"Karen's Witch" by Ann M. Martin, Illustrated by Katy Farina

Karen Brewer lives next door to Mrs. Porter, who wears long robes and has wild gray hair. Mrs. Porter has a black cat named Midnight and always seems to be working in her garden. Karen isn't supposed to spy on her neighbor, but she's determined to prove that Mrs. Porter is a witch named Morbidda Destiny!

Mrs. Porter is getting ready to have a special meeting at her house, and Karen is sure the meeting is for witches. Are they going to cast a spell on Karen? Or will she be brave enough to send them away -- once and for all?

Once upon a time, seven-year-old me went to a garage sale and came upon a box of books: the first 19 books in The Baby-Sitters Little Sisters series and the first Super Special. It took some convincing to get my mom to buy the complete set (and if I recall correctly, the seller wasn’t too keen to break-up the set so if we were going to get them, we had to get them all). In some ways I suspect that she came to realize that this was an amazing purchasing as these were the books that would start my reading obsession. (and what parent doesn’t want their kid to enjoy reading). On the other hand, this purchase was also the beginning of a huge financial investment into the world of Ann M. Martin so she may still have some regrets. Either way, Karen Brewer is the reason I love the written word. I don’t remember how long it took me the finish these 20 books, but I know that before I was done with the second grade, I had finished every BSCLS book available in my personal collection and at the public library. I soon moved onto The Baby-Sitters Club series and have spent almost 25 years with these beloved characters. On occasion, I go through books from my childhood and clear out space by either donating them or exchanging them at the local used book store. But Ann M. Martin’s books are the books that I will never part with.

Nostagia seems to be a huge selling point right now. I tend to get turned off by this (did we really need the 2016 Ghostbusters?). But there is that special place in my heart for any content set in Stoneybrook, Connecticut so I lap up anything released with Martin’s name on it. The graphic novel release of Karen’s Witch is no exception. I think the Little Sister series works better for a re-release than The Baby-Sitters Club. Karen is only six or seven (depending on the book) so technology isn’t as much of a driving force for her books. In the 90s, it was the cool thing to be the kid with your own phone line in your bedroom, so of course Claudia’s personal line was amazing. Now, the concept of four to seven girls gathering three times a week to sit around waiting for a landline to ring is a bit odd. So while I have enjoyed the new graphic novels featuring the BSC, the books haven’t aged quite as well as I would have liked. However, Karen’s universe works really well even now.

Karen Brewer lives most of the time at her mommy’s house and every other weekend at her daddy’s house. A witch lives next door to her daddy’s, or so she believes. Everyone in her family tells her to leave Mrs. Porter alone, but Karen is determined to find out the truth and reveal Morbidda Destiny to the world. She tries to stay up all night to catch Morbidda Destiny flying on a broom, but falls asleep. When she and her best friend, Hannie catch wind of a witches meeting, she becomes even more determined to let all of Stoneybrook know that there is a witch in town.

The graphic novel (illustrated by Katy Farina) hits the same beats as the original book. There isn’t quite as much backstory and character development as I recall, but that seems to be the norm in graphic novels. The style of this book works well with the material and is easy to follow. I would say my only complaint is that some of the characters looked a little different than how they were portrayed in previous BSC books. While this makes sense as they have different artists, I could see this being a tad confusing for readers who aren’t as exposed to the material (kids reading it for the first time, as opposed to those of that grew up with the first run of the material). However, I do see this book appealing to young readers and those little details not being important. My hope is that readers do enjoy this book and reach out for other books by Ann M. Martin. The advantage is that she has written so many books, there isn’t the annoyance that is waiting for a new book to come out and the enjoyment of the material can last. I would recommend this books for girls around six to nine, and especially those that are in the early stages of reading that aren’t quite ready for things such as Dork Diaries or Smile. This book would also be good for families to read together as there is also the lesson behind the story (don’t spy on the neighbors) and can be a good opportunity for family discussion. Either way, this book is worth a read.

Happy Reading!

-Melly

 

"Dawn and the Impossible Three" by Gale Galligan, and of course, Ann M. Martin

I have a confession. I want to do my Baby-Sitters Club reading challenge again. I don't have the time of course. My reading time has shrunk considerably since becoming a mom and I barely have the time to read new books, let alone the 200+ Ann M. Martin books I read when I did the challenge a few years ago. What can I say, I miss the BSC.

