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The Baby-Sitters Club #21
Mallory and the Trouble with Twins
Mallory knows she's a good baby-sitter. She's been looking after her seven younger brothers and sisters for years. So when Kristy offers her a steady job baby-sitting for the Arnold twins, Mal thinks it'll be easy money.
The twins are cute in their little matching outfits. But once Mrs. Arnold leaves, Marilyn and Carolyn turn into twin terrors! They run around the house like spoiled brats, and Mallory can't even tell them apart.
Taking care of Marilyn and Carolyn is a baby-sitting nightmare. But Mallory's a responsible member of the Baby-sitters Club - and she's not giving up!
The twins are cute in their little matching outfits. But once Mrs. Arnold leaves, Marilyn and Carolyn turn into twin terrors! They run around the house like spoiled brats, and Mallory can't even tell them apart.
Taking care of Marilyn and Carolyn is a baby-sitting nightmare. But Mallory's a responsible member of the Baby-sitters Club - and she's not giving up!
141 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1989
112 people are currently reading
1076 people want to read
About the author
Ann M. Martin
1,039 books3,032 followersAnn Matthews Martin was born on August 12, 1955. She grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, with her parents and her younger sister, Jane. After graduating from Smith College, Ann became a teacher and then an editor of children's books. She's now a full-time writer.
Ann gets the ideas for her books from many different places. Some are based on personal experiences, while others are based on childhood memories and feelings. Many are written about contemporary problems or events. All of Ann's characters, even the members of the Baby-sitters Club, are made up. But many of her characters are based on real people. Sometimes Ann names her characters after people she knows, and other times she simply chooses names that she likes.
Ann has always enjoyed writing. Even before she was old enough to write, she would dictate stories to her mother to write down for her. Some of her favorite authors at that time were Lewis Carroll, P. L. Travers, Hugh Lofting, Astrid Lindgren, and Roald Dahl. They inspired her to become a writer herself.
Since ending the BSC series in 2000, Ann’s writing has concentrated on single novels, many of which are set in the 1960s.
After living in New York City for many years, Ann moved to the Hudson Valley in upstate New York where she now lives with her dog, Sadie, and her cats, Gussie, Willy and Woody. Her hobbies are reading, sewing, and needlework. Her favorite thing to do is to make clothes for children.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/annmma...
Ann gets the ideas for her books from many different places. Some are based on personal experiences, while others are based on childhood memories and feelings. Many are written about contemporary problems or events. All of Ann's characters, even the members of the Baby-sitters Club, are made up. But many of her characters are based on real people. Sometimes Ann names her characters after people she knows, and other times she simply chooses names that she likes.
Ann has always enjoyed writing. Even before she was old enough to write, she would dictate stories to her mother to write down for her. Some of her favorite authors at that time were Lewis Carroll, P. L. Travers, Hugh Lofting, Astrid Lindgren, and Roald Dahl. They inspired her to become a writer herself.
Since ending the BSC series in 2000, Ann’s writing has concentrated on single novels, many of which are set in the 1960s.
After living in New York City for many years, Ann moved to the Hudson Valley in upstate New York where she now lives with her dog, Sadie, and her cats, Gussie, Willy and Woody. Her hobbies are reading, sewing, and needlework. Her favorite thing to do is to make clothes for children.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/annmma...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
November 14, 2020
This is a middle grade, and this is the 21st book in the Baby-Sitters Club series. I love this book, and it shows kids it is important to tell your parents what is on your mind. It also shows kids it is important to be yourself. (*)
March 3, 2022
Holes
Here’s the question: How do we connect Mallory and her trouble with the twins to me and my trouble with the taking 11 months to find the motivation to continue a project I genuinely enjoy? The project is this one that you are reading right now. It took me 11 months to read a 100 page book for children and write about it. There is no connection to Mallory and her trouble with twins. Mallory handled her situation with far more determination and savvy than I.
Ok, I can make this work. Please accompany me on this journey where I tap dance these two things together.
Mallory’s trouble is that she has a regular babysitting gig with a set of twins who are just awful to her. Marilyn and Carolyn do everything they can to make Mallory miserable, including switching name tags, talking exclusively in their made-up twins language, and going to the other’s piano lesson. Boo.
Mallory figures out that the girls are lashing out because they are sick of being treated like one person — dressing the same, having people call them “Marilyn or Carolyn”, and receiving identical gifts on their birthday. Mallory obtains the girls’ favor when she’s the only one who gives them individual birthday gifts tailor to their interests and then talks to their mother about letting them choose their own clothes and cut their hair differently. Good for Mallory!
Meanwhile, Mallory is having her own identity crisis because she’s sick of looking like shit all the time. She also wants to pick her own clothes and get a new haircut and obtain the coup de grâce of incipient womanhood: pierced ears. (Just like Claudia!)
Y’know what it takes for everyone (Mallory, Carolyn, and Marilyn) to get what they want? Asking. Their parents’ response to them expressing their needs is simple: “Yeah, fuck it, do what you want.”
That’s the lesson here. There are a lot of things that hold people back from achieving their desires: poverty and lack of resources, systemic oppression, lack of ability, jerks and dickheads. But there’s one we can all scratch off the list: not asking for it.
You can’t always stand up and take what you want, but you can always stand up and say you want it. Maybe that’s to a parent or boss, maybe to a friend or crush. And maybe it’s to yourself. Be up front about your goals with the people who can help you achieve them, especially if that person is you.
Mallory, Carolyn, and Marilyn all thought their parents were the obstacle, and they were wrong. They were each their own worst enemy. Same with me. Ennui, the state of the world, guilt, a senseless self-identity as a lazy person — these are all reasons I’ve attributed to my inability to commit to a number of projects I’ve let go this year (including this supremely easy and stupid one.) But they’re all either fake or excuses. For me, at least. Some of these things are very real obstacles for other people.
The point is, it’s time to make the voice demanding what I want to do louder than all the made up ones telling me I need to re-watch 30 Rock again. Or Schitt’s Creek again. Or Gilmore Girls again. Obviously these are all fine ways to spend your free time if they bring you joy, but I’ve been vegging joylessly for a long time.
It’s time instead to grow up and get my ears pierced, by which I mean take control of my situation, apply for that job I’m unqualified for, work out whether I’m going back to school, clean my damn room, and most importantly, read more Baby-sitters Club books. It is most important for the following reasons:
1) The outstanding moral lessons they impart
2) Over the weekend someone went through and liked about a dozen of these with enough time in between they I know he was actually reading them. That felt good.
3) More opportunities to dump on Mary Anne. I do miss that.
*************************************
Homework: Do not recall a time when you held yourself back. There is no point in beating yourself up. Instead, enjoy a mug of hot chocolate while listening to your favorite song.
<< #20: Kristy and the Walking Disaster
#22: Jessi Ramsey, Pet-Sitter >>
Here’s the question: How do we connect Mallory and her trouble with the twins to me and my trouble with the taking 11 months to find the motivation to continue a project I genuinely enjoy? The project is this one that you are reading right now. It took me 11 months to read a 100 page book for children and write about it. There is no connection to Mallory and her trouble with twins. Mallory handled her situation with far more determination and savvy than I.
Ok, I can make this work. Please accompany me on this journey where I tap dance these two things together.
Mallory’s trouble is that she has a regular babysitting gig with a set of twins who are just awful to her. Marilyn and Carolyn do everything they can to make Mallory miserable, including switching name tags, talking exclusively in their made-up twins language, and going to the other’s piano lesson. Boo.
