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A review by ardaigle
Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls by Ann M. Martin
3.0
Boy oh boy am I behind in my reviews! Whatever could be distracting me? Pandemic perhaps?? I have it in my head that I shouldn't be reading new books until I've reviewed the old ones which is causing some counter productivity but NO MAS. Gonna get these down and raise my head high.
I'm not typically one for YA or youth books, but decided in this time of chaos to pick up a new hobby, specifically, read the Baby-sitters Club books on Facebook Live to anyone who cared to listen. I of course would be providing my colorful color commentary and it's been a hoot and a neat way to keep in touch IN THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES.
But as usual I digress. The book! I dig that each book focuses on a different member of the BSC, with them narrating the story and so this book gave us a glimpse into kooky-artistic-stylish-candy-loving-smart-but-not-as-smart-as-her-genius-sister Claudia.
This book really hammers in one point in the BSC: there is a strict party line of babies (Kristy/Mary Anne) and non-babies (Claudia and Stacey) which is basically a measure of who does not or does care about boys. Well, this book takes it up a notch with a boy plot! Also, um, I'm going to talk about the book, so I guess spoilers for a kids book that came out in the 90s.
THERE IS A JEWEL THIEF IN STONEYBROOK. Amazing. And this thief makes phone calls to homes prior to thieving to determine if anyone is home or not so of course when the BSC members get hang-ups calls while sitting they immediately assume it is that and FREAK OUT to include setting up an elaborate pots and pans burglar alarm while sitting for some kiddos. Hilarious.
There is THE DANCE coming up. Halloween I think? It's been a minute. Claudia is pining after best named boy crush ever, Trevor Sandbourne, who is (sigh) a poet and DOESN'T KNOW SHE IS ALIVE. Spoiler. He does.
There is also a super annoying Alan dude who torments Kristy and is GROSS and THE WORST.
So...you see what's happening right? The gals are not getting called by the jewel thief, it's the boys. And here is where I got maaaad. Alan has been presented as a real weasel, embarrassing Kristy which culminates in him being OUTSIDE THE HOUSE WHERE SHE IS SITTING skulking in the bushes. They freak, call the cops. Turns out he has known where they were going to be (and gave the Claudia deets to Trevor) because he periodically stole there club notebook.
Soooo, he essentially has been metaphorical hair-pulling and straight up stalking and what does he get for his efforts? A DATE BECAUSE KRISTY SAYS YES, THEREBY REINFORCING HIS BEHAVIOR. I get it. The 90s. Boys will be boys was in its heyday. But boy howdy was it tough to stomach what I was spoonfed when I was their age.
It was fun to read and read aloud but I'm glad we've moved past all of this and no longer teach boys these behaviors. Ha. Haha. Hahahaha. I mean, it's better I guess, so yay?
I'm not typically one for YA or youth books, but decided in this time of chaos to pick up a new hobby, specifically, read the Baby-sitters Club books on Facebook Live to anyone who cared to listen. I of course would be providing my colorful color commentary and it's been a hoot and a neat way to keep in touch IN THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES.
But as usual I digress. The book! I dig that each book focuses on a different member of the BSC, with them narrating the story and so this book gave us a glimpse into kooky-artistic-stylish-candy-loving-smart-but-not-as-smart-as-her-genius-sister Claudia.
This book really hammers in one point in the BSC: there is a strict party line of babies (Kristy/Mary Anne) and non-babies (Claudia and Stacey) which is basically a measure of who does not or does care about boys. Well, this book takes it up a notch with a boy plot! Also, um, I'm going to talk about the book, so I guess spoilers for a kids book that came out in the 90s.
THERE IS A JEWEL THIEF IN STONEYBROOK. Amazing. And this thief makes phone calls to homes prior to thieving to determine if anyone is home or not so of course when the BSC members get hang-ups calls while sitting they immediately assume it is that and FREAK OUT to include setting up an elaborate pots and pans burglar alarm while sitting for some kiddos. Hilarious.
There is THE DANCE coming up. Halloween I think? It's been a minute. Claudia is pining after best named boy crush ever, Trevor Sandbourne, who is (sigh) a poet and DOESN'T KNOW SHE IS ALIVE. Spoiler. He does.
There is also a super annoying Alan dude who torments Kristy and is GROSS and THE WORST.
So...you see what's happening right? The gals are not getting called by the jewel thief, it's the boys. And here is where I got maaaad. Alan has been presented as a real weasel, embarrassing Kristy which culminates in him being OUTSIDE THE HOUSE WHERE SHE IS SITTING skulking in the bushes. They freak, call the cops. Turns out he has known where they were going to be (and gave the Claudia deets to Trevor) because he periodically stole there club notebook.
Soooo, he essentially has been metaphorical hair-pulling and straight up stalking and what does he get for his efforts? A DATE BECAUSE KRISTY SAYS YES, THEREBY REINFORCING HIS BEHAVIOR. I get it. The 90s. Boys will be boys was in its heyday. But boy howdy was it tough to stomach what I was spoonfed when I was their age.
It was fun to read and read aloud but I'm glad we've moved past all of this and no longer teach boys these behaviors. Ha. Haha. Hahahaha. I mean, it's better I guess, so yay?