BSC Book Club

BSC Fans

2006-09-29T13:31:45Z

Hi :) I've finally figured out how to join this journal! :) I'm Emma, from the UK, and I'm a huge BSC fan! I love talking about BSC online!

I'm the owner of The Hidden Bookcase, a huge Sweet Valley and Babysitters Club site, which is at:

www.thehiddenbookcase.com

I've also just started a BSC and Sweet Valley Forum there!

www.thehiddenbookcase.com/forum

Hopefully we can get as many fans there as possible, and have some fun! (Its also a forum for other book series's, such as The Sleepover Club, and any other series you like really!) I'd love to here from all the BSC fans!!

bsc_book_club @ 2006-05-09T23:25:00

2006-05-10T03:32:47Z

If Michelle doesn't object, I think this thing needs to get started back up! I currently have quite a bit of time - I'm looking for a job, and have wayyy too much free time. (ps - Michelle! I totally didn't realize you went to Shepherd! I graduated from there last year!)

So, why don't we pick up where we left off?

#10, Logan Likes Mary Anne!

Noteworthy events in this book:

-The sitters start 8th grade, making the only book where time passes in such a way. From this time forward, they are eternally in middle school.

-Logan is introduced, becomes the club's first associate member, and he and Mary Anne start dating.

-Mary Anne turns 13, one of the only times a club member actually celebrates a birthday.

-Mary Anne gets her kitten, Tigger.

-The Rodowskys are introduced.

Discussion Questions:

1. Did it seem realistic to you that shy Mary Anne with the uber-protective father suddenly gets a boyfriend? Why or why not?

2. In this book, Jackie Rodowsky is introduced. Did you find his accident-prone ways annoying or endearing?

3. Stacey, Dawn, Claudia, and Kristy, knowing full well how shy Mary Anne is, throw her a surprise party, which she runs away from. Did Mary Anne really overreact, or were the sitters truly being inconsiderate?

4. Any other thoughts?

Have fun and be nice!

#7: Claudia and Mean Janine, #8: Boy-Crazy Stacey, #9: The Ghost at Dawn's House

2006-01-27T18:44:12Z

Okay, we're playing catch up time!

#7: Claudia and Mean Janine

This is my favorite book of the first ten, besides maybe number nine. Anyways, I like the relationship of Claudia and Janie. Mimi is also one of my favorite characters.

The Andrew-is-a-monster chapter was my favorite. Jenny and Andrew will get married someday, I just know it.

Seriously, it's hard for me to think of questions for this book to discuss. It wasn't really one of those books, you know?

#8: Boy-Crazy Stacey

I really don't like the Sea City books. The BSC is best when they are all together, not apart. Further more, Stacey is unlikeable in this book (my opinion). I feel for Mary Anne, because she is a lot like me. She's not my favorite, but she's the one most like me.

That said, this is the book where it gets a little unrealistic. First of all, in order to be a mother's helper, a mother must be present. Would it kill the Pikes to take a family vaction and spend time with the family? Second, twelve/thirteen is awfully young to be in charge of that many kids for that long.

#9: The Ghost at Dawn's House

My favorite of the first ten, besides #7. I never believed the ghost stuff and figured out the mystery pretty early on. However, this is the book where Dawn became my favorite character. However, my other favorite character was Kristy and since I can never like the two at the same time, my favorite always switched back and forth.

Annoucement:

I am currently back in school and I have three semsters left until graduation. So, I don't have a lot of time. In order to give you updates, whoever is the first to come on this board on Fridays, whether it be me or someone else, maybe start a post about the book to be disscussed. But just one post guys, no mutiples ones.

Thanks!

#6: Kristy's Big Day

2006-01-06T20:36:09Z

It's easy to understand why this is AMM's favorite book. However, I never really cared for it myself.

1) Which one was your favorite group (Blue Birds, Yellow Suns, Pink Hearts, etc.)?

I liked Stacey's group the best. They seemed like the calmest and easiest to manage. I'm not a baby. To be fair though, neither Kristy's or Claudia's groups seemed to cause problems. I'm not a baby person nor would I ever take a group with Karen in it. I really don't know why so many baby-sitters like her.

2) What did you think of Karen?