Mallory figures out that the girls are lashing out because they are sick of being treated like one person — dressing the same, having people call them “Marilyn or Carolyn”, and receiving identical gifts on their birthday. Mallory obtains the girls’ favor when she’s the only one who gives them individual birthday gifts tailor to their interests and then talks to their mother about letting them choose their own clothes and cut their hair differently. Good for Mallory!
Meanwhile, Mallory is having her own identity crisis because she’s sick of looking like shit all the time. She also wants to pick her own clothes and get a new haircut and obtain the coup de grâce of incipient womanhood: pierced ears. (Just like Claudia!)
Y’know what it takes for everyone (Mallory, Carolyn, and Marilyn) to get what they want? Asking. Their parents’ response to them expressing their needs is simple: “Yeah, fuck it, do what you want.”
That’s the lesson here. There are a lot of things that hold people back from achieving their desires: poverty and lack of resources, systemic oppression, lack of ability, jerks and dickheads. But there’s one we can all scratch off the list: not asking for it.
You can’t always stand up and take what you want, but you can always stand up and say you want it. Maybe that’s to a parent or boss, maybe to a friend or crush. And maybe it’s to yourself. Be up front about your goals with the people who can help you achieve them, especially if that person is you.
Mallory, Carolyn, and Marilyn all thought their parents were the obstacle, and they were wrong. They were each their own worst enemy. Same with me. Ennui, the state of the world, guilt, a senseless self-identity as a lazy person — these are all reasons I’ve attributed to my inability to commit to a number of projects I’ve let go this year (including this supremely easy and stupid one.) But they’re all either fake or excuses. For me, at least. Some of these things are very real obstacles for other people.
The point is, it’s time to make the voice demanding what I want to do louder than all the made up ones telling me I need to re-watch 30 Rock again. Or Schitt’s Creek again. Or Gilmore Girls again. Obviously these are all fine ways to spend your free time if they bring you joy, but I’ve been vegging joylessly for a long time.
It’s time instead to grow up and get my ears pierced, by which I mean take control of my situation, apply for that job I’m unqualified for, work out whether I’m going back to school, clean my damn room, and most importantly, read more Baby-sitters Club books. It is most important for the following reasons:
1) The outstanding moral lessons they impart
2) Over the weekend someone went through and liked about a dozen of these with enough time in between they I know he was actually reading them. That felt good.
3) More opportunities to dump on Mary Anne. I do miss that.
*************************************
Homework: Do not recall a time when you held yourself back. There is no point in beating yourself up. Instead, enjoy a mug of hot chocolate while listening to your favorite song.
<< #20: Kristy and the Walking Disaster
#22: Jessi Ramsey, Pet-Sitter >>
April 4, 2021
I know that if you aren't a parent, you're never ever ever supposed to pass any kind of judgment whatsoever on parents (which is, you know...bullshit), but I'm sorry, if you have twins and you give them rhyming names, you should've just gotten dogs or cats instead.
Mallory was always one of my favorites (along with Jessi) and this book really shows why. She's very level-headed and mature for 11 years old, but not in a way that feels fake or forced by the author. She's got a great disposition and even though you'd think she'd be tired of kids, being the oldest of 8, she seems to really love babysitting and handles whatever happens really well. I appreciated how hard she tried to work with the twins, and how patient she was even when they were being little jerks. I also liked how brave she was when speaking to their mother about how much the girls hate being dressed alike and given two of everything. At 11, adults are like... adults . Meaning, scary and intimidating. But Mallory was like "I'm gonna do a thing" and she did the thing. And then she did the thing again when she stood up for herself with her own parents, asking for a few things that would help her feel a little less like a kid and more like an almost-teen.
And while the twins were aggravating as hell--including getting Claudia in trouble with their switcheroo mishegas--I also empathized with them about wanting to be seen as their own people, and not just "the twins, Marilyn-and-Carolyn" by their friends and others. The mother was a bit daft, but parents often are in these books.
There's not a ton to this one, and I do wish Mallory didn't have such a strong focus on looks and clothing and such as markers of being "grown up," but it was still a fun one to revisit. And it made me remember how awesome I felt when I first got my ears pierced.
Mallory was always one of my favorites (along with Jessi) and this book really shows why. She's very level-headed and mature for 11 years old, but not in a way that feels fake or forced by the author. She's got a great disposition and even though you'd think she'd be tired of kids, being the oldest of 8, she seems to really love babysitting and handles whatever happens really well. I appreciated how hard she tried to work with the twins, and how patient she was even when they were being little jerks. I also liked how brave she was when speaking to their mother about how much the girls hate being dressed alike and given two of everything. At 11, adults are like... adults . Meaning, scary and intimidating. But Mallory was like "I'm gonna do a thing" and she did the thing. And then she did the thing again when she stood up for herself with her own parents, asking for a few things that would help her feel a little less like a kid and more like an almost-teen.
And while the twins were aggravating as hell--including getting Claudia in trouble with their switcheroo mishegas--I also empathized with them about wanting to be seen as their own people, and not just "the twins, Marilyn-and-Carolyn" by their friends and others. The mother was a bit daft, but parents often are in these books.
There's not a ton to this one, and I do wish Mallory didn't have such a strong focus on looks and clothing and such as markers of being "grown up," but it was still a fun one to revisit. And it made me remember how awesome I felt when I first got my ears pierced.
March 29, 2010
man, i was so into this book when i was a kid. i think a lot of kids that are not twins harbor a little fantasy of having a twin, & this book tapped into that desire for me. plus, my parents had led me to believe that everyone in the world DID have a twin floating around out there somewhere, & it was the especially lucky twins that happened to be born into the same family. i have no idea why my parents taught me that, because it's obviously untrue & also seems to have an undermining affect on a kid discovering her individuality in some ways. but whatever.
this is mallory's first full book after joining the BSC. she is hired for a regular twice-a-week sitting job for seven-year-old twins marilyn & carolyn arnold. is there anything more cruel than giving twins rhyming names? when i was in grade school, i was friends with a twin named sara. her sister was named tara. sara was awesome & tara totally sucked. i always felt kind of bad that sara had to be sisters & have a rhyming name with a jerk like tara. anyway.
on mallory's first day sitting for the arnolds, she notices that mrs. arnold is big on accessorizing--she's wearing rings, necklaces, earrings, pins, lacy socks (if i am not mistaken), a headband...apparently she never heard that rule about removing one accessory before leaving the house. mallory also notices that the twins are dressed alike, have the same haircuts, & are 100% indistinguishable to the untrained eye aside from their beaded name bracelets. not long into the sitting job, mallory remarks on how adorable the twins look lying on their beds reading, like matching bookends. the twins do not appreciate this observation. they start muttering in their secret twin language, & then they remove their name bracelets & turn into terrors. mallory has no idea what she did wrong & just tries to survive the job.
a few other sitters watch the twins over the next few weeks, with mixed results. sometimes they're fine, but the twins actually pull a major switcheroo on one sitter (mary anne, maybe?) & carolyn goes to marilyn's piano lesson (marilyn likes piano, & carolyn likes science--good ol' ann m. martin, making sure every character in stoneybrook has one defining interest). mary anne gets in trouble with mrs. arnold.
but mallory is beginning to figure something out: the twins are tired of being a precious matching set. she realizes that they took off their name bracelets & terrorized her after she commented on their too-cute sameness. they want to be individuals. so she starts treating them as individuals, commenting on their unique interests & personalities. she eventually gets them to open up about how they want to dress differently & get different haircuts, etc. they teach her how to tell them apart (tiny mirror image moles on their cheeks) & she encourages them to talk to their mom about getting new clothes & hairstyles. she further curries their favor by being the only guest at their birthday party to give them unique presents geared toward their individual wishes.