I have been trying to get my hands on the new Graphic Novel version of Dawn and the Impossible Three for awhile now. It's popular at my library (which makes me so happy) and whenever I'd think to check for it, it was always checked out. However, the library recently acquired the e-book version (*insert me babbling about how amazing the Libby app is here*). While I wasn't amazed by it, I did have a good time reading it.

Dawn is new to the BSC and new to Stoneybrook. She becomes the very regular sitter for Buddy, Suzy, and Marnie Barrett (some of my favorite of the BSC charges). They are awesome kids, but as their parents are going through a messy divorce, things in the Barrett household are crazy. The house and kids are often a mess, they have some behavioral issues stemming from the divorce, and it's usually a little more than thirteen year old Dawn can handle.  But if anyone can solve the problem, it's the Baby-Sitters Club!

First, to address the biggest change, the art isn't by Raina Telgemeier. As a Telgemeier fan, this made me sad, but Gale Galligan's style is very close. I suspect that children reading this book wouldn't be bothered that the style isn't identical and as an adult, I appreciate that someone new is continuing the series for new readers to discover. As for the adaptation of the original novel, I'm a little put off by the plot. When the graphic novels first came out, the books adapted were Kristy's Great Idea, The Truth About Stacey, Mary Anne Saves the Day and Claudia and Mean Janine (books 1, 3, 4 and 7). Because it wasn't the first 4 books, I remember there being some adjustments to make up for the plot points that were from other books. Okay, works for me. However, Dawn and the Impossible Three is book 5 in the series. Meaning we have jumped back in time chronologically of the old series, but not for the new. If I was completely new to this universe, it would have been fine. But as an avid (okay, obsessed) fan, my head hurt. On top of that, this adaptation addresses plot points that weren't brought up until Hello, Mallory! (book 14) in the original series so now my head is really spinning. I read this knowing that the adaptation of Kristy's Big Day is in the works, so I'm already wondering how that plot will differ. This was really my only complaint about the book. It works just fine within the graphic novel universe, so new readers shouldn't have any problems. However, the parents who grew up on the original series may be confused- especially if they have only read the old books and not kept up with the new. But I am on board with these adaptation because I love that they are introducing my favorite baby-sitters to a whole new generation of readers.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"The Long Way Home" by Ann M. Martin

I was surprised how much I enjoyed The Long Way Home compared to Better to Wish. This book focuses on Dana, the daughter of Abby and Zander. She is an aspiring artist who looks up to her father more than anyone. Though she loves her mother, brother and twin sister, she just isn't as close to them. Their lives are happy, until tragedy strikes (isn't that always the way in the literary world?) and soon Dana will have to make some tough decisions in order to live the life she dreams of.

I thought that Martin did a great job with Dana's story. Though I liked Abby's, I felt that her development fell a little flat and her story didn't work as well with the way the book was written. However, it worked well for Dana. In this series, we see glimpses of the girls' lives set over the course of multiple years. Because of this, there is sometimes a little bit too much text devoted to filling the reader in on what they missed from one period to the next, but it seems that Martin had a better handle on this with The Long Way Home.  I was apprehensive to read this book, since I didn't feel that the first was the strongest of Martin's writing. But since the sequel is a much stronger book, I now look forward to completing the series. Tweens looking for a little bit of history mixed in with an interesting style of showing a girl growing up will like these books.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Welcome to Camden Falls" by Ann M. Martin

For some reason I just didn't get into this series when it first came out. Pretty sure part of the reason is that it came out as I was making the transition from less juvenile books to more young adult books. Thankfully I have since come to my senses and can read just about anything now. Welcome to Camden Falls has a lot of charm and I was surprised at how strong the characters and the plot are.

Flora and Ruby are moving to Camden Falls to live with their grandmother after their parents are killed in a car accident. They are about to start their new lives in a new town. They spend their days in their grandmother's sewing store, Needle and Thread and making new friends, particularly with a neighbor named Olivia. The focus of the book is on these girls, with a few chapters from the point of view of Nikki, a girl whose family is very poor which in part is responsible for her lack of friends. The book also spends some time with several of Flora and Ruby's new neighbors and in doing so gives us insight into their lives in a way that I really hope we see more of these characters in the later books in this series as Martin sets up what could be some very interesting plot lines.

