The Superpower Sisterhood
Jenna Bush Hager & Barbara Pierce Bush, Authors
Cyndi Wojciechowski, Illustrator
Little Brown Books for Young Readers, Fiction, Apr. 19, 2022
Suitable for ages: 4-8
Themes: Friendship, Sisters, Cooperation, Talents, Working together, Diversity
Opening: “I’ve lived here my whole life. Just me, Mom and Dad, and our closest neighbors: the Millers, the Díazes, the Franks, and the Rosas.”
Book Jacket Synopsis:
Emma has been lonely all her life growing up in a neighborhood with no other kids—until the day two sets of sisters move to her street! The girls immediately form a club, only to discover that something mysterious is going on. They’ve each always had special talents, but when they work together, it’s almost like their skills become…superpowers. Now the sisterhood is ready to help their neighborhood thrive, as long as they can keep the spooky Ms. Wigglestoot from discovering their secret. Or maybe there’s a way these super sisters can help their archnemesis too….
From former first daughters Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush, authors of the #1 New York Times bestselling Sisters First, The Superpower Sisterhood makes it clear that with sisters by your side, life is pretty exciting. And anything is possible!
Why I like The Superpower Sisterhood:
The Superpower Sisterhood is a beautiful and inspiring tribute to the power of girls combining their talents and using them to help their neighbors and community. And if you are an only child, you can find sisters in the friendships you make in your neighborhood, with cousins, and at school. Cyndi Wojciechowski’s spirited pastel illustrations really make this story sing. And look at the powerful cover!
For Emma, who narrates the story, choosing her sisters is powerful because each of her new friends has a special ability to offer — the knowledge of math and design, art, writing, dance and music — and together they can accomplish anything. They build a club house, fix a neighbor’s potty, build planters for Mrs. Rosa’s roses, and choreograph “an epic flash mob” that even the neighbors join in. These diverse and memorable characters demonstrate that friendship is not limited to any one kind of person — even the mysterious Ms. Wigglestoot.
Make sure you check out the message from the Bush sisters at they end of the book to discover the inspiration behind their story. It will surprise readers. And they also include a page of photographs of Emma and her friends and other things they do together. The Superpower Sisterhood is a perfect read in classrooms and is a special gift book.
Resources: Encourage children students to draw a picture of the girls they consider their “sisters.” It can be a blood sister or girlfriends doing their favorite activity or helping someone.
Jenna Bush Hager is the cohost of the fourth hour of the TODAY show with Hoda Kotb and the founder of the TODAY book club Read with Jenna. She is an editor-at-large for Southern Living magazine. She is the coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestselling Ana’s Story and two children’s books that she wrote with her mother, Laura—Our Great Big Backyard and Read All About It—as well as the #1 New York Times bestsellers Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life written with her sister, Barbara, in both adult and children’s editions. She lives with her husband and three children in New York City.
Barbara Pierce Bush is the board chair and cofounder of Global Heal Corps, an organization that has mobilized more than one thousand young leaders who take an innovative approach to solving some of the world’s biggest global health challenges. She is the coauthor of the #New York Times bestsellers Sisters First and Sister First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life and recently graduated with her master degree from Harvard University.
Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.
*Reviewed from a library copy.
Children's Books Heal 
I never had a sister, so the world of sisterhood has always been a mystery to me, something I’ve gazed through the window at all of my life. I often wonder if I would have grown up to be a different person if I’d had a sister. Ah well, life’s speculations. This book sounds inspirational and a big booster for girl power, so I’m all for it!
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I was the eldest of four and have a sister 6 years younger. As children I was more of a mother figure to her. Our relationship has changed over the years and I love her dearly, especially since we are now we are the only surviving members of our family. But we live in different states and have very different interests. My friends were more like sisters to me — and I was in a sorority in college. Jenna and Barbara wrote the book for their mother who never had a sister. And I love the emphasis on finding sisters in different ways. Very special book for girls.
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Yes, we don’t always mesh completely with our given families, so chosen families can often serve to fill in what’s missing. The two sisters’ book is a wonderful gift to their mother.
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Yes, I agree with your comment about chosen families. Have done that myself. Yes, it was a lovely gift to their mother.
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This sounds really intriguing. And I have to say that name – Ms. Wigglestoot – is going to crack kids up! Thanks for featuring this, I’m looking forward to finding it.
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Yes, it will! I laughed when I saw the name. It really is a special book for girls who have close relationships with their sisters. But, it really looks at sisterhood from different angles — there are many ways to find “sisters” in your life.
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I love stories that empower girls. Great to see one for children this age.
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Jenna and Barbara are outstanding authors because they write what they know. And, this book does empower girls in many unique ways.
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What a fun premise and one girls will find uplifting. Sisters (and brothers, too) don’t always have to be the biological kind. A great gift idea for the upcoming holiday season.
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