the twins win their mom over & she sends them shopping with mallory. carolyn cuts her hair short & marilyn starts growing hers out. carolyn picks up some new trendy clothes (i believe a sweatshirt with a lightning bolt on it is involved), & marilyn goes for classier, more mature looks. inspired by the twins' success, mallory lobbies her parents for more freedom in the way she looks, asking for new clothes, a haircut, contact lenses, & pierced ears. her parents let her get a haircut & pierced ears & go halfsies with her on some new clothes, but make the wise decision that eleven is too young for contacts (i didn't get contacts until i was sixteen--& i'm still not the best at taking care of them now that i am thirty & paying for them single-handedly). mallory accepts this because the contacts were really just a bargaining chip she was willing to part with in exchange for other freedoms. i remember that really vividly--i thought it was so genius of mallory to "trick" her parents like that, even though i know realize that parents are totally on to it.
the BSC goes "malling" so mallory & jessi (who was inspired by mallory's bargaining techniques & successfully lobbied her parents for pierced ears) can have their ears pierced. claudia also gets new holes in her ears, & at the last second so does dawn. they buy earrings & mallory buys new clothes (as does claudia, of course), & man. i LOVED this part of the book. when i was like eight, i couldn't wait to be a sophisticated middle schooler who would go "malling" with her friends. & a-malling we went, but of course, by the time i was twelve, i was a total misfit who wore leather jackets & earrings shaped like piles of skulls (i had my ears pierced when i was four), so it wasn't all as innocent & fun as the BSC trips were. it seemed like every friend i ever had in junior high & high school saw the mall solely as a place to meet guys who would smoke them out in the parking lot, & despite my metalhead tendencies, i knew better than to go out to some dude's van in search of warm beer. it's all kind of a bummer to recall. those girls were not the best friends i'd ever have, i guess.
once again, a BSC book that ably captures my nostalgia for a late 80s/early 90s idyllic clean-cut teenagerhood that i never actually experienced.
this is mallory's first full book after joining the BSC. she is hired for a regular twice-a-week sitting job for seven-year-old twins marilyn & carolyn arnold. is there anything more cruel than giving twins rhyming names? when i was in grade school, i was friends with a twin named sara. her sister was named tara. sara was awesome & tara totally sucked. i always felt kind of bad that sara had to be sisters & have a rhyming name with a jerk like tara. anyway.
on mallory's first day sitting for the arnolds, she notices that mrs. arnold is big on accessorizing--she's wearing rings, necklaces, earrings, pins, lacy socks (if i am not mistaken), a headband...apparently she never heard that rule about removing one accessory before leaving the house. mallory also notices that the twins are dressed alike, have the same haircuts, & are 100% indistinguishable to the untrained eye aside from their beaded name bracelets. not long into the sitting job, mallory remarks on how adorable the twins look lying on their beds reading, like matching bookends. the twins do not appreciate this observation. they start muttering in their secret twin language, & then they remove their name bracelets & turn into terrors. mallory has no idea what she did wrong & just tries to survive the job.
a few other sitters watch the twins over the next few weeks, with mixed results. sometimes they're fine, but the twins actually pull a major switcheroo on one sitter (mary anne, maybe?) & carolyn goes to marilyn's piano lesson (marilyn likes piano, & carolyn likes science--good ol' ann m. martin, making sure every character in stoneybrook has one defining interest). mary anne gets in trouble with mrs. arnold.
but mallory is beginning to figure something out: the twins are tired of being a precious matching set. she realizes that they took off their name bracelets & terrorized her after she commented on their too-cute sameness. they want to be individuals. so she starts treating them as individuals, commenting on their unique interests & personalities. she eventually gets them to open up about how they want to dress differently & get different haircuts, etc. they teach her how to tell them apart (tiny mirror image moles on their cheeks) & she encourages them to talk to their mom about getting new clothes & hairstyles. she further curries their favor by being the only guest at their birthday party to give them unique presents geared toward their individual wishes.
the twins win their mom over & she sends them shopping with mallory. carolyn cuts her hair short & marilyn starts growing hers out. carolyn picks up some new trendy clothes (i believe a sweatshirt with a lightning bolt on it is involved), & marilyn goes for classier, more mature looks. inspired by the twins' success, mallory lobbies her parents for more freedom in the way she looks, asking for new clothes, a haircut, contact lenses, & pierced ears. her parents let her get a haircut & pierced ears & go halfsies with her on some new clothes, but make the wise decision that eleven is too young for contacts (i didn't get contacts until i was sixteen--& i'm still not the best at taking care of them now that i am thirty & paying for them single-handedly). mallory accepts this because the contacts were really just a bargaining chip she was willing to part with in exchange for other freedoms. i remember that really vividly--i thought it was so genius of mallory to "trick" her parents like that, even though i know realize that parents are totally on to it.
the BSC goes "malling" so mallory & jessi (who was inspired by mallory's bargaining techniques & successfully lobbied her parents for pierced ears) can have their ears pierced. claudia also gets new holes in her ears, & at the last second so does dawn. they buy earrings & mallory buys new clothes (as does claudia, of course), & man. i LOVED this part of the book. when i was like eight, i couldn't wait to be a sophisticated middle schooler who would go "malling" with her friends. & a-malling we went, but of course, by the time i was twelve, i was a total misfit who wore leather jackets & earrings shaped like piles of skulls (i had my ears pierced when i was four), so it wasn't all as innocent & fun as the BSC trips were. it seemed like every friend i ever had in junior high & high school saw the mall solely as a place to meet guys who would smoke them out in the parking lot, & despite my metalhead tendencies, i knew better than to go out to some dude's van in search of warm beer. it's all kind of a bummer to recall. those girls were not the best friends i'd ever have, i guess.
once again, a BSC book that ably captures my nostalgia for a late 80s/early 90s idyllic clean-cut teenagerhood that i never actually experienced.
February 9, 2016
mallory starts baby-sitting the arnold twins (marilyn and carolyn) who look and dress exactly alike. they act really obnoxiously, speaking in a fake twin language and trying to get mallory to confuse the two of them by switching their name-ID bracelets. mallory figures out that they are just acting out because they hate being forced by their mother to wear the same clothes, so mallory helps them speak to their mom about their desire to be distinct humans. mallory is so impressed with them that she speaks to her parents about changing her hair and getting her ears pierced, and it works. now that mallory is a grownup with short hair and pierced ears, she will never have any problems again. the end.
highlights:
-mallory's bargaining skills. she tells her parents she wants a new wardrobe, pierced ears, a haircut, and contacts, knowing they would feel pressured to agree to some of the terms (so they let her pierce her ears and get a haircut).
-mallory outsmarts the girls when they're speaking their fake twinspeak by responding to them in pig latin.
-some of the descriptions of marilyn and carolyn's outfits are entertaining, since they're so jenny prezzioso-ish.
-this description of mrs. arnold's accessories: She was wearing two necklaces, a pin, bracelets on each wrist, rings, earrings, and even an ankle bracelet. Her stockings were lacey, and she was, well, as Claud might have said, overly accessorized. Practically everything she wore had a bow attached. There were bows on her shoes, a bow on her belt, a bow in her hair, and a bow at the neck of her blouse. Her sweater was beaded, and she hadn't forgotten to pin a fake rose to it. Whew! As for cute, her earrings were in the shape of ladybugs, one of her necklaces spelled her name--Linda--in gold script, her pin was in the shape of a mouse, and the bow in her hair was a ribbon with a print of tiny ducks all over it."