When I was younger, I didn't really care much about Karen. I read her books when I was bored and while I didn't hate her, I knew I would never be friends with her.
That said, I hate Karen in this book. I'm sorry, she is a terrible kid and makes Watson look like a terrible parent. She thinks it's okay to disobey an authority figure (Dawn) several times, she disrespects her elders and disrupts social settings (the wedding), and always, always has to be the center of attention (what if someone else wanted to be the bride?). Add this to the fact that she always has to get what she wants and it always has to be her way and Karen is just a horrible child.

Poor Andrew.

3) Favorite chapter?

The one with the children's wedding. Even after a decade, I still laugh at "Holy Moly"

4) any other thoughts?

None really. I didn't like this book much.

#5: Dawn and the Impossible Three

2005-12-30T02:08:39Z

1) The rivalry between Dawn and Kristy: Was it realistic? Have you ever been in Dawn or Kristy's position?

I'm one of the most jealous people ever. So I know exactly how Kristy feels about being left out of the room decorating. It may not seen like a big thing, but its the little things, I guess, that we dwell on. Poor Mary Anne though. But the sad thing, as a child, I always thought MA was lame. So I always wondered why these two, much cooler girls, were fighting over MA. If they ever got over that hurdle, Kristy and early Dawn could have been great friends.

2) Favorite Chapter?

I do like this book, but when I break it up in chapters, I don't really enjoy it.

3) Bigger Pains: The Barrett children or Mrs. Barrett?

Mrs. Barrett wins all the way. I'm sorry, I know she's going through a rough dicvorce and all, but good lord lady, get a clue.

4) Favorite Barrett child?

Suzi. A realistic, nonannoying, normal 3/4yearold. I think she's the only client I never get annoyed with through out the series. (I hate Jamie's Hi-hi)

5) Other thoughts
-Why do they always say MA is so lucky to have two best friends? Isn't the point of the series that they are all best friends? They certainly make a big deal over best friends.
-I think this is the only book that doesn't have a subplot involving the other girls. Main plot: Dawn and the Barretts, Subplot: Dawn and Jealous Kristy.
-If you look at it one way, this book is the first BSC book. The other four were planned and were intended to end after book 4. With this one, you can see AMM trying a new style (Dawn book is all about Dawn with some name dropping)

New Features and a FanFic Review!

2005-12-27T04:41:57Z

Hello everyone! First, I would like to think you all for your support during this rough time. I hope everyone enjoy their various Hoildays.

Anyways, I was thinking about adding some features to the BSC_Book_Community.

First off, articles/essays on aspects of the BSC world. Is Kristy gay? Mary Anne and Logan: Together forever? Karen Brewer: Pest or usefull character? Anything you can think of and want to write about. This is different form the BSC regular community. A post must be well thought out and referenced. I'll try to work on one as an example.
And it doesn't just have to be on books either. BSC TV: The Prefect Mirror is just as acceptable.

Second, once a week, I'll try to review a BSC fanfiction. Tired of having to search for a good fanfiction only to find its crap? Well, I'll be picking fics at random and reviewing them. You are welcomed to submit fanfictions if you would like to. I'm not too scary.

Third, I started a webshoots community for BSC covers: http://community.webshots.com/user/charmer_girl
If you want to add to it, you can post it here and I'll add it to the album.

First Fanfic Review
Title: “Jessi and the "psychic's" prediction”
Author: Trishette
Characters: Main: Jessi, Supporting: Mallory, Claudia, Stacey, Kristy, Mary Anne, and Logan. Others are made up, I believe.
Rating: G
Stars: 3 out of 5
You Can Read It Here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/170433/1/

Plot:
Jessi and her fellow BSC-ers are at the Stoneybrook Middle School Fair. The timeline of the story is before The All-New Mallory Pike.

Jessi gets her fortune read at a booth. She finds out from the fortune teller that she will not be in ballet much longer. Of course, Jessi doesn’t believe it. Or does she?

Two years later, Jessi is on the cheerleading squad. The key to good jumping in ballet is taking up cheerleading. During practice, the coach tells the team to break up into teams of four. Oddly enough, the fortune teller is also on Jessi’s team.

