The New Kate

Sleepover Friends #26

by Susan Saunders

Her weekend away with the video club seems to have turned Kate into a completely different person, when she returns in a ripped sweatshirt, torn jeans, and dark shades, and a new, unpleasant attitude

Genres: Young Adult

89 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was amusing. Proving they are not as cultish as the BSC when Kate goes to a video club conference which is weird for elementary school, the rest of the girls take their sleepover to Bitsy's house. Bitsy has a hot tub, gym equipment, and a lot of animals. Mostly dogs, cats, kittens, puppies and a few birds. The kittens and puppies need homes, actually just the puppies. There's also new snacks like a seven layer German chocolate cake, and salsa with whatever real taco chips are. Not nachos? Anyway Bitsy somehow joins their birthday party service which is missing the magician from a previous book. They are asked to do a party for the principal's family which freaks them out a bit. Kate returns home and is now wearing ripped clothes and acting weird. She even films things differently and its all very confusing. Could it be related to her crush on a boy in the video club? Who knows? This one was okay not my favourite but amusing. I like having outsiders join their group from time to time. The ending with the grouchy Mr. Winkler was cute as well. Don't remember this one at all but I do remember the cover with Kate in her new get up. Onto the next one when the girls are on vacation yet again.

[kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I pretty much loved this series as a kid because they talk about food so much. Would love to try Lauren's onion soup olives bacon bits and sour cream dip (??) or kate's FAMOUS marshmallow fudge. There's also a lot of recurring fake actors (kevin despain and marcy monroe on 'made for each other!!" or references to fake bands (HOT TAMALES) and you really hear a lot about the MALL so tbh I'm interested in rereading some more because this really triggered a flood of nostalgia.

[Tiffany Spencer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The New Kate
Plot: Kates is excited about an upcoming photography trip. While the Sleep Over Friend's plan for a party for the VP's niece. To impress her they have to come up with a great theme. And in the meantime, they make a new potential addition to the group. We clearly see Kate isn't happy with this new turn of events. So when she leaves things are chilly. The Sleep Over Friends feel bad, but they're distracted by the newness of having a new place with new things for their sleepover with their new friend. But then they start feeling guilty about Kate's absence in their plans because the new girl has contributed to their new theme for the party. Then they find out the guy Kate likes might be a liar. He's supposed to be on the trip but they see him at the mall. Then when Kate returns she's done a 180 and now she's dressing just like him and has all these new, weird, ideas that could potentially run the VP's niece's party.

MY THOUGHTS: I can kind of sympathize with Kate because she's not even gone good and they've practically already initiated this new girl into the crew. I guess I'm a little sensitive about that because I had it happen to me. Even though the new person might be totally cool and you could possibly end up the best of friends. But then I get why after YEARS of just being over each other's houses how the change of something new would be appealing. Although gym equipment and a house full of animals would NOT do it for me. She does have a jacuzzi in her basement so that might be a little fun for fifth graders. Then there was the big deal they made over the guy that Kate didn't even seem that into. What difference did it make if he did or didn't go on the trip or that he was into another girl at the school? Kate was NOT his girlfriend. Kate wasn't even seeing him. And it could be argued that she even had a crush on him at all. So a lot of nothing was made about that. Then whenever someone in these kinds of books switches up their look the slightest bit the other girls act like it's the world's biggest crime. Oh, contact the asylum she's weird for having twist in her hair and rips in her jeans (rolls eyes). Yeah, this one wasn't all that great.

RATING:5

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a first time read for me, and not really a favourite, though I can't quite put my finger on why I found it kind of boring. I really enjoyed seeing the girls' friendship with Bitsy - I've mentioned before that I like how these books follow a little bit of continuity. I guess I just didn't care for "the new Kate," and it was pretty obvious why she was acting the way she did. (Maybe I also think that the Sleepover Friends party service is a little bit of a bore?)

Despite this, I enjoy any Sleepover Friends book. After all, Sleepover Friends forever!

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unusual for me, I didn't read every book in the series in order... or even every book. I think I got them from my library.