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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Death of parent
I give the extra star not because the book necessarily deserves it as a whole, but because nostalgia works in funny ways.
It's been 20 some-odd years since I started reading the BSC books and I'm glad AMM resisted the urge to do a book about life after the Club. That said, a lot of the special BSC books already delved back into life prior to the club forming, so some of this book feels like a retread. The rest throws some interesting new trivia our way.
The book is split four ways, with each chapter narrated by one of the original club members, much like the various super specials in the series, but without the headache inducing handwriting.
First there's Kristy. The rest of the Thomas clan loves Watson, the man Kristy's mother has recently begun dating, but Kristy still misses her real father desperately. For reasons even she can't really explain, she convinces herself that he's planning a big surprise for her birthday. Either a phone call, or a gift, or maybe a card... or, and this is the crazy part, maybe he'll visit. Just walk through the door and wish her a happy birthday. She knows it's crazy and yet she keeps hoping. She pins her entire summer on the hope that at the end, her father will finally come through for her.
Yeah. Kristy's issue is the same one we almost always deal with, and if there weren't at least three other books dealing with her hoping her father would finally do right by her (plus that movie), this would be more interesting. As it is, I wish AMM had spent more time on how Kristy felt/dealt with Watson being welcomed into the family so quickly. I liked the bits where Kristy resented Watson either assuming he was invited to 'family' get togethers or that Kristy's mom invited him without considering the fact that maybe at least one of her kids would want to spend time with just the actual family. Especially when we're told Watson's only been dating Mrs. Thomas since May.
In a lot of the early books, it's pointed out that Mary Anne still plays with dolls. This is usually to illustrate how much younger MA is than Claudia or Stacey. We finally learn what started that observation and it has very little to do with actually playing with dolls.
MA goes searching in the attic (yeah, again... but for the first time? Time warp confusion!) and finds a box of her mother's things. In it, she finds four dolls that she suspects her mother was keeping to give to her when she was old enough, only MA is now a little too old for them. Instead, she decides she'll make them clothes and play with them that way. She tells Kristy who understands, but when they ask for Claudia for help (without telling them the dolls were MA's mother's), Claudia bails on them.
Elsewhere we learn that as of the start of this book, MA hasn't babysat anyone before because her father doesn't think she's old enough. Funny, later in the series when she helps torture Mal, this never comes up. MA spends a good portion of her summer trying to find a way to convince her father that she's old enough to babysit alone.
The real standout for me, with MA, is the way she realizes that Kristy's summer wish is never going to happen, and when her father inevitably lets her down, Kristy will need something big to pick her back up again. And then shy, sweet MA recruits people for the first ever Kristy Day. Even when people make fun of her or her ideas, MA still pushes forward because she knows her best friend in the world needs something to cheer her up. This makes me love MA/Kristy something fierce.
Claudia should sue for defamation of character. As readers my age look back on the original series, they frequently comment that usually Claudia is the sanest of the bunch, awful and improbable spelling aside. She's developed a bit of a cult following, even.
This book? This one sets fire to the roots of that following. First there's the way Claud bails on MA and Kristy when MA asks for help with the dolls. She doesn't ever learn the truth, I don't think, and is rude the way she just disappears on them. Then Claudia's birthday rolls around and she has Janine invite friends to the party so she won't be bored. She watches as Janine lights up when the guy she's invited shows up. She doesn't realize Janine is interested in the guy (Frankie) until Janine fusses at her _after_ the party. Considering the way Claud was blinded by Frankie, this I'm willing to believe.
But even after Claud realizes her sister is interested in Frankie, she still goes out with him. A lot. Annnnnnd I've got to say I found her story the least interesting of the bunch, really. But I will say this: Janine was much nicer than I would have imagined she'd be.
Stacey's story involves the most amount of retcon in the least amount of time. Assuming you've read the BSC series prior, you know that sixth grade brings the end of Laine and Stacey. TSB begs to differ on that. Instead it says that after Laine comes back from her summer at camp, she's changed. She begins to freeze Stacey out before the diabetes even factors into things. She's also downright nasty to Stacey, in front of their parents, and gets away with it.
