Original Publication Date: 1993
Ghostwriter? Yes, Ellen Miles
Synopsis:
There are counterfeiters in Stoneybrook, and to make matters worse, Stacey accidentally passes a fake $10. The BSC decides to start investigating.
This isn't the only exciting thing happening in Stacey's life: there's a new boy at school, Terry, who seems to like Stacey (she and Sam are just about over). They go out a few times. However, his family seems oddly secretive, and the BSC is suspicious that perhaps they are the ones behind the counterfeiting. But there's a twist: Terry's dad is an undercover investigator with the Secret Servicd, and with some tips from the BSC, solves the case. That means the family will have to change their identities AGAIN and move AGAIN for the next case. Anyone else think it's strange that a family with three minor children, one in elementary school, would have to live like this?
At least Stacey and Sam might get back together for a bit.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: M&Ms, Pringles, Devil Dogs, Ruffles under bed, Twinkies behind a curtain, Mars bars in her sock drawer
Nothing else stood out.
Their Families: nothing new.
The Club: nothing new.
SMS:
School's in session for the fifth time.
The "Hoyt" twins are briefly enrolled at SMS, but I'm not adding them to the count since they're gone by the end of the book. For the same reason I'm not adding their younger brother to the client list.
Stacey talks to the school librarian, but we don't learn her name. We do, however, find out that her English teacher is Mr. Fiske.
PSA Time:
In the US, bills printed after 1990 that are $5 and over have a security thread that you can see when a bill is backlit. It's very easy to check for discreetly by turning a bill slightly if you want to be sure of a bill's authenticity.
Misc:
Stacey thinks she could be arrested for unknowingly paying with a fake bill. Pretty sure you need intent for that, dear.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 4
Halloweens in 8th grade: 2 (plus one in seventh)
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 2
Summers after 8th grade: 5
BSC Fights: 8
SMS Staff and Faculty: 33
Students (other than the BSC): 111; 78 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 18 6th graders, 12 unspecified
Clients: 29
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 76
Crushes:
Stacey-9
Claudia-8
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
9/26/11
Maid Mary Anne (RS#66)
Original Publication Date: 1993
Ghostwriter? Yes, Nola Thacker
Synopsis:
Mary Anne mistakes worrying about what people think of her for self-centeredness and resolves to put others first more. This gets her into trouble as she bends over backward for people, particularly when she starts taking sewing lessons from a Mrs. Towne, who lives on her road. The day Mary Anne arrives for her first lesson, she finds Mrs. Towne semi-conscious, having broken her ankle badly. Mary Anne handles everything smoothly, and when Mrs. Towne is back home from the hospital the two work out an agreement that Mary Anne will help with the housework Mrs. Towne isn't able to do in exchange for sewing lessons, rather than paying. But Mrs. Towne starts to take advantage of Mary Anne's being a pushover, Mary Anne, not wanting to be selfish, takes a while to stand up for herself. But she finally does and they work it out.
While this is going on, Mary Anne and Claudia teach a children's sewing class for some of the BSC charges. Nicky Pike and Buddy Barrett drop the class after getting in fights about sewing being only for girls, but do rejoin in time to make a friendship quilt that the class gives to Mrs. Towne.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: regular and chocolate-dipped pretzels in her closet, Gummi Worms
Mary Anne again expresses a desire for pierced ears. She can't seem to make up her mind whether she'll never, ever want them or she's not allowed to.
More foreshadowing about Dawn missing California.
I don't know why Mallory doesn't help with the sewing class. She knows how; Claudia's just learning.
Their Families: nothing new.
The Club:
Dawn actually gets to do something as alternate officer when Mary Anne has to leave early.
SMS: summer vacation.
PSA Time: nothing stood out.
Misc:
I was about to be annoyed that Mary Anne thinks she can smock on a regular sewing machine, but she correctly identifies the necessary equipment for smocking at Mrs. Towne's.
Little editing failure on page 111, where it reads "Mary Anne" instead of "Dawn."
The Pikes and Jessi make "about six dozen cookies" but at least eight varieties. They're mostly variations on chocolate chip or oatmeal that have random ingredients (like peanuts instead of chocolate chips), but with those two batches of dough plus peanut butter cookies I'd expect more than six dozen.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 5
Halloweens in 8th grade: 2 (plus one in seventh)
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 2
Summers after 8th grade: 4
BSC Fights: 8
SMS Staff and Faculty: 32
Students (other than the BSC): 111; 78 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 18 6th graders, 12 unspecified
Clients: 29
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 78
Crushes:
Claudia-8
Stacey-8
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Ghostwriter? Yes, Nola Thacker
Synopsis:
Mary Anne mistakes worrying about what people think of her for self-centeredness and resolves to put others first more. This gets her into trouble as she bends over backward for people, particularly when she starts taking sewing lessons from a Mrs. Towne, who lives on her road. The day Mary Anne arrives for her first lesson, she finds Mrs. Towne semi-conscious, having broken her ankle badly. Mary Anne handles everything smoothly, and when Mrs. Towne is back home from the hospital the two work out an agreement that Mary Anne will help with the housework Mrs. Towne isn't able to do in exchange for sewing lessons, rather than paying. But Mrs. Towne starts to take advantage of Mary Anne's being a pushover, Mary Anne, not wanting to be selfish, takes a while to stand up for herself. But she finally does and they work it out.
