Thoughts before reading:
This book just sounds like a really boring prequel to #126... I am so not excited.
The basics:
Mallory's trying to make a decision about Riverbend, the boarding school she went to visit in the last book. Mary Anne's trying to be supportive, even though she really doesn't want her to leave, mainly because Mal could clearly use a friend. Mal opens up to her about how miserable she's been feeling, and in the process, Mary Anne becomes convinced that going to Riverbend would be the best thing for her. (Mrs. Pike has gotten a temporary job, so the two girls have been babysitting together a lot.) On one such afternoon, Mal gets her acceptance letter from the school, along with a full scholarship. She's thrilled, of course, but her siblings are all upset.
Mary Anne suggests that Mal call and tell Jessi the news, but after doing so, Mal's upset by her reaction. According to her, Jessi was really icy and formal, so Mal ends up only telling her about the acceptance, not that she's going to go. Later on, Jessi tells Mary Anne that she thinks Mal should stay and face the problem at SMS, because it's bound to go away soon.
Predictably, Mal and Jessi get into a big fight instead of discussing anything, and it happens in front of Mary Anne. Jessi keeps putting down everything about Riverbend, and ends up running out in tears when Mal mentions making new friends there.
Mal tells Mary Anne afterwards that she's decided to go to Riverbend. Only her family knows so far, and her siblings are all ignoring her, claiming it's practice for when she's gone. Then Mal tells her friends during the BSC meeting, and everyone but Jessi is supportive. Jessi realizes that Mary Anne already knew and flips out, leaving the meeting early. Mal follows suit. When they're both gone, the other girls schedule them to sit for the Dewitt clan together so they'll hopefully make up. Mary Anne tries to get the girls to settle things beforehand, but neither will apologize. The sitting job goes predictably poorly, and both girls call Mary Anne to complain about it.
Eventually Mary Anne gets tired of listening to both girls complaining about each other, and calls them to her house. She then mediates a talk between them, and they finally make up.
The book ends with everyone throwing a "we love Mallory day" celebration for her.
Side plot: Jessi's Dance NY friends come to visit, and she has a party. Kristy wants to do a holiday project, and everyone decides to make new decorations for SB manor.
Timeline:
It's December.
Misc. thoughts:
*The whole "spaz girl" thing was started by Grace Blume.
*Ghostwritten by Suzanne Weyn.
*Mrs. Pike has taken a temporary full time job at Bellair's, as a salesperson, for the holiday season.
*Since when does Kristy's family have a kitten named Pumpkin? I wish when things happened in the Little Sister books, they were recapped in the BSC books. The fans of one series aren't going to be reading the other series alongside, because the reading levels and targeted readership ages are too different.
*I hated reading about yet another project. I'm so tired of all the details of Kristy's random little ideas for events, holidays, and projects. They really should have mixed this formula up more.
*Someone writes "spaz girl" on Mallory's locker, but we don't find out who.
*Jessi is a big brat about Mal leaving in front of her siblings, who were already all upset. Getting little kids more upset just because she was angry is pretty messed up. AND she was their babysitter at the time! I wouldn't be pleased if I were Mr. or Mrs. Pike...
*We learn Jewish history, yet again. More filler.
*Mary Anne now has call waiting... I always longed for this in the 90s too, haha.
*Kristy's worried about replacing Mallory, but in a few (!) books, the BSC shrinks way down, I think? What happens??
*Mary Anne keeps complaining the whole book about being in the middle, but she's the one who keeps butting in... even if both girls were bringing their problems to her, she could have put a foot down, and not gone out of her way to intervene in other ways, which made it seem like she was invested. Also, Mal and Jessi are both beyond annoying in here... but, they do act the way I'd expect 11 year old's to act in this situation.
*I also found it really irritating that Mal was flipping out over how the club didn't even need to replace her (they just decide to work extra). The whole book she's acting so surprised that people are going to miss her, but this she can't stand? She's the one choosing to leave, so it's really bratty to expect others to handle it a certain way. She even leaves that meeting without saying bye to anyone. Way to go out of the series as the opposite of a class act...
*Ben is a sitter instead of a kid again in here.
Books mentioned:
None
My rating:
1 star. Just as boring as I'd feared. This entire book could have been a chapter in the next one and told the same story.
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