-not much. this book is BORING. not terrible, not good.
lowlights/nitpicks:
-why do we see mallory's notebook entries even though she's the narrator of the book?
one claudia outfit:
-"Her long hair was fixed in about a million braids which were pulled back and held in place behind her head with a column of puffy ponytail holders. She was wearing a T-shirt she'd painted herself, tight blue pants that ended just past her knees, push-down socks, and no shoes. From her ears dangled small baskets of fruit."
other bsc oufits:
-"Mary Anne was wearing a short plum-colored skirt over a plum-and-white-striped body suit. The legs of the body suit stopped just above her ankles, and she'd tucked the bottoms into her socks...The neat thing about her outfit was that she was wearing white suspenders with her skirt."
-"Dawn was wearing this cool oversized (really oversized) blue shirt. One of the coolest things about it was that it was green inside, so that when she turned the collar down and rolled the sleeves up, you could see these nice touches of green at her neck and wrists. She was wearing a green skirt--and clogs. I'd never seen a person actually wearing clogs, just photos of people in Sweden."
earring presents:
-studs in the shape of california for dawn
-gold loops with oranges hanging from them for dawn
-artists' palettes for claudia
-ballet shoes for jessi
-horses for mallory
-weird elaborate charm-based earrings for everyone from claudia (including non-pierced ones for kristy and mary anne)
-open books for jessi (from mallory)
mallory's kid kit
-coloring books
-sticker books
-jigsaw puzzles
-Baby Island
-Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
-Paddington Abroad
-Paddington Helps Out
-Paddington Marches on
-book about electricity
-chutes and ladders
-dominoes
one snack in claudia's room:
-pretzels in her desk drawer
highlights:
-mallory's bargaining skills. she tells her parents she wants a new wardrobe, pierced ears, a haircut, and contacts, knowing they would feel pressured to agree to some of the terms (so they let her pierce her ears and get a haircut).
-mallory outsmarts the girls when they're speaking their fake twinspeak by responding to them in pig latin.
-some of the descriptions of marilyn and carolyn's outfits are entertaining, since they're so jenny prezzioso-ish.
-this description of mrs. arnold's accessories: She was wearing two necklaces, a pin, bracelets on each wrist, rings, earrings, and even an ankle bracelet. Her stockings were lacey, and she was, well, as Claud might have said, overly accessorized. Practically everything she wore had a bow attached. There were bows on her shoes, a bow on her belt, a bow in her hair, and a bow at the neck of her blouse. Her sweater was beaded, and she hadn't forgotten to pin a fake rose to it. Whew! As for cute, her earrings were in the shape of ladybugs, one of her necklaces spelled her name--Linda--in gold script, her pin was in the shape of a mouse, and the bow in her hair was a ribbon with a print of tiny ducks all over it."
-not much. this book is BORING. not terrible, not good.
lowlights/nitpicks:
-why do we see mallory's notebook entries even though she's the narrator of the book?
one claudia outfit:
-"Her long hair was fixed in about a million braids which were pulled back and held in place behind her head with a column of puffy ponytail holders. She was wearing a T-shirt she'd painted herself, tight blue pants that ended just past her knees, push-down socks, and no shoes. From her ears dangled small baskets of fruit."
other bsc oufits:
-"Mary Anne was wearing a short plum-colored skirt over a plum-and-white-striped body suit. The legs of the body suit stopped just above her ankles, and she'd tucked the bottoms into her socks...The neat thing about her outfit was that she was wearing white suspenders with her skirt."
-"Dawn was wearing this cool oversized (really oversized) blue shirt. One of the coolest things about it was that it was green inside, so that when she turned the collar down and rolled the sleeves up, you could see these nice touches of green at her neck and wrists. She was wearing a green skirt--and clogs. I'd never seen a person actually wearing clogs, just photos of people in Sweden."
earring presents:
-studs in the shape of california for dawn
-gold loops with oranges hanging from them for dawn
-artists' palettes for claudia
-ballet shoes for jessi
-horses for mallory
-weird elaborate charm-based earrings for everyone from claudia (including non-pierced ones for kristy and mary anne)
-open books for jessi (from mallory)
mallory's kid kit
-coloring books
-sticker books
-jigsaw puzzles
-Baby Island
-Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
-Paddington Abroad
-Paddington Helps Out
-Paddington Marches on
-book about electricity
-chutes and ladders
-dominoes
one snack in claudia's room:
-pretzels in her desk drawer
February 11, 2023
This book was an extra slice of fun because I call my nieces the Terror Twins and got them them to pose with this book for my Instagram. I really like the junior members and wish they were featured more prominently in the series. Mallory and Jessi are so sweet together and I adore their friendship. Mallory and the Trouble with Twins is exactly what it sounds like: our resident ginger is tasked with babysitting a pair of twins for a brief stint and it's not exactly sunshine and rainbows. Carolyn and Marilyn are little monsters who immediately take off their identification bracelets and speak in their own twin language. Once Mallory starts to treat them as individuals, they stop their nonsense and develop their own identities. I thought that was a very lovely point and I'm sure it's a common issue among twins. Mallory was able to provide some insight because she has a set of triplets in her family. My favorite part was the ending where half the girls had their ears pierced and had a blast at the mall. I wasn't a mall girlie growing up because we couldn't afford it, but now as an adult I love to just walk around collecting Pokemon and hitting up China 88 at my local mall. The Terror Twins had a rough introduction, but this double trouble thankfully had a happy resolution.
October 28, 2021
Okay, here's my theory that the Pike family is fundamentalist/evangelical Christian:
1. The Pikes have 8 children, and they continued having children after having triplets. I think a religious motivation would explain why they tried for a third kid, ended up with FIVE, and then kept going.
2. They have completely parentified their oldest daughter, and they expect her to discipline her siblings. Seriously, Mallory is the Jana Duggar of Stoneybrook. (See: the scene in the car before the mall, where Mallory has to figure out the seating chart to manage conflict while her mother shuts down mentally.)
3. The only strict rules they have relate to controlling Mallory's appearance, especially in a way that would make her look older/more attractive. They also want her to keep her hair long.
4. I feel like some of the Mallory books or commentary around her relate to the Pike family not eating very well, which is very Duggar.
5. Mallory's income is used to pay for basic things her parents should be providing her, like a haircut.
1. The Pikes have 8 children, and they continued having children after having triplets. I think a religious motivation would explain why they tried for a third kid, ended up with FIVE, and then kept going.
2. They have completely parentified their oldest daughter, and they expect her to discipline her siblings. Seriously, Mallory is the Jana Duggar of Stoneybrook. (See: the scene in the car before the mall, where Mallory has to figure out the seating chart to manage conflict while her mother shuts down mentally.)
3. The only strict rules they have relate to controlling Mallory's appearance, especially in a way that would make her look older/more attractive. They also want her to keep her hair long.
4. I feel like some of the Mallory books or commentary around her relate to the Pike family not eating very well, which is very Duggar.
5. Mallory's income is used to pay for basic things her parents should be providing her, like a haircut.
September 9, 2022
Don't remember reading this one back in the day, but was some nice nostalgia to read this one...out of 8 I found at a lawn sale this past weekend for .25cents each.
I have had this weird hankering recently to pick-up to read some Babysitters Club, Goosebumps, and Sweet Valley High books for some reason...so I am going to read the 7 others in the series that I found & 2 Goosebumps Horrorland that I found at the sale as well. I wasn't really fond of the SVH series-- it was more some books my mom insisted on buying me, but I still want to read that kind of stuff for some reason anyway. lol
This book was a good read, and I'm sure I'll read it again in the future. I took down notes about Pig Latin (my father once taught me what he remembered from before he dropped out of highschool to work so besides my interest in languages it has significance for me) which the book seems to be accurate on which is nice.