While this is going on, Mary Anne and Claudia teach a children's sewing class for some of the BSC charges. Nicky Pike and Buddy Barrett drop the class after getting in fights about sewing being only for girls, but do rejoin in time to make a friendship quilt that the class gives to Mrs. Towne.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: regular and chocolate-dipped pretzels in her closet, Gummi Worms
Mary Anne again expresses a desire for pierced ears. She can't seem to make up her mind whether she'll never, ever want them or she's not allowed to.
More foreshadowing about Dawn missing California.
I don't know why Mallory doesn't help with the sewing class. She knows how; Claudia's just learning.
Their Families: nothing new.
The Club:
Dawn actually gets to do something as alternate officer when Mary Anne has to leave early.
SMS: summer vacation.
PSA Time: nothing stood out.
Misc:
I was about to be annoyed that Mary Anne thinks she can smock on a regular sewing machine, but she correctly identifies the necessary equipment for smocking at Mrs. Towne's.
Little editing failure on page 111, where it reads "Mary Anne" instead of "Dawn."
The Pikes and Jessi make "about six dozen cookies" but at least eight varieties. They're mostly variations on chocolate chip or oatmeal that have random ingredients (like peanuts instead of chocolate chips), but with those two batches of dough plus peanut butter cookies I'd expect more than six dozen.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 5
Halloweens in 8th grade: 2 (plus one in seventh)
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 2
Summers after 8th grade: 4
BSC Fights: 8
SMS Staff and Faculty: 32
Students (other than the BSC): 111; 78 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 18 6th graders, 12 unspecified
Clients: 29
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 78
Crushes:
Claudia-8
Stacey-8
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
9/18/11
Sea City, Here We Come! (SS#10)
Original Publication Date: 1993
Ghostwriter? Yes, Peter Lerangis
Synopsis:
It's summer (again). Jessi and Mallory are going to do the sitting at the Pikes' beach house in Sea City, and everyone else has plans, too:
Jessi tries to be be a Super Sitter. She worries her chances might be blown when Claire and Margo decide to enter a sand castle contest against pros. She agrees to take them , despite fears they will be heartbroken. But the contest is cancelled for weather. Crisis averted.
Mallory flirts back and forth with Toby, who you might remember as the guy Stacey had a crush on a while back. Stacey's all insanely jealous of Mallory, which is just awesome of her. But Mallory ends up canceling the date she had with Toby, remembering that Ben Hobart is back in Stoneybrook, which is good as Toby reveals himself as a cad. She and Stacey patch things up. By the way, Mallory gets a letter from Toby after they get, asking after Jessi.
Claudia goes to summer school.
Kristy goes looking for subs for her softball team, as most of the Krushers are on vacation. She scrapes together enough players, but her team loses 34-1. Guess there's no mercy rule for the Krushers.
Shannon goes to drama camp. It was nice seeing you for a few pages Shannon!
Stacey also goes to Sea City to sit, but for the Barretts (and, you guys, while Mrs. Barrett is driving them there SHE SAYS A SWEAR). She's still sore over being dumped by Toby last year, and at first seems genuinely concerned for Mallory, but it quickly spirals into jealousy.
Dawn runs a mini-camp with Mary Anne at their house. It's wild, but they have fun. At Sea City, she helps out the DeWitt family.
Logan is jealous of Alex, Mary Anne's old flame, but quickly sees that he has nothing to worry about.
Mary Anne has fun both with running the camp and showing Logan around Sea City.
Everyone except Shannon ends up meeting at Sea City to help with the Pikes, Barretts, and DeWitts (who are called the Harrises here). Since the BSC learned nothing from Snowbound! they ignore all the warnings about a developing tropical storm and are surprised by Hurricane Bill (Logan has gone home by this point). It washes out the road back to the mainland, but that's quickly repaired. There's no report of any serious injuries or deaths. The BSC members all make it home safely.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: Heath and Skor bars for a taste test (Skor wins), Twinkies in her closet, gum in her backpack
Shannon's activities now include singing and drama, which she has combined at least once by being in a musical.
Their Families:
Stacey's dad grew up in NYC and didn't get his driver's license until he was in his twenties.
The Club:
The Dewitts are called the Harrises in this book.
SMS:
8th grade students: David Gabel, Barbara, Carly, Fran, and Theresa
Faculty: Mrs. Wegmann (unspecified)
PSA Time:
Good job, Kristy! She's made sure to get permission from the elementary school to use its baseball field for practice, which is important to do.
Misc:
Is it insanely easy to spot out-of-state license plates in New England? Here in the Seattle area we're a little further from other states than Connecticut is.
