Original Publication Date: 1999
Ghostwriter? Yes, Ellen Miles.
Synopsis:
Mallory is off to Riverbend Hall, a boarding school in Massachusetts. She fits in very well there, surrounded by other girls who have similar interests to her and teachers who encourage the academic pursuits of their students. Unfortunately, the one person she doesn't click with is her roommate, Alexis. Alexis has been at Riverbend since the last school year started, and clearly wants to walk all over Mallory, smothering her with rules about how the roommate situation should work and not letting Mallory have any say in how they should share their space and time. She's really passive-agressive about it all, and even takes it so far as to snark to Mallory that she won't bother reading her journal again (without permission, of course; Mallory had made it clear that the journal is private) because it's boring. Mallory tries to deal with the issues on her own, and takes the advice of the senior girl who acts as a residence hall director, but she can't seem to resolve the tension between her and Alexis. It turns out that Alexis has already had two roommate who also didn't get along with her. The school thought that Mallory, being from a large family, would be able to room with her more easily. But Alexis takes things too far, trashing the room and defacing Mallory's pictures. The dean finally admits that the situation needs intervention. It turns out that one of Alexis's previous roommates is in a single rooom, and agrees to trade with Alexis. Frankly, I think the unstable behavior that Alexis displayed shouldn't have been rewarded with a single room and the school should have considered expelling her, but Mallory's happy with the solution.
In a subplot, the younger Pikes fight over what do with the room situation, now that Vanessa is on her own. Abby notices the Byron doesn't seem to care and just wants things to end, so suggests that he and Nicky share one room, Adam and Jordan share another, the three girls move in to the larger room that had been the boys' (and Mallory will join them there on school breaks). Problem solved!
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: Hershey's Kisses under her pillow. She also makes chocolate chip cookies to put in a care package for Mallory.
I'd never noticed it until I saw their handwriting so close together, but Mary Anne and Jessi have very similar styles of writing. Jessi's is basically a stretched-out version of Mary Anne's.
Any time a BSC member is mentioned taking a language class, it's French. I know it's common middle school class in the US, but I'm surprised that no one takes Spanish, which is also very popular. In middle school, I took a quarter of French, and few quarters of Spanish, and a year of American Sign Language. My older brother took a quarter or two of Japanese in middle school.
The girls email each other. It's kinda weird to see modern technology in books that reference I Love Lucy so much.
Their Families:
This book implies a more reasonable explanation of the Pike parents' permissiveness: it's not that they have no rules, it's that they've realized certain battles, like insisting the kids all eat the same food at dinner, aren't worth the effort.
Apparently a record exists for the most strands of spaghetti sucked into a mouth consecutively; it's 27, set by Sam Thomas.
Mallory and Vanessa have had a morning tradition of Mallory telling Vanessa the weather in exchange for a poem. After Mallory leaves, Vanessa plans to pay Nicky a nickel a week for the weather report.
Jordan's the oldest triplet.
The Club (and clients):
Kristy organizes a little ceremony during Mallory's last meeting to make her an official honorary member. Don't tell Dawn! It's like a repeat of when Kristy officially inducted Mallory and Jessi in the club, having never done that for Dawn. (There's also a going away party after the meeting; the one at the end of the last book wasn't the official party)
The BSC also sort of apologizes for how they treated Mallory when she first joined, with the stupid test and all. They don't actually say "I'm sorry" but they acknowledge that they were being jerks.
SMS:
I wonder how the sixth grade will go about replacing Mallory as treasurer.
A point in favor of Riverbend over SMS: Mallory has learned the difference between "us" and "we." She says "We Riverbend students..." correctly, since it's the subject of the sentence instead of the common error in this book "Us baby-sitters..." (it's fine to use "us" if it's the object of the sentence, but most of the time it pops up in these books it's used incorrectly)
PSA Time: nothing stood out.
Misc:
This is Mallory's last book. It takes place in January, at the start of the new school term in her boarding school.
Christmas, Hannukah, and Kwanzaa happened between this book and the last one (the last one mentioned the Winter Solstice too) but we saw no celebrations of them, so no change with the holiday counts.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 11
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 4
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate in the plot of a book, not just reference): Christmas-5, Hanukkah-2, Kwanzaa-3
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 4
St. Patrick's Days in 8th grade: 1
Summers after 8th grade: 11
BSC Fights: 12
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 216: 122 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 30 7th graders, 48 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 38 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 143
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-11
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-2
Abby-0
4/27/13
Ducky Diary 2 (CD#10)
Original Publication Date: 1998
Ghostwriter? Yes, Peter Lerangis.
Synopsis:
Ducky's parents are back from their latest trip, and Ducky realizes that he's more used to them being away than home. He doesn't know how to connect with them at all. He does connect a bit with his brother, who also feels awkward around their parents.
He also makes a bit of headway with Alex. There are some nice bonding moments between the friends, when it seems like Alex's depression might be lifting. But then there are more downs, like Ducky finding several empty and half empty bottles of alcohol in Alex's room, or the way that Alex keeps skipping school and just wants to sleep all day. Ducky feels responsible for Alex, although really, he's doing all a sixteen-year-old with no psychology training can do. And he feels like he can't talk to Dawn, Amalia, or Maggie about anything because they don't really know Alex, or Sunny because she's going through enough.
But then it seems like Alex's mood is turning up again. He seems less burdened, and Ducky even sees him cleaning out his locker which had been a pit--oh, crap. A chronically depressed person who suddenly seems like a weight's been lifted from him and is putting his life in order? That sometimes means he has a plan to make it all better, and that plan is suicide. Sure enough, as Ducky finds his way to Alex's house, needing to escape his own after his parents announce that they will return to Ghana before Christmas, he finds Alex in the garage with the car running. Ducky's able to get him out of the carbon monoxide and call 911 in time. Alex is released from the hospital the next day, and on a flight to a treatment program with his uncle in Chicago (he's a doctor at a recovery center) that evening. He and Ducky get to talk a bit before he goes, and Ducky finally understands that Alex couldn't just snap out of it or open up and talk. Ducky's parents offer to stay through Christmas but moronically put the decision on him--way to go, parents. Your son doesn't have enough on his plate, does he?
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Ducky):
Ducky appears to be one of those people who gets carsick while reading in the car.
Their Families:
Ducky's parents have been going on extended trips for work (in addition to being professors, they're also international business consultants) since he was a little kid, which often left him wondering what he'd done wrong that made them leave.
Sunny's mom has months, maybe only weeks left.
PSA Time:
If you're too busy to take care of kids, don't have them. I don't mean never hire a sitter; I mean if you need someone else to raise them, then maybe parenthood isn't for you. (For what it's worth, I realize that there are surprise babies; this is aimed at people purposely have kids then hand them off to someone else)
Misc:
This book takes place from early to mid December.
I think it's always a good idea to bring a book or something along when you might have to wait, like in a doctor's office or picking someone up at the airport. I usually go with knitting. Either I end up not waiting and go home faster or I get a little further on my project. In the time Ducky waits at the airport for his parents, I could have knitted a third of a baby blanket!
Speaking of airports, Ducky's parents' flight is scheduled to land at 5:37. Today my dad is coming home from a trip and his flight lands at 5:35. Funny coincidence. (The parents' flight is delayed though; my dad's was on time. And I didn't pick him up because he was only gone a week and left his car at a place near the airport.)
