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Baby-Sitters Little Sister #13
Karen's Surprise
From the bestselling author of the generation-defining series The Baby-sitters Club comes a series for a new generation!
Gobble, gobble!Yea! Ms. Colman’s class is putting on a Thanksgiving play. Karen wants to be the star, of course. But Karen is given the worst part of all--the Thanksgiving turkey! All she gets to do is walk across the stage in a fat brown suit. Will everyone laugh at Karen the Turkey? Not when they see her big surprise!
Gobble, gobble!Yea! Ms. Colman’s class is putting on a Thanksgiving play. Karen wants to be the star, of course. But Karen is given the worst part of all--the Thanksgiving turkey! All she gets to do is walk across the stage in a fat brown suit. Will everyone laugh at Karen the Turkey? Not when they see her big surprise!
79 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1990
About the author
Ann M. Martin
1,141 books3,107 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 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 13, 2017
Great bookcase purge of 2017: I haven't gotten rid of a single book since 3rd grade so I'm rereading everything and deciding if I want to keep it. So yeah, there's going to be some weird choices.
1. These books are not meant for my age range. Like at all. Why am I like this? Why do I still own these books. I'm 26.
2. Karen is irritating. I realize that she's a small child but she's a small spoiled child who expects to always get her way.
3. There's a play and Karen performs a whole unplanned number. Because she is spoiled and expects to get her way. That's the surprise.
4. Karen's divorced parents decide to have Thanksgiving dinner on the same day because they're selfish and she eats too much and get a stomach ache. What a riveting plot.
5. You're supposed to eat until you get a stomach ache. It's Thanksgiving and you might as well celebrate a somewhat offensive holiday with pain.
Verdict: Of course I'm not keeping this one.
1. These books are not meant for my age range. Like at all. Why am I like this? Why do I still own these books. I'm 26.
2. Karen is irritating. I realize that she's a small child but she's a small spoiled child who expects to always get her way.
3. There's a play and Karen performs a whole unplanned number. Because she is spoiled and expects to get her way. That's the surprise.
4. Karen's divorced parents decide to have Thanksgiving dinner on the same day because they're selfish and she eats too much and get a stomach ache. What a riveting plot.
5. You're supposed to eat until you get a stomach ache. It's Thanksgiving and you might as well celebrate a somewhat offensive holiday with pain.
Verdict: Of course I'm not keeping this one.
January 5, 2011
Karen is a douche again and decides to make an ass of herself by making her- the turkey- star of the Thanksgiving class play. She also disregards her classmates opinions.
Also, what's the deal, Coleman? Why do you expect the parents to make the costumes for what's likely a five-minute play? I'd be super pissed if my kid came home from school with a letter telling me I had to make my child two costumes, one of them most likely super difficult. Sure, I can sew, but for my child who is only going to be on stage for 30 seconds, if that? No way, teach, no way.
Also, what's the deal, Coleman? Why do you expect the parents to make the costumes for what's likely a five-minute play? I'd be super pissed if my kid came home from school with a letter telling me I had to make my child two costumes, one of them most likely super difficult. Sure, I can sew, but for my child who is only going to be on stage for 30 seconds, if that? No way, teach, no way.
November 23, 2021
Karen dresses up as a turkey for the school play, surprises everyone with an extended song and dance, no one is pleased, then she over-eats at her two Thanksgiving dinners, and her parents realize they were being selfish a-holes about not splitting up the holiday. Oh Karen.
October 16, 2023
Karen was upset she was not the center of attention and only had two lines to sing in her class's Thanksgiving musical. Therefore, she decided to "surprise" her classmates and teachers (classroom teacher and music teacher) by performing three extra verses she had written for herself. I was honestly shocked by her boldness, but I should not have been because that's such a Karen move. I was glad Karen's teacher, Mrs. Colman, told Karen she could not always be the star and that she could have ruined the play. I know Karen's teacher's advice went in one ear and out the other, but at least Mrs. Colman tried.
August 6, 2025
The Baby-Sitters: Little Sister #13 series of children books titled “Karen’s Surprise” written by Ann M. Martin was published by Scholastic’s Apple Paperback in 1990. The book’s illustrations are by Susan Tang. The book’s narrator is Karen Brewer who is a second grade student in Mrs. Colman’s class at Stoneybrook Academy located in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Her brother Andrew is a preschooler at the academy.