I just realized something: Kristy's Krushers are playing baseball, not softball. Softball has ten positions in the field; the Krushers play with nine (softball has right and left center instead of just center if you're wondering).
Apparently, Margo and Mallory have seen a puffer fish in Sea City. It seems they do sometimes get that far north, but rarely.
There couldn't have been a Hurricane Bill in 1993, The names are on a six-year cycle; Bill was used in 1991 and 1997. The B name for 1993 was Bret (a tropical storm in Central and South America that killed 184 people, crossed into the Pacific, and became Hurricane Greg).
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 4
Halloweens in 8th grade: 2 (plus one in seventh)
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 2
Summers after 8th grade: 4
BSC Fights: 8
SMS Staff and Faculty: 32
Students (other than the BSC): 111; 78 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 18 6th graders, 12 unspecified
Clients: 29
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 74
Crushes:
Claudia-8
Stacey-8
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Ghostwriter? Yes, Peter Lerangis
Synopsis:
It's summer (again). Jessi and Mallory are going to do the sitting at the Pikes' beach house in Sea City, and everyone else has plans, too:
Jessi tries to be be a Super Sitter. She worries her chances might be blown when Claire and Margo decide to enter a sand castle contest against pros. She agrees to take them , despite fears they will be heartbroken. But the contest is cancelled for weather. Crisis averted.
Mallory flirts back and forth with Toby, who you might remember as the guy Stacey had a crush on a while back. Stacey's all insanely jealous of Mallory, which is just awesome of her. But Mallory ends up canceling the date she had with Toby, remembering that Ben Hobart is back in Stoneybrook, which is good as Toby reveals himself as a cad. She and Stacey patch things up. By the way, Mallory gets a letter from Toby after they get, asking after Jessi.
Claudia goes to summer school.
Kristy goes looking for subs for her softball team, as most of the Krushers are on vacation. She scrapes together enough players, but her team loses 34-1. Guess there's no mercy rule for the Krushers.
Shannon goes to drama camp. It was nice seeing you for a few pages Shannon!
Stacey also goes to Sea City to sit, but for the Barretts (and, you guys, while Mrs. Barrett is driving them there SHE SAYS A SWEAR). She's still sore over being dumped by Toby last year, and at first seems genuinely concerned for Mallory, but it quickly spirals into jealousy.
Dawn runs a mini-camp with Mary Anne at their house. It's wild, but they have fun. At Sea City, she helps out the DeWitt family.
Logan is jealous of Alex, Mary Anne's old flame, but quickly sees that he has nothing to worry about.
Mary Anne has fun both with running the camp and showing Logan around Sea City.
Everyone except Shannon ends up meeting at Sea City to help with the Pikes, Barretts, and DeWitts (who are called the Harrises here). Since the BSC learned nothing from Snowbound! they ignore all the warnings about a developing tropical storm and are surprised by Hurricane Bill (Logan has gone home by this point). It washes out the road back to the mainland, but that's quickly repaired. There's no report of any serious injuries or deaths. The BSC members all make it home safely.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: Heath and Skor bars for a taste test (Skor wins), Twinkies in her closet, gum in her backpack
Shannon's activities now include singing and drama, which she has combined at least once by being in a musical.
Their Families:
Stacey's dad grew up in NYC and didn't get his driver's license until he was in his twenties.
The Club:
The Dewitts are called the Harrises in this book.
SMS:
8th grade students: David Gabel, Barbara, Carly, Fran, and Theresa
Faculty: Mrs. Wegmann (unspecified)
PSA Time:
Good job, Kristy! She's made sure to get permission from the elementary school to use its baseball field for practice, which is important to do.
Misc:
Is it insanely easy to spot out-of-state license plates in New England? Here in the Seattle area we're a little further from other states than Connecticut is.
I just realized something: Kristy's Krushers are playing baseball, not softball. Softball has ten positions in the field; the Krushers play with nine (softball has right and left center instead of just center if you're wondering).
Apparently, Margo and Mallory have seen a puffer fish in Sea City. It seems they do sometimes get that far north, but rarely.
There couldn't have been a Hurricane Bill in 1993, The names are on a six-year cycle; Bill was used in 1991 and 1997. The B name for 1993 was Bret (a tropical storm in Central and South America that killed 184 people, crossed into the Pacific, and became Hurricane Greg).
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 4
Halloweens in 8th grade: 2 (plus one in seventh)
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 2
Summers after 8th grade: 4
BSC Fights: 8
SMS Staff and Faculty: 32
Students (other than the BSC): 111; 78 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 18 6th graders, 12 unspecified
Clients: 29
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 74
Crushes:
Claudia-8
Stacey-8
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
9/13/11
Logan Bruno, Boy Baby-sitter (RR#2)
Original Publication Date: 1993
Ghostwriter? Yes, Peter Lerangis
Synopsis:
Apparently, SMS has several "bad boys" who are in some sort of gang. They call themselves the Badd Boyz, appropriately enough, and rumor has it they commit theft and other crimes on a regular basis. Logan thinks it's just the image they like to present, but has generally stayed away from them. Recently though, the leader of the group, who calls himself T-Jam, has been asking for homework help and sticking for Logan against another classmate who constantly teases Logan. So, Logan hangs out with the Badd Boyz from time to time. They seem like nice people, just a little rough. But it turns out that they're just using Logan for a cover while they shoplift: people trust Logan and are easier to distract when he's around, and less likely to suspect him or the people he's with.