I liked this book and the characters quite a bit. Though the setting itself is rather calm, there is more conflict than I expected and can tell that there is a lot of potential for this to be a strong series. I am curious though, since it is a rather short series (by BSC standards anyway) I hope that there are enough books to cover all of the plots that are suggested in the first book. I will certainly be finishing this series!



Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Sunny Diary 3" by Ann M. Martin

Remember what is probably the saddest Baby-Sitters Club book, Claudia and the Sad Good-bye? Well, Sunny Diary 3 is worse. As readers, we have known for quite some time that Sunny's mom hasn't been doing well. Sunny's entire story in the California Diaries revolves on the decisions she makes because her mom has cancer. So you would think that I could get through this book without tearing up since there is so much preparation for the end, but even now, I can't. This is probably the most painful book written by Martin. Sunny's emotions are so raw and so real. Even when she is writing in her journal and gets sidetracked, I believe that. This book truly feels like someone's diary and the things they would write about when going through such an experience.

I know this is the only CD book I have reviewed at this point, but I must warn you: do not read this one without read the others first. At the very least, read Dawn and Sunny's other books before reading this one as there is so much back story that lead up to this book. Sunny has changed so much since her first appearance in the BSC books and readers who aren't used to her new persona will certainly be taken aback (though this is something that I love so much about this series. For the first time, we actually get to see people in the BSC universe grow and change and not reset a few books later).

 I remember reaching my early teens and realizing that I was relating more to the problems faced in the CD  universe than those in the BSC. Re-reading them as an adult, it is a little shocking to see the major differences between the two series. The BSC is aimed for a much younger reader and the problems almost always go away at the end of the book (and they are usually a lot less scary). The CD involve underage drinking, stalking, and major death (which the BSC did touch on, both with Mimi and Amelia, but both were less impactful to me because a) Mimi was unfortunately old and had fallen into bad health, so while I was saddened, I wasn't surprised and b) we didn't know Amelia so again, it was sad, but her death wasn't as painful as it could have been). It's like California is a totally different universe compared to Stoneybrook, but I think this is good. The CD are great for BSC fans to transition into some more mature topics and get them comfortable as they start looking for other books outside of the BSC series. And they are a must read for BSC fans that haven't read them yet!

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Jessi and the Bad Bay-Sitter" by Ann M. Martin

*Oops... I wrote this last year and completely forgot to post it. Continuing my love of the BSC:

In some ways I think that Jessi and the Bad Bay-Sitter is one of the few books that portraits the BSC and their classmates realistically.  When Dawn moves back the California the first time, the BSC desperately needs help (and they don't even know that Mal is about to develop mono and also be out for awhile).  Jessi suggests that one of her classmates joins the BSC to help out.  Wendy seems interested in the club, but doesn't even come close to meeting their high expectations- she comes to meetings late, she takes jobs without consulting the other members and is clearly not dedicated to the club.  It's no surprise that she doesn't make the cut and only appears in this book.
Even though the situation stinks, I really like how the characters are portrayed in this book.  Wendy is only eleven so it's easy to imagine her not being able to make a full commitment to a new club.  It's also understandable why she wouldn't do well sharing her clients with 6 other baby-sitters.  On the other hand it's easy to see Kristy's point of view.  She has the process of baby-sitting so streamlined that when someone breaks the rules she often over reacts. 
I first read these books when I was about seven.  In my head I thought that 13 was going to be this wonderful age where I would suddenly be all kinds of mature and given tons of responsibility, just the The Baby-Sitters Club members.  Of course I would realize that this wasn't the case.  Though the characters in this book are still portrayed more mature than the typical eleven and thirteen year olds, I think their actions are closer to how girls those ages would act and react.  This was one of the books that I re-read a lot as a kid and was probably my favorite book starring Jessi, after Jessi Ramsey Pet-Sitter.  Of course you know that I am going to recommend this book, so I guess I will stop babbling about how great the series is.