During the stunt, Jessi is dropped or never intended to be caught. She passes out and comes to at the hospital. She is informed by the doctor that surgery will fix her fractured and dislocated elbow. However, her mother seems to think that the surgery might not work. Jessi’s elbow will be in a cast for a month, after which she will have to attend physical therapy for two years. Because the elbow is so important to ballet moves, Jessi will never be able to do ballet again.

Review:
This is not the worst BSC fanfic I have ever read. Then again, this is also my first BSC fanfic that I have read.

The spelling isn’t bad, nothing that spell check would fix. An important thing to remember is AIM chat and emoticons should not be included in story writing. Also, repetitiveness is common through the fic. “Kristy was obviously … she demanded to know” would read better without the “she demanded to know”.

It is the plot that gets to the story and logic it behind it. The point of the author was to make sure that Jessi couldn’t do ballet anymore. However, instead of damaging an ankle or a knee, she takes out the elbow. I haven’t done ballet myself, so maybe an elbow is really important. How it is, I would like to know.

The cheerleading scenes are also illogical. No self-respecting, qualified coach would tell her girls to randomly pick a person to toss in the air. Flyers and bases are decided by the coach at the beginning of the season. They are then specially trained in their positions: bases learn how to catch, flyers learn how to fall. Also, during a practice, the coach would go from team to team spotting them.

The fic would have been better if the plot had been researched more. There is no shame in admitting you don’t know and it’s not hard to spend twenty minutes or so googling information about your plot. Trust me; it would make it so much better.

However, the story reads well and there are few editing mistakes, so I give the story 3 out of 5 stars.

Espically for you, a second Fanfic!
Title: The Three-Timing Jerk
Author: brendachong
Characters: Main: Claudia, Stacey, Mallory, Others: Rest of the BSC, the McGills, Samantha, Janine, the Kishis, The Pikes.
Rating: PG
Stars: 4 out of 5
Read It Here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/347378/1/

Plot:
Claudia has a new boyfriend name Harry, a 16-year-old Asain American. Stacey assits her in helping her prepare for the date. It goes well.
Stacey goes to New York for the weekend. She finds out that her dad and his girlfriend are expecting a baby. She escapes the apartment and runs into Erik, a Stoneybrookie who is visting relatives in New York. Stacey shows him around New York. Upon returning to Stoneybrook, they speak for hours on the phone.
Mallory’s mother and father are adopting a nineth child. They had put their names on a waiting list 11years ago before Mallory was born. She escapes to a BSC meeting and tells the other members. After the meeting, a boy name Clark mistakes her for his adopted sister Peggy.
Claudia is at the mall with her family. She sees Harry and is introduced to his sister Peggy, who she sees only from behind. They leave quickly and Claudia notices that Peggy looks like Mallory form the back.
Stacey invites Erik over to watch a movie, a night without parents. He pressures her to go upstairs and attempts to get to second base (hand up shirt). Mrs. McGill returns home before anything serious happens.
The next morning, Stacey goes to a picnic with Erik’s family in the park, witch includes his sister Peggy. After lunch, Stacey and Erik go for a jog, when Stacey has a diabetic attack. Saved by carrots, the couple is rejoicing when they are spotted by Claudia. Harry and Erik is the same person. The two girls push him into a lake.
At the BSC meeting, the two are filling in the other members except the missing Mallory. Mallory enters, talking about her boyfriend Clark. Indeed, Clark is the same person as Harry and Erik. The BSC plan a revenge on Harry/Erik/Clark.
In the end, the three girls promise to always fill the others in on who they are dating.

Review:
This story is wonderful editing wise. It is also has good grammar and it has gone through a spell checker. Every character is in character, a variety for FanFiction.
The only faults of the story are the side plots. Mrs. Braddock is only mentioned in one paragraph: does she really need to be divorce? Do the Pikes need to have a nineth kid? Do the McGills need to be expecting? If a side-plot does not contribute to the main plot, do not include it.
4 out of 5 stars.

