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274th out of 274 books
—
515 voters
Operation Oleander
Ninth-grader Jess Westmark had the best of intentions when she started Operation Oleander to raise money for a girls’ orphanage in Kabul. She named her charity for the oleander that grows both in her Florida hometown and in Afghanistan, where her father is deployed. But on one of her father's trips to deliver supplies to the orphans, a car bomb explodes nearby and her fath...more
Hardcover, 192 pages
Published
March 5th 2013
by Clarion Books
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Summary:
Jess, Meriwether, and Sam live on an army base. Their fathers/mothers are soldiers deployed in Afghanistan. Jess comes up with a plan to help the orphans of Afghanistan with care packages. At first the teens are proud of their efforts, but in the process of delivering the items, a bomb goes off killing Meriwether's mother along with orphans. Things change after that. It seems like the adults along with Meriwether want to distance themselves from any involvement with the orphans and any c...more
Jess, Meriwether, and Sam live on an army base. Their fathers/mothers are soldiers deployed in Afghanistan. Jess comes up with a plan to help the orphans of Afghanistan with care packages. At first the teens are proud of their efforts, but in the process of delivering the items, a bomb goes off killing Meriwether's mother along with orphans. Things change after that. It seems like the adults along with Meriwether want to distance themselves from any involvement with the orphans and any c...more
Young girl's dad is in the Army. Young girl's friend's mom is in the army. They deliver supplies the girls collect for an orphanage. When the 2 and another man are delivering the supplies, 2 of them are killed and one is severely injured. Is it because these girls put them in harm by doing this collection for the orphanage? Should we help children overseas?
This book was OK. I was really drawn into the story. Jess and her friends Meriwether and Sam really want to do something. But once the accide...more
This book was OK. I was really drawn into the story. Jess and her friends Meriwether and Sam really want to do something. But once the accide...more
“[B]eautiful, delicate, but also with a dark side, one not to be trusted. Just like people.” This is how Jess comes to describe the gorgeous oleander blossom, a tree that grows in Afghanistan and America, the flower she has used to define her charitable cause of collecting for Afghan orphans. But Jess lives on an army base. Her father and the fathers of her friends are all soldiers, all deployed. And the plight of orphans might be closer to home than the reader thinks.
When a bomb goes off and so...more
Jess feels good about the school supplies she and her friends, Meriwether and Sam, have been collecting for an orphanage in Afghanistan. Her dad and Meriwether’s mom are both deployed there, and Jess feels doing something to help the orphans lets her feel close to her dad while he’s gone.
But when the troops stop off to deliver supplies one day, a bomb goes off, killing some of the orphans and Meriwether’s mom. Jess’s dad is badly injured. Suddenly the troops’ involvement in the local civilian pr...more
But when the troops stop off to deliver supplies one day, a bomb goes off, killing some of the orphans and Meriwether’s mom. Jess’s dad is badly injured. Suddenly the troops’ involvement in the local civilian pr...more
Jess is committed to collecting school supplies for a girls' orphanage and school in Kabul, even though some people on the military base where she lives don't think it is appropriate. Jess was an orphan as well, and is glad that her father and her best friend Merriweather's mother are delivering the supplies... until a bomb at the orphanage kills Merriweather's mother and gravely injures her father. Jess still feels that it is important to help out the orphanage, especially since they have to re...more
Operation Oleander by Valerie O. Patterson is the tale of a young woman who just wants to do something right by the world. Jess knows that sending care packages to an orphanage in Afghanistan is the right thing to do and she loves the fact that she is helping people outside of her own country. Because she lives on a military base, she faces mixed feelings about her charity project but it only amplifies when the news of a bombing reaches the base. As news filters in through the system, she finds...more
I enjoyed this novella very much, I could only wish it were 150 pages longer, to continue what happens to the characters and situation. Jess’ dad is serving in Afghanistan. To stay close to him she raises money to buy school supplies with some friends for a girls’ orphanage there. Operation Oleander, named after a flower that grows in both Afghanistan and on the Florida military base where Jess lives, gives Jess purpose. But when there’s a bombing while Jess’ dad and his friends are delivering s...more
Jess is a teen who lives on a military base, her father is in Afghanistan and she is trying to do her part by gathering donations for a nearby orphanage that her father is stationed near. Unfortunately it is on one of those visits, that the group of soldiers is attacked, leaving her best friend motherless and her own father in a hospital. Jess starts to question whether this is her fault and tries to keep up her project, only to be forced to shut it down as the base grieves.
