Thoughts before reading:
This one sounds like a real snooze, honestly. I hate the books about softball/sports more than any other type of plot. I have actually read this before, but it must have been very forgettable, because I don't remember anything. The only reason I know I read it as a kid is because it's checked off on my old BSC book list.
I do like this cover, and Kristy's outfit on it, but it's not a very Kristy-ish look.
The basics:
The Krushers "World Series" is coming up, and Kristy and David Michael are on their way to a practice when they notice construction underway at the house next to Mrs. Porter's. New neighbors are clearly preparing to move in, and Kristy's excited, hoping for new BSC clients. When practice turns out to be mediocre, she's cheered up when she finds out that twin girls her own age are moving in.
School is also just starting again, and the BSC has been overbooked. Shannon hasn't been able to help out much either, because this is her busiest time of year. Kristy's reluctant to find a new member though, because of the bad experiences they've had with them in the past. She's even having nightmares about it.
After the Krushers win the first series game, 16-15, Mr. Davis, from Davis Diapers, approaches Kristy. He watched the game and offers to sponsor the team, in exchange for the advertising, of course. She's unsure, but her parents urge her to try it. The BSC agrees with them, so she ends up saying yes.
The new neighbors finally arrive, and Kristy goes over to watch the unpacking, and she meets the twins, Anna and Abby. It turns out they arrived a day early, and the water and electricity won't be on until then, so Elizabeth offers for the girls and their mom to spend the night. Kristy's excited about it, and she hits it off with Anna right away. Abby is a different story though: she views her as just wanting to be the center of attention all the time. (It takes one to know one!) The twins are also going to be attending SMS, so they ride the bus with Kristy the next morning. She learns that Anna's pretty quiet, and they quickly run out of things to talk about on the ride.
After school that day, Kristy finds the new Krushers uniforms, provided by Mr. Davis, have arrived. She hates them though, and knows the kids will too. They have the Davis Diapers logo on them in huge letters, but not even the team's name... effectively making them the Diapers instead of the Krushers. When she shows them to the kids, they not only loathe them, but are upset that Kristy didn't ask them about the sponsorship. Most of the kids flat out refuse to wear them. (Adding to her bad afternoon, she finds out that Abby's giving pitching lessons to David Michael.)
The morning of the second series game, the kids all start calling Kristy at home, claiming they can't wear their uniforms because they've been damaged (by dogs, little sisters, etc.). Eight of the kids who do wear them to the game wear them inside out. The Bashers tease them, calling them the Dirty Diapers, and the Krushers end up losing, 24-7. Mr. Davis is there too, and he isn't happy. He tells Kristy that next time he wants all the players in proper uniform.
Abby stops by the next Krushers practice, which isn't going well. She offers to help out, and Kristy agrees.
By series game three, Mr. Davis is criticizing the players and stepping in with his own coaching. He ruins morale for the kids, and they play even worse, this time losing 30-9. Surprisingly, Kristy doesn't say anything to him, but Abby steps in and does, telling him he was way too harsh. He starts countering with all the nice stuff he bought for the team, and Kristy cuts in, telling him to take it all back. Then she makes Abby assistant coach.
The fourth series game, the Krushers win, 19-17. They also end up winning the 5th and final game.
Kristy decides to offer a BSC membership to Abby and Anna. Abby says yes, but Anna tells her she's too busy with music and turns it down, to Kristy's shock.
Also during this book, Mrs. Porter's daughter is getting a divorce, and she's moving away. Her granddaughter, Drusilla, is staying with her while her daughter looks for a job and apartment. The little girl is pretty unhappy about all these changes (she's Karen's age, and featured in many of the Little Sister books). Kristy notices her sitting outside one day, looking forlorn, and invites her to join the Krushers. Dru doesn't seem interested, but she later decides to try it. She's a terrible player though, and doesn't enjoy it at all. Instead she suggests to Mary Anne that the team should have their own band, which she will take part in.
Timeline:
It's September. This book starts four days before the school year begins, and then in chapter 2, for the 50th time since the series began, school starts.
Misc. thoughts:
*Ghostwritten by Peter Lerangis.
*Kristy's considering being a sports announcer or reporter when she grows up.
*Kristy's POV on the Stacey situation is so condescending (chapter 2) that it left a bad taste in my mouth and made me even less excited for this book.
"Stacey, by the way, is earning her way back into the BSC. You see, I had to throw her out. Honest. She'd been missing meetings and switching jobs at the last minute, and treating other members badly, just because she wanted to spend more time with her boyfriend, Robert Brewster. Anyway, she finally came to her senses and asked to rejoin. I said we'd experiment for awhile, play it by ear. So far, fortunately, she's behaving just fine."
This passage made my skin crawl! Far from sounding like a girl talking about one of her close friends, this sounds like an employer discussing an unruly employee, and rudely at that.
*Kristy kept acting like she thinks Mrs. Porter is a witch in here, which came across as really strange to me.
*This is the first mention of Drusilla, who's friends with Karen. I remember her from the Little Sister books though.
*Kristy's annoyed because Shannon has less time for the BSC, since she's joined more clubs, and is starring in a play. Kristy, you guys are KIDS! Not everyone wants to work and have a full time job right now. Some of these poor girls might have other goals and interests besides childcare. (Kristy really comes across as unlikeable in this book, all around!)
*Abby likes Little House on the Prairie! Despite her annoying sense of humor, I like her already.
*Abby's allergic to a long list of things, including tomatoes. That's a pretty rough break.
*Kristy's annoyed because Abby talks so much she can't get a word in, haha! This is going to be a definite case of people not getting along because they are too similar.
*The twins' father died when they were 9, and their mom's an editor in NYC.
*We also had a color changing cereal bowl in the 90s... they used to be free if you mailed in cereal proof of purchases. I don't know why I remember these things...
*Kristy hates U4ME.
*All of Abby's dialogue is spelled out to sound like she's congested, which was so annoying. Please tell me they aren't going to always do this. An example, "Dow look where your glubs are."
*Kristy's shocked when Anna doesn't want to join the BSC: she "figured no one would turn down such an offer." LOL. This girl really thinks all her peers want nothing more than to join her club.
*I really thought Abby was going to join in #90, from her own POV, but instead that was the true focus of this book.
Books mentioned:
*Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens
*The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss
*Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
*Esio Trot, by Roald Dahl
*Tiffky Doofky, by William Steig
*I Am the Cheese, by Robert Cormier
*The Short Season, by John Powers
*The Mozart Season, by Virginia Euwer Wolff
My rating:
2.5 stars. Too much softball for me, and so far, Abby's really annoying.
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