Karen's Haircut (LSGN#7)

 Publication date: 2023

Ghostwriter? No, the text copyright is for Ann M. Martin

Illustrators: Katy Farina, with color by Braden Lamb

Synopsis:

Karen's going through an awkward phase: not really used to her glasses yet, teeth falling out and growing in unevenly--she feels ugly. Though her family and friends reassure her, she wants to change something. Her parents agree that she can get a manicure and haircut at a salon. The pampering initially makes Karen feel good, but the haircut ends up vastly different from what she wanted (this despite her bringing in a reference picture--I'd be so upset!). Karen is so embarrassed by her hair. She tries to stay strong, but her class definitely notices. She gets teased, and her friend Hannie says that with the haircut, Karen can't be in her "wedding" she has planned with another classmate. Karen dresses in her best outfit and tries going by a different, elegant name (Tiffanie, then Krystal, then Gazelle, then Chantal), but everyone has trouble remembering--except Ricky, who initially teased Karen's new appearance. But Hannie still says Karen isn't pretty enough for the wedding.

Karen keeps persisting though, and her perseverance pays off. She starts getting used to some things (like her glasses), and other things start to get better (her hair grows out a little, her teeth start growing in). After two weeks, she feels like Karen again, and Hannie has an epiphany about how unfair she's been to Karen--Hannie herself falls riding her bike and knocks out two teeth. She assumes her "fiancé" Scott won't want to "marry" her anymore, but he says he's "marrying" her, not her teeth. The "wedding" continues as planned, although when David Michael, as the minister, calls for the groom to kiss the bride, both Hannie and Scott protest in disgust.

Perhaps most surprising, Ricky approaches Karen...and asks if they can get "married" some day.

Continuity related to BSC books:

Emily Michelle isn't talking much.

Karen's relationship with Nannie is briefly featured, and it's sweet. I was very close with my grandmother, who was technically my step-grandmother. She passed away a few months ago, and it's nice to see a loving grandparent-grandchild relationship without regard to blood relation.

Misc:

Martin dedicates this book in honor of "the birth of Maxwell Joseph Lieb." Farina dedicates it to "everyone who is finding themselves."

I never played Lovely Ladies like Karen likes to, but a good friend and I did have "tea parties" in first grade at lunchtime. We'd pour whatever drinks into our cups and declare the "tea" a "special family recipe."

Karen's haircut in the graphic novel does look odd on her, and it's uneven. It's also so short that she can't style it much, and will take a while to grow out. But it's not the ugly mullet of the original chapter book!

I never got the thing with the fake weddings that Karen's whole class seems to do. In second grade and younger, there were boys I thought were cute and there were also boys I was friends with, but we never even pretended to date, let along have fake weddings. Although one couple got married a few months before we all graduated high school...

Claudia and the Bad Joke (GN#15)

Publication Date: 2024

Ghostwriter? No, the text copyright is for Ann M. Martin.

Illustrator: Arley Nopra

Synopsis:

One of my very favorite BSC books! 

Established or continued in this book:

The Girls (and Logan):

Claudia candy: The "pant brushes" make an appearance

Their Families: 

The Kishi family

The Club (and clients): 

I was hoping this version would fix Claudia owing dues from her time in the hospital, but nope. That's just rotten. Also, who has the audacity to call the BSC back to baby-sit again with no attempt to make things right after your kid causes a sitter to break her leg so badly that she needs to be in a cast for months? 

I remember this scene well from the original

SMS:

Ashley Wyeth visits Claudia in the hospital.

Claudia's homeroom calls her when she's recovering at home

PSA Time:

A good rule for practical jokes: Confuse, don't abuse. 

Misc:

Martin dedicates this book to the memory of "Lyman Chamberlain Martin--Grandpappy--who always liked a good joke."

Nopra dedicates it to "my family, who never stopped believing in me. For my grandmas, who I thought of fondly during the making of this book. For Thoa, who I could always count on to have my back. To everyone who reminded me to drink water, thank you! And for Bengee, who cheered me up when I needed it the most. You made me laugh and you are infinitely awesome for that!"

The way Claudia reacts to having her leg broken is impressive when you remember she's 13. I nearly cut off part of my finger with hedge trimmers when I was 32, and like Claudia I had to take care of the kids (my toddler and preschooler) while treating the injury and figuring out a ride (we only had one car at the time, and my husband was at work 40 minutes away). My injury wasn't nearly as bad as Claudia's, but there were logistics to consider.  And I purposely didn't call my mom until after I'd been seen at the hospital, because like Mimi, she wouldn't have been able to get to in a timely fashion and she would have just worried. Maybe Claudia's level-headedness was in the back of my mind.

Mary Anne brings a cute stuffed animal for Claudia instead of Tigger--expressly saying she wanted to bring the cat, but that this was more practical.

