Thoughts before reading:
I've never read this one before, but I do have some hope for it. This sounds a lot better than most of the Super Specials, plus I'm always interested in something a little different.
Really a cute cover too, although I'm not sure who most of those kids are.
The basics:
All the local schools in Stoneybrook are putting together a Peter Pan show, and everyone is beyond excited about it (except for Mary Anne, that is). Jessi's writing a feature for the school paper, and is planning to write about the play as an "insider", because she has zero doubt that she'll be cast as the lead. After all, she's so talented at dancing, how could she not get the part of Peter Pan? The rest of the BSC, minus Mary Anne, are trying out or volunteering. Stacey wants a small part, Dawn and Cokie Mason both want Tiger Lily, Kristy wants to be Nana and the alligator, and Sam wants to be a pirate. Jessi starts acting really condescending, giving all of them her tips and opinions without being asked.
Kristy ends up getting cast as Peter Pan, Jessi as a pirate, Dawn as Wendy, Stacey and Sam as Mr. and Mrs. Darling, Jackie Rodowsky as Michael Darling, Karen Brewer as Tinkerbell, Pete Black as Nana and the alligator, and Cokie Mason as Tiger Lily. Jessi's so upset that she doesn't get the starring role that she refuses to be a pirate, then proceeds to sulk and treat everyone else badly. She ends up being asked to teach choreography to the kids, which she agrees to do. Despite this, she remains unfriendly, even to Mallory, daydreams about Kristy getting fired so she can take over her role, and she even crosses her name off the cast list for the program.
Jessi refuses to even go see the play until one of the teachers asks her to come and help with the kids. Then Pete Black ends up breaking his nose while riding his bike, and Jessi's asked to take over his role as Nana and the alligator. She doesn't want to, but agrees anyway, and ends up having fun.
Mary Anne ends up getting involved with the play too, as the backstage babysitter. She grows quickly frustrated by Mal always butting in though. Mal got a job as costume designer, but is bored with it, plus her siblings are working on the play, so she feels obligated to watch over them. (Claudia's also involved, working on the sets.)
Jessi refuses to even go see the play until one of the teachers asks her to come and help with the kids. Then Pete Black ends up breaking his nose while riding his bike, and Jessi's asked to take over his role as Nana and the alligator. She doesn't want to, but agrees anyway, and ends up having fun.
Mary Anne ends up getting involved with the play too, as the backstage babysitter. She grows quickly frustrated by Mal always butting in though. Mal got a job as costume designer, but is bored with it, plus her siblings are working on the play, so she feels obligated to watch over them. (Claudia's also involved, working on the sets.)
Kristy struggles to learn her lines the whole time, despite getting help from her friends. She gets it together before the show though.
Dawn realizes how sexist Peter Pan is and keeps trying to change the lines to things like Wendy teaching the Lost Boys to cook for themselves, or teaching Peter Pan how to sew on his own shadow. (It's actually really funny.)
Logan's playing a pirate and ends up getting fired for goofing off during rehearsals. He kept sword fighting with the other boys backstage. He apologizes though, and ends up getting to keep his role.
Cokie acts like a huge diva and ends up getting her own dressing room: a mop closet.
Stacey and Sam are embarrassed to be cast as a married couple, and he keeps calling her Mother, Mrs. Darling, and other plays on the name to drive her crazy. She eventually gets fed up with his constant joking around, and they meet up to talk about it. Sam explains that his friends have been teasing him about being a "cradle robber", so he hasn't wanted her to be around them so her feelings wouldn't get hurt (awe!!!). It bothered him too, so he asked Charlie for advice, and was (wisely) told that if he's having as great a time with Stacey as he would with a girl his age, then he just needs to show everyone else that. Sam took the advice, but unfortunately overcompensated by joking around too much. Now that she finally understands what's been going on, she very maturely tells him any true friend wouldn't care who he dated, and even if they tease him some, they'll still be friends. All is forgiven and they make up.
Opening night goes well, and the play makes over $1000. After the last curtain, Sam kisses Stacey in front of everyone.