I wish there'd been more to Stacey's story than there actually was and I really wish the book hadn't ended with basically a rehash of the first paragraph of Krisy's Great Idea.
Overall, it's a nice, sweet story that adds to the BSC's history, but I'm not sure how well it holds up on it's own.
It's been 20 some-odd years since I started reading the BSC books and I'm glad AMM resisted the urge to do a book about life after the Club. That said, a lot of the special BSC books already delved back into life prior to the club forming, so some of this book feels like a retread. The rest throws some interesting new trivia our way.
The book is split four ways, with each chapter narrated by one of the original club members, much like the various super specials in the series, but without the headache inducing handwriting.
First there's Kristy. The rest of the Thomas clan loves Watson, the man Kristy's mother has recently begun dating, but Kristy still misses her real father desperately. For reasons even she can't really explain, she convinces herself that he's planning a big surprise for her birthday. Either a phone call, or a gift, or maybe a card... or, and this is the crazy part, maybe he'll visit. Just walk through the door and wish her a happy birthday. She knows it's crazy and yet she keeps hoping. She pins her entire summer on the hope that at the end, her father will finally come through for her.
Yeah. Kristy's issue is the same one we almost always deal with, and if there weren't at least three other books dealing with her hoping her father would finally do right by her (plus that movie), this would be more interesting. As it is, I wish AMM had spent more time on how Kristy felt/dealt with Watson being welcomed into the family so quickly. I liked the bits where Kristy resented Watson either assuming he was invited to 'family' get togethers or that Kristy's mom invited him without considering the fact that maybe at least one of her kids would want to spend time with just the actual family. Especially when we're told Watson's only been dating Mrs. Thomas since May.
In a lot of the early books, it's pointed out that Mary Anne still plays with dolls. This is usually to illustrate how much younger MA is than Claudia or Stacey. We finally learn what started that observation and it has very little to do with actually playing with dolls.
MA goes searching in the attic (yeah, again... but for the first time? Time warp confusion!) and finds a box of her mother's things. In it, she finds four dolls that she suspects her mother was keeping to give to her when she was old enough, only MA is now a little too old for them. Instead, she decides she'll make them clothes and play with them that way. She tells Kristy who understands, but when they ask for Claudia for help (without telling them the dolls were MA's mother's), Claudia bails on them.
Elsewhere we learn that as of the start of this book, MA hasn't babysat anyone before because her father doesn't think she's old enough. Funny, later in the series when she helps torture Mal, this never comes up. MA spends a good portion of her summer trying to find a way to convince her father that she's old enough to babysit alone.
The real standout for me, with MA, is the way she realizes that Kristy's summer wish is never going to happen, and when her father inevitably lets her down, Kristy will need something big to pick her back up again. And then shy, sweet MA recruits people for the first ever Kristy Day. Even when people make fun of her or her ideas, MA still pushes forward because she knows her best friend in the world needs something to cheer her up. This makes me love MA/Kristy something fierce.
Claudia should sue for defamation of character. As readers my age look back on the original series, they frequently comment that usually Claudia is the sanest of the bunch, awful and improbable spelling aside. She's developed a bit of a cult following, even.
This book? This one sets fire to the roots of that following. First there's the way Claud bails on MA and Kristy when MA asks for help with the dolls. She doesn't ever learn the truth, I don't think, and is rude the way she just disappears on them. Then Claudia's birthday rolls around and she has Janine invite friends to the party so she won't be bored. She watches as Janine lights up when the guy she's invited shows up. She doesn't realize Janine is interested in the guy (Frankie) until Janine fusses at her _after_ the party. Considering the way Claud was blinded by Frankie, this I'm willing to believe.
But even after Claud realizes her sister is interested in Frankie, she still goes out with him. A lot. Annnnnnd I've got to say I found her story the least interesting of the bunch, really. But I will say this: Janine was much nicer than I would have imagined she'd be.