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"Belle Teal" by Ann M. Martin

Once again, here is another great book from Ann M. Martin (don't worry, I think I have finally re-read the last of her books I'm planning to read for awhile, so I'll stop fan-girl mode now). Belle Teal is the story of girl growing up during a difficult time but she still manages to find the good things in life. Belle Teal is about to start a new school year and she is very excited to finally has Miss Casey as her teacher. But things won't be easy as starting this year, children of all races will be attending school together and this causes a lot of problems for Belle Teal and her friendships, but new and old. In addition, her beloved Gran is getting older and not remembering much causing more hardships as Belle Teal's world begins to change.

Once again, Martin address issues that aren't always discussed in children's books. I can't really think of another book that deals with what is like when a grandparent or other loved one begins to slip away mentally (as someone that has personally gone through this, it's a topic that I think is very important to address). Though this really isn't the primary focus of the book, it is the one detail that has always stuck with me. I do wish that more books talked about it. In addition to the changes going on in Belle Teal's household, I'm glad that this book also touches on the history of the integration that took place in schools. As a kid, that was a topic that I had difficulty wrapping my head around, so it was good to be able to read about from the perspective of someone going through that experience. Once again, this is a must read, both for the historical elements, but for the family moments as well.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"A Corner of the Universe" by Ann M, Martin

This was probably one of the first books that began to shape me as a reader outside of the world of innocent children's books. Hattie lives a relatively safe life. Her parents own a boarding house and much of her time is spent helping care for the house and it's residents. She only has one friend, but since it is summer, she is mostly on her own. That is, until her uncle Adam comes around. Hattie has never met Adam. He is the much younger brother of her mother and he has been away at a special school since before Hattie was born. But since the school is closing, Adam will be spending time at home until new arrangements can be made. Adam is unlike anyone Hattie has ever met. She doesn't know it, but he is going to make an impact and change her life forever.

I really don't want to spoil anything, but this was one of the first books I ever read that had a not so happy ending. It was a real eye opener and started making me look at books differently. Up until I had read this book for the first time, everything I had read was fairly simple in plot and everything wrapped up nicely at the end. Even when things were tense or scary, all was well by the time the book ended. But that's not quite the case with A Corner of the Universe. Though Hattie's eyes, I began to see that books can address reality and that the written word can play out just as harsh as the real world (this book is that really harsh, just conveying the realization I started to have after reading it). This is one of those books that I think everyone should read. It falls in line with R.J. Palacio's Wonder and Sharon M. Draper's Out of My Mind. Martin addresses many issues and topics that authors often shy away from. Adam's personality in this book is brutally honest. He is one of the most realistic characters I have come across (and the first time I read this book, he was probably the only truly realistic character I had met at that point). This is one of those books that needs to be read when you have some time to reflect upon finishing it. I hope that it is a life changer for other readers, like it was a life changer for me.

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"Here Today" by Ann M. Martin

Here Today is one of my favorites of Ann M. Martin's books. Everything is about to change for Eleanor Roosevelt Dingman, better known as Ellie. Ellie's mother is over the top eccentric and desperately wants to become famous. She has been in plays, constantly goes to lessons and auditions and spends most of the book trying to make a name for herself (besides the name she has given herself, Doris Day Dingman). She is so focused on creating her career, that her children often fall by the wayside. Ellie, her brother, and her sister live in a neighborhood that is often targeted for "bad things." Mailboxes get smashed, property gets vandalized and graffitied, and these aren't even the worst of the offenses. Even at school, things aren't easy for Ellie and her best friend; part way through the school year, several of the girls in their class decide to make Ellie and Holly their targets. There is so much going on in Ellie's life, it is amazing that she is able to hold everything together the way she does.

This really is an amazing book. Every bit of it is so realistic and Martin does a great job of capturing the era it takes place in (1963-64, if you are wondering). Ellie is a very strong character and the kind of person that you want on your side. Despite her age, she really is the one holding her family together and she does so without arguing. This is another example of Martin's characters being put it a difficult position that is really more than someone their age should have to deal with, but one cannot help but respect Ellie because of how she handles the difficulties in her life. It seems that Martin's stand alone books don't get nearly as much attention as her series, but some of her stand alones are so amazing, including this one! It is absolutely a must read!

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"The Baby-Sitters Club" 2013 Reading Challenge COMPLETED!