I enjoyed this book b...more
I enjoyed this book b...more
It was good to see Valerie explore the dark side and consequences of donations. All too often when we start rummaging through our house or start up a collection for an area that recently had a disaster and it has consequences. I'm reminded of the earthquake in Haiti. Donation centers were so overwhelmed with bags and boxes of unwanted clothes or toys and that did not meet the needs of the Haitians. Enough ranting. This book was well written and Valerie's writing seems more polished and mature. A...more
Operation Oleander is a middle grade novel that tells the story of three friends who are children of soldiers and live on an Army base. Jess, Meriwether, and Sam set up a charitable project on base to collect school supplies for an orphanage in Afghanistan. While delivering these supplies, Jess’ dad is injured and Meriwether’s mom is killed. As Jess tries to defend the importance of the school supply project, she faces the possibility of losing her friendship with Meriwether as a consequence.
An...more
An...more
3.5 Stars
I thank my lucky stars that I haven't lost anyone to war, and my heart goes out to all of those in the Armed Forces. When I think about all of the kids who have parents in the military my heart breaks for them. To live in fear every day praying your parent(s) make it home is something I can't fathom. Jeff has lived with this fear and her nightmare comes true - her father is injured in an attack at an orphanage that Jess has been collecting school supplies for. What's worse, her best fri...more
I thank my lucky stars that I haven't lost anyone to war, and my heart goes out to all of those in the Armed Forces. When I think about all of the kids who have parents in the military my heart breaks for them. To live in fear every day praying your parent(s) make it home is something I can't fathom. Jeff has lived with this fear and her nightmare comes true - her father is injured in an attack at an orphanage that Jess has been collecting school supplies for. What's worse, her best fri...more
Operation Oleander was very interesting, it made you realize how hard it is to have a parent serving in the army. I kind of felt like the author rushed to finish the end of the book because it didn't really explain what happened to Jess and Cara towards the end. Also, the emotions weren't as strongly felt and expressed. In all, I thought it was a beautiful story.
Full review can be found at http://www.apatchworkofbooks.com
Books about military kids and their families always tug at my heartstrings. I miss living on a base and having the community of people around that know exactly what it means to be in the military and everyone being in one place for the same reason. It's an important community to have. Books like this one are important for kids who have parents serving and I think Patterson did a really nice job expressing the emotions that so many of us...more
Books about military kids and their families always tug at my heartstrings. I miss living on a base and having the community of people around that know exactly what it means to be in the military and everyone being in one place for the same reason. It's an important community to have. Books like this one are important for kids who have parents serving and I think Patterson did a really nice job expressing the emotions that so many of us...more
I recieved this novel from NetGalley.
this novel is wonderful. It is more suited to younger readers but it touches on some inspiring subjects and teaches the reader that hope can come out of a less than average situation. This novel is well written and a joy to read. I enjoyed it thoroughly and recommend it to anyone. it is definitely worth the time it takes to read. amazing novel
this novel is wonderful. It is more suited to younger readers but it touches on some inspiring subjects and teaches the reader that hope can come out of a less than average situation. This novel is well written and a joy to read. I enjoyed it thoroughly and recommend it to anyone. it is definitely worth the time it takes to read. amazing novel
Jess Watermark starts a charity called Operation Oleander to support a girl’s orphanage in Kabul, Afghanistan. The mission of the charity is to gather supplies and send them to the orphanage. One day an explosion happens right outside of the orphanage and causes Jess to question her charity work. Reviewer #4
This was a really lovely book about trying to do the right thing.
Feb 10, 2013
Clare Cannon
marked it as grg-reviewer
KP to review for www.GoodReadingGuide.com pending Netgalley request
May 20, 2013
Megan
marked it as to-read
May 19, 2013
Moira
marked it as to-read
May 17, 2013
Logan
marked it as to-read
May 13, 2013
Tatum
marked it as to-read
May 08, 2013
Lakeview Librarians
marked it as to-read
May 06, 2013
Katie
marked it as to-read
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Apr 16, 2013 03:33pm