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The Baby-Sitters Club #63
Claudia's Friend
Claudia is convinced that no one understands how difficult it is for her to do well in school, that is, until she meets Shea Rodowsky, a young boy with a learning problem.
160 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1993
49 people are currently reading
771 people want to read
About the author
Ann M. Martin
1,101 books3,050 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 32 reviews
June 28, 2016
this is my first time reading this book!
in another Nola Thacker-ghostwritten book, claudia finds out that she will fail english if she doesn't do really well on an upcoming test.
stacey tutors claudia but really just makes her feel dumb. meanwhile, shea rodowsky is diagnosed with dyslexia. he and claudia bond and end up helping each other learn way better than all the other tutors and bsc members combined. in a silly sideplot, notes addressed to the bsc that say things like "YOU ARE NICE" keep appearing on claudia's door during meetings. everyone in the bsc thinks they are coming from their respective crushes, but it turns out it's archie and jackie rodowsky, who just want to show the bsc they're appreciated.
notes (not really highlights or lowlights/nitpicks):
-shea's dyslexia feels like a vessel to explain what dyslexia is to the reader. classic bsc. this is the dyslexia 101 book, like the autism 101 book (aka Kristy and the Secret of Susan)
-the reason the bsc members think they're getting love notes from their crushes is there's an upcoming dance at the community center. also, they are all self-centered idiots.
-why do the rodowskys get the bsc members to tutor shea? why not only hire professional tutors?
-stacey makes claudia write in a journal and then corrects it. claudia has a separate secret journal in which she exclusively writes about how much she thinks stacey is being a jerk. she accidentally lets stacey take home the secret one to grade, which is how stacey finds out claudia is upset/how their fight gets resolved.
-david michael wants to have a ghost hunt, but stacey (who is babysitting for him and emily) won't let him. then he hides and wants to scare stacey, but while he's hiding the power goes out and he ends up scaring himself.
-the rodowskys' secret admirer-type notes end with a note about meeting at cafe rosebud. the bsc think at this point that the notes are another prank from cokie and co, so they decide to dress as terribly as possible. but then of course the rodowsky boys and other bsc charges (along with mr. braddock) are there, and they are embarrassed.
claudia outfits:
-the ugly one: "I hunted around in my closet and found a big old lime green shirt with a bleached spot (it had gotten mixed in a load of white clothes that were being bleached) near the bottom on the front. I put that on...I found a pair of socks. Kelly green socks. Then I dug a pair of aqua sneakers out of the back of my closet."
-"I changed into something more suitable--a giant blue-and-white striped shirt and socks with blue spots, over blue bike shorts that matched the stripes and spots. I pulled on red high tops, and hung a dangly red earring made of a string of hearts in one ear and another earring that was a dangly row of silver arrows. I pulled my hair back with a red ribbon."
nannie outfit:
-"Nannie was wearing a pink silk dress with a wide twisted silver and pink sash, sparkly silvery earrings, and these really cool flat pale silver slippers."
stacey outfit:
-"She'd changed, too, into black jeans and black Doc Marten's, and a big golden yellow shirt with round black buttons."
jackie disasters:
-winds himself up too tight while swinging his bat and topples over
snacks in claudia's room:
-sour cream and onion chips behind her dresser
-diet soda (n.s.)
-trail-mix (n.s.)
-chocolate twigs (n.s.)
-coconut macadamia nut cookies (n.s.)
-sourdough pretzels (n.s.)
-licorice whips in her bottom desk drawer
-m&ms behind the second shelf of books on her bookcase
-dark chocolate snickers bar (n.s.)
in another Nola Thacker-ghostwritten book, claudia finds out that she will fail english if she doesn't do really well on an upcoming test.
stacey tutors claudia but really just makes her feel dumb. meanwhile, shea rodowsky is diagnosed with dyslexia. he and claudia bond and end up helping each other learn way better than all the other tutors and bsc members combined. in a silly sideplot, notes addressed to the bsc that say things like "YOU ARE NICE" keep appearing on claudia's door during meetings. everyone in the bsc thinks they are coming from their respective crushes, but it turns out it's archie and jackie rodowsky, who just want to show the bsc they're appreciated.
notes (not really highlights or lowlights/nitpicks):
-shea's dyslexia feels like a vessel to explain what dyslexia is to the reader. classic bsc. this is the dyslexia 101 book, like the autism 101 book (aka Kristy and the Secret of Susan)
-the reason the bsc members think they're getting love notes from their crushes is there's an upcoming dance at the community center. also, they are all self-centered idiots.
-why do the rodowskys get the bsc members to tutor shea? why not only hire professional tutors?
