Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
Yeah, I read this. But at home so I didn't have to carry it around in public.
It was pretty ridiculous. Were they always that cheesy? Yeah, I guess so.
Also, the new cover styles look super juvenile, don't they? Like aimed for eight-year-olds.
It was pretty ridiculous. Were they always that cheesy? Yeah, I guess so.
Also, the new cover styles look super juvenile, don't they? Like aimed for eight-year-olds.
Not sure about this book. I have never read any of the books in the series so I wonder if I missed something in reading or appreciating this prequel. I would really love to see what fans of the series have to say.
If you've read these, and followed them religiously, as I'm sure many of my generation has, you will enjoy this cute prequel. However, the simplicity of these 4 young girls just isn't enough, and I'd be much more interested to read about the girls a few years after the series ended.
had to read it for nostalgia's sake. It was as cheesy as I remember the rest of the series being, and I can definitely see girls in 3rd-5th grade loving this like I used to.
Even though I spent a lot of time reading things that most 11 year olds don't, I still got obsessed with the Babysitter's Club books. I read every single one, including the super specials and babysitter's little sisters. I had no idea until a couple of weeks ago that Ann M. Martin had written a prequel just last year...well, 2010. (I'm not used to it being 2012 yet.) So, for old time's sake, I ordered it with a Christmas gift card, and it finally arrived this afternoon. While I can't say I was inspired to reread all of the books again, it was nice strolling down memory lane with Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey. A fun read for a free 30-45 minutes.
I'm probably too big a BSC fangirl to fairly review this. I mean, I'm a member of the fandom. Yes, that means I dissect BSC books on the internet. *shrugs* Whatever. There's more of us than you'd think. In fact, the book is probably actually shit. But God! A new BSC book!
Called The Summer Before, the book follows (duh) the summer before Kristy Thomas thunk up the idea for the Baby-sitters club. (I know, Janine... that elusive apostrophe!) Told from four different points of view, each baby sitter gets her own story.
Kristy - Her mom has recently begun dating Watson Brewer, which leads Kristy to miss her real dad, while recognizing he's a deadbeat loser. She gets it into her head that he's going to come back to Stoneybrook for her 12th birthday in August, which doesn't happen.
Mary Anne- Tries to convince her strict father that she's old enough to babysit. She does. Also worries about her friendship with Claudia unraveling because OMG, Claudia likes boys! Also, is worried about Kristy's obsession with her father.
Claudia - develops a crush on the same boy that Janine has a crush on. And she can't believe that Mary Anne and Kristy are sooo immature.
Stacey- this is basically a rehash of back story we'd gotten before. Stacey is friendless in NYC since her whole class hates her since she wet the bed at a slumber party before finding out she has the diabeetus. So she can't wait when her parents tell her that they're moving to Stoneybrook, CT at the end of summer. The only people Stacey has are her parents and the kids she sits for.
I'm glad Ann M. Martin chose to write this one herself, rather than rely on her team of ghostwriters. (Though I'd love to see what Lerangis would do with Claudia's crush on an older boy!) It's obvious between reading Ann M.'s first work (Bummer Summer) and The Summer Before that her writing has surprisingly matured. Kristy's story line is the most effective, and you can tell the love that Ann M. feels for the character of Kristy. (She's always been open about K being her favorite babysitter). As always, I dig Mary Anne's storylines, especially when we see her interact with her father - one of the most realistic portrayals of a preteen and her parent in the entire series. Also, I might have a little crush on Richie Spier.
This book is a must read for any woman who grew up reading BSC. For any woman who sees an autistic kid and is reminded of Susan Felder. For any woman who sees the Duggar family and thinks "and I thought the Pikes had a lot of kids!" For any woman who sees a funkily dressed Asian girl and immediately thinks of Claudia Kishi. I know you're out there, so if you haven't already, go. Pick up The Summer Before and lose yourself in nostalgia.
Called The Summer Before, the book follows (duh) the summer before Kristy Thomas thunk up the idea for the Baby-sitters club. (I know, Janine... that elusive apostrophe!) Told from four different points of view, each baby sitter gets her own story.