Timeline:
It's January, and the play nights are given actual dates, which is extremely rare: January 24th and 25th. The book must start in December, but no holidays are mentioned.
Stacey & Sam:
These two are so cute in this book, it is literally everything I ever wanted, and so I had to give them their own category! I so wish I had read this growing up, because it would have been a huge favorite. Eight year old me would have been so obsessed with all the great Sam and Stacey moments...
*It was a pleasant surprise to me that this book even acknowledged them, because I never read it as a kid. I didn't think they would have a relationship at all after Shadow Lake, because that's kind of how these books are.
*We learn early on that they still like each other, but have been kind of in limbo because of the age difference. They've been dating since summer though, and it's now January, so they've been together a long time!
*I absolutely LOVED that they were cast as a married couple, and all Sam's teasing about it.
*Mostly they go to the movies or hang out at Stacey's house.
*After they talk about the age difference and Sam's friends, it's agreed that they will stop hiding the relationship: hence the big kiss in front of everyone at the end.
*After they talk about the age difference and Sam's friends, it's agreed that they will stop hiding the relationship: hence the big kiss in front of everyone at the end.
*I also love that Stacey is the mature one in their relationship! Sounds about right to me...
*In the final notes for Jessi's article, Sam asks Stacey out on Friday night, then writes that Mr. and Mrs. Darling waltzed into the future and lived happily ever after! No one will convince me that this doesn't mean that he already wants to marry Stacey.
*She writes back a yes to the date, and signs it Mrs. Darling.
*There's also a cute moment where it's mentioned that they are sitting VERY close to each other on the mats at rehearsal.
*This book read like fan fiction to me, because even as an adult I loved their parts so much. I was literally smiling while reading this. Guess I still ship this really hard...not ashamed either!
*I'm so hoping for more of this in future books, but I know she dates Robert later on, so I wonder what happens between her and Sam.
*Also, very impressed by how she handles this relationship at only 13.
*Also, very impressed by how she handles this relationship at only 13.
Misc. (non-fangirl!) thoughts:
*It felt really forced how everyone freaked out over the play, even calling it the most exciting thing the school's ever done. I mean, really? What about all the fancy class trips? Does this mean the drama department never has shows normally? Since when would most of the BSC members care about this kind of thing?
*When did Jessi start writing for the school paper? I have no memory of this whatsoever. All her books are usually about ballet.
*Apparently Stacey, Sam, Dawn, Kristy, and Cokie are all good actors? That's a lot of talent in this little group of teenagers...
*Jessi was an unbelievable brat in here, so I was even more thrilled to see her not get the lead for once. Not just because she was so cocky, but because she's always the star of every ballet she does.
*We get Cokie's POV, which I was not expecting, and I actually liked it. Her and Grace act like real middle schoolers. Instead of being obsessed with kids and babysitting, and always doing the right thing, they scheme to get more classes together, and pass notes about the latest episodes of General Hospital. That's much more like how I experienced Junior High...
*Jackie's POV was also adorable, and of course I loved Sam's. (This book was formatted as notes for Jessi's article, in keeping with the usual Super Special style.)
*I was disappointed that there was no real resolution to Jessi's bad behavior. She pays no price for it, no one calls her out for it, and she never even apologizes or learns anything from any of it.
*Everyone acts like Dawn is just being a crazy feminist and no one agrees with what she's saying, but she's not wrong. I re-watched Disney's Peter Pan years ago, because I loved it when I was a kid, and was absolutely horrified by the sexism and racism. Peter treats Wendy like dirt the entire story, and she just lets him. Don't even get me started on the Native Americans...
*Logan is such a douche bag in here, and even when he gets kicked out of the play, he can't take responsibility. He blames Dawn instead, for "climbing up on her women's movement soapbox": because she irritated the teacher, and then the teacher took it out on him. It can't be because he was horsing around like a little kid and not listening...
*Richard tapes the play so Dawn can send it to her dad, which I thought was really sweet.
*Stacey's dad comes to watch opening night.
Books mentioned:
None
My rating:
4.5 stars. This was a very pleasant surprise.
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