-stacey makes claudia write in a journal and then corrects it. claudia has a separate secret journal in which she exclusively writes about how much she thinks stacey is being a jerk. she accidentally lets stacey take home the secret one to grade, which is how stacey finds out claudia is upset/how their fight gets resolved.
-david michael wants to have a ghost hunt, but stacey (who is babysitting for him and emily) won't let him. then he hides and wants to scare stacey, but while he's hiding the power goes out and he ends up scaring himself.
-the rodowskys' secret admirer-type notes end with a note about meeting at cafe rosebud. the bsc think at this point that the notes are another prank from cokie and co, so they decide to dress as terribly as possible. but then of course the rodowsky boys and other bsc charges (along with mr. braddock) are there, and they are embarrassed.
claudia outfits:
-the ugly one: "I hunted around in my closet and found a big old lime green shirt with a bleached spot (it had gotten mixed in a load of white clothes that were being bleached) near the bottom on the front. I put that on...I found a pair of socks. Kelly green socks. Then I dug a pair of aqua sneakers out of the back of my closet."
-"I changed into something more suitable--a giant blue-and-white striped shirt and socks with blue spots, over blue bike shorts that matched the stripes and spots. I pulled on red high tops, and hung a dangly red earring made of a string of hearts in one ear and another earring that was a dangly row of silver arrows. I pulled my hair back with a red ribbon."
nannie outfit:
-"Nannie was wearing a pink silk dress with a wide twisted silver and pink sash, sparkly silvery earrings, and these really cool flat pale silver slippers."
stacey outfit:
-"She'd changed, too, into black jeans and black Doc Marten's, and a big golden yellow shirt with round black buttons."
jackie disasters:
-winds himself up too tight while swinging his bat and topples over
snacks in claudia's room:
-sour cream and onion chips behind her dresser
-diet soda (n.s.)
-trail-mix (n.s.)
-chocolate twigs (n.s.)
-coconut macadamia nut cookies (n.s.)
-sourdough pretzels (n.s.)
-licorice whips in her bottom desk drawer
-m&ms behind the second shelf of books on her bookcase
-dark chocolate snickers bar (n.s.)
December 12, 2010
claudia's english teacher, mrs. hall, informs claudia that a big test is coming up, & claudia needs to do really well (not just pass) if she wants to pass english altogether. mrs. hall suggests that claudia take advantage of the tutoring available in the resource room, but claudia freaks. for some reason, she thinks using the resource room will cause everyone at school to think/know she's a dummy. that doesn't seem very charitable to the kids that currently use the resource room, but hey.
at the babysitters club meeting that afternoon, mrs. rodowsky calls to request a tutor for shea, the oldest of the rodowskys. he has been struggling in school for a long time, & was recently diagnosed with dyslexia. however, even with a diagnosis that explains the real issue behind his learning difficulties, shea thinks he is dumb, & he has become suspicious of all the help & encouragement offered by adults. mrs. rodowsky hopes that tutor closer to him in age will be more successful.
claudia immediately begs off tutoring duty & explains her own school situation to the other sitters. they suggest that she get a tutor too. claudia is sad...until stacey offers to be her tutor. claudia is pleased that her best friend is stepping up to make herself truly helpful, & agrees to stacey's offer. meanwhile, mary anne takes the first tutoring session with shea.
the first time stacey comes over to help claudia study for her english test, she suggests that they work in the kitchen. she covers up all the clocks so claudia won't be distracted by the passage of time, & she gets very school marm-ish, making claudia work with spelling flash cards & such forth. claudia is grumpy, but tries to remember that stacey is trying to be helpful & be a friend. the next time stacey comes by for a tutoring session, she gives claudia a gift: a marbled composition book. at first, claudia is grateful, because she thinks stacey has given her a new sketchbook. claudia often uses the marbled composition books as sketchbooks because she can use them to draw in class & it looks like she's taking notes. then stacey explains that the notebook is claudia's new journal. she says that keeping a journal will help claudia practice writing in full sentences & paragraphs, & that she should try to work her vocbulary words into her entries. stacey will then correct her entries for spelling & grammar.
claudia is NOT pleased. she thinks it's pretty damn presumptuous of stacey to think she's going to take a red pen to claudia's innermost thoughts. so she decides to write very impersonal entries in the "official" journal, for which she look up every single word & prevent stacey from finding any fault, & she'll keep a private journal in which she complains about stacey's dictatorial tutoring style. i think we all see the wacky mishap soon to occur.