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 9
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 3
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate, not just reference): Christmas-3, Hanukkah-1, Kwanzaa-2
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 3
Summers after 8th grade: 10
BSC Fights: 11
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 209: 119 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 26 7th graders, 47 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 37 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 130
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-10
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Abby-0
Ghostwriter? Yes, Peter Lerangis.
Synopsis:
Ducky's parents are back from their latest trip, and Ducky realizes that he's more used to them being away than home. He doesn't know how to connect with them at all. He does connect a bit with his brother, who also feels awkward around their parents.
He also makes a bit of headway with Alex. There are some nice bonding moments between the friends, when it seems like Alex's depression might be lifting. But then there are more downs, like Ducky finding several empty and half empty bottles of alcohol in Alex's room, or the way that Alex keeps skipping school and just wants to sleep all day. Ducky feels responsible for Alex, although really, he's doing all a sixteen-year-old with no psychology training can do. And he feels like he can't talk to Dawn, Amalia, or Maggie about anything because they don't really know Alex, or Sunny because she's going through enough.
But then it seems like Alex's mood is turning up again. He seems less burdened, and Ducky even sees him cleaning out his locker which had been a pit--oh, crap. A chronically depressed person who suddenly seems like a weight's been lifted from him and is putting his life in order? That sometimes means he has a plan to make it all better, and that plan is suicide. Sure enough, as Ducky finds his way to Alex's house, needing to escape his own after his parents announce that they will return to Ghana before Christmas, he finds Alex in the garage with the car running. Ducky's able to get him out of the carbon monoxide and call 911 in time. Alex is released from the hospital the next day, and on a flight to a treatment program with his uncle in Chicago (he's a doctor at a recovery center) that evening. He and Ducky get to talk a bit before he goes, and Ducky finally understands that Alex couldn't just snap out of it or open up and talk. Ducky's parents offer to stay through Christmas but moronically put the decision on him--way to go, parents. Your son doesn't have enough on his plate, does he?
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Ducky):
Ducky appears to be one of those people who gets carsick while reading in the car.
Their Families:
Ducky's parents have been going on extended trips for work (in addition to being professors, they're also international business consultants) since he was a little kid, which often left him wondering what he'd done wrong that made them leave.
Sunny's mom has months, maybe only weeks left.
PSA Time:
If you're too busy to take care of kids, don't have them. I don't mean never hire a sitter; I mean if you need someone else to raise them, then maybe parenthood isn't for you. (For what it's worth, I realize that there are surprise babies; this is aimed at people purposely have kids then hand them off to someone else)
Misc:
This book takes place from early to mid December.
I think it's always a good idea to bring a book or something along when you might have to wait, like in a doctor's office or picking someone up at the airport. I usually go with knitting. Either I end up not waiting and go home faster or I get a little further on my project. In the time Ducky waits at the airport for his parents, I could have knitted a third of a baby blanket!
Speaking of airports, Ducky's parents' flight is scheduled to land at 5:37. Today my dad is coming home from a trip and his flight lands at 5:35. Funny coincidence. (The parents' flight is delayed though; my dad's was on time. And I didn't pick him up because he was only gone a week and left his car at a place near the airport.)
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 9
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 3
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate, not just reference): Christmas-3, Hanukkah-1, Kwanzaa-2
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 3
Summers after 8th grade: 10
BSC Fights: 11
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 209: 119 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 26 7th graders, 47 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 37 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 130
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-10
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Abby-0
4/24/13
Mary Anne in the Middle (RS#125)
Original Publication Date: 1998
Ghostwriter? Yes, Suzanne Weyn.
Synopsis:
This book is the one in which Mallory decides to attend a Massachusetts boarding school in response to the bullying at SMS and deals with the tensions between her and her friends, especially Jessi. For some reason, it's not told from Mallory's or Jessi's perspective, but Mary Anne's, because Mallory and Jessi have confided in her and she feels stuck in the middle of their argument. The main problem between Jessi and Mallory is that Jessi thinks Mallory is running away from her problems instead of trying to fix them (one point she has is that her family didn't run away from racism when they moved to Stoneybrook), while Mallory is upset that Jessi can't be happy for her to have been accepted--with a full scholarship--to an exclusive school. I'm willing to bet that part of Jessi is upset because if Mallory was going to up and leave for a boarding school, why did Jessi bother coming back from Dance New York? I can see why Jessi would feel hurt and abandoned, but she majorly crosses a line when she gets Mallory's siblings worked up about her leaving and turns them against her. Which honestly makes the scene in which Jessi's dance friends are excited for Mallory pretty funny. Mary Anne isn't laughing though; she's tired of being complained to all the time. She finally gets Jessi and Mallory to talk to each other and make up, just in time for the send-off party the BSC had arranged for Mallory.
Subplot: the BSC and several charges make new holiday decorations for the nursing home in which Mallory's great-uncle lives.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: none mentioned
Abby complains briefly that BSC members should be allowed to have lives when Kristy angsts about a party meaning all the members will be unavailable. Potential foreshadowing for the first Friends Forever superspecial?
Their Families:
Mrs. Pike is still temping and has a job over the holiday season.
Boo-Boo the cat is no more. There's a new kitten named Pumpkin in his place, a plot I understand is covered in a Little Sister book.
Mary Anne describes the Schafer diet well: they're basically vegetarian, which is pretty accurate considering how often we've seen Dawn eat chicken or Sharon be fine with picking meat out of or off something. So it's more that they prefer to not eat meat rather than never eating meat.
The Club (and clients):
The BSC elects to not replace Mallory, as they can't think of anyone good enough.
SMS:
Although Mallory will be attending Riverside after the winter holiday break, my running total for SMS students will stay the same because it doesn't include the BSC.
PSA Time: nothing stood out.
Misc:
This book takes place in December and there are some holiday preparations happening, but none actually celebrated.
It strikes me as funny that the director of the nursing home describes some decorations as so ancient that, at thirty years old, they should be tossed. Because pretty much all of the residences are going to be at least twice that age! Of course I realize that people aren't things, but it's pretty funny to me all the same.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 11
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 4
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate in the plot of a book, not just reference): Christmas-5, Hanukkah-2, Kwanzaa-3
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 4
St. Patrick's Days in 8th grade: 1
Summers after 8th grade: 11
BSC Fights: 12
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 216: 122 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 30 7th graders, 48 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 38 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 143
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-11
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-2
Abby-0
Ghostwriter? Yes, Suzanne Weyn.
Synopsis:
This book is the one in which Mallory decides to attend a Massachusetts boarding school in response to the bullying at SMS and deals with the tensions between her and her friends, especially Jessi. For some reason, it's not told from Mallory's or Jessi's perspective, but Mary Anne's, because Mallory and Jessi have confided in her and she feels stuck in the middle of their argument. The main problem between Jessi and Mallory is that Jessi thinks Mallory is running away from her problems instead of trying to fix them (one point she has is that her family didn't run away from racism when they moved to Stoneybrook), while Mallory is upset that Jessi can't be happy for her to have been accepted--with a full scholarship--to an exclusive school. I'm willing to bet that part of Jessi is upset because if Mallory was going to up and leave for a boarding school, why did Jessi bother coming back from Dance New York? I can see why Jessi would feel hurt and abandoned, but she majorly crosses a line when she gets Mallory's siblings worked up about her leaving and turns them against her. Which honestly makes the scene in which Jessi's dance friends are excited for Mallory pretty funny. Mary Anne isn't laughing though; she's tired of being complained to all the time. She finally gets Jessi and Mallory to talk to each other and make up, just in time for the send-off party the BSC had arranged for Mallory.