I have had this weird hankering recently to pick-up to read some Babysitters Club, Goosebumps, and Sweet Valley High books for some reason...so I am going to read the 7 others in the series that I found & 2 Goosebumps Horrorland that I found at the sale as well. I wasn't really fond of the SVH series-- it was more some books my mom insisted on buying me, but I still want to read that kind of stuff for some reason anyway. lol
This book was a good read, and I'm sure I'll read it again in the future. I took down notes about Pig Latin (my father once taught me what he remembered from before he dropped out of highschool to work so besides my interest in languages it has significance for me) which the book seems to be accurate on which is nice.
July 7, 2020
While I actually started reading around age 3 (thank you, my Granny's Dick and Jane books!), this series is what I remember most about loving to read during my childhood. My sister and I drank these books up like they were oxygen. I truly think we owned just about every single one from every one of the series. We even got the privilege of meeting Ann M. Martin at a book signing, but of course little starstruck me froze and could not speak a word to my biggest hero at that time. Once in awhile if I come across these at a yard sale, I will pick them up for a couple hour trip down memory lane, and I declare nearly nothing centers and relaxes me more!
July 18, 2020
The BSC is always such a balm for the soul and this was no different. So happy to follow Mallory on her baby-sitting adventure with twins acting out but really just wanting to be treated like individuals. Mallory and Jessi both make grown-up choices in this too and this was a lovely book overall.
December 28, 2023
This series is pure nostalgia for me! I love how each one has a nice message too. Mallory wasn’t one of my favorite sitters, but I liked her in this one.
September 16, 2016
Mallory baby sits for twin terrors in this book. It's almost the kind of plot that would normally be the subplot of a book with a more exciting main story. But it's not, so we are stuck with the story of how Mallory makes friends with Carolyn and Marilyn Arnold and agonizes over the fact that she is not allowed to have pierced ears. It is just as exciting as it sounds.
Things I remember from reading this as a kid:
I vaguely remember that one of the twins sneaks out of the house to get a baby sitter in trouble.
The only thing I remember clearly is that Mallory begs her parents for pierced ears and they finally agree. She and all the baby sitters have a big outing to the mall to get their ears pierced. (In the book they call this "malling" which was never, ever a term I used in the 90s.) When I was a kid this seemed really, really lame. I had had pierced ears since I was small, and everyone I knew had pierced ears, so I couldn't understand what all the drama was about. Since reading this as an adult....
Things I've considered since reading this as an adult:
Now I know that certain people, namely white, WASP-y or upper middle class people (i.e. everyone in Stoneybrook) think pierced ears on young girls is vulgar and "ethnic". If even Mallory thinks this is a stupid attitude than the parents of Stoneybrook need a serious reality check. As she points out, having your ears professionally pierced is no big deal, and people of a certain generation need to get over it. Mallory was never my favorite character in the series (her books always seemed extra boring) but I admire her in this book. She knows her parents are being ridiculous to refuse her pierced ears (especially since she could pay for it herself) and she asks them to reconsider in a very nice, very mature way. In addition, although she doesn't feel like she's equipped to handle taking care of the Arnold twins, instead of suffering quietly, or trying to make big decisions by herself, she talks to the BSC about it. Even though she feels like she should be able to work things out on her own, she knuckles under and asks for their advice, and it helps her decide how to handle the twins. I work with people who are in their 40s and 50s who don't have that maturity.
The whole Arnold family sounds like an absolute joke. The mother with all her crazy rings and bows, the twins dressed exactly alike. . . it feels over the top, and from what I can recall of the other books in the series that talk about the twins, I feel like the exaggeration of this book doesn't carry over, which I think is good. The way the family is written in this book makes them sound like characters in a bad British sitcom. Also, while I sort of remember the twins switching places so that the wrong twin goes to a piano lesson, I did not remember that the baby sitter (which in this case was Claudia) got scolded for it. I think the Arnold parents are asking for trouble if they insist on dressing their girls exactly the same. How is a baby sitter who has never spent time with the girls before supposed to know which one is which?
I just loved reading about the twins shopping spree with Mallory. They walk around the store, take note of all the things they like, then sit down and decide what they want, and if they can afford to buy it. Carolyn decides to splurge on jeans because they'll go with all of her shirts. This is exactly how I would love to shop for clothes.
Mary Anne tells Jessi she looks "pretty sexy" with her pierced ears. How did this get past the Scholastic censors? Also, Claudia almost faints when she gets one hole in her ear? I'm disappointed in her lack of fortitude. And this may be the first book where I become annoyed with Dawn for proclaiming at the top of her lungs that she is such a unique individual being. There was nothing unique about having two holes in each ear in 1989. I had two holes in each ear by the time I was Mallory's age, and I didn't think I was rocking the boat in any way, I just wanted to show off more earrings. I don't understand why the baby sitters think Dawn is such a self-possessed "individual" girl. She is not. Although, maybe she is by Stoneybrook's enclaved standards. I'm going to start imagining Stoneybrook like a big country club, with a membership committee. They only accept members who reach a certain standard. Upper middle class whites with well paying jobs and no drama in their lives are preferred. Therefore, Dawn thinks she's being so individualistic by piercing her ears twice and wearing clogs. The teens of Country Club Stoneybrook admire Dawn for being so daring (two holes in your ears! how crazy and wild!) and the members of Stoneybrook clutch their pearls in shock. Meanwhile the real world just says, "Yes, and?"
Things I remember from reading this as a kid:
I vaguely remember that one of the twins sneaks out of the house to get a baby sitter in trouble.
The only thing I remember clearly is that Mallory begs her parents for pierced ears and they finally agree. She and all the baby sitters have a big outing to the mall to get their ears pierced. (In the book they call this "malling" which was never, ever a term I used in the 90s.) When I was a kid this seemed really, really lame. I had had pierced ears since I was small, and everyone I knew had pierced ears, so I couldn't understand what all the drama was about. Since reading this as an adult....
Things I've considered since reading this as an adult:
Now I know that certain people, namely white, WASP-y or upper middle class people (i.e. everyone in Stoneybrook) think pierced ears on young girls is vulgar and "ethnic". If even Mallory thinks this is a stupid attitude than the parents of Stoneybrook need a serious reality check. As she points out, having your ears professionally pierced is no big deal, and people of a certain generation need to get over it. Mallory was never my favorite character in the series (her books always seemed extra boring) but I admire her in this book. She knows her parents are being ridiculous to refuse her pierced ears (especially since she could pay for it herself) and she asks them to reconsider in a very nice, very mature way. In addition, although she doesn't feel like she's equipped to handle taking care of the Arnold twins, instead of suffering quietly, or trying to make big decisions by herself, she talks to the BSC about it. Even though she feels like she should be able to work things out on her own, she knuckles under and asks for their advice, and it helps her decide how to handle the twins. I work with people who are in their 40s and 50s who don't have that maturity.
The whole Arnold family sounds like an absolute joke. The mother with all her crazy rings and bows, the twins dressed exactly alike. . . it feels over the top, and from what I can recall of the other books in the series that talk about the twins, I feel like the exaggeration of this book doesn't carry over, which I think is good. The way the family is written in this book makes them sound like characters in a bad British sitcom. Also, while I sort of remember the twins switching places so that the wrong twin goes to a piano lesson, I did not remember that the baby sitter (which in this case was Claudia) got scolded for it. I think the Arnold parents are asking for trouble if they insist on dressing their girls exactly the same. How is a baby sitter who has never spent time with the girls before supposed to know which one is which?
I just loved reading about the twins shopping spree with Mallory. They walk around the store, take note of all the things they like, then sit down and decide what they want, and if they can afford to buy it. Carolyn decides to splurge on jeans because they'll go with all of her shirts. This is exactly how I would love to shop for clothes.