Well, that's it. I have officially re-read all of The Baby-Sitters club books. Sadly I didn't complete my addition to the challenge since I wasn't able to get the last three California Diaries books that I need (they are in the mail and aren't expected to be delivered until January), but as this wasn't part of my original goal, this really is a win. It's kind of weird. I've spent a decent amount of time on other people's blogs and see a lot of negativity as people read the books as adults. I totally saw the books in a different life than when I was a kid, but I still have so much love for these books that it completely outweighs and problems or mistakes in the book.

I put off reading Graduation Day and The Summer Before until the end of the year (otherwise I would have been done moths ago) because I really wanted this to be a year long challenge. It has also got me thinking about many of the other books I loved as a kid. As much as I enjoyed this challenge, I don't think there is another series I want to revisit in quite the same way. The BSC is the only lengthy series that I read pretty much in full as a kid and the only one I had a crazy strong connection to. Sure, I loved Nancy Drew, The Boxcar Children, and The Sleepover Friends, but I just don't think I would enjoy trying to finish all of the books and therefore know that I wouldn't finish (though I really should read the original Nancy Drew books, I do own them after all). But there are some series I definitely will be visiting again. 

Specifically, I have have been dying to dig out my Laura Ingalls Wilder books and go back to the prairie. I actually think that if there was one challenge of a specific series I would want to try for next, it would be the Little House books. And by this, I mean all of the spin-off series as well. For now I am going to wait a mere few hours and begin to frantcially read from my 2014 Newbery Reading Challenge (seriously debating starting right at midnight...we're having a New Year's Party but I will be the nerd in the corner reading).

To those of you that supported me this year- THANK YOU! The same goes to my blog readers, those that posted my challenge on their blogs/websites/social media, and to those that signed up to read with me. And a big thanks to my boyfriend for tolerating my ridiculous piles of books all over the apartment (and the fact that I often leave books on your chair, computer and bed) and a special thanks to my friend Nick whose Christmas gift is leading to me finally owning all of the California Diaries series. Each and every one of you rock!

Happy Reading and a Happy New Year!!
-Melly 

"Here Come the Bridesmaids" by Ann M. Martin

One more review for the year:

I goofed during my re-reading session. I had it in my head that Dawn came back from California in the regular series and then flew back for her Dad's wedding.  So when I started Kristy and Mr. Mom I was quite surprised to see Dawn.  Oops!  Anyway, this book was great as a kid but kind of weird as an adult.  Things that came off as strange to me:

Dawn assuming that Mary Anne was a bridesmaid too.  Sure, they have a great relationship as stepsisters and Jack did let Mary Anne (and everyone) stay with him that one time, but she is still the daughter of his ex's new husband.  If that were me, I don't think I would be quite comfortable with her being a bridesmaid.  A guest of course, but not in the wedding party.

Stacey being a bridesmaid in Mrs. Barrett/DeWitt's wedding.  I (sort of) get her reasoning, but surely she knows someone else?  I think that it would be weird to look at my wedding pictures and see someone I'm not especially close to in the wedding party.  But I have no marriage plans (and if I did, I doubt they would include a massive wedding party), so either way my brain can't comprehend the situation.

Claudia's "job."  The parents in these book seriously rock.  Not only is Mr. Schafer letting Dawn's friends come out for his wedding (they aren't people that he really knows after all), but he's paying Claudia to help prepare for the wedding.  I kind of side with the people that want to get permission from the Jack and Carol prior to listening to Claudia.  I too would find it strange if someone who was thirteen was trying to change the wedding plans.  Just sayin.

While I was re-reading, the Barrett/DeWitt wedding felt kind of forced.  It completely made sense for the BSC to be involved since the younger kids weren't part of the ceremony.  But it felt like the storyline was thrown in to involve all of the BSC in this story and not just those traveling to California.  I do think I would have enjoyed this particular book more had it been just a regular book in the series.  Because it was a Super Special, there had to be more content and it felt very drug out.  All of the Super Specials were among my favorites as a kid, but this one (sadly) just didn't hold up.