Their parents are divorced and both live in Fairfield County. Andrew and Karen live with their mother in her “little house” on weekdays and on many weekends they live in their father’s “big house.” They celebrated Xmas and Thanksgiving with their mother last year much to the consternation of their father. This year their parents agreed to “workout” a new set of arrangements for celebrating holidays with their birth children. After their divorce both parents remarried. Karen’s and Andrew’s mother married Seth; and their paternal father married Elizabeth. Under a special arrangement during the summer when school is not in session Andrew and Karen lived every other weekend in their Father’s home. Their stepmother Elizabeth has four birth children and an adopted child whose name is Emily Michelle. Emily was born in Vietnam. Elizabeth’s birth children Charlie and Sam are high schoolers and David is seven years old. Kristy is 13 years old and she is very much loved by Karen. Kristy started a business called the “Baby Sitters Club.” Also living at her father’s house is Elizabeth’s mother who is called “Nannie” by the children. Nannie is the caretaker of the adopted Emily Michelle.
When Thanksgiving was the next major holiday, Karen’s teacher Ms. Colman asked her students to vote how the class would best celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. They could : 1) write a book for the library about the holiday, 2) or fix a Thanksgiving dinner, or 3) put on a Thanksgiving school play for their family, friends, and Stoneybrook Academy first, second, and third graders to view. On a very close vote, the students decided to compose and perform a Thanksgiving play. Karen was delighted with the choice. Ms. Colman also asked the class for ideas about what would be the play’s storylines. The most popular ideas were the ones recommended by classmate Natalie Springer. She proposed that Act #1 of the play features a family of two parents, three children, and two grandparents who are preparing their family’s Thanksgiving celebration. On the night before the Thanksgiving celebration the oldest daughter Samatha has a dream that she and her family are pilgrims who celebrate a Thanksgiving meal with Indians. Act 1 then portrays how the Pilgrims and Indians prepare food for a Thanksgiving dinner and dining celebration events. In Act 2 the dreamer Samatha awakes and spends Thanksgiving day preparing the food she dreamed about. The Act 2 actors dress in clothing that looks like the food being prepared. They strut across the stage mimicking food items like a wobbling turkey, rolling potatoes, hopping peas/corn, and dancing deserts.
Ms. Colman said the actors will be blindfolded and take a handwritten character name card from a card box. When it was Karen’s turn to withdraw a card she removed a card that had “turkey” written on it. After she withdrew the “Turkey” card she quickly decided in Act 2 she would cross the stage dressed as a turkey singing a song that she would compose. She then spent an evening composing a turkey character poem that would be used as lyrics in the song she would sing while strutting across the stage. Karen asked her teacher Ms. Colman if she would approve her Turkey song singing proposal. Her teacher asked her to recite for her classmates lyrics to the song that she wanted to sing. She then recited the lyrics to the class. They liked it very much. Ms. Colman also liked the poetic lyrics, and she agreed that “Thanksgiving Food” performers would write poetic lyrics for their food characters. Ms. Colman made arrangements for the school’s music teacher to compose the music background for the lyrics the students wrote and would sing. Karen was elated with Ms. Coleman decision and help.
Karen’s mother designs and sews Karen’s tailored turkey costume. Her mother and her father then decide that Karen and her brother Andrew would have Thanksgiving dinner at both of their homes on Thanksgiving day. Six days before Thanksgiving day Stoneybrook school rehearsals began. The dress rehearsals were in the school auditorium. All food character performers in Act 2 were also Indian performers in Act 1. Karen had three speaking lines in Act 1 and in Act 2 she performed her Turkey singing accompanied with piano backgrounds. When the school Thanksgiving play was performed Karen had a surprise for the audience. Her Turkey song was the last food performance song in Act 2. When she finished the Turkey song, she surprised everyone be singing singing three more verses which were not in the play script. Her three verse improvisation (ad libitum) was much to the annoyance of the piano player, but it was a delight for the audience. The applause for her performance was overwhelming!
After the play was over Ms. Colman asked Karen to speak with her privately. Ms. Colman then told Karen that her three new verses confused all the student performers, and also confused the piano player (Mrs. Noonon). Karen apologized for her “ad lib” behavior.
