#115 - Jessi's Big Break

Timeline
Winter of 8th repeat

Plot
Jessi auditioned for a special "Winter Session" at a prestigious ballet program in New York several months ago. She gets a letter that she GOT IN! She arranges to stay with Aunt Cecilia's son and daughter-in-law, and off she goes to New York for three weeks! She is so excited, but of course Mallory goes into a depression and Becca becomes an unholy terror, all because Jessi is going to be gone for less than a month.

The ballet class is amazing, and Jessi is a standout from the beginning. She meets a bunch of friends and feels so at home there. She loves the city. Quint, her kind of boyfriend from the first time she visited New York, is there and still likes her, but she tells him they can only be friends and he's fine with that. Everything is going so amazing, she almost forgets about Stoneybrook at all.

Mallory comes to visit once, but it's kind of awkward and Jessi is almost relieved when she goes back home. All of the other ballerinas start getting offers to stay for another three weeks, but Jessi doesn't. She is confused, but thinks maybe it's just because she's so young.

At the end of the session, there is a special event where her parents and aunt come to see her perform. She is supposed to go home with them after that, and back in Stoneybrook Becca and Mallory plan a welcome back party. However, after her performance she is asked to stay one more night so she can audition for a permanent position in this school. She stays, and Becca/Mallory are fucking pissed.

She, of course, gets an offer, but is told it will be there whenever she wants it. Jessi decides she will take it, but not right now - she wants to finish middle school maybe, and just be with her family for awhile longer.

There is no subplot except Becca and Mallory are little bitches.

Takeaways
Jessi is ELEVEN. ELEVEN. But somehow she has to break up with a guy twice because she is not ready for a boyfriend. Which of course she's not. Because she's ELEVEN.

She was only gone three weeks, but Becca and Mallory seriously act like she has moved to New York. Like they get super pissed because she doesn't want to come home every weekend that she is gone.

Jessi makes a comment that all of her new friends are black and she feels so at home with them. I bet it was such a culture shock for her to move from an all black neighborhood to an all white neighborhood. I feel bad for her.

And finally - I kind of wish she would have taken the spot at the school. I know she's only ELEVEN, but also this is her dream. She would be guaranteed to be a professional dancer had she gone there.

Best Character
Jessi is pretty adorable in this book, so she wins.

Worst Character
I would say Mallory because she's a pouty b through this whole book, but Becca is an actual little bitch so she wins.

#114 - The Secret Life of Mary Anne Spier

Timeline
December of 8th repeat

Plot
MaryAnne's dad, for some reason, gives MA his credit card to use to do all her Christmas shopping. The deal is that she has to pay him back by the time he has to pay his credit card bill. For some reason, she goes bananas buying really super nice Christmas presents for her entire family and every single one of her friends. She doesn't mess around - like, she buys Jessi ballet tickets - and then seems super shocked when she finally adds up all her receipts. Then her dad tells her she will also have to pay interest on her purchases, and wow. MA needs to do something, because her babysitting money isn't going to cover it.
So she lies about her age and gets a job as an elf at the mall. She keeps this a secret from everyone and is just truly living a double life. Meanwhile, Dawn is home but she's acting like she is way too cool for her - back in California, 8th graders are in high school - but MA is so busy she doesn't really try to fix it, she just snaps right back at her. Plus, MA's coworker, Angela, tells her that her parents kicked her out and she is homeless, so MA is very concerned about her not having anywhere to spend Christmas.
There is a close call at the mall when Logan, Dawn and Logan's bro and sis come to see Santa. No one recognizes MA except Logan's little brother, who promises to keep her secret. Finally, her last day comes and goes and she has enough money to pay her dad. MA confronts Dawn about her shadiness, who then throws it back at her - so MA confesses to her double life, then she tells Logan, then her parents. Everyone is like dude, you should have just told us. MA also asks her parents if Angela can spend Christmas with them and her dad grumbles, but Sharon is like hell yes, and she buys her some gifts.
Subplot is that the hospital always does a Toys for Tots type fundraising event, but they cant this year - so of course the BSC takes it over and knocks it completely out of the park and raises the most money of anyone else in the land.