Subplot: the BSC and several charges make new holiday decorations for the nursing home in which Mallory's great-uncle lives.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: none mentioned
Abby complains briefly that BSC members should be allowed to have lives when Kristy angsts about a party meaning all the members will be unavailable. Potential foreshadowing for the first Friends Forever superspecial?
Their Families:
Mrs. Pike is still temping and has a job over the holiday season.
Boo-Boo the cat is no more. There's a new kitten named Pumpkin in his place, a plot I understand is covered in a Little Sister book.
Mary Anne describes the Schafer diet well: they're basically vegetarian, which is pretty accurate considering how often we've seen Dawn eat chicken or Sharon be fine with picking meat out of or off something. So it's more that they prefer to not eat meat rather than never eating meat.
The Club (and clients):
The BSC elects to not replace Mallory, as they can't think of anyone good enough.
SMS:
Although Mallory will be attending Riverside after the winter holiday break, my running total for SMS students will stay the same because it doesn't include the BSC.
PSA Time: nothing stood out.
Misc:
This book takes place in December and there are some holiday preparations happening, but none actually celebrated.
It strikes me as funny that the director of the nursing home describes some decorations as so ancient that, at thirty years old, they should be tossed. Because pretty much all of the residences are going to be at least twice that age! Of course I realize that people aren't things, but it's pretty funny to me all the same.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 11
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 4
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate in the plot of a book, not just reference): Christmas-5, Hanukkah-2, Kwanzaa-3
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 4
St. Patrick's Days in 8th grade: 1
Summers after 8th grade: 11
BSC Fights: 12
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 216: 122 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 30 7th graders, 48 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 38 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 143
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-11
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-2
Abby-0
4/21/13
Stacey McGill...Matchmaker? (RS#124)
Original Publication Date: 1998
Ghostwriter? Yes, Suzanne Weyn. The book is dedicated to Ren Roome and Ann Ross Roome.
Synopsis:
Stacey has been musing lately about how her mom has lost touch with most of the friends she had before the divorce, doesn't seem to have much time or inclination to meet anyone new, and hasn't been on a date since splitting up, although her dad, who works more hours, has a steady girlfriend. So when Stacey gets a sitting job with the Brooke family, which is headed by a single dad, she schemes to set him up with her mom. Mr. Brooke is a writer, and Stacey's mom turns out to be a fan of his books. Stacey and the adults are excited about the possibility of a relationship, but the Brooke children aren't. Their parents' divorce is fairly recent; their mom left to pursue an acting career. They haven't had time to really process what's going on yet. The kindergarten-age son is more accepting, but the older daughter...
Things come to a head when the Brookes come over for Thanksgiving dinner, but Stacey manages to have a nice heart-to-heart with the daughter. Still, even after the rest of the evening goes well, her mom tells Stacey that things aren't going to work in the long term between her and Mr. Brooke. Stacey thinks her mom is just making up excuses, but eventually realizes that she needs to support her mother, who knows better than Stacey what's best for herself. Stacey talks to the kids after the breakup, and agrees to be their honorary big sister. Not that we really hear about them again except in passing...
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: Mallomars in her dresser drawer, carrots (for Stacey)
Stacey's still in the math club at school.
Stacey checks an ingredient list for fructose, among other things. Had this been written today, I'm sure she would have been checking for high fructose corn syrup.
Mallory's troubles at school have escalated to the point that she and her parents take a weekend trip to check out a boarding school in Massachusetts. The BSC as a whole is shocked; Jessi is especially less than thrilled.
Their Families:
Mary Anne's dad dated other women before reconnecting with Sharon. Somehow I pictured him just withdrawing from romantic attachments until one fell into his lap.
Stacey's mom still likes Vivaldi, like she did in Snowbound!
The Club (and clients):
The Brooke family brings the BSC client total to 38.
SMS:
The SMS soccer team seems to still be in its regular season three weeks before Thanksgiving. Usually fall sports are starting playoffs then. But the passage isn't entirely clear, so it could be playoffs.
PSA Time:
"Spaz" is actually a slur against people with cerebal palsy and similar conditions. It refers to the spastic motions they might make, due to issues with muscle control. It's more commonly used that way in Europe than the US, so a lot of people in North America might be unaware of this.
Misc:
I hate terms like "reverse snobbery" and "reverse racism." In my mind, it's just [whatever prejudice] from a different angle. An argument can be made for reverse racism, but reverse snobbery just sounds stupid.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 11
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 4
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate in the plot of a book, not just reference): Christmas-5, Hanukkah-2, Kwanzaa-3
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 4
St. Patrick's Days in 8th grade: 1
Summers after 8th grade: 11
BSC Fights: 12
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 216: 122 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 30 7th graders, 48 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 38 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 143
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-11
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-2
Abby-0
Ghostwriter? Yes, Suzanne Weyn. The book is dedicated to Ren Roome and Ann Ross Roome.
Synopsis:
Stacey has been musing lately about how her mom has lost touch with most of the friends she had before the divorce, doesn't seem to have much time or inclination to meet anyone new, and hasn't been on a date since splitting up, although her dad, who works more hours, has a steady girlfriend. So when Stacey gets a sitting job with the Brooke family, which is headed by a single dad, she schemes to set him up with her mom. Mr. Brooke is a writer, and Stacey's mom turns out to be a fan of his books. Stacey and the adults are excited about the possibility of a relationship, but the Brooke children aren't. Their parents' divorce is fairly recent; their mom left to pursue an acting career. They haven't had time to really process what's going on yet. The kindergarten-age son is more accepting, but the older daughter...
Things come to a head when the Brookes come over for Thanksgiving dinner, but Stacey manages to have a nice heart-to-heart with the daughter. Still, even after the rest of the evening goes well, her mom tells Stacey that things aren't going to work in the long term between her and Mr. Brooke. Stacey thinks her mom is just making up excuses, but eventually realizes that she needs to support her mother, who knows better than Stacey what's best for herself. Stacey talks to the kids after the breakup, and agrees to be their honorary big sister. Not that we really hear about them again except in passing...
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: Mallomars in her dresser drawer, carrots (for Stacey)
Stacey's still in the math club at school.
Stacey checks an ingredient list for fructose, among other things. Had this been written today, I'm sure she would have been checking for high fructose corn syrup.
Mallory's troubles at school have escalated to the point that she and her parents take a weekend trip to check out a boarding school in Massachusetts. The BSC as a whole is shocked; Jessi is especially less than thrilled.
Their Families:
Mary Anne's dad dated other women before reconnecting with Sharon. Somehow I pictured him just withdrawing from romantic attachments until one fell into his lap.
Stacey's mom still likes Vivaldi, like she did in Snowbound!
The Club (and clients):
The Brooke family brings the BSC client total to 38.