At first Logan doesn't tell because he thinks he'll be in trouble too, for being with them. The Badd Boyz buy his silence with tickets to a heartthrob's concert that Mary Anne has been dying to see. Turns out they were stolen from a seventh-grader, and when Logan finds out he confesses to Mary Anne. They return the tickets and Logan goes with his parents to the police. The gang is broken up, and (of course) Logan isn't in trouble. All is well again.
The elementary school has a bully problem too, some kid named EJ. The kids go for strength in numbers and overcome the bully who--SHOCK--is A GIRL.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: Milky Way bar, caramels in a shoe box, Lorna Doones (YUM), walnut fudgie bars
Apparently, Logan's best track event is the hundred YARD dash. The anachronism hurts.
Their Families: nothing new.
The Club:
Mary Anne double-books Jessi for a sitting job, but the error is quickly realized (that twice that's happened, by the way).
SMS:
Students: Janet Gates (who, if she's the same Janet Gates from RS#3 as commenter Laura noted, was held back!), Theodore James, Dennis Malek, plus four members of the Badd Boyz we only know as Ice Box, G-Man, Jackhammer, and Butcher Boy (8th), Anne Kennedy (7th)
PSA Time:
So, Becca and Charlotte decide to mix up some poison to deal with their bully, using whatever they find under the sink. How long do you think it'll be before they mix bleach with ammonia? Or maybe they'll mix salt with something that has chlorine. Why is Stacey allowing this?
Misc:
Seagulls don't exist. They're just gulls. For example, there is a bird called a California Gull but there isn't one called a California Seagull.
For those of you following along at home, check out page 44, the ideas the Arnold twins come up with for dealing with their bully. One of them is to bring a bomb to school. Obviously this was before 1999...
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 4
Halloweens in 8th grade: 2 (plus one in seventh)
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 2
Summers after 8th grade: 3
BSC Fights: 8
SMS Staff and Faculty: 32
Students (other than the BSC): 106; 73 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 18 6th graders, 12 unspecified
Clients: 29
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 77
Crushes:
Claudia-8
Stacey-8
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Mallory-1
Ghostwriter? Yes, Peter Lerangis
Synopsis:
Apparently, SMS has several "bad boys" who are in some sort of gang. They call themselves the Badd Boyz, appropriately enough, and rumor has it they commit theft and other crimes on a regular basis. Logan thinks it's just the image they like to present, but has generally stayed away from them. Recently though, the leader of the group, who calls himself T-Jam, has been asking for homework help and sticking for Logan against another classmate who constantly teases Logan. So, Logan hangs out with the Badd Boyz from time to time. They seem like nice people, just a little rough. But it turns out that they're just using Logan for a cover while they shoplift: people trust Logan and are easier to distract when he's around, and less likely to suspect him or the people he's with.
At first Logan doesn't tell because he thinks he'll be in trouble too, for being with them. The Badd Boyz buy his silence with tickets to a heartthrob's concert that Mary Anne has been dying to see. Turns out they were stolen from a seventh-grader, and when Logan finds out he confesses to Mary Anne. They return the tickets and Logan goes with his parents to the police. The gang is broken up, and (of course) Logan isn't in trouble. All is well again.
The elementary school has a bully problem too, some kid named EJ. The kids go for strength in numbers and overcome the bully who--SHOCK--is A GIRL.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: Milky Way bar, caramels in a shoe box, Lorna Doones (YUM), walnut fudgie bars
Apparently, Logan's best track event is the hundred YARD dash. The anachronism hurts.
Their Families: nothing new.
The Club:
Mary Anne double-books Jessi for a sitting job, but the error is quickly realized (that twice that's happened, by the way).
SMS:
Students: Janet Gates (who, if she's the same Janet Gates from RS#3 as commenter Laura noted, was held back!), Theodore James, Dennis Malek, plus four members of the Badd Boyz we only know as Ice Box, G-Man, Jackhammer, and Butcher Boy (8th), Anne Kennedy (7th)
PSA Time:
So, Becca and Charlotte decide to mix up some poison to deal with their bully, using whatever they find under the sink. How long do you think it'll be before they mix bleach with ammonia? Or maybe they'll mix salt with something that has chlorine. Why is Stacey allowing this?
Misc:
Seagulls don't exist. They're just gulls. For example, there is a bird called a California Gull but there isn't one called a California Seagull.
For those of you following along at home, check out page 44, the ideas the Arnold twins come up with for dealing with their bully. One of them is to bring a bomb to school. Obviously this was before 1999...
