#109 - Mary Anne to the Rescue

Timeline
Summer before 8th repeat

Plot
Dawn is coming home for the summer, and when the entire BSC is waiting for her at the airport, some guy chokes on his food. Sharon saves his life. The BSC realizes how truly inept they were in the case of an emergency, so they decide to take a first aid class.

During the class, MaryAnne hates everything and cries about everything. She almost faints. She dreads going. Also, Logan tells her that he is being sent away to boarding school, so they are both very upset about that. Basically the summer sucks. In true BSC universe fashion, since the BSC is interested in learning about safety, so is the entire town, so there is a Emergency Drill exhibit in town that the BSC volunteers at. Dawn volunteers MA to be the "bleeding out victim" so MA is covered in fake blood. She is super pissed at Dawn, so she finally stands up for herself. Dawn tries to blame MA for not speaking up, but then they both apologize to each other.

After that, Dawn and MA are babysitting for a bunch of kids at a pool, and one of them jumps in the deep end and starts drowning. MA jumps to action and saves the kid's life. That's when she realizes that when the going gets tough, she acts. She tells Logan he needs to do the same thing, and stand up for himself to his parents about this boarding school idea.

So he does (with MA's help) and everything ends up fine.

Takeaways
Why in the fuck would any parent want to send their kid to a boarding school when the kid gets good grades and is very active in his community? Stupid.

MA CRIED ALL THROUGH THIS BOOK. Even when she was saving the kid, she said tears and pool water were running down her face.

Dawn is seriously the worst. She volunteers MA to be bleeding out even after MA said she didn't want to do anything but watch. She lectures people about their food choices ALL THE TIME. DAWN GO TO CALIFORNIA AND STAY THERE.

Best Character
I guess I will say MaryAnne, since she literally saved someone's life this book. But she seriously annoyed me with all the crying.

Worst Character
I just want Dawn to go away and not come back.

#108 - Don't Give Up, Mallory

Timeline
May of their 7th repeat

Plot
Mallory basically has two plots in this book:
1. She is in a new class about children's literature, which she should be pumped about, but the teacher is super young and super hot and is a baseball coach, so he favors the boys quite obviously. Rather than try to get involved, Mallory pouts and won't even try. The teacher notices and asks her for a meeting, which she refuses.
2. Mallory is secretary of the 6th grade, and their grade always does a fund raising type event to give something to the school. Mallory does some research and finds that the class from like ten years ago raised $1000 for a library lounge, which doesn't exist. Ends up the school used those funds to fix the roof.

So Mallory goes all bad ass bitch on both of these situations. She goes to the principal and basically demands the money back - he agrees to give the money back only if the current class can raise $1000 as well. After that she feels powerful, so she goes to her teacher and tells him he is acting sexist. He is offended, but then realizes she is right and apologizes.

While all of this is going on, there is also a Memorial Day parade going on in Stoneybrook, and rather than just go as spectators, of course the BSC has to arrange a "marching band" with every kid in Stoneybrook. They are nervous because there are so many kids involved, but of course it goes over extremely well. As does Mallory's fundraiser. However, in her class, she gets her first ever B+. Which she is okay with, because she learned so much about herself during the course of the class.

Takeaways
It took big, gigantic balls for Mallory to go to her teacher and talk to him.

It is kind of bullshit that the principal would only give the stolen funds back IF the current class could raise $1000 as well. You could tell he didn't think it was possible.

These girls have got to calm down. They announce to the world they are doing a Memorial Day marching band, then get all rammy when parents start dropping their kids off to participate.

Best Character
I mean, obviously Mallory wins.

Worst Character
That shady as shit principal, who I assume is short and bald and smokes cigarettes in his office.

#107 - Mind Your Own Business, Kristy!

Timeline
Spring of 7th repeat

Plot
It's spring break, and rather than actually just enjoy the break from school, Kristy decides to hold a Krusher's Klinic with daily practices. She asks the BSC members to help, and really only Abby wants to and she can only do it a few days. She asks Bart, but he's like um...I coach for your only competition, no. Then she just mentions her problem to Charlie, her oldest brother, and he says he will help. He has just broken up with his girlfriend, Sarah, and he doesn't want to deal with his college search yet, so he is looking for a distraction.