SMS:
The SMS soccer team seems to still be in its regular season three weeks before Thanksgiving. Usually fall sports are starting playoffs then. But the passage isn't entirely clear, so it could be playoffs.
PSA Time:
"Spaz" is actually a slur against people with cerebal palsy and similar conditions. It refers to the spastic motions they might make, due to issues with muscle control. It's more commonly used that way in Europe than the US, so a lot of people in North America might be unaware of this.
Misc:
I hate terms like "reverse snobbery" and "reverse racism." In my mind, it's just [whatever prejudice] from a different angle. An argument can be made for reverse racism, but reverse snobbery just sounds stupid.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 11
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 4
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate in the plot of a book, not just reference): Christmas-5, Hanukkah-2, Kwanzaa-3
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 4
St. Patrick's Days in 8th grade: 1
Summers after 8th grade: 11
BSC Fights: 12
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 216: 122 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 30 7th graders, 48 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 38 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 143
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-11
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-2
Abby-0
4/18/13
Amalia Diary 2 (CD#9)
Original Publication Date: 1998
Ghostwriter? Yes, Peter Lerangis. Stieg Retlin did the interior illustrations.
Synopsis:
Amalia's trouble with her ex are fading, although she's still rattled by the experience, and he occasionally tries to win her back by sending her unwanted notes and presents. She's also concerned about Maggie, who admits to Amalia that she has a problem. Amalia wants to help, but isn't sure how. Maggie talks to Dawn, and requests that she only discuss it with her and Amalia. While I understand that they're respecting her privacy, I wouldn't promise to NEVER tell about something that serious; there might be a real reason to go to a medical professional or responsible adult down the line. Amalia recommends a therapist, and Maggie agrees to see her, but Amalia wonders if she's done enough to help.
But some good things are happening too. Amalia gets the band Vanish a paying job at the school's homecoming dance--and the band performs amazingly well. Maggie continues seeing the therapist. And there's this new guy at the school, a pretty good-looking one...who seems to really listen to Amalia and wants to get to know her better. They talk after homecoming, and Amalia's not sure quite where things are headed, but she's game to see what will happen.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Ducky):
Sunny's been pushing her friends away.
Amalia has a mild crush on Ducky for part of the book.
Amalia is nervous of guys, even when they seem nice, because her ex seemed nice at first too. I know someone who was married to a "nice" guy who turned abusive, and now refuses to ever marry again, because of how bad the abuse was. It's really sad when someone's trust is so utterly betrayed like that.
Their Families:
Maggie's father is willing to pay for her to see a therapist, even though she doesn't tell him why (but I'm guessing he figures it's about her dieting; he mentioned it in Maggie's last diary).
PSA Time:
Not every promise or secret should be kept. Some information is dangerous if not brought to light. The best I've heard it phrased comes from a mom I know: Keep surprises, not secrets.
Misc:
This book takes place from late September to mid-October.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 9
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 3
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate, not just reference): Christmas-3, Hanukkah-1, Kwanzaa-2
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 3
Summers after 8th grade: 10
BSC Fights: 11
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 209: 119 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 26 7th graders, 47 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 37 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 130
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-10
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Abby-0
Ghostwriter? Yes, Peter Lerangis. Stieg Retlin did the interior illustrations.
Synopsis:
Amalia's trouble with her ex are fading, although she's still rattled by the experience, and he occasionally tries to win her back by sending her unwanted notes and presents. She's also concerned about Maggie, who admits to Amalia that she has a problem. Amalia wants to help, but isn't sure how. Maggie talks to Dawn, and requests that she only discuss it with her and Amalia. While I understand that they're respecting her privacy, I wouldn't promise to NEVER tell about something that serious; there might be a real reason to go to a medical professional or responsible adult down the line. Amalia recommends a therapist, and Maggie agrees to see her, but Amalia wonders if she's done enough to help.
But some good things are happening too. Amalia gets the band Vanish a paying job at the school's homecoming dance--and the band performs amazingly well. Maggie continues seeing the therapist. And there's this new guy at the school, a pretty good-looking one...who seems to really listen to Amalia and wants to get to know her better. They talk after homecoming, and Amalia's not sure quite where things are headed, but she's game to see what will happen.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Ducky):
Sunny's been pushing her friends away.
Amalia has a mild crush on Ducky for part of the book.
Amalia is nervous of guys, even when they seem nice, because her ex seemed nice at first too. I know someone who was married to a "nice" guy who turned abusive, and now refuses to ever marry again, because of how bad the abuse was. It's really sad when someone's trust is so utterly betrayed like that.
Their Families:
Maggie's father is willing to pay for her to see a therapist, even though she doesn't tell him why (but I'm guessing he figures it's about her dieting; he mentioned it in Maggie's last diary).
PSA Time:
Not every promise or secret should be kept. Some information is dangerous if not brought to light. The best I've heard it phrased comes from a mom I know: Keep surprises, not secrets.
Misc:
This book takes place from late September to mid-October.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 9
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 3
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate, not just reference): Christmas-3, Hanukkah-1, Kwanzaa-2
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 3
Summers after 8th grade: 10
BSC Fights: 11
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 209: 119 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 26 7th graders, 47 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 37 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 130
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-10
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Abby-0
4/15/13
Claudia's Big Party (RS#123)
Original Publication Date: 1998
Ghostwriter? Yes, Vicki Berger Erwin.
Synopsis:
Claudia's parents are going out of town for the weekend, and Claudia decides to have a small party while they're gone. She's been feeling pulled between her obligations to her BSC friends, her seventh-grade friends, and her boyfriend, so is looking forward to having a chance for everyone to get to know each other and hang out with all of them. Janine's also been wanting to spend more time with Claudia, which Claudia thinks is nice, but she can only be so many places at once. Janine agrees to help with the party, so Claudia's thrilled that everyone who wants a piece of her can be involved. Predictably, more people come than planned (it seems that some guests invited other guests) and things get a bit out of hand. Of course, during the party, Claudia's aunt and uncle show up. In the ensuing awkwardness, Janine and Claudia fight, but patch things up the next morning as they're cleaning.
Subplot is about Melody and Bill Korman. They keep getting in fights with each other (Bill seems to get blamed for more than his fair share, which I'm sure is part of the problem, but it's oddly never brought up). Jessi suggests doing something to force the two to work together, so Mary Anne, who has the next sitting job with them, pretends to lose the house key while on a walk and they work together to retrace steps and actions until they find where Mary Anne hide it in their baby sister's stroller.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: M&Ms, Snickers, and pretzels in her desk drawer, more M&Ms under her bed, a Hershey bar in a purse in her closet. She also likens her feeling of being stretched different directions to being a piece of taffy pulled apart.
Mallory's still being teased at school, and it's affecting her sleep.
Their Families:
Okay, Claudia might have a point about Janine using big words to show off her intelligence. Janine says that her ex-boyfriend was taking up her time "geometrically instead of arithmetically" as a way to say he was taking up too much of her time. That just sounds like gibberish; if she wanted to make a math pun then she should have stuck with something more like "exponentially instead of linearly."
It's been mentioned that Janine also has a sweet tooth, and true to form, the first night the parents are out of town, Janine makes a dessert of blondies topped with ice cream and caramel sauce.
Janine and Claudia change in front of each other. I suppose Vanessa and Mallory do as well, since they share a room. Maybe that's normal though; I don't have any sisters.