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 4
Halloweens in 8th grade: 2 (plus one in seventh)
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 2
Summers after 8th grade: 3
BSC Fights: 8
SMS Staff and Faculty: 32
Students (other than the BSC): 106; 73 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 18 6th graders, 12 unspecified
Clients: 29
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 77
Crushes:
Claudia-8
Stacey-8
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Mallory-1
9/10/11
Stacey's Big Crush (RS#65)
Original Publication Date: 1993
Ghostwriter? Yes, Peter Lerangis
Synopsis:
Stacey has (another) crush: Mr. Wesley Ellenburg. Did you catch the "Mr."? Yeah, he's teaching her math class for the last few weeks of the school year as part of a student-teacher program. According to Stacey, he likes her back, too. There's only a nine-year age difference; what's the worst that could happen?
Fortunately, Stacey is wrong; he's just a nice guy (who has NO IDEA how inappropriate his actions seem). But she's so smitten, that she doesn't see this, and thinks there's actually a chance at something. She's practically convinced herself they're going to get married when she's out of college. He finally has to disabuse Stacey of the idea that he likes her, which she takes pretty hard. But, even though she's upset, at least she believes him and doesn't pine away for him once she realizes the truth. Sadly, Stacey kind of messes things up with Sam Thomas in the process, too.
Meanwhile, Mary Anne and Dawn have their neighbors' baby goat, Elvira, stay with them during the neighbors' vacation. Hilarity ensues.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: Kits-Kats, Mallomars, "health store" cheese puffs (they're made with "cheese substitute" which Kristy rightly points out seems unhealthy), pretzels in her desk drawer
Stacey loves the smell of lilacs.
Stacey and Sam have been drifting apart, and she doesn't really consider him her boyfriend anymore, even at the beginning of the book.
Their Families:
Stacey mentions that her dad sends alimony and child care payments on time, which is good, but seems like an odd detail to note.
Again, the implication that Richard Spier only loosened up because of getting remarried. Mary Anne was out of pigtails well before that.
Stacey calls Dawn's mom Mrs. Schafer, but I'm pretty sure she took Richard's last name. Sharon has curly, blonde hair, by the way.
Stacey's dad attended Wesleyan.
The Club:
According to Stacey, the BSC fills "almost every" request for a sitter. I don't recall them ever turning anyone down before, but I guess it happens?
Charlotte Johannsen's dad is an engineer.
SMS:
Stacey initially thinks the new teacher's name, Mr. Ellenburg, sounds nerdy. I think of Ellensburg, WA, but I'm much closer to that than she is. There is a good chance that later when the BSC does its cross-country trip (the fourteenth Super Special) she'd pass through it on I-90.
8th grade students: Maria Jonatis, Amanda Martin
PSA Time:
If any of you ever work or volunteer in a position of authority with minors (teacher, coach, whatever), don't just give out rides randomly to kids one at a time. Emergency situation, sure, but just because? Even if you don't mean anything by it, do you know how terrible that looks? You just don't want to put yourself in that sort of situation. The only times I would give rides to just one athlete at a time when I was coaching were rides for my younger brother.
Misc:
This copy was bought used for $1.75. Charlie could afford it after two days of driving Kristy to BSC meetings!
Apparently, you can get a master's degree at Stoneybrook Community College and it has dorms. Mr. Zizmore states that Mr. Ellenburg is in the master's program...but then Mr. Ellenburg himself claims to be a senior getting his B.A.?
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 4
Halloweens in 8th grade: 2 (plus one in seventh)
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 2
Summers after 8th grade: 3
BSC Fights: 8
SMS Staff and Faculty: 32
Students (other than the BSC): 98; 65 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 18 6th graders, 12 unspecified
Clients: 29
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 73
Crushes:
Claudia-8
Stacey-8
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Mallory-1
Ghostwriter? Yes, Peter Lerangis
Synopsis:
Stacey has (another) crush: Mr. Wesley Ellenburg. Did you catch the "Mr."? Yeah, he's teaching her math class for the last few weeks of the school year as part of a student-teacher program. According to Stacey, he likes her back, too. There's only a nine-year age difference; what's the worst that could happen?
Fortunately, Stacey is wrong; he's just a nice guy (who has NO IDEA how inappropriate his actions seem). But she's so smitten, that she doesn't see this, and thinks there's actually a chance at something. She's practically convinced herself they're going to get married when she's out of college. He finally has to disabuse Stacey of the idea that he likes her, which she takes pretty hard. But, even though she's upset, at least she believes him and doesn't pine away for him once she realizes the truth. Sadly, Stacey kind of messes things up with Sam Thomas in the process, too.
Meanwhile, Mary Anne and Dawn have their neighbors' baby goat, Elvira, stay with them during the neighbors' vacation. Hilarity ensues.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: Kits-Kats, Mallomars, "health store" cheese puffs (they're made with "cheese substitute" which Kristy rightly points out seems unhealthy), pretzels in her desk drawer
Stacey loves the smell of lilacs.
Stacey and Sam have been drifting apart, and she doesn't really consider him her boyfriend anymore, even at the beginning of the book.
