"The Braid Girls" by Sherri Winston is a heartwarming and empowering novel that beautifully explores friendship and self-discovery. Winston's writing is engaging, capturing the essence of the characters and their journeys. The strong bond between the Braid Girls is the novel's standout feature, fostering a sense of camaraderie that resonates with readers. While the plot may follow some familiar coming-of-age tropes, the overall execution and positive messaging make "The Braid Girls" a delightful and impactful read, deserving of a solid four-star rating.

Okay, so image that you’re 12 years old again. It’s summer, and you and your best friend since you moved to town decide to make some extra cash by braiding the hair of kids in the neighborhood.

It’s a perfect plan! You'll braid as many heads as you can manage after your camp counselor volunteer hours AND be able split the summer’s earnings. What could go wrong?

Well… kinda a lot.

First, you find out that your long lost sister (who you only recently found out about) is coming to LIVE with you because her mom died. Then, a rival group of camp counselors decide that they’re going to try and steal your business idea!

I don’t want to give anything from the story away. But, if this middle grade book sounds like it’s right up your alley pick up a copy of The Braid Girls by Sherri Winston!

It’s filled to the brim with sand, summer fun, cute crushes, and of course, that wild rivalry that I mentioned.

I had a lot of fun reading this book, even if it wasn’t exactly for my age group. It had a lot of heart, and all three of the main characters had distinct voices from one another and DREAMSCAPE definitely went the extra mile by hiring 3 lovely voice actors to bring the characters to life. I would definitely recommend not just buying one book, but may be a couple to get a middle grade book club going this summer.

This book was good! I liked the characters and the setting. The author writes good too!!
I hope to read more by this author in the future! Looking forward to it!
I loved all the characters and the different voices so much!

Maggie is shocked when she learned her beloved father has another daughter her age that the family has just learned about. Callie is going to be moving in with them after her mom’s death, but Maggie is determined not to let that get in the way of her plans with her best friend Daija. Daija has always considered Maggie a sister and is worried that Callie might take her place in Maggie’s life. Together, the three girls form The Braid Girls to earn some money over at the local summer camp. Things are going great until another group of girls decide to start a rival company, Sistahs Who Braid. The girls are sure to have a summer to remember.

This was such a heartwarming story! I loved all three of the girls and the bonds they had or formed over the course of the book. I would definitely recommend this book to middle-grade readers, its intended audience, and I think parents who read with their children will enjoy this story too. Erin Ruth Walker, Tyla Collier, and Jade Wheeler did an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.

This is a lovely story of two friends, who gain another friend/sister and decide to expand their braiding business. It’s a realistic story with lots of emotion- sadness, frustration, joy, and humor.

This charming tale follows three diverse young girls who spend a transformative summer together, navigating loss, family, and a budding business venture. Initially idyllic, their lives take a turn when they face stiff competition next door, leading to a memorable summer.

Intended for middle-grade readers, the story provides a valuable lesson on embracing life's challenges and opportunities. It weaves jealousy and heartwarming moments into a well-structured narrative.

The story centers on Maggie and Daija's friendship, evolving as they cope with the arrival of a new half-sister. It's a heartwarming narrative about finding family, trust, and overcoming jealousy.

What stands out is the realistic portrayal of these girls as non-dramatic teens, offering a refreshing perspective in middle-grade literature. Despite tackling complex themes like loss and adaptation, the book maintains a warm and comforting tone.
While some may find it a touch too sweet, it leaves readers with self-reflection and a positive feeling.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

When it comes to dealing with new situations, losing a mom, having to seek for attention from a constantly-on-the-go father, accepting a new sister and preteen goals, you need a team to go through it all. That is how three 12year old girls, with the bond of family, friendship and resilience unite to bring entrepreneurship a reality for them.
In Braid girls, preteens are taught all this and most importantly, the benefits of pursuing entrepreneural goals. I recommend this to anyone seeking to read a not so drama less book about the pre teen years.

I enjoyed the audio version of The Braid Girls. The three narrators did a good job of creating a distinct voice for the girls. The only picky comment I can make is Deja’s narrator spoke too slow for my preference. I liked that each chapter focused on a different girl and her feelings, struggles, etc. I think this is a great coming of age story for readers in upper-elementary/middle school. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook.

Great story! I loved that we got to have all 3 girls’ perspective with 3 different narrators! I thought they each did a great job of capturing the personalities of the girls. Great middle grade selection with important themes around friendship, family, entrepreneurship, and more!

