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sarahcoller's review
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I've been reading this with my 11 year old daughter, Brenna. It's fun to revisit the BSC of my childhood!
situationnormal's review
1.0
This one might be my least favorite BSC book yet. My burning question is why exactly the writers thought people would want to read about Dawn's adventures in California without the rest of the BSC when Dawn is insufferable, anyway? It might be a little different if any of her friends there had personalities developed in this book, but there was zero of that. No personalities were developed for the kids they babysit for, either (except that Stephie is a LOT like Mary Anne which isn't a positive).
This book put me in a week-long BSC slump. I thought I was going to have to DNF it.
This book put me in a week-long BSC slump. I thought I was going to have to DNF it.
bibliotequeish's review
As a kid my best friends sister had the whole BSC series on a book shelf in her room. I thought she was so grown up. And I envied this bookshelf. And would often poke my head into that room just to look at it.
And when I read BSC, I felt like such a grown up.
And while I might have still been a little too young to understand some of the issues dealt with in these books, I do appreciated that Ann M. Martin tackled age appropriate issues, some being deeper than others, but still important.
And when I read BSC, I felt like such a grown up.
And while I might have still been a little too young to understand some of the issues dealt with in these books, I do appreciated that Ann M. Martin tackled age appropriate issues, some being deeper than others, but still important.
rovingreader's review
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
lberestecki's review
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
finesilkflower's review
1.0
I haven't read this recently enough to give the sort of extremely detailed review that I usually give, but trust me, this one sucks. I feel bad for Kimmy Schmidt that it was the only book she had with her in the bunker.
The plot involves Dawn and Sunny, the California baby-sitters, taking surfing lessons (I've never understood how they live near the beach when Palo City is supposed near Anaheim - which is quite a bit inland - but whatever). They forge a bizarre friendship with an adult man who works in a surfboard shop. A Mysterious Surfer is riding the waves at night, and apparently doing moves that only One Man did, and That Man Is Dead. Of course, since we've only met one man (the surfboard shop guy), it is pretty clear that this is the guy, but whatever. Dawn is eager to believe in ghosts.
This book is full of embarrassingly poorly executed slang and all the surfers have names like "Gonzo."
The plot involves Dawn and Sunny, the California baby-sitters, taking surfing lessons (I've never understood how they live near the beach when Palo City is supposed near Anaheim - which is quite a bit inland - but whatever). They forge a bizarre friendship with an adult man who works in a surfboard shop. A Mysterious Surfer is riding the waves at night, and apparently doing moves that only One Man did, and That Man Is Dead. Of course, since we've only met one man (the surfboard shop guy), it is pretty clear that this is the guy, but whatever. Dawn is eager to believe in ghosts.
This book is full of embarrassingly poorly executed slang and all the surfers have names like "Gonzo."
burialshroud's review
3.0
I really enjoyed The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, it really spoke to me, especially because one of the only books Kimmy has while she’s kidnapped is this Babysitter’s Club Mystery. It’s not one of the ones I read when I was going through my BSC phase, and it piqued my interest. A mystery? A surfer? A GHOST?!
Spoiler alert, it’s not a ghost. Because whatever else BSC is, it’s not Sweet Valley High (don’t know if this is a good or bad thing) so you’re not going to get werewolves or vampires, there may appear to be a werewolf or a vampire, but there’ll end up being a perfectly reasonable explanation.
It’s my first BSC book in a really long time. I’m disappointed to find the books are more MG than YA and that there is a LOOOOTTTT of babysitting. I know right, big surprise the Babysitter’s Club books feature babysitting…I just don’t remember it being so prevalent.
There is a crazy amount of hair description in this book. Every time a new character is introduced, the first piece of information we have about them is what kind of hair they have, second thing is what illness do they have, apparently Mallory has ME? This is news to me. The surfer ghost, whose name is Thrash has shoulder-length, platinum blond hair, and his illness is wearing lots of tacky jewellery.
In this book Dawn is living in California, for good apparently, and oh my God Dawn writes to the BSC a LOT. Every other day she’s writing to one or another of the club, Claudia I wish you were here to help me pick an outfit, Kristy I wish you were here to help me deal with my grief over the death of the guy from the surf shop I spoke to once, Mallory, gee, having ME must suck. She’s moved away from Stoneybrook to be in California even though she thinks about Stoneybrook constantly and it seems like her dad is never around and her brother couldn’t care less. Go back to Stoneybrook, Dawn. They love you in Stoneybrook. In California you’re just another surfing blonde, sucking down raw broccoli as a fun snack (?!?!?!).