Mary Anne tells Jessi she looks "pretty sexy" with her pierced ears. How did this get past the Scholastic censors? Also, Claudia almost faints when she gets one hole in her ear? I'm disappointed in her lack of fortitude. And this may be the first book where I become annoyed with Dawn for proclaiming at the top of her lungs that she is such a unique individual being. There was nothing unique about having two holes in each ear in 1989. I had two holes in each ear by the time I was Mallory's age, and I didn't think I was rocking the boat in any way, I just wanted to show off more earrings. I don't understand why the baby sitters think Dawn is such a self-possessed "individual" girl. She is not. Although, maybe she is by Stoneybrook's enclaved standards. I'm going to start imagining Stoneybrook like a big country club, with a membership committee. They only accept members who reach a certain standard. Upper middle class whites with well paying jobs and no drama in their lives are preferred. Therefore, Dawn thinks she's being so individualistic by piercing her ears twice and wearing clogs. The teens of Country Club Stoneybrook admire Dawn for being so daring (two holes in your ears! how crazy and wild!) and the members of Stoneybrook clutch their pearls in shock. Meanwhile the real world just says, "Yes, and?"
March 16, 2019
Oh noooo! Looks like Mallory has a problem. She has been watching the two Arnold girls who just so happen to be identical twins. They girls are very mischievous and like to confuse the girls and pretend to be different than who they are. Why are they doing this though? Does it have anything to do with having to dress alike and have all of the exact same toys and things? Maybe Mallory can get through to them and fix the issue.
January 18, 2019
I was very disappointed in this book about twins because it’s not really funny or interesting. Maybe I’ll have better luck with Jessi. I did find some outfits I like though.
pg. 20: red sneaker earrings (Claudia)
pg. 35: pink sweatpants, white turtleneck, running shoes, and pink hair bow (Claire and Margo)
pg. 37: bathing suit, knee socks, high heels, and jewelry (Claire and Margo)
pg. 41: plaid dress, white tights, black patent leather Mary Janes, red hair ribbons, gold locket, gold ring, pink nail polish, and name bracelet (Marilyn and Carolyn)
pg. 60: jeans, You Are Looking At Perfection T-shirt, and running shoes (Jessi)
jeans, white T-shirt, and running shoes (Mallory)
pg. 67: blue sailor dress, red hair ribbons, white tights, black patent leather Mary Janes, and name bracelet (Marilyn and Carolyn)
pg. 121: white sweatshirt with glittering yellow moon and 2 stars on the front and cool jeans? (Carolyn)
pink jeans skirt and ruffly white blouse (Marilyn)
pink barrettes (Marilyn)
pg. 122: yellow push-down socks (Carolyn)
pg. 20: red sneaker earrings (Claudia)
pg. 35: pink sweatpants, white turtleneck, running shoes, and pink hair bow (Claire and Margo)
pg. 37: bathing suit, knee socks, high heels, and jewelry (Claire and Margo)
pg. 41: plaid dress, white tights, black patent leather Mary Janes, red hair ribbons, gold locket, gold ring, pink nail polish, and name bracelet (Marilyn and Carolyn)
pg. 60: jeans, You Are Looking At Perfection T-shirt, and running shoes (Jessi)
jeans, white T-shirt, and running shoes (Mallory)
pg. 67: blue sailor dress, red hair ribbons, white tights, black patent leather Mary Janes, and name bracelet (Marilyn and Carolyn)
pg. 121: white sweatshirt with glittering yellow moon and 2 stars on the front and cool jeans? (Carolyn)
pink jeans skirt and ruffly white blouse (Marilyn)
pink barrettes (Marilyn)
pg. 122: yellow push-down socks (Carolyn)
August 2, 2018
This is a great BSC book, because it really shows how the girls are excellent baby-sitters, and really understand the kids that they sit for. And it's nice to see Mal be strong and speak up, even if she does kind of get shit on in this book a little. ("When you said the twins were terrors, I thought it was because you were a crap baby-sitter," said Claudia.)
May 22, 2017
Baby sitters have a hard job. When you still had a baby sitter did you give them a hard time? Or if you are a sitter do you get kids that give you trouble? Well the twins did, they made it real difficult for Mallory. Even the other sitters had a hard time with them.
October 7, 2020
Super quick read while up with a fussy baby in the night. Mallory’s voice is my favorite in the series so I enjoy reading her books. I relate to her a lot. I also obsessed with having a twin as a child.
October 28, 2020
Wow people give this one star? It's cute af
June 10, 2022
3.5.
This was one of the first babysitter club books I’ve ever read so this one holds more nostalgic love from me before I knew this was a series.
This was one of the first babysitter club books I’ve ever read so this one holds more nostalgic love from me before I knew this was a series.
September 8, 2023
“Kindergarten baby, stick your head in gravy! Wash it off with applesauce and show it to the Navy!” sang Nicky.
May 5, 2023
Before I get to my actual review, a quick disclaimer: Ever since I learned that Netflix was reimagining one of my favorite childhood book series, I had decided that I would be embarking on a re-read of this series, reliving a series of books that helped to shape me into a voracious reader. I am so excited to embark on this travel back in time. I don't expect to be mentally stimulated -- I mean, I'm not exactly a pre-teen middle-schooler these days -- but I make no apology for choosing to enjoy this series from the perspective of adulthood. Don't expect me to have any sort of psychoanalyst or feminist sermonizing on the appropriateness of the situations or the effects on a young girl reading these books; there's plenty of that to go around already. I'm here for the nostalgia and the meander down memory lane.
*************
Twin trouble is overdone, right? Identical twins playing tricks on people because no one can tell them apart: trite. So I approached Book 21 with some degree of meh, but was game to dig in nonetheless, on another meander down Ye Olde Memory Lane.
What I liked about Mallory and the Trouble with Twins:
Mallory - My early impressions of Mal were somewhat unfavorable. She was so uncomfortable with herself that it made me feel uncomfortable reading her narrations. We seem to get a Mallory here who, while still awkward, was more relatably so, in a way that made her feel endearing. I also liked when the twins were rude to her and Mallory had a totally normal response without beating herself up (she acted a little cranky, instead of being saccharine in her response, and then didn't beat herself for being annoyed with bratty children). Plus she's an overthinker and I feel that deeply in my soul.
The mall - Such a blast from the past. We used to go to the mall all the time when I was a kid. And I was so thrilled when I was finally of an age when I could go off on my own and meet back up with my Dad or grandparents at a designated time and location. The scenes at the mall released a flood of childhood memories for me, even though there are dozens of other places I would rather be now than out shopping.
Some especially good chuckles - At one point, Mallory was waxing nostalgic about lame birthday party goody bags which struck me as hysterical, given that she's a whole three years older than the Arnold twins; she talks like she's 25 years removed from such trifles as goody bags. I will say this though: I distinctly remember being insanely jealous of the goody bags at this party, because the ones I got were never as cool as these. Also, there is a scene at the Pikes in Chapter 12 that had me in stitches: Mrs Pike tells everyone to calm down and behave (the enormous Pike clan was at the dinner table), and of course one of the wiseacres has to say "Everyone? Even Daddy?" to which Mr Pike responds "No, Daddy is behaving himself quite nicely." I don't know why this amuses me so much, but I am giggling to myself even now, relaying the scene.
The ear-piercing scene - I am reminded how much this subject traumatized me. I distinctly remember reading about the ear-piercing gun and the "punch sound" it made, and then Claudia getting up afterward and nearly fainting. This left such an impression on me that I was 19 before I got my ears pierced, and then only because my boyfriend wanted to buy me a pair of earrings he really liked and I wanted them. To this day, I maintain that after the first earring was in, if I weren't worried about looking foolish with just a single earring in my head, I would have stopped right there, because OWWW.