On Thanksgiving day Seth’s parents and Elizabeth’s parents join them for Thanksgiving dinner and holiday celebrations. After eating dinner, Karen and Andrew watched the Thanksgiving day parade, and saw Santa Claus arrive at the end of the parade. They then were driven by their mother to the evening dinner at the “big house” with their father and stepmother’s family. Karen ate too much, and after dinner she experienced a horrible stomach ache. When her mother arrived to take her home, she was very concerned about Karen’s tummy ache. Later her mother and father both agreed that in the coming years Thanksgiving dinners will be held over a two day period. In retrospect Karen said despite her stomach ache, Thanksgiving was a wonderful school, friendship, and family experience full of joy and amazing surprises! She loved very much being a creative “Singing Turkey.” (P)
Their parents are divorced and both live in Fairfield County. Andrew and Karen live with their mother in her “little house” on weekdays and on many weekends they live in their father’s “big house.” They celebrated Xmas and Thanksgiving with their mother last year much to the consternation of their father. This year their parents agreed to “workout” a new set of arrangements for celebrating holidays with their birth children. After their divorce both parents remarried. Karen’s and Andrew’s mother married Seth; and their paternal father married Elizabeth. Under a special arrangement during the summer when school is not in session Andrew and Karen lived every other weekend in their Father’s home. Their stepmother Elizabeth has four birth children and an adopted child whose name is Emily Michelle. Emily was born in Vietnam. Elizabeth’s birth children Charlie and Sam are high schoolers and David is seven years old. Kristy is 13 years old and she is very much loved by Karen. Kristy started a business called the “Baby Sitters Club.” Also living at her father’s house is Elizabeth’s mother who is called “Nannie” by the children. Nannie is the caretaker of the adopted Emily Michelle.
When Thanksgiving was the next major holiday, Karen’s teacher Ms. Colman asked her students to vote how the class would best celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. They could : 1) write a book for the library about the holiday, 2) or fix a Thanksgiving dinner, or 3) put on a Thanksgiving school play for their family, friends, and Stoneybrook Academy first, second, and third graders to view. On a very close vote, the students decided to compose and perform a Thanksgiving play. Karen was delighted with the choice. Ms. Colman also asked the class for ideas about what would be the play’s storylines. The most popular ideas were the ones recommended by classmate Natalie Springer. She proposed that Act #1 of the play features a family of two parents, three children, and two grandparents who are preparing their family’s Thanksgiving celebration. On the night before the Thanksgiving celebration the oldest daughter Samatha has a dream that she and her family are pilgrims who celebrate a Thanksgiving meal with Indians. Act 1 then portrays how the Pilgrims and Indians prepare food for a Thanksgiving dinner and dining celebration events. In Act 2 the dreamer Samatha awakes and spends Thanksgiving day preparing the food she dreamed about. The Act 2 actors dress in clothing that looks like the food being prepared. They strut across the stage mimicking food items like a wobbling turkey, rolling potatoes, hopping peas/corn, and dancing deserts.
Ms. Colman said the actors will be blindfolded and take a handwritten character name card from a card box. When it was Karen’s turn to withdraw a card she removed a card that had “turkey” written on it. After she withdrew the “Turkey” card she quickly decided in Act 2 she would cross the stage dressed as a turkey singing a song that she would compose. She then spent an evening composing a turkey character poem that would be used as lyrics in the song she would sing while strutting across the stage. Karen asked her teacher Ms. Colman if she would approve her Turkey song singing proposal. Her teacher asked her to recite for her classmates lyrics to the song that she wanted to sing. She then recited the lyrics to the class. They liked it very much. Ms. Colman also liked the poetic lyrics, and she agreed that “Thanksgiving Food” performers would write poetic lyrics for their food characters. Ms. Colman made arrangements for the school’s music teacher to compose the music background for the lyrics the students wrote and would sing. Karen was elated with Ms. Coleman decision and help.
Karen’s mother designs and sews Karen’s tailored turkey costume. Her mother and her father then decide that Karen and her brother Andrew would have Thanksgiving dinner at both of their homes on Thanksgiving day. Six days before Thanksgiving day Stoneybrook school rehearsals began. The dress rehearsals were in the school auditorium. All food character performers in Act 2 were also Indian performers in Act 1. Karen had three speaking lines in Act 1 and in Act 2 she performed her Turkey singing accompanied with piano backgrounds. When the school Thanksgiving play was performed Karen had a surprise for the audience. Her Turkey song was the last food performance song in Act 2. When she finished the Turkey song, she surprised everyone be singing singing three more verses which were not in the play script. Her three verse improvisation (ad libitum) was much to the annoyance of the piano player, but it was a delight for the audience. The applause for her performance was overwhelming!