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"On Christmas Eve" by Ann M. Martin

It's been a tough couple of weeks for Tess' best friend, Sarah. Sarah's father has been in and out of the hospital and Sarah has been spending a lot of time with Tess' family. Tess decides that she is going to wait up on Christmas Eve so that she can ask Santa to help Sarah's father. As Christmas approaches, Tess fills her days with the normal pre-Christmas activities, decorating, gift shopping, baking and the Christmas pageant. The majority of the book is build-up to Christmas Eve.

This certainly is not my favorite of Martin's books. The plot is fine, but not super intriguing. Like many of the books she has written, this book is set during the 1950s, but there isn't an awful lot of the story that relies on the time period. It's a nice book to read during the Christmas season, but it's one of the few books by Martin that I only read once (now twice of course). Something I do like about this book is that the ending isn't wrapped up nicely with everyone living happily after ever (spoiler, there are some sad moments towards the end of the book). The Baby-Sitters Club series aside (except for certain books and the California Diaries), Martin's books touch on some difficult topics and I appreciate that. Her books are mostly aimed at younger readers and it's nice to see that Martin doesn't always sugar coat the world. I probably won't make this book a yearly read, but it's definitely worth a one time read.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Slam Book" by Ann M. Martin

This book was quite the shocker as a kid.  I was heavily feeding my Ann M. Martin craze and the library had this book (and now I own said copy, having picked it up at one of the book sales) so of course I had to read it.  However, I was still in elementary school and not ready for the subject matter.  Re-reading this book as an adult, I found it almost dull and very PSA.  I wish that I had picked it up as a teenager.  Then it would have worked much better for me.

Anna starts a slam book at her high school in hopes of gaining popularity, which she does, but she also gains (and loses) a lot more.  The book creates an excess of drama at the school.  This book touches heavily upon topics that are somewhat discussed in the California Diaries series.  There are far more problems with parents, drinking and the bottom of the popular list than are ever touched upon in the BSC world.  This book is definitely the darkest of Martin's books.

Unfortunately, I really don't think this book will have a lot of appeal with today's readers.  It feels very outdated now (no wonder, it came out in 1989) and any more it's amazing how many problems in books from that era could have been solved thanks to today's technology (though if this book could easily be modified to include cyber-bullying instead of a composition book).  It was nice to re-read this book, but this will likely be the last read for it.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Better To Wish" by Ann M. Martin

A new series by Ann M. Martin features Abby Nichols and her family.  In Better to Wish, the chapters capture a day in her life from when she is a child to when she is a young adult.  She is growing up in the 1930s and experiences the Great Depression, her family's financial stability but lack of personal stability, new siblings and many other changes along the way.

I enjoyed this book and think that it is a great way to begin to introduce elements of history into the lives of younger readers (especially girls- boys probably won't care for this book as much).  However, there was one thing I really didn't like.  The book is set up so that we see snapshots of her life and I feel that cuts down on the amount of character development a book needs in order for me to really care about the characters.  I read this book rather quickly and when I was done, I didn't feel like it had much of an impact on me.  I may also have some prejudice because so many of Ann's other characters are practically family they have stuck in my mind and been such a huge part of my life.  I won't judge this book too much until the rest of the series is out, but if it weren't for the fact that it says Ann M. Martin on the cover, I must admit I might not plan on completing the series.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"New York, New York" by Ann M. Martin

Glad to know I'm not the only one crazy enough to attempt this challenge.  Head over to Sarah Millar's blog and see what she and other bloggers have to say about the good ole BSC.  



I would say I have a slight obsession with New York and it is all Ann M. Martin’s fault.
Now, I am not nearly as bad as Mary Anne, but there is a part of my heart that is fully in love with The Big Apple. I read this book excessively as a kid.

Want to read more in the BSC Bloggin’ project? Click here for all the posts.