It starts off great and Charlie is a great coach. But then he gets distracted by one of the kid's babysitters, Angelina. Kristy doesn't like her, and tries to get him back together with Sarah, which doesn't work. He starts dating Angelina, and starts blowing off the Krushers to be with her. Kristy gets pissed and says he is just like their dad, walking away. Charlie is super hurt and stops speaking to Kristy. He also announces to the team that he has a connection for a former Met's player and he will be coming to be a guest coach.

Kristy has won four free tickets to a concert in Stamford, and before they get into a fight, he tells Charlie he can have two of the tickets. He invites his new boo, and Kristy invites Claudia. They borrow Watson's car to go to the show, and on the way there Angelina convinces Charlie to let her drive. Of course she gets in a wreck, gets pulled over, and they end up missing the concert. She breaks up with Charlie the next day, saying he is a bad influence. She also doesn't apologize to Kristy because they tickets were free, so it's not like she is out any money.

That day is the day the Mets player is supposed to come but of course Charlie falls through on that too. Sarah happened to be at practice that day for some reason and she mentions that the guy is her uncle. She calls him and asks him to come the next day, which he does. Everyone is so excited, and Charlie and Sarah are caught smiling at each other the next day.

Takeaways
Kristy tries to make MaryAnne help her with practice one day. She is such a bully when she wants people to behave a certain way.

But at the same time, Mallory, of course, had to complain about how much she hates sports and refused to help at all.

It's ridiculous that a 17 year old guy would want to spend his spring break helping his little sister coach a bunch of tiny children.

I would literally light that bitch Angelina on fire if she made me miss a concert.

Best Character
I really don't know. Maybe Watson, because he let them use his car, drove Kristy around when Charlie started flaking out, and really his main punishment for Charlie was to "rethink his social surroundings".

Worst Character
That em-effer Angelina.

#106 - Claudia, Queen of the Seventh Grade

Timeline
March of their 7th repeat

Plot
Claudia is back in 7th grade and she is fucking rocking it. She gets nominated for prom queen and wins. Her job as prom queen is, along with her King (this guy named Mark) to plan the 7th grade prom. She soon finds out that means nothing, essentially, but she decides to make it the best prom ever. She plans this huge event, along with fundraising, and at first Mark is incredibly lazy and doesn't want to help, but he comes around. They end up kissing, and then the prom is a smashing success.

Sub story is that the Addison's finally called again after Sean got caught setting fire to a bunch of books and the BSC turned him in (.......this must have happened in a mystery book.......). But now Sean is a major dick bc he hates babysitters. A kid in his class makes fun of him for having a babysitter. But then sneakily Stacey finds out that kid still has a sitter too, and all is well with Sean again.

Takeaways
These books are getting more painful to read.

The BSC members (besides Jessi and Mal) are, of course, huge bitches about Claudia and her new 7th grade friends. They call them "little". These girls seriously are the worst.

One of Claudia's new 7th grade friends, Josh, is so clearly in love with her and she doesn't see it. Or he's gay.

Best Character
Claudia, because she could have taken the easy road and just had the Queen do nothing like years past, but instead she made it the best prom ever.

Worst Character
Kristy and Abby, because they are the meanest about making fun of Claudia's new life. Stacey kind of is a b, but then she admits it's just because she is jealous.

#105 - Stacey the Math Whiz

Timeline
Winter of their 7th repeat

Plot
Stacey is very good at math, in case you didn't know. So good, in fact, that she tutors one of the BSC charges who sucks at it. Also, she's so good that she is constantly being asked to be on the Mathletes team at SMS. She finally gives in. She's so good.

In the meantime, her dad randomly appears in Stoneybrook. Turns out that he has lost his job, so he buys a new car and decides to spend all this time with Stacey. He calls himself "New Dad" and vows that he is done being a workaholic. He is around, but he is also very demanding and doesn't bother asking if Stacey wants to do things, he just demands.

