#11 - Kristy and the Snobs

Timeline:
There's nothing specific that talks about the timeline in this book, but it is mentioned that Kristy has lived in her new neighborhood for a couple months - so I'm guessing September-ish of their 8th grade year.

Plot:
Kristy is struggling in her new neighborhood. Everyone is snobby-rich, while Kristy and her family are down-to-earth-rich. Kristy starts getting baby-sitting jobs, and that pisses Shannon Kilbourne off, as Kristy is honing in on her baby-sitting territory. The girls pull some pranks on each other, but then come to an understanding and become friends.
The heartbreaking, heart wrenching, heart destroying part of this book was that the Thomas's old dog, Louie, fucking dies. He dies. Throughout the book they talk of his rapid deterioration, and then he has to be put down. You guys...it is fucking terrible.
After that happens, Shannon Kilbourne offers Kristy's family a puppy (her dog had just had puppies) and then the girls ask her to become another associate member of the club.

Takeaways:
I do NOT remember crying when I read this book as a kid, but I am not fucking with you, I SOBBED today reading this book. When I was a kid, we had a German Shepherd named Duke. He was the best, most beautiful dog ever. He was so protective of us (he bit one of my boyfriends, and left a nice little scar), and he was just the most amazing pet I've ever had. When we had to put him down, I was in college and missed the whole thing. My parents didn't want to tell me, because it was my finals week, so I found out when I got home and asked where Duke was. I remember tears just instantly started streaming down my face with no warning. Maybe that's why I had such a strong reaction to this book today - it made me realize what Duke must have been going through. I'm so glad I missed all of that.

I liked this book a lot because everyone came around at the end. All the snobs became unsnobby. Even though Louie died, David Michael came around to the idea of a new puppy. Kristy came around to her new neighborhood. There were two particularly snobby kids in the neighborhood, Amanda and Max, who came around after an afternoon with Stacey where she kinda tricked them into being normal. And then at the end Shannon became friends with the whole club and joined.

Best character:
I am going to go with Watson. Kristy mentions when she is talking about the neighborhood that all of her neighbors have swimming pools and tennis courts and basketball courts, but Watson has none of that. I kinda dig that. He's just a normal dude who happens to have a good paying job. Also, he is so supportive during the whole Louie thing, when really he's barely even lived with this dog.

Worst character:
Maybe I am just overemotional because of Louie dying, but no one gets named the worst character this week. Nothing but love for them all. Except maybe Ann M. Martin, because she destroyed my day by killing off that damn dog.