What I didn't care for:
One particular comment - After the ear-piercing, Mary Anne -- sweet, unassuming Mary Anne -- told Jessi her new earrings looked "pretty sexy." THIS IS A 13 YEAR OLD TALKING TO AN 11 YEAR OLD. No one needs to be saying or doing anything with the word 'sexy' at those ages. Keep in mind, this was written more than thirty years ago, so I truly cannot fathom how this got away with being in a middle-reader book. Ick.
What left me conflicted:
Mrs Arnold - Speaking of things that make me uncomfortable. Wow. While not as uptight as Mrs Prezzioso, she was definitely as fussy. I feel like we all knew Those Moms when we were kids, the ones that were so much that even as a kid, you could feel it. Less is more, Mrs Arnold! Mal's descriptions of her were hilarious, but I still felt twitchy every time she appeared on the page.
Well, I was wrong. My recollection was that this one was just mediocre, but I really was entertained reading this installment in the series. I chuckled. I thought the feelings of the twins were valid (even if their frustration displayed some pretty poor behavior). The girls felt relatable. Original rating: 3 stars; increased to 4.
*************
Twin trouble is overdone, right? Identical twins playing tricks on people because no one can tell them apart: trite. So I approached Book 21 with some degree of meh, but was game to dig in nonetheless, on another meander down Ye Olde Memory Lane.
What I liked about Mallory and the Trouble with Twins:
Mallory - My early impressions of Mal were somewhat unfavorable. She was so uncomfortable with herself that it made me feel uncomfortable reading her narrations. We seem to get a Mallory here who, while still awkward, was more relatably so, in a way that made her feel endearing. I also liked when the twins were rude to her and Mallory had a totally normal response without beating herself up (she acted a little cranky, instead of being saccharine in her response, and then didn't beat herself for being annoyed with bratty children). Plus she's an overthinker and I feel that deeply in my soul.
The mall - Such a blast from the past. We used to go to the mall all the time when I was a kid. And I was so thrilled when I was finally of an age when I could go off on my own and meet back up with my Dad or grandparents at a designated time and location. The scenes at the mall released a flood of childhood memories for me, even though there are dozens of other places I would rather be now than out shopping.
Some especially good chuckles - At one point, Mallory was waxing nostalgic about lame birthday party goody bags which struck me as hysterical, given that she's a whole three years older than the Arnold twins; she talks like she's 25 years removed from such trifles as goody bags. I will say this though: I distinctly remember being insanely jealous of the goody bags at this party, because the ones I got were never as cool as these. Also, there is a scene at the Pikes in Chapter 12 that had me in stitches: Mrs Pike tells everyone to calm down and behave (the enormous Pike clan was at the dinner table), and of course one of the wiseacres has to say "Everyone? Even Daddy?" to which Mr Pike responds "No, Daddy is behaving himself quite nicely." I don't know why this amuses me so much, but I am giggling to myself even now, relaying the scene.
The ear-piercing scene - I am reminded how much this subject traumatized me. I distinctly remember reading about the ear-piercing gun and the "punch sound" it made, and then Claudia getting up afterward and nearly fainting. This left such an impression on me that I was 19 before I got my ears pierced, and then only because my boyfriend wanted to buy me a pair of earrings he really liked and I wanted them. To this day, I maintain that after the first earring was in, if I weren't worried about looking foolish with just a single earring in my head, I would have stopped right there, because OWWW.
What I didn't care for:
One particular comment - After the ear-piercing, Mary Anne -- sweet, unassuming Mary Anne -- told Jessi her new earrings looked "pretty sexy." THIS IS A 13 YEAR OLD TALKING TO AN 11 YEAR OLD. No one needs to be saying or doing anything with the word 'sexy' at those ages. Keep in mind, this was written more than thirty years ago, so I truly cannot fathom how this got away with being in a middle-reader book. Ick.
What left me conflicted:
Mrs Arnold - Speaking of things that make me uncomfortable. Wow. While not as uptight as Mrs Prezzioso, she was definitely as fussy. I feel like we all knew Those Moms when we were kids, the ones that were so much that even as a kid, you could feel it. Less is more, Mrs Arnold! Mal's descriptions of her were hilarious, but I still felt twitchy every time she appeared on the page.
Well, I was wrong. My recollection was that this one was just mediocre, but I really was entertained reading this installment in the series. I chuckled. I thought the feelings of the twins were valid (even if their frustration displayed some pretty poor behavior). The girls felt relatable. Original rating: 3 stars; increased to 4.
April 24, 2021
Mallory is scheduled to babysit for twins Marilyn and Carolin every Tuesday and Thursday for a few weeks. When she starts babysitting she can only identify the twins by their name brackets. However things go great at the beginning only as soon as Mallory mentioned that the twins were so similar they changed. They become brats and treat Mallory badly, it’s a challenge for her and Mallory wants to quit but she perseveres and realizes the twins don’t like dressing the same and want to be their own persons!
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July 16, 2020#WorstBestSellersPodcast
August 11, 2020
Mallory wanted pierced ears and enjoyed watching random girls get their ears pierced at the mall boutique. Mallory and Jessi were surprised to see Logan, Mary Anne's boyfriend, at a BSC meeting. Apparently he wasn't actually scarred for life after the "bra strap" incident. The conversation during the meeting was stilted because the girls could no longer engage in 'girl talk'. Mallory was glad she and Jessi had not been discussing underwear or deodorant while they walked to Claudia's room.
Dawn, Mary Anne, and Mallory worked at the Arnold girls' eighth birthday party. Mary Anne accused Mallory of being prejudiced toward the Arnold twins because, as their regular sitter, Mallory did not think they were brats. That was not the correct usage of the word 'prejudiced'. However, Mallory and many of the other members of the BSC were prejudiced toward Claudia. They were racist when they referred to Claudia as "exotic" and commented on her "almond-shaped eyes".
With Mallory's help, the Arnold twins tell their mother that they want to wear different clothes and style their hair differently. That inspired Mallory to similarly have a heart-to-heart with her parents without calling them out on how they were babyish for refusing to let Mallory pierce her ears. (Um, what?) At the end of the book, Mallory's parents finally let her get pierced ears. The BSC decided to go "malling" to celebrate. Mallory, Jessi, and Dawn got their ears pierced for the first time, while Claudia got another hole in her ears. Mary Anne told Jessi she looked "pretty sexy" with pierced ears.
Sometimes we start gossiping about friends and school stuff while we wait [for the phone to ring], but with Logan there, I could tell that all of us, even Mary Anne and Logan, were a little uncomfortable.At the meeting, Mallory took a long-term job babysitting for Carolyn and Marilyn Arnold, seven year-old identical twins. The girls enjoyed taking off their name bracelets and tricking their babysitters. Claudia was babysitting for the Arnold twins one Saturday when the girls decided that Carolyn, who did not possess her sister's musical ability, would attend Marilyn's piano lesson instead. Mrs. Arnold blamed Claudia for the mixup stating that she was supposed to be in charge of the girls. That was not fair of Mrs. Arnold. Her girls were old enough to know better. Also, how was Claudia supposed to magically know how to differentiate between two girls she had never met before?
Dawn, Mary Anne, and Mallory worked at the Arnold girls' eighth birthday party. Mary Anne accused Mallory of being prejudiced toward the Arnold twins because, as their regular sitter, Mallory did not think they were brats. That was not the correct usage of the word 'prejudiced'. However, Mallory and many of the other members of the BSC were prejudiced toward Claudia. They were racist when they referred to Claudia as "exotic" and commented on her "almond-shaped eyes".