#5: Dawn and the Impossible Three

2005-12-27T04:25:12Z

Timeline: Late April/Early May

Clients:
The Pikes
The Brewers
The Thomas

New Clients:
Barretts- Hamilton Jr (Buddy) (7), Suzi (4), Marnie (1 1/2); Mrs. Barrett is 33

Trivia:
Mrs. Schafer went to college in Califorina
Mary Anne wears contact lens in place of reading glasses
9 bedrooms in Watson's house
Horsename plates in Dawn's barn: Dobbs, Grey Boy, Cornflower
Marnie is allergic to chocolate
Richard Spier owns a law firm in Stanford
Pg. 150- foreshadow of Mallory joining

Introduction of:
"Let's all Come In" Karen's game
Hannie Papadakis - Karen's friend
The story of Old Ben Brewer
The Pikes' Bizzer Sign

Money:
Weekly Dues: 50cents
Dues are raised

Streets:
Slate Street- Barretts, Pikes
Spring Street- Mason Company

Towns:
Stamford, Greenvale

Mistakes:
pg. 34 - "The four of us" should be "the five of us"

Pets:
Barretts' basset hound Pow

BSC #4 Discussion

2005-12-26T19:35:35Z

Info for this book is posted below

As usual you can answer whatever you want, add your own.

But first a shout out to charmer_girl who we hope things get better for soon.

Questions

What do you think of the girls' behavior in this book? Do you one or more of them helped to prolong the fight? Do you one or more of them tried to end the fight?

What do you think of Dawn? How Mary Anne's friendship with Dawn different from Mary Anne's friendship with Kristy (or Claudia or Stacey)?

What do you think of Mary Anne's relationship with Mimi? And Claudia's reaction to the "my Mary Anne" comment?

What do you think of Mary Anne's handling of her problems with her father?

BSC #4 Information

2005-12-26T19:27:26Z

Timeline:
January-February of seventh grade

Family Trees:
Abigail Spier (name of Mary's Anne decreased mother in this book. She's been dead for "almost 11 years"). Grew up in Maryland. Later changed to Alma who grew up in Iowa
Grandpa Spier was a mailman
Sharon's father was a banker

Clinets
Jamie (3 until his birthday in chapter 14) Lucy (two months)
Mallory, Adam, Jordan, Byron, Vanessa, Nicky, Margo, Claire

New Clients
The Prezziosos - Madeleine, Nick, Jenny (3)

Characters:
Mr. Counts (school librarian)
Dawn Schafer (age 13, arrives in chapter 3, description p 31)
Alexander Kurtzman "the weirdest kid in school"
Jo Deford (another friend of Kristy's and the Shillabers)
Madeleine and Nick Prezzioso

Trivia:
Mimi speaks with an accent
The Spiers always eat dinner at 6:30
Pink is one of Mary Anne's least favorite colors
The Shillaber parents are divorced
1st time Kristy misses a meeting (playing with the Shillaber twins)
The Pikes are fully introduced: Mallory (10), Triplets: Adam, Jorden, Bryan (9), Vanessa (8), Nick (7), Margo (6), Claire (4)
Mary Anne calls Jenny "Jenny-bunny"
Dawn hates dim lighting
The Parents Trap is one of Dawn's favorite movies
Jenny's fever is 104 degrees
Dawn started babysitting when she was nine
Dawn once got two kids out of a burring house when she was sitting
The very first pizza toast is to celebrate Dawn's entry to the club

Descriptions
Items in Stacey's wardrobe (5-6)
Mary Anne's imaginary outfit (6)
Mary Anne's bedroom (20-22)
Jenny's wardrobe (61, 116)
Richard Spier's old records (109-110)
Richard and Sharon's yearbook messages to each other (111, 112-113)

Streets
The Schafers live on Burnt Hill Road their house was built in 1795. All the doorways and ceilings are low.
The Prezziosos also live on Burnt Hill.

Birthday's
Jamie Newton, February 9th

Ages
Richard Spier (42)
Sharon Schafer (42)

Names
Sharon Emerson Porter Schafer

Money
Mary Anne and Dawn get $10.00 each for taking care of Jenny when she was sick

Books
A Wrinkle in time
Blueberries For Sal
The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin
Caps For Sale
The Phantom Tollbooth
Peter Rabbit
Pippi Longstocking

Pikes' Plays
Super-Girl Meets the Super-Nerds (Mallory and the triplets, directed by Kristy)
Peter Rabbit (Nicky, Vanessa, Claire, and Margo, directed by Mary Anne)

#4: Mary Anne Saves the Day

2005-12-23T18:22:15Z

This is the worest Christmas ever. This morning I get into a car accident and kill my Rav. Then we come home and one of the cats got a hold of my finch Pip.