When I was in the fifth grade, I did a report on New York state because of this book (which kinda stunk since I then realized that I had to study the state as a whole, not just NYC).
During the summer between sixth and seventh grade I got the opportunity to go on a school trip to Boston and New York. During the bus ride from Boston to New York, I re-read New York, New York to get myself all revved up for the cool places I was about to visit.
My visit to NYC wasn’t really anything like the BSC’s. I was approximately their age and there is no way I would have felt comfortable running all over the city by myself (not that there was any chance of that happening of course). But that didn’t really matter to me. I still had a blast.
So in New York, New York, the girls are off to Stacey’s hometown during a school vacation (seriously, I wish I had gone to SMS, they never had to go to school).
How cool are Stacey’s dad and Laine’s parents? They gladly put up six girls that they barely know for the entirety of their vacation. Claudia and Mallory spend most of their time in art classes (the basis for the trip), Kristy finds a stray dog and Jessi helps her keep it a secret (and finds her first “boyfriend” — she’s 11, I can’t say that word seriously), Stacey and Mary Anne play baby-sitter/travel guide to two children and Dawn will barely leave the McGill apartment.
The book follows a similar plot to the rest of the Super Specials. Each chapter is narrated by a different girl and has multiple storylines since the girls are usually off doing separate activities. It ties up with them spending a night on the town together before they head back to Connecticut. A simple and fun read (and still one of my favorites!).
Also really cool about this book- the illustrations are done by Ann’s father. I really liked that element, especially because of Claud and Mal’s art class. It made it seem like they were creating the art instead of getting “photos” that often leave me wondering who was holding the camera?

Join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #BSCBlogging.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

BSC Bloggin’: Mary Anne and the Secret in the Attic

The depressing thing about this book is how often it’s plot line gets brought up in books after it.

Want to read more in the BSC Bloggin’ project? Click here for all the posts.

Mary Anne finds out that after her mother’s death, her father didn’t quite know how to handle his grief and raising a baby so he sent her to live with her grandparents.

When he once again found some stability in his life he was ready to return to his parental responsibilities. However, Mary Anne’s grandparents were grieving the lost of their daughter and didn’t really want to give up custody of their granddaughter.

Needless to say, Mary Anne ended up back with her father and never knew that there was a period in her life where she had lived with someone else. Now that she has begun to make discoveries about her past it opens up even more questions and worries.

Really this is one of the better BSC books. Because Mary Anne’s mother died so young, we don’t know much about her life or her role as Mary Anne’s mom.

It’s obvious that Richard doesn’t speak of that time in their lives very often so of course Mary Anne’s discovery was a shock.

This book really goes in depth about Mary Anne’s character as she struggles with the fact that at one time her father gave her up.

My one complaint isn’t even about this book but how it’s plot is so often summarized in later books. Since I didn’t get to read this book prior to finding out the basic plot, the first read through was kind of a let-down. However, it is still a good read and overall a strong book in the series.

Melanie has been reading obsessively since she was a young child. She doesn’t know what it’s like to not be in the middle of at least one book.  You can keep up with her reading at Beauty and the Armageddon.

Join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #BSCBlogging. 

Happy Reading!
-Melly

BSC on Netflix

Alright BSC fans, it's the moment we all didn't know we were waiting for!
The Baby-Sitters Club is now available to view on Netflix!
I don't know about you, but I am SUPER excited!


Happy Viewing!
-Melly

In My Mailbox #2

What do you know, I am posting an "In My Mailbox" twice in one week.  This time I went to my local used bookstore and got 4 books for $2.15!  Amy's Bookcase really is a gem in the San Juan County area.  I love this store!

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"Mallory and the Mystery Diary" by Ann M. Martin

This may or may not have been the first Baby-Sitters Club book I read.  I had pretty much made my way through the entirety of the library's Little Sister collection and was home sick.  At lunch, my mom brought me three books (there was major benefit to having a mom who worked at the library- Claudia didn't know what she was missing!); Kristy and Mr. Mom, Mary Anne + 2 Many Babies, and Mallory and the Mystery Diary.  I can't remember which order I read them in.  I only remember that I struggled with parts of this book.  I was learning cursive in school but I wasn't quite ready for Sophie's somewhat sloppy and poorly spelled cursive.  However, by the time I had finished these three books, I was completely hooked on this series.  

This novel opens right after Stacey and Mrs. McGill's move back to Stoneybrook (side note, I just helped my mom move...how on earth did they unpack so fast??) and when they discover an old trunk amongst the items left in their attic, Mallory bribes the triplets to move it into her bedroom.  She and Vanessa find a lot of old clothes and, more importantly, an old diary.  This diary brings in Old Hickory and Jared Mullray (come on BSC fans, keep up) and a mystery about the fate of a painting of Sophie's mother.  This book is set pre-mystery series and frankly I like most of these better.  Mysteries like this one seem much more realistic than some of those in the later spin-off.  Granted, I sometimes have a hard time suspending disbelief with these books- afterall, these are the girls that celebrate summer vacation about 57 times during one school year...but that doesn't make me like these books any less.