I read the UK version so it’s been changed a bit for UK audiences, like I guess “math” has been changed to “maths” and every so often I’d come across something like “ I put on my tracksuit trousers” and think hang on, would an American say this? And in the case of “tracksuit trousers”, would a human say this? It’s another example of children being underestimated by publishers (the other one I’m specifically thinking of is updating 80s/90s series to appeal to today’s youth). They’re not stupid and would probably figure out that “math” means “maths” and that when Americans say cookies they’re referring to any type of biscuit. The cover for the UK version is whack too. On the US cover Dawn looks like a kid. She is a kid! On the UK cover she looks about 25.
Anyway, this Babysitters Mystery did not stir my ardour to re-read any of the others. I might though? I sort of remember some good stuff happening, like they go to camp and Disney World and a Jersey Shore knockoff that I can’t remember the name of. Sea City! So I might have to revisit some.
Spoiler alert, it’s not a ghost. Because whatever else BSC is, it’s not Sweet Valley High (don’t know if this is a good or bad thing) so you’re not going to get werewolves or vampires, there may appear to be a werewolf or a vampire, but there’ll end up being a perfectly reasonable explanation.
It’s my first BSC book in a really long time. I’m disappointed to find the books are more MG than YA and that there is a LOOOOTTTT of babysitting. I know right, big surprise the Babysitter’s Club books feature babysitting…I just don’t remember it being so prevalent.
There is a crazy amount of hair description in this book. Every time a new character is introduced, the first piece of information we have about them is what kind of hair they have, second thing is what illness do they have, apparently Mallory has ME? This is news to me. The surfer ghost, whose name is Thrash has shoulder-length, platinum blond hair, and his illness is wearing lots of tacky jewellery.
In this book Dawn is living in California, for good apparently, and oh my God Dawn writes to the BSC a LOT. Every other day she’s writing to one or another of the club, Claudia I wish you were here to help me pick an outfit, Kristy I wish you were here to help me deal with my grief over the death of the guy from the surf shop I spoke to once, Mallory, gee, having ME must suck. She’s moved away from Stoneybrook to be in California even though she thinks about Stoneybrook constantly and it seems like her dad is never around and her brother couldn’t care less. Go back to Stoneybrook, Dawn. They love you in Stoneybrook. In California you’re just another surfing blonde, sucking down raw broccoli as a fun snack (?!?!?!).
I read the UK version so it’s been changed a bit for UK audiences, like I guess “math” has been changed to “maths” and every so often I’d come across something like “ I put on my tracksuit trousers” and think hang on, would an American say this? And in the case of “tracksuit trousers”, would a human say this? It’s another example of children being underestimated by publishers (the other one I’m specifically thinking of is updating 80s/90s series to appeal to today’s youth). They’re not stupid and would probably figure out that “math” means “maths” and that when Americans say cookies they’re referring to any type of biscuit. The cover for the UK version is whack too. On the US cover Dawn looks like a kid. She is a kid! On the UK cover she looks about 25.
Anyway, this Babysitters Mystery did not stir my ardour to re-read any of the others. I might though? I sort of remember some good stuff happening, like they go to camp and Disney World and a Jersey Shore knockoff that I can’t remember the name of. Sea City! So I might have to revisit some.
xtinamorse's review
Read my recap at A Year with the BSC via Stoneybrook Forever: https://www.livethemovies.com/bsc-blog/dawn-and-the-surfer-ghost
ssshira's review
1.0
this is my first time reading this book!
in this cali-style (gag me with a spoon) mystery by ghostwriter [a:Ellen Miles|286072|Ellen Miles|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], dawn becomes weirdly obsessed with this way cool surfer named thrash. he's got a tubular board and gnarly moves. then one day, he disappears/maybe dies: how un-groovy! turns out he faked his death because someone had it out for him in a mondo way (and tampered with his board). with dawn's help, he gets back at his would-be murderer in a truly outrageous way: snitches to the cops, and wins a surfing contest with his funky moves! awesome! (note: yes I did just work every level name from the special world in super mario world into that blurb. you're welcome, nerds.)
highlights:
-I couldn't stop thinking about that episode of unbreakable kimmy schmidt where xanthippe pretends that the story from this book is her life. LOL.
-is this really just endless summer: the bsc book?
-according to dawn, maggie wears leather jackets and big black boots, "but she's not a punk or anything. she's a very nice girl and a good student." dawn is such a prude, I love it.