After the play was over Ms. Colman asked Karen to speak with her privately. Ms. Colman then told Karen that her three new verses confused all the student performers, and also confused the piano player (Mrs. Noonon). Karen apologized for her “ad lib” behavior.
On Thanksgiving day Seth’s parents and Elizabeth’s parents join them for Thanksgiving dinner and holiday celebrations. After eating dinner, Karen and Andrew watched the Thanksgiving day parade, and saw Santa Claus arrive at the end of the parade. They then were driven by their mother to the evening dinner at the “big house” with their father and stepmother’s family. Karen ate too much, and after dinner she experienced a horrible stomach ache. When her mother arrived to take her home, she was very concerned about Karen’s tummy ache. Later her mother and father both agreed that in the coming years Thanksgiving dinners will be held over a two day period. In retrospect Karen said despite her stomach ache, Thanksgiving was a wonderful school, friendship, and family experience full of joy and amazing surprises! She loved very much being a creative “Singing Turkey.” (P)
March 16, 2010
In this book Karen is the turky in the play.
This was accually I think one of the more boring books in the series, and I really really hated that girl who was coming up with all the ideas or whatever that was. Younger girls would probably love this book, but not ever really being a big fan I don't.
This was accually I think one of the more boring books in the series, and I really really hated that girl who was coming up with all the ideas or whatever that was. Younger girls would probably love this book, but not ever really being a big fan I don't.
October 15, 2009
I really like this book because it's about Thanksgiving. Hannie is Samantha's mother, Nancy is going to be a baked potato and an Indian, and Karen is going to be the turkey and an Indian. Karen makes a song for all the kids who are vegetables. And Karen has a thanksgiving surprise.
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July 29, 2020When you were too old for childrens books, but too young for The Baby Sitters Club.
Ann M. Martin really is a genius to piggy back on the success of The Baby Sitters Club.
After reading the little sisters series I remember feeling like a real adult opening up that first BSC book.
Ann M. Martin really is a genius to piggy back on the success of The Baby Sitters Club.
After reading the little sisters series I remember feeling like a real adult opening up that first BSC book.
April 9, 2017
A turkey
January 11, 2024
Poor Karen. The "surprise" she pulled on the play () was super bratty and annoying, and ugh that she got away with it.
But the deal with Watson and her mom fighting over who got to have Karen and Andrew for Thanksgiving was really sad and realistic for divorced kids. Their compromise was to give Karen and Andrew two Thanksgiving meals on the same day (both called "dinners" even though the little house one was more like lunch, which confused me how on earth the timing could work). No surprise, it ended up with These are little kids, and their parents should've been more mature about the whole thing. I'm glad Karen's mom admitted that the grown-ups were being selfish, and apologized.
I do wonder...why on earth didn't the grown-ups just time the meals better? If little house meal was fully lunch from like 1130-130, and then big house meal was fully dinner from like 6-8 or 7-9 then Karen and Andrew would've had more time to digest their food.
Or if emily Michelle's bedtime was an issue, they could've switched so the little house meal came second? I dunno. I think it's putting both meals so close together (first one at like, what, 1 pm? And big house one at like 4 pm?) that led to the problem.
But the deal with Watson and her mom fighting over who got to have Karen and Andrew for Thanksgiving was really sad and realistic for divorced kids. Their compromise was to give Karen and Andrew two Thanksgiving meals on the same day (both called "dinners" even though the little house one was more like lunch, which confused me how on earth the timing could work). No surprise, it ended up with These are little kids, and their parents should've been more mature about the whole thing. I'm glad Karen's mom admitted that the grown-ups were being selfish, and apologized.
I do wonder...why on earth didn't the grown-ups just time the meals better? If little house meal was fully lunch from like 1130-130, and then big house meal was fully dinner from like 6-8 or 7-9 then Karen and Andrew would've had more time to digest their food.
Or if emily Michelle's bedtime was an issue, they could've switched so the little house meal came second? I dunno. I think it's putting both meals so close together (first one at like, what, 1 pm? And big house one at like 4 pm?) that led to the problem.
April 23, 2024
She literally ruined the school play because she couldn’t handle not being the star. She made her friends believe everyone was equally important, but in the end proved she only cared about herself. And there weren’t even any ramifications! She still got exactly what she wanted! Good lord, this kid needs actual consequences. I get she’s only in second grade. I get that she skipped a grade, and she’s younger than the rest of the class. My issue isn’t her acting bratty and entitled - which honestly is developmentally appropriate. My issue is everyone shrugs it off and she rarely learns to be better.