With Mallory's help, the Arnold twins tell their mother that they want to wear different clothes and style their hair differently. That inspired Mallory to similarly have a heart-to-heart with her parents without calling them out on how they were babyish for refusing to let Mallory pierce her ears. (Um, what?) At the end of the book, Mallory's parents finally let her get pierced ears. The BSC decided to go "malling" to celebrate. Mallory, Jessi, and Dawn got their ears pierced for the first time, while Claudia got another hole in her ears. Mary Anne told Jessi she looked "pretty sexy" with pierced ears.
February 8, 2023
Read via audio (narrated by Vanessa Johansson).
April 23, 2013
I like books about multiples, and read many books that featured twins when I was a kid; therefore, I expected to like this one. And I got some of what I liked in reading this; it was memorable to me many years later. However, I thought it was REALLY predictable. Mallory has to babysit for twins who are dressed alike, treated alike, and given rhyming names (Marilyn and Carolyn). They're unhappy and they take it out on the people who care for them. What could they possibly be frustrated over? Especially since they get two of everything they play with and don't get any chance to express their individuality? Right.
So of course Mallory figures it out, treats them differently, and they turn into different kids for her. She has to encourage them to explain to their mother that they want to be themselves, not half of a matched set. This is a great message, sure, but the ways the twins misbehaved (using a "secret twin language" and mixing themselves up on purpose by removing their labeling bracelets) was really annoying. I still remember that Mallory was the only guest at the twins' birthday party who got them presents that didn't match, and that she got the twin who liked piano a piano-shaped pin to wear. Also, Mallory wants to make some changes to her own looks and has to follow her own example to bargain with her parents, and ends up getting to get pierced ears. Because a couple of the older sitters in Mallory's club get second holes in their ears at the same time, I think that's what made me want to do the same. (I got to.)
So of course Mallory figures it out, treats them differently, and they turn into different kids for her. She has to encourage them to explain to their mother that they want to be themselves, not half of a matched set. This is a great message, sure, but the ways the twins misbehaved (using a "secret twin language" and mixing themselves up on purpose by removing their labeling bracelets) was really annoying. I still remember that Mallory was the only guest at the twins' birthday party who got them presents that didn't match, and that she got the twin who liked piano a piano-shaped pin to wear. Also, Mallory wants to make some changes to her own looks and has to follow her own example to bargain with her parents, and ends up getting to get pierced ears. Because a couple of the older sitters in Mallory's club get second holes in their ears at the same time, I think that's what made me want to do the same. (I got to.)
August 27, 2016
Posted originally on my blog:
The Writer's Inkwell
This is one of the books I really enjoyed that involved Mallory. It’s not that I didn’t like the character, but many of her stories were a bit on the dull side. However, this is one of the few books that is all about babysitting. This is a refreshing fact, because generally with the other girls, when they aren’t focusing on babysitting (and sometimes when they are), they wind up being silly little girls who are trying to act like they are all grown up. Fortunately, Mallory and Jessi don’t suffer from this kind of thought process throughout the series.
When I originally read this book, I hadn’t had my ears pierced. However, when I was nine and finally got them done, I was glad to have a book like this talk me through how easy of a process it is. As for the twins, I have to admit, I found it sad that no one ever considered that they may not like having to be twin versions of each other. It took someone on the outside to finally see what was causing them to act out so much. I actually don’t think twinning (the act of dressing alike) is all that adorable. Maybe once in a blue moon, but every single day for every single outfit? I mean these girls even wore the exact same night clothes! That’s a bit much.
This was an enjoyable trip down memory lane for me. Hopefully, I’ll be able to find more of these moments as I continue re-reading the series.
The Writer's Inkwell
This is one of the books I really enjoyed that involved Mallory. It’s not that I didn’t like the character, but many of her stories were a bit on the dull side. However, this is one of the few books that is all about babysitting. This is a refreshing fact, because generally with the other girls, when they aren’t focusing on babysitting (and sometimes when they are), they wind up being silly little girls who are trying to act like they are all grown up. Fortunately, Mallory and Jessi don’t suffer from this kind of thought process throughout the series.
When I originally read this book, I hadn’t had my ears pierced. However, when I was nine and finally got them done, I was glad to have a book like this talk me through how easy of a process it is. As for the twins, I have to admit, I found it sad that no one ever considered that they may not like having to be twin versions of each other. It took someone on the outside to finally see what was causing them to act out so much. I actually don’t think twinning (the act of dressing alike) is all that adorable. Maybe once in a blue moon, but every single day for every single outfit? I mean these girls even wore the exact same night clothes! That’s a bit much.
This was an enjoyable trip down memory lane for me. Hopefully, I’ll be able to find more of these moments as I continue re-reading the series.
June 8, 2017
I really loved this book as a kid, but not necessarily because of the main plot about the Arnold twins. I was way more into the sub-plot in which Mallory wanted to be more grown up and get her ears pierced and her hair cut off. Which is hilariously when you consider that my mom had my ears pierced when I was just a few months old, and thus it was never something I spent time pining over or wanting. There was just something fun though about friends going to the mall together, shopping and being all parent free. A phenomenon I would come to experience myself in my early teens, and that was sadly not nearly as fun as books always made it out to be.
It was just nice, I suppose, to see Mallory gain some independence. Which, really, is something she always wanted (though this, I think, was only her 2nd book after joining the club). Also was there really a time when kids under a certain age could get holes put into their bodies without parental consent!? I remember when friends got things pierced in middle school and whatnot that you had to have a parent or guardian sign papers, and that would have been the mid-90s. This also stuck out to me in the first California Diaries book when Sunny got her belly-button pierced at the mall without any parental consent at age 13.
I just can't remember there being a time when an 11 year old or 13 year old could get things like that done without a guardian. But maybe I just have lost my feeble, old lady mind.
It was just nice, I suppose, to see Mallory gain some independence. Which, really, is something she always wanted (though this, I think, was only her 2nd book after joining the club). Also was there really a time when kids under a certain age could get holes put into their bodies without parental consent!? I remember when friends got things pierced in middle school and whatnot that you had to have a parent or guardian sign papers, and that would have been the mid-90s. This also stuck out to me in the first California Diaries book when Sunny got her belly-button pierced at the mall without any parental consent at age 13.
I just can't remember there being a time when an 11 year old or 13 year old could get things like that done without a guardian. But maybe I just have lost my feeble, old lady mind.
August 17, 2016
Marilyn and Carolyn are twins and they always have two of everything. They dress alike and are treated as an ornamental matched set by their mother. Mallory, while sitting for the twins, finds them acting out and turning into terrors, mixing themselves up on purpose and speaking in a made-up twin language. They're incorrigible! What can she do to find out what's bothering them--and maybe take her own advice in solving her own individuality issues?
I liked twin stories but this one seemed canned to me. Marilyn and Carolyn had different interests but had an unfounded fear of expressing this to their mom, and even though they seem to be upset that they don't get to express their individuality, they deal with it by exploiting their lookalike situation and making people who care about them MORE likely to treat them as a single entity. I don't get that. Mallory ends up bucking the system and giving them different birthday presents, which paves the way in helping them discuss their individual desires with their mom. And Mallory manages to take a lesson from that in talking to her own mom about some changes she wants to make. It's tied up with a bow without much imagination.
I liked twin stories but this one seemed canned to me. Marilyn and Carolyn had different interests but had an unfounded fear of expressing this to their mom, and even though they seem to be upset that they don't get to express their individuality, they deal with it by exploiting their lookalike situation and making people who care about them MORE likely to treat them as a single entity. I don't get that. Mallory ends up bucking the system and giving them different birthday presents, which paves the way in helping them discuss their individual desires with their mom. And Mallory manages to take a lesson from that in talking to her own mom about some changes she wants to make. It's tied up with a bow without much imagination.
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