Takeaways
Why in the world would you give a 13 year old a credit card to spend how she wants? AND WHY wouldn't MA be keeping track of her spending as she went along? AND WHY wouldn't Richard explain about interest before letting her spend her balls off? That whole thing is so out of character for both of them.

MA mentions that Logan can't babysit his brother and sister because he has volleyball practice - how progressive of SMS.

Angela's parents throw her out - at 16 years old - and she tries to call them twice and they won't take her calls. Like...what the hell did she do?

Best Character
I mean, I think I have to give it to the whole BSC because they work their asses off for this Toys for Tots type charity.

Worst Character
It's a tie between MA and her dad, for their stupid financial decisions.

#113 - Claudia Makes Up Her Mind

Timeline
Fall of 8th repeat

Plot
Claudia is doing really well in 7th grade - she is doing well in her classes, she's super popular and she has a steady boyfriend, Mark. But then she gets told by the school counselor that they think she's ready to move back to 8th grade, and everything slowly starts to fall apart.

The school is in the middle of the "color war" - where each grade gets assigned a color and they compete - so she tries to throw herself into that. Meanwhile, her boyfriend is becoming more and more shady, and she cannot make up her mind about which grade to be in. Also, her 7th grade friends tell her that her friend, Josh, has the hots for her, which just complicates things more.

Finally, she makes two decisions - she is moving back to 8th grade, and she is breaking up with Mark. Then she immediately - like less than 12 hours later - gets with Josh. And the 7th grade wins the Color War, so she gets to go out on top.

Also, of course, the kids in the neighborhood hear about the Color War and want to have one of their own, which the BSC organizes and hosts.

Takeaways
I don't feel like a school would drop a kid back a grade then move them forward again all within the span of a few months.

I don't understand how SMS has time to have all these events - don't these kids ever just go to regular school?

Best Character
Probably Josh, because he has to watch Claudia waste her time with Mark and is just patient, and then he wins her.

Worst Character
Probably Alan Gray because he cheats during one of the Color War games. That's really reaching, but there really wasn't much to this book.

#112 - Kristy and the Sister War

Timeline
October of 8th repeat

Plot
Kristy gets a semi-permanent job sitting for Shannon's two younger sisters, because Shannon is always busy with extra-curriculars, the mom has decided to go back to school, and the dad is a busy business man. The girls, however, are pissed about being ignored by their family, but are mostly mad about Shannon's dismissal of them. Kristy helps them come up with ways to help Shannon get stuff done so she has more time for them, but they just mess things up and Shannon gets mad. So instead, they decide to ruin her life with pranks and mean jokes. Which causes Shannon to get even more mad. Things are very, very bad, and then Kristy suggests they write two letters - one to Shannon and one to their parents - explaining their feelings. They do, and everything ends up working out.

In other news, Stoneybrook is having a "All Stoneybrook Middle School Dance" for all of the middle schools to get together. Claudia is still dating Mark, and tries to set Kristy up with his friend, but it is not a love connection.

Hearing about this dance, of course the kids in Stoneybrook want to copy, so they have an All Elementary School Dance and of course the BSC are chaperones.

Takeaways
There isn't a lot to this book.

I don't understand why Kristy didn't suggest the letter, or at least talking to their family, earlier.

Kristy mentions a lot in this book that she doesn't think Mark is good enough for Claudia. That is sweet.

Kristy somehow ends up eating dinner with the Kilbourne family a bunch of times, and it's super awkward bc they are all fighting with each other and the dad just keeps jumping up to answer his beeper.

Best Character
Probably Kristy, because she honestly tries to help the entire Kilbourne family.

Worst Character
I would say the Kilbourne dad because he is the worst one in the family but the girls are really just mad at the mom and Shannon. And of course he shows up at the little kid dance at the last minute and gets treated like a goddamned super hero.

#111 - Stacey's Secret Friend

Timeline
September of 8th repeat

Plot
Stacey is part of the pep squad, and she and another girl, Barbara are making a huge jaguar (that's their mascot) for the football games. A new girl, Tess, literally crashes right into it and destroys it. She offers to help fix it, as she is pretty artsy and smart. They take her up on that offer. While walking the broken pieces to wherever they are storing it, Tess runs into Alan Gray and covers him in paint or something. He gets unnecessarily pissed and decides to destroy her. He decides to call her a pig, because she wears all pink, is taller and larger than everyone else, and has a turned up nose.

