Shannon's Story

 

Thoughts before reading:

I never read this one as a kid, but I've been looking forward to it. I'm curious about Shannon's life, especially after Super Special #11. Compared to everyone else, even Logan, we know so little about her. I'm still surprised that she only got one book. It seems like she would have been a popular character that girls could relate to, especially since everyone else has a happy (if complicated) family. A dysfunctional, complicated home life is more realistic. She's also one of the characters with the most growth, as we met her when she was a snobby, mean girl, and saw her change into a good friend.

The basics:

Shannon's been having a hard time at home lately. Her family never spends any time together, her dad is always working, her parents are fighting a lot, her sisters are fighting, and her mom is driving her crazy. She's always nagging her, treating her like a baby, and isn't understanding when Shannon is busy with school or activities. 

There's a weeklong trip to Paris coming up through Shannon's school, at the very beginning of summer vacation, and looking forward to it is getting her through everything else. (She goes to the private school Karen and her friends attend, not SMS.) The trip is for Shannon's French class, and any student who has an 85% or higher in the class can go. All of her friends are planning on going with her, and it's all anyone can talk about. 

All this excitement is dashed for Shannon when Mrs. Kilbourne announces that she's going along on the trip as a chaperone. Shannon is so against the idea that she fails her French final on purpose, making her ineligible to go. Everyone's shocked, since she's usually a straight A student. Mrs. K is disappointed, but decides to still go. She leaves Shannon in charge of running the household, to teach her a lesson about responsibility. Shannon doesn't really mind though, and is determined to do it perfectly. Despite some mishaps, she works hard, stays organized, and easily gets everything down pat before the week ends.

Once everything is under control at home, Shannon realizes her mom has been so interfering because she's bored and lonely. (Mrs. K is a stay at home mom.) After all, it only took Shannon a few days to learn all of what her mom does to run the house. (So why does this woman stay at home in the first place?) Now that she's stood in her mom's shoes, Shannon has more sympathy for her. Together with her sisters, she makes her a nice homecoming dinner. Their dad even delays his business trip to come.

Shannon and her mom talk, and her mom tells her she's decided to get a job.

Meanwhile, the BSC wants to do another Mother's Day surprise. They end up having a moms vs. kids softball game. The mothers win.

Timeline:

Not sure if this is supposed to be in the past or what, because the timeline is way off from where the regular series is right now. It's May in here, through Mother's Day and the end of the school year, into summer break. The last series book, #78, was in the fall. 

Misc. thoughts:

*There were no babysitting chapters in here, which I really liked. This just focused on the storyline for the most part, which was a nice change. Especially since it's Shannon's only book, it was fitting that she had (almost) the whole plot.

*I felt bad for Tiffany in here... she literally does nothing but garden. I know she loves it, but doesn't she have any friends, or anything else she loves to do? This isn't a well rounded life for a kid. Compared to Mal and Jessi, she's portrayed so much younger and more one dimensional. I'm still wondering why she needs a babysitter at 11 when no one else does? 

*I can't believe Shannon would give up a trip to Paris for anything. I 100% understand mom issues, but this is an opportunity most people never get. It's harder to sympathize with her afterwards, because she comes across as so entitled.

*The main reason it was so easy/boring to run this household is because they have a housekeeper... so by definition, they are not really running it, not to mention they are coming from a place of enormous privilege. Why have one at all, if Mrs. K is a stay at home mom? She has three kids, all in school, and the youngest is 8...

*My siblings and I did a version of the gross food game that the Kilbourne girls do (naming disgusting food combinations), but we'd actually make the foods. 

*My interactions with my mom as a teenager were a lot like Shannon and her mom's in here, just with even more fighting, and not so PG...

*Embarrassing things Mrs. K does to Shannon in here include: calling her Shanny in front of the whole BSC, buying them matching dresses to wear at the same time...

*Shannon actually makes a housekeeping notebook! Honestly, this is something I would do. 

*Ghostwritten by Nola Thacker.

Books mentioned:

Disappointingly, none. What does Shannon like to read?

My rating:

2.5 stars. I wanted to love it, but this was a weird choice for Shannon's one and only book. I didn't know who to root for, because she came across as a spoiled brat, but her mom was a critical nag. At least lots of readers can probably relate to the rough mother/daughter dynamics.