I enjoyed how different all three girls were in this story. It really showcased the diversity in the African diaspora, proving that not all Black girls are alike. I think the representation of what it means to be family and the idea of chosen family is especially important for young people navigating their own familial relationships.

I think this book is a great middle grade read around the idea of friendships and jealousy. Figuring out friendships is hard when you're 12 and this text doesn't shy away from discussing how hard it can be.

Overall it's a great coming-of-age story and a definite add to my classroom library.

I received a complimentary audiobook from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own

This is a children's book set in summer and follows Maggie who has a brilliant summer job idea but life has other plans for her. Her father who has another daughter Callie announces that she is coming to stay with them. The arrival of Callie shakes things up for Maggie and Daija her best friend who has always thought of herself as Maggie's best friend. I enjoyed this audiobook as it focused on entrepreneurship, siblings, jealousy, and friendship. The narrators were incredible and I think it will be enjoyable to those in middle grade.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Maggie, her best friend Daija, and her new half-sister Callie team up to create the ultimate hair-braiding business.

I love this book!! Finished it in one sitting. It was a beautifully told coming of age story. I would definitely recommend it to anyone!!

Absolutely loved this book (and I know my students will also)! The only negative was the narration of Deja. It was too slow, like the narrator couldn't read or Deja was supposed to be a bit slow herself and she was NOT. Loved all the characters-Maggie, Callie and Deja. The struggles they all had-death of a parent, divorce and lack of connection with dad, new sister added to the family and bullying. All these struggles were dealt with in a very realistic way. Plus throw in the desire to start a business (guess what that was?!), it was just a great read. I look forward to getting the print copy and sharing it with my students.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this audiobook.

The Braid Girls by Sherri Winston is such a good book for little black girls. It talked about real topics that we face on a daily bases.

This book was a cute book about sisters and community. It also had positive messages about kindness, making your own business (entrepreneurship), and social media. I loved the relationships between all of the characters. When all of the relationships could have gone sideways, it was refreshing to see that not everything had to be drama 24/7. Sometimes life is just life.

Maggie is about to experience a summer that will turn her world upside down. After discovering that her father had a child he never knew about, Callie, her half-sister comes to live with the family sooner than expected.
Maggie’s best friend Daija wants to protect Maggie from any potential negativity who new sibling could bring. Daija is experiencing her own struggles since her father has moved near by and still doesn’t spend more time with her.
Callie’s mother has died and the girl wants to develop good relationships with her new family while respecting her mother’s memory.
The trio team up to begin a hair braiding business. They spend their mornings working at summer camp, and their afternoons doing the hair of their customers. Soon there is competition from the Sistahs Who Braid.
This book is a great coming of age story. I loved each character as they were unique and developed realistically. The familial relationships are relatable to many middle school aged children. I will be recommending this book to my students. I listened to the audio version of the book. One of the readers bothered me initially, but I quickly got past that.

The Braid Girls by Sherri Winston was a lovely read. I read it with my 2 daughters (11 and 14) and they loved this book. I enjoyed reading about the loving connections between the characters.

I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Thank you NetGalley & dreamscape for this audiobook arc. I love the description and
I couldn’t get to 50% through this audiobook. It’s not the story it’s the narration. Sorry to disappoint but I feel like the narrators didn’t match the characters personalities.

What a lovely read!

A story about three young girls, around the age of 12, their families and friendships.

I loved Maggie's and Daija's friendship and how they dealt with a new half sister suddenly appearing in their life.

This is a warm story about finding your family and friends, about trust and loyalties, and about overcoming jealousy.

I liked how these girls weren't the typical overly dramatic teens we often see in most middle grade / YA books. Yes, plenty of teens are that way, but there's also a lot of girls who aren't all about the drama.

These girls have their own goals and agency, and it made the book a really cosy read, despite some hard topics.

Be it the loss of a mum, getting used to a whole new life, trying to impress your dad who is away most of the time, dealing with mean people or just adapting to new situations, they do try to get through it together. Sure there is some arguments and friction, but that's life! How you deal with those is what's important.

At times it might be a bit too sweet and light for some readers, but I think it for this story well, and was exactly right for a read that makes you reflect on yourself, but also leaves you feeling better than before you read it.

This was such a great heart warming book for middle school age kids. It dealt with issues such as divorced parents, step and half siblings, recovering from the death of a parent and jealousies in friendships. It even touched on bullying and how the person felt that was being bullied. It didn’t go too in depth into the histories of the characters but that is an appropriate writing style for the age group it was written for. I think this would be a great book for school classrooms.