The Mathletes are super stars, and end up at the state tournament. Stacey's dad buys her concert tickets on the same night of the first tournament (its a best of three thing) and at first Stacey says she can't go to the tournament bc she doesn't want to hurt her dad's feelings. But then she decides fuck it, and tells her dad she can't go. He agrees, and comes to the tournament. They win, and the team wants to go out to celebrate. Stacey immediately calls the BSC and invites them too. But then her fucking dad demands her and her mom go with him, so she ditches all her friends and goes with him, where he tells them he got a new job and has to miss the rest of the state finals. She is disappointed and frustrated and takes it out on her friends. They call her on it, Stacey cries and then they all hug.

SMS ends up winning the state championships, and Stacey has like the highest score of all time. Her dad disappears again.

Oh, also, Claudia is tutoring the kid that Stacey doesn't have time to tutor anymore, and of course because this is Stoneybrook, the whole town is obsessed with math now, so the kids have a math fair. And Claudia ends up being an amazing tutor because her brain works like a nine year olds.

Takeaways
These books are so ridiculous with how whatever the babysitters are doing, the entire town becomes obsessed with it too. A math fair?

Stacey's dad sucks. And why would he buy a new car when he 1. doesn't drive a car because he lives in New York, and 2. just lost his fucking job

Best Character
Claudia, who is terrified to tutor but does it anyway and is amazing at it

Worst Character
Stacey's fucking dad

#104 - Abby's Twin

Timeline
January of their 7th repeat

Plot
The eighth grade girls all get tested for scoliosis. All the girls are okay except Abby and her sister, Anna. They have to go to a specialist, where it turns out Abby is okay, but Anna has a curved spine and needs to get fitted to wear a brace for the next few years. Abby feels terrible and decides it is her job to make Anna feel better about things, even though Anna makes it very very clear she wants to be left alone to deal with this on her own.

The subplot of this book is that the BSC is planning a winter festival to help the neighborhood get through the winter blues. Abby immediately volunteers Anna to help, and Anna is super annoyed. Then Abby goes clothes shopping for Anna, but only buys clothes that Abby would like. Anna is super annoyed. Then Abby creepily goes and gets the exact same haircut as Abby. Anna is SUPER annoyed. They finally have it out in the hallway at school and stop speaking.

It looks like the winter festival isn't going to work out bc there is no snow, but then, of course, it starts snowing the day of. They hold it and it's amazing. Then Anna comes to the festival and the twins make up. The end.

Takeaways
Abby is so annoying in this book. She takes Stacey with her to buy the clothes for Anna, and Stacey keeps telling her it's not stuff Anna would like, but she won't listen.

Also, Abby keeps awkwardly asking Anna if she can try on her brace.

I already knew so much about scoliosis because of the book Deenie by Judy Blume.

Can't these babysitters ever just relax? They seriously have to hold a winter festival?

Best Character
Anna is probably the best, because she has to deal with this health issue and her sister is super annoying and dumb about it, and she doesn't lose her cool until far into the book.

Worst Character
Freaking Abby and her straight spine.

#103 - Happy Holidays, Jessi!

Timeline
Christmas of their seventh repeat

Plot
It’s Christmas time again, and for the first time in seven years Jessi’s family is going to celebrate Kwanzaa. The BSC knows nothing about it, so Jessi, an 11 year old, decides to hold a community Kwanzaa event to teach people.

In the meantime, Aunt Cecilia is being a huge bitch. So Jessi’s dad finally loses his shit on her and tells her to stop being such a controlling tyrant in his house. She takes the kids to the mall and Squirt is in the backseat throwing a fit, so for some ridiculous fucking reason AC tells Jessi to unhook his car seat. Which she does. And of course that’s the exact moment she gets rear ended and Squirt ends up on the floor of the car, blacked out. He ends up in the hospital for over a week. The whole family brawls about it.

Then Kwanzaa comes. Of course the festival is a huge success, and the family finally talks everything out over Kwanzaa dinner. The end.

Takeaways
Aunt Cecilia is such a bitch. I do not understand why she is allowed to act like that or live in their house.

Mallory and her dad bring a Christmas tree over to Jessi’s house bc they haven’t had time to get one. It was so nice. She also babysits on Christmas Day bc Becca has the flu and can’t go to the hospital to see Squirt.

Again, I can’t get over that as an eleven year old Jessi plans a community event and is taken seriously.

Best Character
Mallory for sure.

Worst Character
Aunt Cecilia obviously.