Something that especially appeals to me about this book is how the mystery is solved by BSC clients (more or less anyways).  Charlotte points out that everything isn't always what it seems and Buddy reads through the diary looking for clues even though reading isn't his best subject.  Since I was roughly the same age as these kids, it's cool that they were able to help the older kids and be important to the plot.  I don't think I realized that then, but looking back I'm sure it had at least some sort of impact.  Also nice about this book, Mal has a strong plot that doesn't involve her as sick, with an unemployed parent, or being totally overworked.  There aren't enough of these in the series.

Happy Reading!

-Melly

Glad to know I'm not the only one crazy enough to attempt this challenge.  Head over to Sarah Millar's blog and see what she and other bloggers have to say about the good ole BSC.   

The Baby-Sitters Club: The Things You Notice Reading as an Adult

• Holiday Inconsistencies
• Stacey and the Haunted Masquerade has a ton of the BSC charges dressing up as Ghostbusters (so cool!)
• Claudia and the first Thanksgiving starts with the Pikes all dressing up as Marx Brothers
• Baby-Sitters Beware takes place prior to Christmas and all sorts of creepy stuff happens (so far, this is the scariest of the books in my opinion.  If this was happening to my kid, I would never let them be off solving random mysteries around town) but...
• Mallory's Christmas Wish begins the day after Thanksgiving and doesn't even mention that Mal's best friends are in danger.
• Cover Inconsistencies
• I was really happy to discover that Shannon is featured on the back of the books when she takes over when Dawn is in California (and on the one updated cover I have, her picture if featured as well).  However...
• I've noticed that Mary Anne has her long hair picture featured on some of the later books, after her makeover.  Small detail, but kind of annoying.
• Bad Editing
• In Baby-Sitters Beware there is a Claudia chapter where she refers to Claudia's nail polish.  That one I actually noticed as a kid.  I had crossed out Claudia and written in my.  
• I keep noticing characters being referenced as in two places at once or they appear to be having a conversation with themselves.  I can forgive inconsistencies between books, to some extent at least, but when it happens in the same paragraph it's annoying.  
• The Kids
• I think that I am a decent judge of kids and their abilities.  Sure, no kids are exactly the same and I know that there isn't a magic number when kids learn to talk, read, etc.  But the kids in Stoneybrook are WAY advanced.  Look at the Perkins girls  They know all sorts of songs, have all kinds of talents and can make chocolate chip cookies without a recipe.  I have been around several kids that are two-and-a-half and none of them are half as advanced as Gabbie.  Two examples of this are my boyfriends' daughter and niece.  I have been around both of them at this age (and both of them are crazy smart) and have never seen them show the advancement of Gabbie.
• And it's not just the Perkins either.  Pretty much every toddler/post toddler seems way too advanced.  The only exception to this is babies and Emily Michelle (who even gets compared to Gabbie).  The in-between age kids seem about right (6-9ish).  There are the kids that appear like your average and normal kids.  Then there are the kids that a little more advanced (like Charlotte and Karen) but they make sense to me.  But then...
• The BSC themselves.  I had it in my head that I was going to become all kinds of mature and basically be allowed to do whatever when I turned 13.  Mallory and Jessi still had restrictions on them (like not sitting at night) so 11 wasn't a magic number.  But 13 really was.  I couldn't wait to turn 13.  What a disappointment.  I realize now that 13-year-old girls probably appeal much more to young readers than high schoolers would, but the BSC acts far older than they are.  

Re-reading these books as an adult is certainly an eye-opener.  I still want to pass these onto young girls, but would certainly want to talk to the readers about certain things (seriously!  Some psycho is stalking you and your friends, and you don't tell your parents?  That is not okay!).  I doubt that I am going to re-do this challenge in my lifetime.  It is quite apparent that I have outgrown these books, but they will always hold a very special place in my heart.  And I know that no matter what, I am keeping every single one of the books, forever.

Happy Reading!

-Melly