However, it does gain a star for the difficult of being the product of divorce. We don’t always get happy endings and we often struggle with families. It’s hard figuring out the best way to split time between everyone in your family. I liked that this book played out how hard it is, especially on young children.
However, it does gain a star for the difficult of being the product of divorce. We don’t always get happy endings and we often struggle with families. It’s hard figuring out the best way to split time between everyone in your family. I liked that this book played out how hard it is, especially on young children.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2024
Having two turkey dinners in one day is my idea of heaven, but I have no idea why the adults couldn't have cooperated a little. I understand Lisa and Seth wanting to have their dinner on Thursday, since his parents were flying in to visit (though they were staying until Sunday, so they could have had turkey dinner any time that weekend) but WHY did Watson and Elizabeth insist on having their dinner the same day? Unless that's an American thing, you NEED to eat turkey on the Thursday. But anyway, the parents suck, and for anyone who says that Karen is a spoiled, selfish brat, I only need to point to the parents that she learned it from.
But I would still kill for two turkey dinners in one day.
But I would still kill for two turkey dinners in one day.
November 11, 2022
These books are going downhill for me. This one is about Karen having 2 Thanksgivings. She's really excited but then it doesn't work out well, she eats too much and gets sick. Her class also puts on a thanksgiving play and she takes over and does her own thing. Karen can be a lot but in this one shes just bratty and I didnt love it.
June 20, 2024
Karen’s parents once again act completely selfishly and Karen and Andrew suffer.
Big surprise.
Big surprise.
November 11, 2024
Why can't the blended families have Thanksgiving together?!
Had to have a talk with my kid after reading that we don't call people stupid, even if they're mean to us.
Had to have a talk with my kid after reading that we don't call people stupid, even if they're mean to us.
October 15, 2023
Karen is kind of spoiled in this book, but I enjoyed it anyways. I think it's brilliant that she wrote a song/poem for her second grade class play, though adding extra verses for herself in the end was the surprise, and was pretty narcissistic of her. She was embarrassed about being the turkey and trying to feel better about herself, but upset her classmates and teacher by confusing them onstage when taking over.
I enjoyed reading about the different food Karen had at both her mother's house and father's house on Thanksgiving. I remember one year I drew a mandala with the food with those descriptions as inspiration. Here is the list:
Little House:
Turkey
Wild rice
Butternut squash
Cranberry relish
Black and green olives
Baked apples
Pumpkin pie
Hot apple cider
Big house:
Turkey
Turkey stuffing
Salad
Rice
Peas
Onions
Sweet potatoes
Pecan pie
Apple pie with ice cream
I enjoyed reading about the different food Karen had at both her mother's house and father's house on Thanksgiving. I remember one year I drew a mandala with the food with those descriptions as inspiration. Here is the list:
Little House:
Turkey
Wild rice
Butternut squash
Cranberry relish
Black and green olives
Baked apples
Pumpkin pie
Hot apple cider
Big house:
Turkey
Turkey stuffing
Salad
Rice
Peas
Onions
Sweet potatoes
Pecan pie
Apple pie with ice cream
April 10, 2025
When you were too old for childrens books, but too young for The Baby Sitters Club.
Ann M. Martin really is a genius to piggy back on the success of The Baby Sitters Club.
After reading the little sisters series I remember feeling like a real adult opening up that first BSC book.
Ann M. Martin really is a genius to piggy back on the success of The Baby Sitters Club.
After reading the little sisters series I remember feeling like a real adult opening up that first BSC book.
February 6, 2011
In which Karen is thoroughly embarrassed to be the turkey in her school's Thanksgiving play, and so plans a few surprise verses in the song she has to sing.
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April 12, 2012Really, the only thing that I remember about this book is the cover. XD It really is an eye-catching cover. The story however, I cannot remember.
September 12, 2016
One of my favorites. :)
April 15, 2013
I actually kind of wish I had Karen's brass ones here....
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December 24, 2013AR Quiz No. 9442 EN Fiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: MG - BL: 3.2 - AR Pts: 1.0
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: MG - BL: 3.2 - AR Pts: 1.0
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP
Want to Read
August 22, 2017I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13118558
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13118558
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