Their Families:
Stacey mentions that her dad sends alimony and child care payments on time, which is good, but seems like an odd detail to note.
Again, the implication that Richard Spier only loosened up because of getting remarried. Mary Anne was out of pigtails well before that.
Stacey calls Dawn's mom Mrs. Schafer, but I'm pretty sure she took Richard's last name. Sharon has curly, blonde hair, by the way.
Stacey's dad attended Wesleyan.
The Club:
According to Stacey, the BSC fills "almost every" request for a sitter. I don't recall them ever turning anyone down before, but I guess it happens?
Charlotte Johannsen's dad is an engineer.
SMS:
Stacey initially thinks the new teacher's name, Mr. Ellenburg, sounds nerdy. I think of Ellensburg, WA, but I'm much closer to that than she is. There is a good chance that later when the BSC does its cross-country trip (the fourteenth Super Special) she'd pass through it on I-90.
8th grade students: Maria Jonatis, Amanda Martin
PSA Time:
If any of you ever work or volunteer in a position of authority with minors (teacher, coach, whatever), don't just give out rides randomly to kids one at a time. Emergency situation, sure, but just because? Even if you don't mean anything by it, do you know how terrible that looks? You just don't want to put yourself in that sort of situation. The only times I would give rides to just one athlete at a time when I was coaching were rides for my younger brother.
Misc:
This copy was bought used for $1.75. Charlie could afford it after two days of driving Kristy to BSC meetings!
Apparently, you can get a master's degree at Stoneybrook Community College and it has dorms. Mr. Zizmore states that Mr. Ellenburg is in the master's program...but then Mr. Ellenburg himself claims to be a senior getting his B.A.?
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 4
Halloweens in 8th grade: 2 (plus one in seventh)
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 2
Summers after 8th grade: 3
BSC Fights: 8
SMS Staff and Faculty: 32
Students (other than the BSC): 98; 65 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 18 6th graders, 12 unspecified
Clients: 29
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 73
Crushes:
Claudia-8
Stacey-8
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Mallory-1
Kristy and the Haunted Mansion (M#9)
Original Publication Date: 1993
Ghostwriter? Yes, Ellen Miles
Synopsis:
The Krashers (a team of the best of Bart's Bashers and Kristy's Krushers) are together again for a game against a team in the town of Redfield, thirty miles away (how did they find out about this team?). There are four Bashers plus Buddy Barrett, Karen Brewer, Nicky Pike, Jackie Rodowsky, and David Michael Thomas. After winning a close game, they head home in a rainstorm (Nicky goes with his parents). A wrong turn here, a washed out bridge there, and before you know it they find themselves needing to stay overnight in a creepy mansion, let in by a creepier caretaker who lives in a small cottage on the property. Naturally, a mystery is afoot.
They find out this is the infamous Sawyer house, which is rumored to be haunted. Later, Karen finds an old diary belonging to a young woman who lived there a few decades ago, Dorothy. She was intending to run off and marry her beau, but decided she didn't want to live under any man's thumb, and simply disappeared. She was presumed dead. Eventually, the group discovers that the caretaker is the man she was going to marry, and that the Dorothy stayed close, eventually opening a sewing store near Stoneybrook. They find this out after getting back home. They go ask her if she's Dorothy, and she confirms, and says perhaps she'll go visit her old flame.
Yeah...she let everyone believe she was dead for decades and then thinks it'll be quaint to ring up her long-lost love. That should go well.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: popcorn
Kristy is scared of lightning.
Kristy's pretty sure ghosts don't exist, which is about right: she's eschewed the idea for the most part in the past, but is less convinced when in weird situations.
Normally Claudia's outfits don't interest me too much (I know, sacrilege), but two have always stood out to me: her Ms. Frizzle get up that she wears in RS#40 and her tie-dye clothes that run in the rain. The latter is featured in this book.
Kristy likes anchovies.
Kristy thinks Stacey may be re-thinking her relationship with Sam.
Their Families:
Charlie remembers when Kristy was a baby.
Sam likes anchovies.
The Club:
How terrifying for Mrs. Barrett, to have Buddy lost again.
SMS: nothing new
PSA Time:
Maybe, when you're driving a bunch of people to place you've never been before, you should write down the actual street directions, so you know to turn left on 175 Street instead of at the rock wall with the vines on it.
Misc:
So far the Krashers have only appeared in mysteries.
I'm not entirely sure if it's legal for Charlie, at seventeen, to drive a van that seats twelve people. It seems like it shouldn't be allowed, but in Connecticut nearly twenty years ago, maybe.
One reason that Dorothy gives for running away is that she wants to travel before settling down. I understand that things were different in 1935 (when her story is set), but I usually don't understand when people make that excuse today. I married relatively young, at 21, and when I was engaged I remember someone in a position of authority asking, "Why are you rushing to get married now? Don't you want to go see the world?" I responded, "Yes. With him."