So, you'll come up with your own questions. I'm not really thinking right now.

Happy Hoildays.

#1: Kristy's Great Idea Info

2005-12-18T21:30:03Z

BSC Ad: pg 45

Timeline:
-Club is born on the first Tuesday of seventh grade

Family Trees:
Kristy: Brothers: Charile (16), Sam (14), David Micheal (6), Mother (Edie), cousin Robin (has diabetes)
Kishis: married twenty years
McGills: married 15 years
Mary Anne's mom died of cancer

Clients:
David Micheal (6) (Stacey's first client)
Claire (4) & Margo (6) Pike
Jamie Newton (3) (Claudia's first client)
Buffy and Pinky (3) (St. Bernards) (Kristy's first clients)
Karen (5) & Andrew (3) Brewer (Mary Anne's first clients)
Charlotte Johanssen (7)

Streets:
Bradford Court: Claudia, Mary Anne, Kristy, Newtons
Fawcett Avenue: Stacey
Rosedale: Marshalls
Kimball Street: Johanssens

Birthdays:
Kristy's is in Augest

Clothes:
Claudia: pg. 25, 30
Stacey: pg. 32, 83

Schools
-Stoneybrook University

Names:
Kristin Amanda Thomas

Money:
Kristy's 1st Job: $3.50
4 girls in two weeks made: $26.75

Triva
David Micheal allergic to chocolate
Kristy can turn her eye lids inside out
Kristy broke her ankle when she was 11

Pets:
Boo-Boo, Watson's cat
Sarge, Pikes' cat
Marshalls' cat

#3: Truth About Stacey Info

2005-12-18T21:15:40Z

Timeline:
-Book takes two months after Stacey has moved to Stoneybrooke.
-Kid-Kits are born
-Monday, Nov 24: Mrs. Newton goes into labor, Lucy born

Schools
-Only one middle school in Stoneybrooke
Stores Downtown
-Polly's Fine Candy

BSA Add pg. 7

Characters:
Mimi - Came to the US at age 32
Kristy - pues. Candy Kane, "dates" Winston Churchill
Stacy - dates Pete
Charlotte Johanssen - Mother (Peggy) is a doctor, dad is an engineer, Fave Show: Cosby Show
Claudia - dates Trevor
Jamie - Fave Sandwich: peanut butter & honey, toasted
Eleanor (1): rubs ears when hungry
Nina (3): allergic to strawberries

Books meantioned:
Cricket in Times Square
Tucker's Countryside
Harry Cat's Pet Puppy
Little Engine that Could
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel
Pat the Bunny
Where the Wild Things Are

Cilents Sat for:
Jamie Newton (3)
Charlotte Johanssen
Cilents Seen:
Mallory (10), Margo (6), and Claire (4) Pike
Cilents Unseen:
Marshalls, Spencers, Gianmarcos, Dodsons
Others:
Jaydells, Kellys: BSC arranged nights for these two first time clients, but no BSC member ever sat for them.

Clothes
Stacey: pg. 78

New Members:
Janet Gates
Leslie Howard

Family Trees:
Stacey: Aunt Beverly and Uncle Lou, cousins Jonathan and Kirsten,
Aunt Carla and Uncle Eric, cousin Cheryl

#3: The Truth About Stacey

2005-12-18T01:05:01Z

I'm sorry ya'll. Between Narnia (so good), Christmas shopping, and work, I lost my days. So here ya go.

Questions
Favorite Chapter?

The one where they confront Liz and Michelle, and Kristy says the classic "Like, Ha ha." Even at my mature age, I still think that's funny.

Favorite sub-plot? (Anything other than the other Club, includes Stacey's illness)

I think my favorite sub-plot was with Charolette. That girl is such a sweet heart and I enjoyed her relationship with Stacey.

What did you think about the switching friends?

Kristy/Stacey and Mary Anne/Claudia were odd. However, it made me love Claudia a lot. Growing up, Claudia wasn't my fave and I didn't like to read her books really. Rereading now, I really like her. She's like Kristy, with the confidence, in control, leadership, etc., but with Mary Anne's senstivity. In the beginning, I think it was Claudia more than anyone else that kept the club together, because she got along with everyone. That may be why she and Kristy butted heads so much; Kristy maybe threatened a bit.

