny, vibrant, and relatable, particularly the girls and their irascible neighbor, Mrs. Tyler. Readers looking for books with positive depictions of blended families and Black girlhood will enjoy this title.

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April 22, 2022

Gr 3-7-Eleven-year-old Bo and her mother have always been a team: inventing recipes, planning trips to Lagos, and building community in their tight-knit apartment building in the Bronx. However, everything changes when Mum falls in love with Bill, a kind bookstore owner who seems to make her happier than Bo has ever seen. In a whirlwind, Bo and her mum move into a historic brownstone in Queens filled with a menagerie of animals and new family members, including a talkative stepsister, Sunday, and the twins, Lee and Lil. Instead of public school, the kids spend their days in rigorous self-guided inquiry, project-based learning, and independent trips to local museums and monuments. Bo has to learn to share her formerly very organized space for the first time-and toughest of all-she has to share her mom. Bo's growth throughout the plot is gentle, heartfelt, and sure to resonate with young readers who also have blended families, and who prefer subtle conflicts more than high stakes drama. Rhuday-Perkovich authentically explores the anxiety and grief that comes with major life changes while also celebrating the positives: that change often brings growth and that learning to share can ultimately make a life even bigger than before. All of the main characters are Black. VERDICT This eclectic celebration of Black joy, community, learning, and sisterhood is perfect for fans of Kelly Yang or Aisha Saeed.-Catherine Cote

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