The Club (and clients):
Abby sometimes runs from her house to BSC meetings instead of getting a ride with Kristy. Still don't get why they don't just hang out with another club member for a couple hours or study or something after school...
SMS: nothing new.
PSA Time:
While the Korman kids think they're locked out of the house, they wonder if they should break a window to get back in. My first thought was that one of them should wrap a hand in a shirt to protect the skin from broken glass, but Bill suggests a better idea: throw a rock or heavy shoe through the window. Far less chance of getting cut that way.
Misc:
So, at 13 and 16, Claudia and Janine have their first night at home without their parents. I've never spent the night at my parents' without them there, and I'm going to 29 this year. I went from home to the college dorms to an apartment with my husband (just before our senior year of college), and didn't even spend a night there alone until a while later when he worked an overnight shift. I was probably 22 or 23 before I was alone overnight. My older brother was probably 21ish, and my younger brother...I'm not sure he has yet! My parents did go out of town once when he was 18, and he had a small party with my parents' permission, but my husband hung out upstairs for the duration. My brother's quite a bit younger than I am, which is probably why my parents didn't do overnight trips when I was living at home.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 11
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 3
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate in the plot of a book, not just reference): Christmas-5, Hanukkah-2, Kwanzaa-3
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 4
St. Patrick's Days in 8th grade: 1
Summers after 8th grade: 11
BSC Fights: 12
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 216: 122 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 30 7th graders, 48 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 37 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 143
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-11
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-2
Abby-0
Ghostwriter? Yes, Vicki Berger Erwin.
Synopsis:
Claudia's parents are going out of town for the weekend, and Claudia decides to have a small party while they're gone. She's been feeling pulled between her obligations to her BSC friends, her seventh-grade friends, and her boyfriend, so is looking forward to having a chance for everyone to get to know each other and hang out with all of them. Janine's also been wanting to spend more time with Claudia, which Claudia thinks is nice, but she can only be so many places at once. Janine agrees to help with the party, so Claudia's thrilled that everyone who wants a piece of her can be involved. Predictably, more people come than planned (it seems that some guests invited other guests) and things get a bit out of hand. Of course, during the party, Claudia's aunt and uncle show up. In the ensuing awkwardness, Janine and Claudia fight, but patch things up the next morning as they're cleaning.
Subplot is about Melody and Bill Korman. They keep getting in fights with each other (Bill seems to get blamed for more than his fair share, which I'm sure is part of the problem, but it's oddly never brought up). Jessi suggests doing something to force the two to work together, so Mary Anne, who has the next sitting job with them, pretends to lose the house key while on a walk and they work together to retrace steps and actions until they find where Mary Anne hide it in their baby sister's stroller.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: M&Ms, Snickers, and pretzels in her desk drawer, more M&Ms under her bed, a Hershey bar in a purse in her closet. She also likens her feeling of being stretched different directions to being a piece of taffy pulled apart.
Mallory's still being teased at school, and it's affecting her sleep.
Their Families:
Okay, Claudia might have a point about Janine using big words to show off her intelligence. Janine says that her ex-boyfriend was taking up her time "geometrically instead of arithmetically" as a way to say he was taking up too much of her time. That just sounds like gibberish; if she wanted to make a math pun then she should have stuck with something more like "exponentially instead of linearly."
It's been mentioned that Janine also has a sweet tooth, and true to form, the first night the parents are out of town, Janine makes a dessert of blondies topped with ice cream and caramel sauce.
Janine and Claudia change in front of each other. I suppose Vanessa and Mallory do as well, since they share a room. Maybe that's normal though; I don't have any sisters.
The Club (and clients):
Abby sometimes runs from her house to BSC meetings instead of getting a ride with Kristy. Still don't get why they don't just hang out with another club member for a couple hours or study or something after school...
SMS: nothing new.
PSA Time:
While the Korman kids think they're locked out of the house, they wonder if they should break a window to get back in. My first thought was that one of them should wrap a hand in a shirt to protect the skin from broken glass, but Bill suggests a better idea: throw a rock or heavy shoe through the window. Far less chance of getting cut that way.
Misc:
So, at 13 and 16, Claudia and Janine have their first night at home without their parents. I've never spent the night at my parents' without them there, and I'm going to 29 this year. I went from home to the college dorms to an apartment with my husband (just before our senior year of college), and didn't even spend a night there alone until a while later when he worked an overnight shift. I was probably 22 or 23 before I was alone overnight. My older brother was probably 21ish, and my younger brother...I'm not sure he has yet! My parents did go out of town once when he was 18, and he had a small party with my parents' permission, but my husband hung out upstairs for the duration. My brother's quite a bit younger than I am, which is probably why my parents didn't do overnight trips when I was living at home.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 11
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 3
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate in the plot of a book, not just reference): Christmas-5, Hanukkah-2, Kwanzaa-3
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 4
St. Patrick's Days in 8th grade: 1
Summers after 8th grade: 11
BSC Fights: 12
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 216: 122 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 30 7th graders, 48 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 37 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 143
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-11
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-2
Abby-0
4/12/13
Kristy in Charge (RS#122)
Original Publication Date: 1998
Ghostwriter? Yes, Suzanne Weyn.
Synopsis:
In an effort to encourage students to pursue teaching careers, SMS is putting on a three-day event in which students will take the places of their teachers for a class period, learning what it's like to organize lesson plans and be in charge of students and so on. Several BSC members do it: Kristy is assigned to seventh grade girls' gym, Stacey gets seventh grade math, Mary Anne gets seventh grade social studies, and in a confusing move, Mallory is assigned to eighth grade English. Since she's in charge of gym class, Kristy assumes she doesn't really need a lesson plan or much of a plan at all; she just knows that she'll do well. To make things even more interesting, Kristy will be working with Cary Retlin, who's assigned to seventh grade boys' gym. They let their animosity toward each other disrupt the (THREE DAYS) of gym, undermining each other and letting chaos reign. Someone gets a black eye, another person gets an adult tooth knocked out, and one student ends up with a broken arm (sort of reminds you of the Winter War in Baby-Sitters' Winter Vacation, when Kristy is in charge of a team of competitors and a student she talks into joining the competition breaks his ankle). There's no good resolution; Kristy and Cary sort of learn to work together but not fantastically.
Mallory has a tough time of it, too. She's nervous about teaching students two years older than her, and a few mistakes, like dropping the stack of handouts, snowball when the class teases her. The regular teacher does what she can to keep the class in line, but the teasing spreads through the school. Even though she's able to get through to some students at the end of her final day, the teasing persists and is reaching levels that could be categorized as bullying.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: popcorn
Nothing really stood out.
Their Families:
There's a sub-subplot dealing with Vanessa bossing her younger siblings into playing school, with her as a poetry teacher.
The Club (and clients): nothing new.
SMS:
This is the eleventh time the same school year has started.
For some reason, there's no minimum grade requirement to do the teaching program, even though students will miss their own class periods while they're teaching.
New-to-us students: Anson (no last name given, 7th grade), Lane Reynolds (8th; a previous book introduced Jodi Reynolds who's also in 8th grade, but it's not mentioned whether they're related; he's referred as "Shane" by mistake once). There's a Parker mentioned, but it seems we're supposed to already know who he is, and given there's a male student with that last name, I'm going to assume it's him, especially since this is on the page following the Lane-Shane typo.