Favorite clinet?

Jamie was so sweet with the arrival of Lucy, espically how he really wasn't upset about getting a sister.

Did the Title Fit the Book?

No, because did we learn anything about Stacey that we really didn't already know?

Feel free to add any other comments guys and any suggestions on how to make this community better

The Truth About Stacey

2005-12-18T00:23:02Z

I have a question about The Truth About Stacey. I just re-read it in its French Canadian version, and there's one inconsistency that's been bugging me. I wonder what it's like in the original version.

In the French version, when the BSC first hears about the Baby-sitting Agency, someone (I think it's Claudia) mentions that the two girls owning the Agency (Lise and Michèle in French - Lisa and Michelle in English?) are probably going to that "other secondary school", which makes sense if you look at our education system here in Quebec (we have 6 years of elementary school, then 5 years of secondary school, but sometimes, secondary schools are divided: grade 1 and 2 in one school, grades 3-4-5 in another.)

But then, as they encounter the different members of the Agency, Stacey never mentions going to that other school. It seems as though the BSC and the Agency go to the same school. They meet them in the hallways, know where their classes are, etc. They're able to go see them during lunch time or between classes.

So, I was wondering, how is it in the English version? Are the members of the Agency in the 8th grade (and so much mature?) Or are they in high school and SMS and SHS are ridiculously close? How does it work out? Does it work out?

#2: Claudia and The Phantom Phone Calls

2005-12-10T01:17:37Z

Questions for Consideration:
What was your favorite chapter?
What did you think of the Babysitters response to the buglars?
Who was your favorite clint? Favorite sitting job to read about?
Do you approve of Karen's behavior in this book?
Did you ever have an Alan or Trevor growing up?

New Cover:
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/Charmer_Girl/9e80804f.jpg[/IMG]

Info: #2: Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls

2005-12-10T01:15:11Z

Sorry so late, just got done with finals!

Kids at School:
Alan Gray
Trevor Sandbourne
Alexander Kurtzman
Lauren Hoffman
Mariah Shillaber
Miranda Shillaber
Dorranne Wallingford
Emily Bernstein
Howie Johnson
Pete Black
Rick Chow

Teachers:
Mrs. Pinelli (music)
Mr. Peters (math)
Mr. Taylor (Princpal)

Clinets:
Marshalls - Nina (3), Eleanor (1)
Newtons - Jamie (3)
Brewers - Karen (5), Andrew (3)
Johanssens - Charolette (?)
Thomas - David Micheal (?)
Willis
Feldmans - Rob (8), Brenda (5), Rosie (3)

Family Trees:
Kishi: Claudia (12), parents, Mimi (Martenal Gradmother), Janine (15), Mimi has a sister
Newtons & Feldmans: Mrs. Newton and Diane Feldman are sisters. Jamie's father is named Roger

Books:
A Ramona Book
Nancy Drew: Phantom of Pine Hill
The Secret Garden
The Witch of Blackbird Pong

Triva:
First Halloween Book
Janine's I.Q. - 196

Claudia's Clothing:
Pg. 34, 46, 150

Pets:
Johanssens - Carrot the schnauzer (a dog)
Marshalls have a cat
Thomases - Louie the collie (a dog)

Earnings:
Stacey - $16 in two weeks
Kristy - $14 in two weeks

Music:
"Poundin' Down the Walls", the Slime Kings

Streets:
Bradford Court - Who lives here?
McLelland - ?
Rockville Court - Alan Gray
Rosedale Rd. -

Dating News:
-Stacey goes to the Halloween Hop with Pete Black
-Claudia goes to the Halloween Hop with Trevor Sandbourne
-Both have crushes on each other
-Kristy goes to the Halloween Hop with Alan Gray
-He has a crush on her
-She is suprised/happy that a guy likes her

Welcome!

2005-12-05T17:27:45Z

This is the brand new BSC Book Club community. Please feel free to show this community off in other communites. Also, be sure to read the community information.

Here is the link to #1, Kristy's Great Idea, if you would like to contirbute to the disscusion:

http://www.livejournal.com/community/babysittersclub/262077.html