#10 - Logan Likes MaryAnne!

Timeline:
8th grade just started. This is where this timeline is going to get interesting. The girls never leave 8th grade, and there are LITERALLY 120 more books in this series. MaryAnne turns 13 in this book, and she is the last one to hit teenage-hood.

Plot:
MaryAnne has changed. She's grown up, and she's kind of boy-crazy. After her wild 2 weeks in Sea City where she discovered boys aren't gross, she has moved on to continue her boy-crazy life. And lucky for her, Logan Bruno just moved to Stoneybrook and not only is he hot, but he likes her!

But the world is not perfect. The girls started advertising in Kristy's new neighborhood, and they are too busy. They are literally running out of baby-sitters. Logan overhears them discussing this at lunch, and he offers his services. He comes to a meeting and gets assigned to watch a new client, the Rodowsky's, with MaryAnne. The job goes pretty well, even though one of the kids, Jackie, is a walking disaster. He ends the afternoon by accidentally pushing MaryAnne into Logan's arms. Swoon.

The girls invite Logan to be in the club, but he declines. But he asks MaryAnne out! They start hanging out all the time, and they go to the Remember September dance together. Then Stacey has a party and MaryAnne invites Logan! But wait - there's a catch. It ends up being a SURPRISE party for MaryAnne and as soon as she figures that out, she loses her goddamned mind and runs out of the house.

MaryAnne cries....a lot....and then realizes she is being a giant jackass, and she calls all her friends and makes up with them. Logan goes with her to buy a kitten, Tigger - and then he asks her to the next school dance. SWOON.

Oh, and they make Logan an alternate officer of the club, meaning he will be called in an emergency when none of the other babysitters can take jobs.

Takeaways:
MaryAnne says the club makes "pretty much money". What the fuck. Learn English.

When Logan comes to the club meeting, it is super super awkward. Like Claudia almost says bra strap in front of a boy, Oh my God. I seriously am so glad I rarely have to deal with 13 year old girls.

When Logan and MaryAnne are babysitting Jackie, he gets his hand stuck in a jar. Logan uses margarine to get it out. I still remember that to this day. I think they used butter in an episode of Full House too, when one of the girls gets her head stuck in the banister rails.

Spoiler alert - in some books down the road, Logan and MaryAnne break up because Logan is too controlling. Which I can kind of see in this book. Like during the party, he basically tells MaryAnne she needs to be more outgoing and not so shy. Um, shut the fuck up Logan. She's done pretty well for 13 years before you entered her life.

Best character:
I'm going to go with MaryAnne's dad. His daughter turns 13, gets a boyfriend and wants a cat all in the same week. For someone who is supposedly so uptight, he really rolls with the punches.

Worst character:
I'm going to say MaryAnne, because of her extremely dramatic exit when she realizes the party is for her. I mean, I get she is shy, but it would have been less attention seeking to just blush, blow out the candles and open your goddamned presents. Running away definitely caused all of those people to talk behind your back for awhile, MaryAnne.


P.S. I've got to get some consistency with this blog. I am going to work hard on publishing a post every Monday. I didn't realize how much work it would be to read a book and basically write a book report on it. But I will get better in 2017. Promise.