Will someone please tell me why SMS hasn't thought to divide gym classes into competitive and non-competitive teams for games? My tiny school (69 in my graduating class) always did this. If you knew how to play soccer or volleyball or basketball or whatever well, you went to one half of the gym or field, and if you didn't you went to the other half. The competitive students who knew the rules well could go all out, and the non-competitive students who were just learning could still get some exercise without being destroyed by better players.
PSA Time:
Get a good editor before you publish a book. The typos with the students' name are confusing.
Misc:
During the Chapter Two introductions, Kristy muses that Mary Anne could teach "secretarial sciences." Sounds like someone saw this short film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoqtTrb3I0w
Curds and whey means cottage cheese.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 11
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 3
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate in the plot of a book, not just reference): Christmas-5, Hanukkah-2, Kwanzaa-3
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 4
St. Patrick's Days in 8th grade: 1
Summers after 8th grade: 11
BSC Fights: 12
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 216: 122 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 30 7th graders, 48 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 37 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 143
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-11
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-2
Abby-0
Ghostwriter? Yes, Suzanne Weyn.
Synopsis:
In an effort to encourage students to pursue teaching careers, SMS is putting on a three-day event in which students will take the places of their teachers for a class period, learning what it's like to organize lesson plans and be in charge of students and so on. Several BSC members do it: Kristy is assigned to seventh grade girls' gym, Stacey gets seventh grade math, Mary Anne gets seventh grade social studies, and in a confusing move, Mallory is assigned to eighth grade English. Since she's in charge of gym class, Kristy assumes she doesn't really need a lesson plan or much of a plan at all; she just knows that she'll do well. To make things even more interesting, Kristy will be working with Cary Retlin, who's assigned to seventh grade boys' gym. They let their animosity toward each other disrupt the (THREE DAYS) of gym, undermining each other and letting chaos reign. Someone gets a black eye, another person gets an adult tooth knocked out, and one student ends up with a broken arm (sort of reminds you of the Winter War in Baby-Sitters' Winter Vacation, when Kristy is in charge of a team of competitors and a student she talks into joining the competition breaks his ankle). There's no good resolution; Kristy and Cary sort of learn to work together but not fantastically.
Mallory has a tough time of it, too. She's nervous about teaching students two years older than her, and a few mistakes, like dropping the stack of handouts, snowball when the class teases her. The regular teacher does what she can to keep the class in line, but the teasing spreads through the school. Even though she's able to get through to some students at the end of her final day, the teasing persists and is reaching levels that could be categorized as bullying.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: popcorn
Nothing really stood out.
Their Families:
There's a sub-subplot dealing with Vanessa bossing her younger siblings into playing school, with her as a poetry teacher.
The Club (and clients): nothing new.
SMS:
This is the eleventh time the same school year has started.
For some reason, there's no minimum grade requirement to do the teaching program, even though students will miss their own class periods while they're teaching.
New-to-us students: Anson (no last name given, 7th grade), Lane Reynolds (8th; a previous book introduced Jodi Reynolds who's also in 8th grade, but it's not mentioned whether they're related; he's referred as "Shane" by mistake once). There's a Parker mentioned, but it seems we're supposed to already know who he is, and given there's a male student with that last name, I'm going to assume it's him, especially since this is on the page following the Lane-Shane typo.
Will someone please tell me why SMS hasn't thought to divide gym classes into competitive and non-competitive teams for games? My tiny school (69 in my graduating class) always did this. If you knew how to play soccer or volleyball or basketball or whatever well, you went to one half of the gym or field, and if you didn't you went to the other half. The competitive students who knew the rules well could go all out, and the non-competitive students who were just learning could still get some exercise without being destroyed by better players.
PSA Time:
Get a good editor before you publish a book. The typos with the students' name are confusing.
Misc:
During the Chapter Two introductions, Kristy muses that Mary Anne could teach "secretarial sciences." Sounds like someone saw this short film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoqtTrb3I0w
Curds and whey means cottage cheese.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 11
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 3
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate in the plot of a book, not just reference): Christmas-5, Hanukkah-2, Kwanzaa-3
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 4
St. Patrick's Days in 8th grade: 1
Summers after 8th grade: 11
BSC Fights: 12
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 216: 122 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 30 7th graders, 48 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 37 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 143
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-11
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-2
Abby-0
4/9/13
Maggie Diary 2 (CD#8)
Original Publication Date: 1998
Ghostwriter? Yes, Jeanne Betancourt.
Synopsis:
This diary is mainly about Maggie's dabbling in anorexia. I wouldn't go so far as to say that she has a full-blown case, because things get resolved too quickly for that, but she certainly shows a lot of alarming signs. Her goal weight is unhealthy for her height, and her obsession with food and fats goes beyond just wanting to eat healthy, and she quickly shows signs of the beginnings of malnurishment like headaches and exhaustion. There's also the fact that her dad is controlling while her mom is out of control, and it's common for people who have little say in other matters to develop eating disorders because eating is one thing they can be in charge of.
What finally gets through to Maggie is her mother's worsening alcoholism. The drinking is impacting more and more of her life, and almost messes up a charity benefit that Maggie had been helping her with (for an animal shelter Maggie helps at). She also disappears a few times overnight. Then she stumbles in drunk and shatters a crystal angel statue which had always been comforting to Maggie. Her mother declares that she doesn't have a problem, but her father counters that there are several problems in the family, and mentions Maggie's dieting. Maggie catches herself about to deny it exactly like her mother did. I wouldn't say the book ends on a happy note, because the problems are still there despite being brought to light, and others, like the way Maggie and her brother feel like they can never please their parents, are still hidden.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Ducky):
Dawn's in Connecticut for this book, which is consistent with the other books that take place around now.
Their Families:
There are some bittersweet moments between Maggie and her younger brother Zeke. Sweet in that they're bonding and supporting each other, bitter in that it's because of their father's controlling attitude and their mother's drinking. (Zeke is at a tennis camp for most of the diary)
PSA Time:
If you are concerned with your weight, it's best to discuss diet plans with a doctor or other medical professional.
Generally it's rude to comment on what someone is or isn't eating (for example, Justin made too big a deal of Maggie not wanting butter and salt on her popcorn; that could just be a taste issue), but if you have legitmate concerns about a person's health then it's worth it to have a talk.
Wash your hands after handling reptiles; some can carry salmonella.
Misc:
This book takes place in the second half of July.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 9
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 3
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate, not just reference): Christmas-3, Hanukkah-1, Kwanzaa-2
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 3
Summers after 8th grade: 10
BSC Fights: 11
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 209: 119 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 26 7th graders, 47 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 37 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 130
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-10
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Abby-0
Ghostwriter? Yes, Jeanne Betancourt.
Synopsis:
This diary is mainly about Maggie's dabbling in anorexia. I wouldn't go so far as to say that she has a full-blown case, because things get resolved too quickly for that, but she certainly shows a lot of alarming signs. Her goal weight is unhealthy for her height, and her obsession with food and fats goes beyond just wanting to eat healthy, and she quickly shows signs of the beginnings of malnurishment like headaches and exhaustion. There's also the fact that her dad is controlling while her mom is out of control, and it's common for people who have little say in other matters to develop eating disorders because eating is one thing they can be in charge of.
