#39, Poor Mallory!

Plot/Conflict: Mallory's dad lost his job. This has caused problems for Mal's family of 8 kids. The kids come together to help out where they can and their mom goes back to do temp work. In order to help pitch in with some extra cash, Mal agrees to babysit a few kids from the rich 'hood on a long-term basis. The kids are half brats/half kids who are being used for having a pool. Babysitters--to the rescue! Oh and also, there are some girls in the 6th grade that pick on Mallory for her dad having lost a job. Who does that?

Introduction of Characters: Mallory introduces the characters on the premise that the reader needs to know the wonderful people who are going to stand by Mal's side and be there for her in case her dad get fired from his job.

Featured Characters: Mallory. Some Jessi (but that's to be expected when it's Mallory).

Babysitting Story: Amanda and Max Delaney (neighbors of Kristy's) need babysitting after school on MWF. They're kind of bratty rich kids who like to see what they can get away with. They have a pool. Neighborhood kids like to come over to swim in their pool. (BTW, I find it hard to believe that there's only one pool in their fancy-mansion neighborhood). At first Amanda and Max are the ones being jerks about who can swim in their pool. Suddenly the tables turn and they realize that some kids don't want to play with them unless the pool is involved. How on earth will they ever know who their REAL friends are?

90's References: Mallory on Amanda Delaney, "She was reading Superfudge, by Judy Blume, and was lost in a world of her own." One can't help but wonder what book they would have her reading nowadays. Although I'm sure some kids still read Judy Blume, I'm sure something more gross, like... Twilight... (still annoyed at myself for having read all four books).

Quotes: "Dibble is short for incredible. My friends love to make up words. Another word meaning dibble is distant. The opposite of dibble and distant is stale!" - Mallory

"Stacy is pretty, but as far as I'm concerned, too thin." - Mallory. Just say it Mal, she's a skinny bitch. It's okay, we get it.

#122, Kristy In Charge

I have begun to re-read some good ol' Baby Sitter's Club books. I mentioned to Katie about a month ago or so that I had a hankering to re-read them. ALL OF THEM. I also would like to collect them. This wouldn't be so big a task had I kept all of the ones I used to have... but I believe I let go of them when I gave them to Chi Trang to sell at a garage sale. Annnnyway, I decided that in order to make my reading of these books worthwhile, I will write a mini blog/summary of these books on my blog. So... let's have at it!

Plot/Conflict: The students of Stoneybrook Middle School (SMS) can participate in a program named Teachers of Tomorrow (TOT) that allows them to teach a class for 3 days of one week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Kristy gets a gym class, which would normally be ideal, if it wasn't for that Cary Retlin--some dude who does what any other middle school kid would do given a position of authority, goof off. Kristy is NOT okay with this, as she intends to use her teaching time as a means of showing her gym coach how to be a better coach. Mallory, a sixth grader, is assigned to an 8th grade English class. Crying ensues.

Introduction of Characters: Kristy introduces the characters by going through each one and naming what subject they'd be best at teaching, whilst giving general character traits necessary at the beginning of each BSC novel.

Featured Characters: Kristy & Mallory. A sprinkling of Claudia (and her horrific spelling) and Mary Anne

Babysitting Story: Vanessa Pike becomes obsessed with teaching and forces her siblings to be a part of her class. She is a tyrant. And a brat. Someone slap her.

90's References: "I loaded a tape into the boom box. Sam had lent it to me when he came home the night before. It was called Jock Jam, and it had only high-powered, super-energizing music on it." -- Kristy. That about says it all, doesn't it?

Quotes: Kristy describing Claudia, "Claudia's class would have to be art. She lives and breathes it. She even looks like art. I'm not kidding. Today she was wearing a long-sleeved white T-shirt on which she'd painted a bald man's head from a side view. All the lines were sharp, not natural at all. his nose was purple, his eyes were orange, and his skin was green. Jagged yellow lines like lightning bolts sizzled around his head." Srsly, who came up with this stuff?