Stacey decides it's her responsibility to fix Tess. She offers to give her a makeover, and tries to change everything about her. Tess is reluctant to change, and Stacey gets annoyed bc why can't Tess just take her advice? Stacey convinces her to join the pep squad, and at the first meeting she attends they all decide to change the mascot and vote on it at the next football game. They hold up pictures of animals that are options. Stacey is holding up the pictures, and she didn't know that someone had changed out the picture of the pig with a picture of Tess. Tess is obviously upset, and runs out of the stands, only to fall and break her ankle and sprain her wrist. Stacey offers to ride in the ambulance with her, but Tess tells her to go away and that she's not her friend. She then goes to her house to see if she is okay and she sees pictures of Tess in pictures at her old school in Paris where all the girls are wearing all pink. Tess basically tells Stacey to get lost.

Stacey is upset because she was soooo nice to Tess, but then her friends tell her that she actually wasn't very nice. Stacey feels awful, then she hears that the boys in her class are tricking Tess by making her think she is going on a date with a popular football player, but really they just want to get her to a restaurant called Hog Heaven to take embarrassing pictures of her. The BSC and Tess get together and trick the boys before they can trick them, but throwing paint and ketchup on them and taking a picture, then threatening them with the picture. Tess forgives Stacey and all is well.

The subplot in this book is that Jackie and Nicky are acting weird and secretive, and it ends up it's bc Jackie is scared of some bullies and asks Nicky to be his bodyguard.

Takeaways
I am pretty sure this is the first time we learn the SMS mascot is the jaguar. Also, I am pretty sure kids can't just vote to change a mascot - it's a pretty big deal. Why don't they have the same mascot as the high school?

The big prank to get back at the boys is pretty lame. Throwing paint and ketchup on them? I mean, that's embarrassing but why would a picture of that be blackmail enough for the boys to just back down?

It is ridic how involved and concerned these girls are about why Nicky and Jackie are acting weird.


Best Character
All of the BSC members except Stacey, because, for the first time ever, they are friendly to a newcomer and ask Stacey to invite Tess to sit with them at lunch, but Stacey says no bc she doesn't want to be seen with her.

Worst Character
It's a tie between Stacey, who think she is so impressive Tess should just blindly listen to her, and the boys who try to trick her. That is MEAN.

#110 - Abby the Bad Sport

Timeline
August before 8th repeat

Plot
This book was booooring.

Okay, so it's still summer and Abby is playing on a unified soccer team, so it's like half Special Olympic kids and half non-Special Olympic kids. Abby pretty much immediately loses "her" starting position to a Special Olympic kid, Erin, who does a really good job at it. Abby gets moved to defense, and she is PISSED bc that position does a lot of work but gets no glory or kudos for it. She ends up starting a fight during a game with Erin, and they both get benched.

So basically Abby is a huge B to her team, her friends and her family. Her family plans a trip to Long Island to finally see her father's family and his grave. He died four years ago. Abby refuses to go.

Finally, she realizes how awful she is being, apologizes to everyone and finally feels like she is a part of the team.

The babysitting sub plot is that, of course, all the kids in Stoneybrook get obsessed with soccer and come to every game, and then raise money to buy the team tshirts.

Takeaways
One thing that was super annoying in this book was - how does Abby (the book is in her voice) know everything that is being said when she is not around? Normally this happens, where even though it's like a Dawn book, but somehow she knows every single thing that happens at MaryAnne's babysitting job. But it was so weird and awkward this book, where Abby is playing soccer but somehow knows every whisper and head nod that happens in the stands.

Also, no kid in the history of kids is THAT interested in a sporting event where they watch every single second of the game. NO WAY.

Also, when Abby is fighting with her family, she excuses herself to go do homework. Um. School is not in session yet.

Abby seriously has a worse ego than Kristy. She cannot believe the coach is fawning all over her and freaking out about how she's the best player to ever play soccer.

Also, it's kind of weird how a person is THAT obsessed with a sport.

Best Character
Kristy, because she is finally the one to call Abby out on her shitty behavior.

Worst Character
OBVIOUSLY Abby. I don't think I like that character very much.

#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.