Kristy - Her mom has recently begun dating Watson Brewer, which leads Kristy to miss her real dad, while recognizing he's a deadbeat loser. She gets it into her head that he's going to come back to Stoneybrook for her 12th birthday in August, which doesn't happen.
Mary Anne- Tries to convince her strict father that she's old enough to babysit. She does. Also worries about her friendship with Claudia unraveling because OMG, Claudia likes boys! Also, is worried about Kristy's obsession with her father.
Claudia - develops a crush on the same boy that Janine has a crush on. And she can't believe that Mary Anne and Kristy are sooo immature.
Stacey- this is basically a rehash of back story we'd gotten before. Stacey is friendless in NYC since her whole class hates her since she wet the bed at a slumber party before finding out she has the diabeetus. So she can't wait when her parents tell her that they're moving to Stoneybrook, CT at the end of summer. The only people Stacey has are her parents and the kids she sits for.
I'm glad Ann M. Martin chose to write this one herself, rather than rely on her team of ghostwriters. (Though I'd love to see what Lerangis would do with Claudia's crush on an older boy!) It's obvious between reading Ann M.'s first work (Bummer Summer) and The Summer Before that her writing has surprisingly matured. Kristy's story line is the most effective, and you can tell the love that Ann M. feels for the character of Kristy. (She's always been open about K being her favorite babysitter). As always, I dig Mary Anne's storylines, especially when we see her interact with her father - one of the most realistic portrayals of a preteen and her parent in the entire series. Also, I might have a little crush on Richie Spier.
This book is a must read for any woman who grew up reading BSC. For any woman who sees an autistic kid and is reminded of Susan Felder. For any woman who sees the Duggar family and thinks "and I thought the Pikes had a lot of kids!" For any woman who sees a funkily dressed Asian girl and immediately thinks of Claudia Kishi. I know you're out there, so if you haven't already, go. Pick up The Summer Before and lose yourself in nostalgia.
This felt just like going home again - I grew up reading the BSC so it was nice to revisit them again! Great blast from the past that could introduce a new generation to the original BSC.
One thing - I thought Jenny P was introduced as a new customer in Mary Ann's first book (book 3 or 4) yet in this book she was established as a neighbor already. Maybe my memory is fuzzy since it has been years :)
One thing - I thought Jenny P was introduced as a new customer in Mary Ann's first book (book 3 or 4) yet in this book she was established as a neighbor already. Maybe my memory is fuzzy since it has been years :)
I loved the Baby-Sitters Club growing up, so I was beyond overjoyed to see that there was going to be a prequel coming out.
And this book was so much better than I was expecting. It is, as the title would have you believe, the summer before the BSC was formed.
Kristy's sad because she misses her dad. Mary Anne's starting to chafe under her dad's overprotectiveness and mega rules and regulations. Claudia feels like she's way more grown up than Kristy and Mary Anne are (uh--YEAH, no kidding) and Stacey is about to move to Stoneybrook from New York, and is relieved to be getting away from her former best friends.
*happy sigh* Such a fun book. :) I hope there will be a sequel at some point. I'd love to see them in high school or college (or even better yet, as adults).
I really liked this book, probably way more than I should. It's great to see my old BSC friends again. :)
And this book was so much better than I was expecting. It is, as the title would have you believe, the summer before the BSC was formed.
Kristy's sad because she misses her dad. Mary Anne's starting to chafe under her dad's overprotectiveness and mega rules and regulations. Claudia feels like she's way more grown up than Kristy and Mary Anne are (uh--YEAH, no kidding) and Stacey is about to move to Stoneybrook from New York, and is relieved to be getting away from her former best friends.
*happy sigh* Such a fun book. :) I hope there will be a sequel at some point. I'd love to see them in high school or college (or even better yet, as adults).
I really liked this book, probably way more than I should. It's great to see my old BSC friends again. :)
It was nice to take a trip down memory lane with the fab four. I loved the series when I was growing up. I hope this book re-news interest in the books for young girls. :)