World By Us: Maritza: Lead With Your Heart

Author: Angela Cervantes
Illustrator: Caroline Garcia and Flavia Conley
Published in 2021

Makena, Maritza, and Evette are three middle school girls in the Anacostia area of Washington, DC. They want to make the world a better place.

Summary

Maritza "Itza" Ochoa describes herself as "Bolivian on [her] mother's side, Colombian on [her] father's side, and 100% American soccer player." She loves her heritage and culture, and she's a fantastic athlete and a good friend, if spread a bit thin at times. She has a big heart, too, demonstrated early in the book when she successfully convinces an adult in charge of a soccer tournament to let girls play too (he'd been concerned about being blamed if they got hurt playing with the boys, but most of the middle schoolers already play together anyway, and he's known for being on top of watching for danger) and when she donates to a legal fund for a man in danger of deportation. Shortly after donating, she realizes the man is her friend Violeta's uncle.

It comes out that the uncle has been working and living in the US for a decade and trying to gain citizenship, but it's been difficult. Furthermore, he brought over other family members, including Violeta--Violeta isn't a US citizen. If her uncle is deported, she likely would be too, and Violeta doesn't even remember living in another country. With Itza's help (who in turn is encouraged and cheered on by Makena and Evette), Violeta tells her story to their school, bringing more attention to the fundraisers that are going to pay for an immigration lawyer. The upcoming soccer showcase that Itza and Violeta are playing in offers further publicity, and enough funds are raised. Violeta's uncle isn't a citizen just yet, but he's working on it and he can spend that time at home with his family.

Misc

Dedicated to "my abuelos: Esperanza and Andres."

I like having a Hispanic Heritage Month, which is a relatively new thing, at least in the Pacific Northwest. I am also confused by it running from the middle one month to the middle of the next.

I wish we could know what Itza's time in the 5k was. She won the race; I bet it was pretty fast!

One of Itza's friends wears an outfit described to have traditional Mexican embroidery, which calls to mind the embroidery in Josefina's stories. Several women at my church wear beautifully embroidered skirts, although it's a Guatemalan style.

This is the second time in a couple days that the distinction between violet and purple has come up in my life. Isn't violet a shade of purple? I guess I have a different definition of the colors than others.

Megan Rapinoe is mentioned; until her recent retirement she played for my local pro women's soccer team.

World by Us: Makena: See Me, Hear Me, Know Me

Author: Denise Lewis Patrick
Illustrator: Courtney Lovett
Published in 2021

Makena, Maritza, and Evette are three middle school girls in the Anacostia area of Washington, DC. They want to make the world a better place.

Summary

After months of remote learning and online classes, Makena ("ma-KAY-nuh" Swahili for "happy one") is excited to get back to what she's used to. Everything seems ready for adventure: her whole extended family is in great moods, her uncle's food truck business (his restaurant didn't survive the pandemic) is doing well, her friends are ready. It's going to be a great school year, at her new school. After a successful first day, Makena goes with her uncle to the new community center. There, she meets two girls, Maritza and Evette, and the trio quickly form a friendship.

Makena is grateful for all the extra support when she and her friend Najee (who is also Black) have to experience racism. They're at a park and see a young White girl who's lost. They go to help her, and Najee ends up carrying her while they search for her parents. But another White woman sees them and assumes that the Black boy is kidnapping the White girl. It's all resolved quickly, and the little girl's mother even witnesses Najee making her daughter laugh, but Makena hates the assumptions that the other woman had.

Makena takes to social media to voice her frustrations. Her clear points and unique style are eye-catching, and people seem sympathetic to her concerns.

But

One afternoon, Makena and her sister (two years younger) find themselves locked out of the house. They look for the spare key, see if the back door is unlocked--and suddenly they hear sirens. Two police officers, one Black and one White, approach with guns drawn. A couple neighbors soon appear, shouting that the sisters live there, and the danger is past. It seems that a new neighbor saw Makena and her sister and jumped to the conclusion that they were burglars. 

Makena is understandably shaken, but also full of resolve. She makes a short video about the incident, challenges people to learn the facts before making assumptions, and gets her parents' approval and permission to post it online. It takes off. The new neighbor comes over, deeply ashamed of his actions, and watches Makena's video too. He humbly tells her he's going to work to be a better person.

Makena and her new friends put on a fashion show at the community center, focused on how what we chose to present to the world (rather than what we're born with) is the real statement we can make.

Misc

Dedicated to "Olympia and Avery and every girl who changes the world with style."

Ooh, the part with Makena's teacher confusing her for the only other Black girl in the class...I am so terrible with remembering faces and with remembering names (all races and colors). Because I know that, I tell people upfront and if I'm not sure of a name I don't try to guess. I hope I haven't given a poor impression to anyone.

There's a part at the end featuring Brandice Daniel, founder of Harlem's Fashion Row which showcases collections from designers who are women of color, ones who have often been left out of fashion.