What finally gets through to Maggie is her mother's worsening alcoholism. The drinking is impacting more and more of her life, and almost messes up a charity benefit that Maggie had been helping her with (for an animal shelter Maggie helps at). She also disappears a few times overnight. Then she stumbles in drunk and shatters a crystal angel statue which had always been comforting to Maggie. Her mother declares that she doesn't have a problem, but her father counters that there are several problems in the family, and mentions Maggie's dieting. Maggie catches herself about to deny it exactly like her mother did. I wouldn't say the book ends on a happy note, because the problems are still there despite being brought to light, and others, like the way Maggie and her brother feel like they can never please their parents, are still hidden.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Ducky):
Dawn's in Connecticut for this book, which is consistent with the other books that take place around now.
Their Families:
There are some bittersweet moments between Maggie and her younger brother Zeke. Sweet in that they're bonding and supporting each other, bitter in that it's because of their father's controlling attitude and their mother's drinking. (Zeke is at a tennis camp for most of the diary)
PSA Time:
If you are concerned with your weight, it's best to discuss diet plans with a doctor or other medical professional.
Generally it's rude to comment on what someone is or isn't eating (for example, Justin made too big a deal of Maggie not wanting butter and salt on her popcorn; that could just be a taste issue), but if you have legitmate concerns about a person's health then it's worth it to have a talk.
Wash your hands after handling reptiles; some can carry salmonella.
Misc:
This book takes place in the second half of July.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 9
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 3
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate, not just reference): Christmas-3, Hanukkah-1, Kwanzaa-2
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 3
Summers after 8th grade: 10
BSC Fights: 11
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 209: 119 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 26 7th graders, 47 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 37 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 130
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-10
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Abby-0
4/6/13
Kristy and the Cat Burglar (M#36)
Original Publication Date: 1998
Ghostwriter? Yes, Ellen Miles.
Synopsis:
Kristy is watching some of her younger siblings play around the neighborhood when Cary Retlin stops by. As they banter, a shot rings out near one of the mansions just as the police are showing up, acting on an anonymous tip. The house belongs to one Reinhart Golem (what a name!), and his security guard was called away just before the gunshot. All the distractions appear to have been a ruse to get to the diamonds hidden in a vault in the mansion. Kristy notices a red cat stenciled on the mailbox, which turns out to be the calling card of a particular cat burglar. It also seems that a few of the Stoneybrook police officers are suspicious of Sgt Johnson, the one who's often involved in the mysteries the BSC solves. They think it's very odd that he got to the crime scene as quickly as he did. Even the BSC has to admit that some thing seem suspicious.
While the BSC and Cary are looking around the burgled property, the owner comes out and introduces himself, seemingly unaware of their poking around. He invites them in and discusses the case with them, even offering them a reward if they solve it. The BSC does find some interesting clues, but during the course of the crime scene investigation, Sgt Johnson ends up arrested. The BSC and Cary agree that something doesn't seem right, and pool resources to find out who really committed the crime. In a bizarre turn of events, Kristy, Mary Anne, Abby, and Cary end up being held prisoner briefly in the mansion: the owner is the cat burglar. Fortunately for them, the rest of the BSC realized the truth at the same time and sent the police over. Sgt Johnson is exonerated, and the BSC promises him that they'll stay out of the mystery-solving business...for now, anyway.
Subplot: Charlotte Johanssen, inspired by the Harriet the Spy book and movie, starts keeping notes on her friends. Predictably, it backfires and the BSC helps her deal with the fallout.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: caramel butter popcorn, chocolate wafer cookies, salsa-flavored corn chips, Butterfinger bars
There was no new information that jumped out at me.
Their Families: nothing stood out.
The Club (and clients):
Kristy says she never misses a BSC meeting, but in the last book she visited Abby's grandparents for the party (Anna had a friend come too) and missed a meeting, plus there were others in the early books. More accurate would be that she tries to never miss a meeting, because there have a been a few here and there.
SMS: summer break.
PSA Time:
No matter how interesting clues found at a crime scene, don't touch them unless you're one of the official investigators. Just point them out the right people. The only time you should disturb a crime scene is if there's a victim still alive who needs help.
Misc:
Hooray! This is the last mystery book (and obviously the last one with Kristy).
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 10
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 3
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate in the plot of a book, not just reference): Christmas-5, Hanukkah-2, Kwanzaa-3
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 4
St. Patrick's Days in 8th grade: 1
Summers after 8th grade: 11
BSC Fights: 12
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 214: 120 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 29 7th graders, 48 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 37 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 143
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-11
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-2
Abby-0
Ghostwriter? Yes, Ellen Miles.
Synopsis:
Kristy is watching some of her younger siblings play around the neighborhood when Cary Retlin stops by. As they banter, a shot rings out near one of the mansions just as the police are showing up, acting on an anonymous tip. The house belongs to one Reinhart Golem (what a name!), and his security guard was called away just before the gunshot. All the distractions appear to have been a ruse to get to the diamonds hidden in a vault in the mansion. Kristy notices a red cat stenciled on the mailbox, which turns out to be the calling card of a particular cat burglar. It also seems that a few of the Stoneybrook police officers are suspicious of Sgt Johnson, the one who's often involved in the mysteries the BSC solves. They think it's very odd that he got to the crime scene as quickly as he did. Even the BSC has to admit that some thing seem suspicious.
While the BSC and Cary are looking around the burgled property, the owner comes out and introduces himself, seemingly unaware of their poking around. He invites them in and discusses the case with them, even offering them a reward if they solve it. The BSC does find some interesting clues, but during the course of the crime scene investigation, Sgt Johnson ends up arrested. The BSC and Cary agree that something doesn't seem right, and pool resources to find out who really committed the crime. In a bizarre turn of events, Kristy, Mary Anne, Abby, and Cary end up being held prisoner briefly in the mansion: the owner is the cat burglar. Fortunately for them, the rest of the BSC realized the truth at the same time and sent the police over. Sgt Johnson is exonerated, and the BSC promises him that they'll stay out of the mystery-solving business...for now, anyway.
Subplot: Charlotte Johanssen, inspired by the Harriet the Spy book and movie, starts keeping notes on her friends. Predictably, it backfires and the BSC helps her deal with the fallout.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: caramel butter popcorn, chocolate wafer cookies, salsa-flavored corn chips, Butterfinger bars
There was no new information that jumped out at me.
Their Families: nothing stood out.
The Club (and clients):
Kristy says she never misses a BSC meeting, but in the last book she visited Abby's grandparents for the party (Anna had a friend come too) and missed a meeting, plus there were others in the early books. More accurate would be that she tries to never miss a meeting, because there have a been a few here and there.
SMS: summer break.
PSA Time:
No matter how interesting clues found at a crime scene, don't touch them unless you're one of the official investigators. Just point them out the right people. The only time you should disturb a crime scene is if there's a victim still alive who needs help.
Misc:
Hooray! This is the last mystery book (and obviously the last one with Kristy).