Stacey's story involves the most amount of retcon in the least amount of time. Assuming you've read the BSC series prior, you know that sixth grade brings the end of Laine and Stacey. TSB begs to differ on that. Instead it says that after Laine comes back from her summer at camp, she's changed. She begins to freeze Stacey out before the diabetes even factors into things. She's also downright nasty to Stacey, in front of their parents, and gets away with it.
I wish there'd been more to Stacey's story than there actually was and I really wish the book hadn't ended with basically a rehash of the first paragraph of Krisy's Great Idea.
Overall, it's a nice, sweet story that adds to the BSC's history, but I'm not sure how well it holds up on it's own.
I was very excited when I heard about a new BSC book. I was even more excited to hear it was a prequel to the first novel. It's quick to read and a must have for the BSC reader. We follow Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey the summer before the series started, and what happened before Kristy had her great idea.
Oh Babysitters Club, how I love you. It has been so long since I have read a "new" BSC book! I felt like I was reading a letter from an old friend or looking through a box of old childhood stuff. Very nostalgic and fun and I cried because I'm a sap. BFF 4eva!
It's so awesome that Ann M. Martin decided to release this prequel, even if it is in a way both a money-spinning idea and a way to get interest into the re-released books. I was admittedly a bit pumped when I heard this was going to be released. I gobbled down the BSC series when I was young.
This prequel isn't bad. It isn't the best book, but it's not bad. I found Kristy's story perhaps the saddest, then Stacey's, Mary Anne's, and finally Claudia's being the least. Really, I just found Claudia to be a bit selfish the entire time. Dude, dating your sister's fancy? Not on. And hell, he's entering high school while you're only twelve. Did you think he was going to keep you hanging along? Not really.
I wouldn't recommend starting with this book, though. There's a lot of pre-assumed knowledge, even if that's not what Martin intended. Furthermore, I can't help but feel that this is more of a gift to Martin's now-adult readers.
If you love the BSC, then you will probably enjoy this.
This prequel isn't bad. It isn't the best book, but it's not bad. I found Kristy's story perhaps the saddest, then Stacey's, Mary Anne's, and finally Claudia's being the least. Really, I just found Claudia to be a bit selfish the entire time. Dude, dating your sister's fancy? Not on. And hell, he's entering high school while you're only twelve. Did you think he was going to keep you hanging along? Not really.
I wouldn't recommend starting with this book, though. There's a lot of pre-assumed knowledge, even if that's not what Martin intended. Furthermore, I can't help but feel that this is more of a gift to Martin's now-adult readers.
If you love the BSC, then you will probably enjoy this.
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 read the baby-sitters club when you were younger, you must read this book! really brought me back. also, i'm pretty sure ann m. martin reads the snarky bsc blogs because she went overboard on the descriptions of some things...unless i just never noticed that as a child. but come on, she didn't write that many of the books originally!
The Baby-Sitters Club books are the first books I ever became addicted to. It‘s the books that got me to fall in love with reading and the books that kept me up all night reading. Even though I'm way older, I will always claim them as one of my favorite series of books. I own quite a bunch of these books, and have a goal to one day collect them all. Reading The Summer Before, years after being out of elementary school and since then moving on to different types of books was nostalgic.
Kristy deals with her father and his absence. Mary Anne deals with growing up with her over protective father. Claudia deals with the fact she’s feeling more mature then her friends. She has new interests (boys) and experiences her first heartbreak. Stacey is dealing with then end of life in New York ,and the beginning of life in Connecticut. With a new disease and also the loss of old friends.
It was amazing getting back into the BSB world, a great read for any BSB fans.
Kristy deals with her father and his absence. Mary Anne deals with growing up with her over protective father. Claudia deals with the fact she’s feeling more mature then her friends. She has new interests (boys) and experiences her first heartbreak. Stacey is dealing with then end of life in New York ,and the beginning of life in Connecticut. With a new disease and also the loss of old friends.
It was amazing getting back into the BSB world, a great read for any BSB fans.
Ann wrote a prequel to The Babysitters Club a few years ago, and I loved it!! So nostalgic and sweet and true to the series. Gosh, I love books about preteens.