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 4
Halloweens in 8th grade: 2 (plus one in seventh)
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 2
Summers after 8th grade: 3
BSC Fights: 8
SMS Staff and Faculty: 32
Students (other than the BSC): 98; 65 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 18 6th graders, 12 unspecified
Clients: 29
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 73
Crushes:
Claudia-8
Stacey-8
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Mallory-1
Ghostwriter? Yes, Ellen Miles
Synopsis:
The Krashers (a team of the best of Bart's Bashers and Kristy's Krushers) are together again for a game against a team in the town of Redfield, thirty miles away (how did they find out about this team?). There are four Bashers plus Buddy Barrett, Karen Brewer, Nicky Pike, Jackie Rodowsky, and David Michael Thomas. After winning a close game, they head home in a rainstorm (Nicky goes with his parents). A wrong turn here, a washed out bridge there, and before you know it they find themselves needing to stay overnight in a creepy mansion, let in by a creepier caretaker who lives in a small cottage on the property. Naturally, a mystery is afoot.
They find out this is the infamous Sawyer house, which is rumored to be haunted. Later, Karen finds an old diary belonging to a young woman who lived there a few decades ago, Dorothy. She was intending to run off and marry her beau, but decided she didn't want to live under any man's thumb, and simply disappeared. She was presumed dead. Eventually, the group discovers that the caretaker is the man she was going to marry, and that the Dorothy stayed close, eventually opening a sewing store near Stoneybrook. They find this out after getting back home. They go ask her if she's Dorothy, and she confirms, and says perhaps she'll go visit her old flame.
Yeah...she let everyone believe she was dead for decades and then thinks it'll be quaint to ring up her long-lost love. That should go well.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: popcorn
Kristy is scared of lightning.
Kristy's pretty sure ghosts don't exist, which is about right: she's eschewed the idea for the most part in the past, but is less convinced when in weird situations.
Normally Claudia's outfits don't interest me too much (I know, sacrilege), but two have always stood out to me: her Ms. Frizzle get up that she wears in RS#40 and her tie-dye clothes that run in the rain. The latter is featured in this book.
Kristy likes anchovies.
Kristy thinks Stacey may be re-thinking her relationship with Sam.
Their Families:
Charlie remembers when Kristy was a baby.
Sam likes anchovies.
The Club:
How terrifying for Mrs. Barrett, to have Buddy lost again.
SMS: nothing new
PSA Time:
Maybe, when you're driving a bunch of people to place you've never been before, you should write down the actual street directions, so you know to turn left on 175 Street instead of at the rock wall with the vines on it.
Misc:
So far the Krashers have only appeared in mysteries.
I'm not entirely sure if it's legal for Charlie, at seventeen, to drive a van that seats twelve people. It seems like it shouldn't be allowed, but in Connecticut nearly twenty years ago, maybe.
One reason that Dorothy gives for running away is that she wants to travel before settling down. I understand that things were different in 1935 (when her story is set), but I usually don't understand when people make that excuse today. I married relatively young, at 21, and when I was engaged I remember someone in a position of authority asking, "Why are you rushing to get married now? Don't you want to go see the world?" I responded, "Yes. With him."
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 4
Halloweens in 8th grade: 2 (plus one in seventh)
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 2
Summers after 8th grade: 3
BSC Fights: 8
SMS Staff and Faculty: 32
Students (other than the BSC): 98; 65 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 18 6th graders, 12 unspecified
Clients: 29
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 73
Crushes:
Claudia-8
Stacey-8
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Mallory-1
9/3/11
Dawn's Family Feud (RS#64)
Original Publication Date: 1993
Ghostwriter? Yes, Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner
Synopsis:
Dawn is thrilled: Jeff is coming for a visit! She can hardly wait to see her brother. The five Schafer/Spiers are even going on a four-day trip to Boston together to bond. Commenter Laura pointed out that this was the original plan back when Richard and Sharon tied the knot: instead of spending money on a honeymoon, they'd all five take a road trip.
However, things don't go as well as imagined. Jeff feels out of place with his old friends, and he and Richard struggle to get to know each other (can you blame them, though?). Tensions run high, and the family ends up at each others' throats. Mary Anne and Dawn end up defending their blood relatives to each other and ticking each other off even more. The trip doesn't go well as a result; the kids keep splitting up Schafers vs Spier and dragging the adults into the conflict. Richard and Sharon get fed up with the kids, and force them to at least play nice, but things aren't really resolved until about an hour before they have to take Jeff to the airport. But they promise to do better next time. Although...does Jeff ever visit again? Maybe in the Friend Forever series...
Also, Mrs. Barrett's kids learn to get along with her boyfriend's kids.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: chocolate kisses
Uh-oh...Dawn's missing her "old home" and is "a California girl at heart."
Mary Anne clearly has no idea what War of the Worlds is about (read her notebook entry before chapter eight). What's actually mind-boggling though is that she doesn't have the slightest clue what the Boston Tea Party was. A thirteen-year-old on the East Coast should know about that.
Dawn actually admonishes Claudia "don't eat too much junk food while I'm gone" in the postcard she writes her. Yeesh.