-the cops don't care about investigating thrash's potential death. they call him "that bum" -- I love how the bsc books do tend to semi-accurately portray police as both prejudiced AND incompetent.
-dawn wonders whether the surfer ghost wears glow-in-the-dark jams while surfing. any reference to jams in these books wins me over so hard. I love hideous early 90s fashion!
-dawn wins third place in the surfing contest. I love when characters try really hard and still don't win. it's like the opposite of every jessi book!
lowlights/nitpicks:
-dawn describes the design on thrash's board as looking like "primitive tribal tattoos"
-the whole plot. it's so dumb. every part, down to thrash having faked his death.
-in a subplot, carolyn arnold hurts herself because marilyn said she would spot her but didn't, so then marilyn refuses to leave her side. when marilyn can't be there, her imaginary friend gozzie kunka helps out. I appreciate a gozzie kunka reference, but this plotline is both annoying AND unrealistic with these characters.
-there's a surfer ghost. but it's obviously thrash. and he's obviously not dead. HOW IS NOBODY REALIZING THIS?
-twins plot solved when kids invite them over but can only allow one friend over
-thrash tries to retaliate by tampering with the board of the guy who tampered with his. dawn stops him and convinces him to go to the cops. but this is SURFER JUSTICE, dawn. something a surfposer like YOU couldn't possibly understand.
-dawn talks about how the surfers compete, and wanda, a surfer who is one of the best, "male or female," according to dawn. she describes her as looking great in the competition in her wild purple wetsuit. UGH. WHY DOES IT MATTER WHAT THE FEMALE SURFER IS WEARING/HOW SHE LOOKS?
no outfits (aside from wetsuits) and no snacks in claudia's room. don't bother with this one, guys.
in this cali-style (gag me with a spoon) mystery by ghostwriter [a:Ellen Miles|286072|Ellen Miles|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], dawn becomes weirdly obsessed with this way cool surfer named thrash. he's got a tubular board and gnarly moves. then one day, he disappears/maybe dies: how un-groovy! turns out he faked his death because someone had it out for him in a mondo way (and tampered with his board). with dawn's help, he gets back at his would-be murderer in a truly outrageous way: snitches to the cops, and wins a surfing contest with his funky moves! awesome! (note: yes I did just work every level name from the special world in super mario world into that blurb. you're welcome, nerds.)
highlights:
-I couldn't stop thinking about that episode of unbreakable kimmy schmidt where xanthippe pretends that the story from this book is her life. LOL.
-is this really just endless summer: the bsc book?
-according to dawn, maggie wears leather jackets and big black boots, "but she's not a punk or anything. she's a very nice girl and a good student." dawn is such a prude, I love it.
-the cops don't care about investigating thrash's potential death. they call him "that bum" -- I love how the bsc books do tend to semi-accurately portray police as both prejudiced AND incompetent.
-dawn wonders whether the surfer ghost wears glow-in-the-dark jams while surfing. any reference to jams in these books wins me over so hard. I love hideous early 90s fashion!
-dawn wins third place in the surfing contest. I love when characters try really hard and still don't win. it's like the opposite of every jessi book!
lowlights/nitpicks:
-dawn describes the design on thrash's board as looking like "primitive tribal tattoos"
-the whole plot. it's so dumb. every part, down to thrash having faked his death.
-in a subplot, carolyn arnold hurts herself because marilyn said she would spot her but didn't, so then marilyn refuses to leave her side. when marilyn can't be there, her imaginary friend gozzie kunka helps out. I appreciate a gozzie kunka reference, but this plotline is both annoying AND unrealistic with these characters.
-there's a surfer ghost. but it's obviously thrash. and he's obviously not dead. HOW IS NOBODY REALIZING THIS?
-twins plot solved when kids invite them over but can only allow one friend over
-thrash tries to retaliate by tampering with the board of the guy who tampered with his. dawn stops him and convinces him to go to the cops. but this is SURFER JUSTICE, dawn. something a surfposer like YOU couldn't possibly understand.
-dawn talks about how the surfers compete, and wanda, a surfer who is one of the best, "male or female," according to dawn. she describes her as looking great in the competition in her wild purple wetsuit. UGH. WHY DOES IT MATTER WHAT THE FEMALE SURFER IS WEARING/HOW SHE LOOKS?
no outfits (aside from wetsuits) and no snacks in claudia's room. don't bother with this one, guys.