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 10
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 3
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate in the plot of a book, not just reference): Christmas-5, Hanukkah-2, Kwanzaa-3
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 4
St. Patrick's Days in 8th grade: 1
Summers after 8th grade: 11
BSC Fights: 12
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 214: 120 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 29 7th graders, 48 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 37 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 143
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-11
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-2
Abby-0
4/3/13
Abby in Wonderland (RS#121)
Original Publication Date: 1998
Ghostwriter? Yes, Suzanne Weyn.
Synopsis:
Abby and her family are headed to their grandparents' summer home in the Hamptons to help them prepare for the party they have every year to celebrate their wedding anniversary (the party is Alice in Wonderland themed this year, which inspires the book title). Although the party is shaping up to be fun, Abby's concerned about several family members who aren't able to come, since it seems to be bothering her grandmother more than Abby would expect. Something else is bothering her too, but Abby isn't sure what until she overhears a phone conversation and accidentally comes across some medical information while looking for something else for her grandfather. Abby's grandmother has either been diagnosed with breast cancer or is waiting for a definitive diagnosis. Neither grandparent is saying anything, but Abby wants to help without revealing what she knows. So she calls up the relatives who have declined invitations to convince them to come. The stress of keeping the secret gets to be too much for Abby, and she finally admits to grandmother that she knows. As it turns out, the biopsy results aren't back yet, and Abby's grandparents didn't want to worry everyone in case the lump in her breast turns out to be benign. The book ends before the results come in, but with Abby confident that her grandmother can handle what life throws at her.
The subplot is about the Pikes: they can't afford their usual summer trip to Sea City because of unexpected car repair cost. Dawn comes up with the idea to set up a beach in their backyard, using plastic pools for water and sand, decorations (including souvenirs from Sea City), and playing beach music and sounds.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: none mentioned
Dawn is still in town for the summer (it's August).
Kristy visits Abby's family for the anniversary party, but really adds nothing to the plot.
Their Families:
A great-uncle of Abby's was killed in action during World War II. Abby's great-grandmother came to the United States from Germany in the 1920s; nine of her twelve siblings were murdered in the Holocaust.
Abby's maternal grandfather is a bit like mine: he loves electronics and computer stuff. My grandad was an electrical engineer, among other things (for example: doctor, flight surgeon, navigator, colonel in the Air Force, college professor, crew team member for a senior rowing team; he's been in three or four bands...).
One of the foods served at the anniversary party is crab legs, which aren't Kosher. Imitation crab made from certain kinds of fish would be okay, I think. I know that not all Jewish people keep kosher, but it still seems odd that a Jewish character created for the BSC wouldn't keep Kosher.
The Club (and clients):
The Pike experiment with having the triplets act as one of the extra sitters is over; the BSC is now back to sending two sitters again.
SMS: summer break.
PSA Time:
First thing to do when a toilet clogs: turn off the water to that specific toilet. Look near the wall under the tank; there will be a knob. Turn it to shut off the water, then mop up the mess.
You can do breast self-exams to look for lumps, and should monthly, in addition to getting mammograms when recommended based on your risk factors. Men can get breast cancer too, and can also do at-home checks and, if they meet certain risk factors, should also get mammograms.
Since formula-feeding seems to be the norm in BSC books, I think it's worth mentioning that breast-feeding reduces a woman's risk for breast cancer. So if you have the opportunity to breast-feed, it's another reason to do so. Also relevant to the BSC: having a baby before the age of thirty reduces breast cancer risk.
Misc:
There's no such thing as a seagull. They're just gulls. Herring gulls, California gulls, mew gulls, et. al.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 10
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 3
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate in the plot of a book, not just reference): Christmas-5, Hanukkah-2, Kwanzaa-3
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 4
St. Patrick's Days in 8th grade: 1
Summers after 8th grade: 11
BSC Fights: 12
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 214: 120 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 29 7th graders, 48 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 37 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 141
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-11
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-2
Abby-0
Ghostwriter? Yes, Suzanne Weyn.
Synopsis:
Abby and her family are headed to their grandparents' summer home in the Hamptons to help them prepare for the party they have every year to celebrate their wedding anniversary (the party is Alice in Wonderland themed this year, which inspires the book title). Although the party is shaping up to be fun, Abby's concerned about several family members who aren't able to come, since it seems to be bothering her grandmother more than Abby would expect. Something else is bothering her too, but Abby isn't sure what until she overhears a phone conversation and accidentally comes across some medical information while looking for something else for her grandfather. Abby's grandmother has either been diagnosed with breast cancer or is waiting for a definitive diagnosis. Neither grandparent is saying anything, but Abby wants to help without revealing what she knows. So she calls up the relatives who have declined invitations to convince them to come. The stress of keeping the secret gets to be too much for Abby, and she finally admits to grandmother that she knows. As it turns out, the biopsy results aren't back yet, and Abby's grandparents didn't want to worry everyone in case the lump in her breast turns out to be benign. The book ends before the results come in, but with Abby confident that her grandmother can handle what life throws at her.
The subplot is about the Pikes: they can't afford their usual summer trip to Sea City because of unexpected car repair cost. Dawn comes up with the idea to set up a beach in their backyard, using plastic pools for water and sand, decorations (including souvenirs from Sea City), and playing beach music and sounds.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: none mentioned
Dawn is still in town for the summer (it's August).
Kristy visits Abby's family for the anniversary party, but really adds nothing to the plot.
Their Families:
A great-uncle of Abby's was killed in action during World War II. Abby's great-grandmother came to the United States from Germany in the 1920s; nine of her twelve siblings were murdered in the Holocaust.
Abby's maternal grandfather is a bit like mine: he loves electronics and computer stuff. My grandad was an electrical engineer, among other things (for example: doctor, flight surgeon, navigator, colonel in the Air Force, college professor, crew team member for a senior rowing team; he's been in three or four bands...).
One of the foods served at the anniversary party is crab legs, which aren't Kosher. Imitation crab made from certain kinds of fish would be okay, I think. I know that not all Jewish people keep kosher, but it still seems odd that a Jewish character created for the BSC wouldn't keep Kosher.
The Club (and clients):
The Pike experiment with having the triplets act as one of the extra sitters is over; the BSC is now back to sending two sitters again.
SMS: summer break.
PSA Time:
First thing to do when a toilet clogs: turn off the water to that specific toilet. Look near the wall under the tank; there will be a knob. Turn it to shut off the water, then mop up the mess.
You can do breast self-exams to look for lumps, and should monthly, in addition to getting mammograms when recommended based on your risk factors. Men can get breast cancer too, and can also do at-home checks and, if they meet certain risk factors, should also get mammograms.
Since formula-feeding seems to be the norm in BSC books, I think it's worth mentioning that breast-feeding reduces a woman's risk for breast cancer. So if you have the opportunity to breast-feed, it's another reason to do so. Also relevant to the BSC: having a baby before the age of thirty reduces breast cancer risk.
Misc:
There's no such thing as a seagull. They're just gulls. Herring gulls, California gulls, mew gulls, et. al.
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 10
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 3
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate in the plot of a book, not just reference): Christmas-5, Hanukkah-2, Kwanzaa-3
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 4
St. Patrick's Days in 8th grade: 1
Summers after 8th grade: 11
BSC Fights: 12
SMS Staff and Faculty: 67
Students (other than the BSC): 214: 120 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 29 7th graders, 48 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 37 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 141
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-11
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-2
Abby-0
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