Again, I gotta say: Kristy may be tactless with her peers, but she comes across as a great sitter.
Also Claudia. She's great at resolving conflict.
Their Families:
I think one of the reason I can't stand it when Dawn mentally snarks about Richard's "uptight" cleanliness is that he does a lot of similar to MY dad. For example, it's all Dawn can do to not roll her eyes at Richard's teaching her hospital corners when they're making Jeff's bed. My dad taught me hospital corners when I was a little kid, telling me he learned them from his late mother (or did I make that up...my mom is a nurse like his was...).
Dawn's family seems to enjoy riffing bad movies, which will come up again later in a Mary Anne book.
Seriously, how messed up is it that Jeff and Richard didn't meet (or if they did, didn't get to know each other) until just before Richard became Jeff's stepfather? REALLY non-custodial stepfather, I know, but still.
The Club:
Mrs. Barrett is now dating Franklin DeWitt (who has four kids of his own). By the way, have we always known her first name is Natalie?
SMS: nothing new
PSA Time: nothing stood out
Misc:
The Barrett kids play a game involving a broken down bus. I've actually driven a school bus that died on the interstate; I don't see how this is a fun game.
The Smithsonian is not just one museum; it's several.
The whale-watching info is accurate, by the way. There is an area off the New England coast called Jeffrey's Ledge that's a hot spot for whales (I saw minke and fin whales there).
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 4
Halloweens in 8th grade: 2 (plus one in seventh)
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 2
Summers after 8th grade: 3
BSC Fights: 8
SMS Staff and Faculty: 32
Students (other than the BSC): 96; 63 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 18 6th graders, 12 unspecified
Clients: 29
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 72
Crushes:
Claudia-8
Stacey-7
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Mallory-1
Ghostwriter? Yes, Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner
Synopsis:
Dawn is thrilled: Jeff is coming for a visit! She can hardly wait to see her brother. The five Schafer/Spiers are even going on a four-day trip to Boston together to bond. Commenter Laura pointed out that this was the original plan back when Richard and Sharon tied the knot: instead of spending money on a honeymoon, they'd all five take a road trip.
However, things don't go as well as imagined. Jeff feels out of place with his old friends, and he and Richard struggle to get to know each other (can you blame them, though?). Tensions run high, and the family ends up at each others' throats. Mary Anne and Dawn end up defending their blood relatives to each other and ticking each other off even more. The trip doesn't go well as a result; the kids keep splitting up Schafers vs Spier and dragging the adults into the conflict. Richard and Sharon get fed up with the kids, and force them to at least play nice, but things aren't really resolved until about an hour before they have to take Jeff to the airport. But they promise to do better next time. Although...does Jeff ever visit again? Maybe in the Friend Forever series...
Also, Mrs. Barrett's kids learn to get along with her boyfriend's kids.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: chocolate kisses
Uh-oh...Dawn's missing her "old home" and is "a California girl at heart."
Mary Anne clearly has no idea what War of the Worlds is about (read her notebook entry before chapter eight). What's actually mind-boggling though is that she doesn't have the slightest clue what the Boston Tea Party was. A thirteen-year-old on the East Coast should know about that.
Dawn actually admonishes Claudia "don't eat too much junk food while I'm gone" in the postcard she writes her. Yeesh.
Again, I gotta say: Kristy may be tactless with her peers, but she comes across as a great sitter.
Also Claudia. She's great at resolving conflict.
Their Families:
I think one of the reason I can't stand it when Dawn mentally snarks about Richard's "uptight" cleanliness is that he does a lot of similar to MY dad. For example, it's all Dawn can do to not roll her eyes at Richard's teaching her hospital corners when they're making Jeff's bed. My dad taught me hospital corners when I was a little kid, telling me he learned them from his late mother (or did I make that up...my mom is a nurse like his was...).
Dawn's family seems to enjoy riffing bad movies, which will come up again later in a Mary Anne book.
Seriously, how messed up is it that Jeff and Richard didn't meet (or if they did, didn't get to know each other) until just before Richard became Jeff's stepfather? REALLY non-custodial stepfather, I know, but still.
The Club:
Mrs. Barrett is now dating Franklin DeWitt (who has four kids of his own). By the way, have we always known her first name is Natalie?
SMS: nothing new
PSA Time: nothing stood out
Misc:
The Barrett kids play a game involving a broken down bus. I've actually driven a school bus that died on the interstate; I don't see how this is a fun game.
The Smithsonian is not just one museum; it's several.
The whale-watching info is accurate, by the way. There is an area off the New England coast called Jeffrey's Ledge that's a hot spot for whales (I saw minke and fin whales there).
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 4
Halloweens in 8th grade: 2 (plus one in seventh)
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 2
Summers after 8th grade: 3
BSC Fights: 8
SMS Staff and Faculty: 32
Students (other than the BSC): 96; 63 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 18 6th graders, 12 unspecified
Clients: 29
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 72
Crushes:
Claudia-8
Stacey-7
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Mallory-1
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