Original Publication Date: 1994
Ghostwriter? Yes, Nola Thacker
Synopsis:
Dawn gets a regular sitting job, but an unusual one. She's to be a companion for a twelve-year-old named Whitney who has Down syndrome. Whitney doesn't know that her parents are paying Dawn for her time, which predictably causes an issue when it slips out. But Dawn and the parents apologize for the deception and Whitney eventually accepts it, but not after trying to prove that she's grown up by taking two girls Dawn is sitting for to a carnival without telling Dawn. It turns out fine, but does scare Dawn. Whitney is even made a member of the We ♥ Kids Club, though of course she'll go on jobs where another sitter is present.
During this time, Dawn's dad goes on dates with several women, trying to fill the hole left by Carol. Dawn and Jeff get subjected to "family dates" with a few. Some women just don't click, and one is outright nasty to Whitney. But by the end of the book, Jack starts seeing Carol again, and after talking it over with his kids, proposes to her. She accepts, and no one commits felony theft over it.
Greer at http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/ is diligently posting about the BSC Challenge. Here are my next answers:
Favorite BSC fight: The fight in Mary Anne Saves the Day is just so funny. "Sheep are in!"
Favorite BSC love interest: Will Yamakawa, the boy Claudia meets at Camp Mohawk. I wish they'd stayed in touch. They did exchange addresses, and some letter back and forth after Mimi's death would have been appropriate.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: none
Dawn is noticeably silent on exactly WHY her dad and Carol broke off their engagement.
Their Families:
Dawn counts the ghost of Ben Brewer as a member of Kristy's household, which makes sense for her.
Oops, one of Jack Schafer's dates calls him Richard (page 69). He's Jack again on page 114.
The Club:
Mrs. Barrett is now engaged to Franklin DeWitt.
California:
Sunny's still a little boy-crazy; or at least, she places a high importance on dating.
PSA Time: nothing stood out.
Misc:
This book takes place in the summer and Jeff goes to bed after sunset, at which point Dawn and Sunny decide it's not too late to call Stoneybrook. Sunset in Anaheim in July is around 8:00. So, they're calling at the earliest maybe 11:30 pm Eastern Time. At the end of the book something similar happens. I think the author (Nola Thacker in this case) got confused and was thinking Eastern Time is three hours BEHIND Pacific.
Yeah, food does get all mixed together in your stomach regardless of how much you keep it separate while eating, but you know what? There are no taste buds in your stomach.
Dates with your family sound weird, Dawn? I don't know what you're talking about: A Date with Your Family.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 6
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 2
Halloweens in 8th grade: 3 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 1
Summers after 8th grade: 7
BSC Fights: 8
SMS Staff and Faculty: 47
Students (other than the BSC): 165; 101 8th graders, 6 7th graders, 42 6th graders, 15 unspecified
Clients: 29
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 95
Crushes:
Stacey-11
Claudia-8
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
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4 comments:
I don't know how Taylor DeWitt thought it was a good idea to use tuna fish to make a sandwich that tastes similiar to Oreo cookie ice cream. The crushed Oreos with marshmallow fluff would have been much better!
Totally agree with you. Oreos? Good. Tuna sandwich? Good. Both at the same time, or even one just after the other? HORRIBLE.
I'd eat the Oreo/Fluff combo but I don't think I'd make it a sandwich.
Doesn't Stacey mention that even Junk-Food Junkie Claud wouldn't eat the Tunoreo? I really don't see what that has to do with anything though because the idea sounds vile to me. Love Oreos though. (Used to like tuna sandwiches but kinda got over them.)
It really, really bothers me that Whitney doesn't get punished for taking Clover and Daffodil to the carnival. (Or that C&D don't get punished for going off with Whitney without telling Dawn where they were going.) Even though Whitney was good with the girls, she HAD to know just taking them wasn't right but she suffers no consequnces at all!
Dawn has bad luck with kids she sits for disappearing.
Favourite BSC Fight - I don't like when they fight but I'd pick the one from Stacey vs. the BSC because Stacey told Kristy off for her dictatorial ways. (Though I do love MA's note to Kristy in MAStD about how she's sorry that Kristy's the biggest, bossiest know-it-all in the world but what can [MA] do about it?)
Fave BSC Love Interest - Will Yamakawa. I've always been touched by what he said about how he believes the spirits of his grandparents are together.
Not only no consequences; she's rewarded with a limited membership in the We Love Kids Club!
And yes, even Claudia is disgusted by the tuna/Oreo combination. She bites into the sandwich by accident.
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