Thoughts before reading:
I have absolutely no memory of reading this, but it's checked off on my childhood check list, so I guess I did at some point? It must not have been very memorable then, even to my easily impressed 8 year old self. Not a good sign...
The basics:
The BSC heads off on their school trip to Hawaii, minus Kristy, Mallory, and Shannon.
Jessi's bummed that her best friend couldn't go, so right from the beginning she tries to write down every little thing for Mal, so she'll feel like she was there. In fact, she's so busy recording everything that she forgets to enjoy anything, or have any fun herself.
Claudia takes a tour of Pearl Harbor, and is horrified to learn about the Japanese attack on the US, and to see it all for herself. She starts to feel ashamed to be Japanese, something she's never felt before.
Abby sees a commercial involving a volleyball game on the beach, and ends up getting a part in it after hearing they're down a person.
Dawn organizes a beach cleanup.
Stacey's mad at Robert for most of the trip, because she thinks he was being too friendly and flirty with a girl named Sue Archer on the flight to Hawaii. She gives him a hard time and is snappy with him for days. Then during a helicopter tour, Stacey's helicopter is caught in a storm and crashes. Her group is lost, and Robert and her friends are sick with worry. (Mary Anne and Robert are both crying.) After a long night spent in the forest, during which Stacey goes into a low blood sugar state, the group is rescued. While she was lost, Stacey missed Robert, and he cried all day. They immediately make up.
Mary Anne finds a lost boy at the hotel where their group is staying. After reuniting him with his parents, she's offered a babysitting job. She accepts, excited to see how a "real" Hawaiian family lives. It's a big disappointment for her when she sees their house and realizes how normal everything is. Then they ask her to sit again, which she doesn't really want to do, considering she's on vacation. (A series first!) Instead she offers the job to Claudia, who agrees to take it.
It just so happens that the kids' grandfather fought in WW2. Claudia meets him after her job, and they get to talking about Pearl Harbor and the war. He explains to her that she can't take on the burden of her ancestors, or a whole country. She ends up feeling way better.
Back in Stoneybrook, the Prezziosos have finally decided to discipline Jenny, mainly by ignoring her when she has a tantrum until she calms down. When Mrs. P explains this to Mal, she's thrilled... until Jenny has a huge tantrum at the park while Mallory's sitting. Most people seem sympathetic, but one lady accuses Mal of neglecting Jenny, rather harshly, and takes note of the BSC shirt she's wearing. The lady then calls Kristy to complain about Mallory's incompetence.
Mal goes back to the park, hoping to see that lady again so she can confront her. She does end up seeing her: with two little kids of her own that she can't control. One of them even has a huge tantrum. Mal decides to rise above and not say anything (to my disappointment), but she makes sure to be seen.
Timeline:
It's July.
Misc. thoughts:
*This book clarifies that Mrs. Stone offered to find a replacement for Mal at the day camp, but her parents said no to the trip. This explanation makes a lot more sense.
*The set up, having this be a scrapbook/travel journal for Mal, was a bit much. Wouldn't that just make her feel way worse, and more left out, since she wanted to go but couldn't? Maybe that's just petty, but I wouldn't appreciate getting something like that at all. Especially not at 11.
*"If Claudia's room ever caught fire, it would turn into one huge s'more." (pg 13) So true, haha!
*I wonder why Anna didn't go to Hawaii with her sister?
*Kristy makes everyone BSC shirts, haha. I'm very surprised that she didn't think of this sooner.
*Kristy cries at the last BSC meeting before everyone leaves for Hawaii! She's usually not so sentimental.
*Abby doesn't start packing until 4-something AM the morning they're leaving. Yikes, that's...bold.
*Apparently during the layover in LA, Dawn's dad, stepmom, and brother surprised her at the airport? That must have been one hell of a surprise, considering that Jeff's in Stoneybrook still... Epic fail on the continuity! (pg 27)
*Mary Anne and Logan are doing a "together but independent" thing while in Hawaii, because their friends have been complaining they spend too much time together. This definitely won't last long.
*Logan sulks because he didn't get a lei at the airport, like they did on the Brady Bunch. I'm amazed this guy has any friends...
*The Pearl Harbor storyline was really well done. I wasn't expecting that kind of substance in here. There's also a lot of historical facts, making this a good intro to this topic for elementary schoolers.
*Abby has SO many chapters in here... yet Stacey's first isn't until chapter 11, page 86!
*Abby loves useless, gaudy trinkets.
*When Austin Bentley almost chokes on a bacon burger, Dawn thinks, "serves him right, the carnivore". First of all, wtf? Dawn never used to be mean and judgmental like that. She also clearly doesn't understand what a carnivore is, because she's also one. She eats seafood and poultry. Hate to break it to her, but those aren't exactly vegetables.
*There was actually a lot of familiar stuff in here that I'd totally forgotten: the scene with Mal and Jenny at the park, Claudia at Pearl Harbor, and Karen's friend, Tia.
*Claudia honestly thought states in the US used to have kings, queens, and princes. This girl really needs to try harder in school!
*We get Robert's POV in here, which was interesting. Since he and Stacey are fighting at the time, she's being really bitchy, but in a way that's hilarious to read about.
*Why does the really dire stuff always happen to Stacey? Particularly in the super specials...
*I really liked the pictures in this book. They were a lot better than most.
*Speaking of, according to the pictures, Abby has quite the bikini for a 13 year old... no wonder she got cast in that commercial!
Books mentioned:
*Mossflower, by Brian Jacques
*A Fence Away From Freedom, by Ellen Levine
My rating:
3 stars. Not bad, just got boring and predictable for me. The beginning and end were strong though, and there were some good moments in here.
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