meanwhile, mary anne didn't have much luck with shea. he is really struggling & he really seems to think he is dumb. he often becomes frustrated & gives up on his work. & jackie & archie act weird when mary anne is over. she turns around to find them staring into shea's bedroom at the tutoring session, giggling together. at first she wonders if they're laughing at shea for needing extra help, but she reminds herself that jackie may be clumsy, but he's not mean-spirited. then she wonders if maybe they are jealous of the attention shea is receiving.
after mary anne's first study session with shea, she goes to a babysitters club meeting, which is interrupted by janine delivering a note she found addressed to the babysitters club on the front door. it says, "you are nice." janine cracks me up by saying something to the effect of, "it appears you are receiving special recognition for your positive efforts. how gratifying." god, i love janine. none of the sitters have any clue who is sending the notes...but they all wonder if maybe it's a boy working up the courage to ask them to the upcoming spring dance at the community center. hey, geniuses? why is it addressed to the entire babysitters club, then?
claudia isn't taking many new sitting jobs because she needs to spend all her time preparing for her english test, but she did have a job with the rodowskys already lined up. the boys are practicing softball when she arrives, & claudia notices that shea is a really good player, & really patient at helping the younger boys out with their skills. later, she asks him about his schoolwork & he becomes very critical of himself. claudia is all, "you can do it, shea, you're a smart kid," but she can tell it's not helping him. she knows because that's the same thing her parents & teachers have been telling her for years, & it's never helped her. but she doesn't know what else to say.
at her next tutoring session with stacey, stacey asks to correct claudia's journal. claudia forks it over, feeling quite smug about its perfect spelling. so she's shocked when stacey starts marking it up with a red pen. turns out, claudia made quite a few grammatical errors (writing "it's" for the possessive form of "its," for example). claudia is outraged & asks how she's supposed to learn with all the confusing rules of the english language. stacey is also not especially impressed by all the work claudia did decorating her flash cards with cute drawings. claudia thinks stacey is acting like a stern alien teacher.
it all comes to a head during the babysitters club meeting, when the girls get another weird secret admirer note on the door. this one says, "you're the greatest." stacey immediately concludes that it's for her, from sam. claudia hulks out & accuses stacey of being conceited. stacey has some choice words about claudia's lack of effort in school. claudia ends up kicking stacey out of her room, & hence, out of the meeting. all the other sitters are like, "holy shit." but none of them want to get in the middle of it. after everyone cleaves, claudia lets fly in her secret journal, writing all about how much stacey sucks as a friend & tutor.
claudia has nother job at the rodowskys, but she's in a shitty mood because of her fight with stacey. shea says something about his homework, & rather than lathering him up with platitudes, claudia sighs & says, "i know what you mean." she goes on to explain that she really struggles in school too, & might even fail english if she doesn't do okay on an upcoming test. shea is really interested & curious in her problems, & asks her to help him work on his spelling. claudia's all like, "okay, but i'm going to have to see the words, because otherwise i will have no idea if you're spelling them right." while she is quizzing him, she notices that shea has developed a few little tricks for sounding out words & figuring out how they're spelled. she asks him about his technique & is bowled over by the elegant simplicity of his explanations. she then asks him to quiz her, & she tries out some of his tricks & finds they work for her too. shea crunches some numbers in his head & tells claudia how many questions she needs to get right to get a high enough grade to pass her class, & she is like, "whoa, how did you do that in your head?" it turns out that shea is really good at math, & lots of other things too. it's just reading & writing that are hard for him, because of his dyslexia. together, they make a good tutoring team, each helping the other.
back home, claudia wants to tell stacey about her awesome session with shea...but they're not talking. claudia is sad.
after the next babysitters club meeting, stacey asks for claudia's journal because she needs to correct it again. claudia is distracted & stacey accidentally takes the secret journal. we all saw this one coming. when claudia realizes the mistake later that evening, she is like, "oh shit. so much for having a best friend." she seems to have a pretty easy time compartmentalizing the problem, & gets to work on her flash cards instead.
when the test rolls around, claudia works really, really hard...& scores a B-, which is enough to pass the class. she is overjoyed...but she still has to sort things out with stacey. meanwhile, the babysitters got another note, asking them to meet their admirers at the rosebud cafe on saturday morning. they become convinced that the admirers are cokie & grace trying to pull some mean trick of them (since sending fake admirer notes does seem to be cokie's stock in trade), so kristy suggests they all dress really badly & come armed with practical joke supplies. the whole "dressing badly" thing is a transparent plot device. i don't see how cokie & grace would be impacted in any negative way by the babysitters looking ugly. when the girls show up, they discover that their admirers are some of their charges--the rodowsky boys, the arnold twins, the braddocks--wanting to treat them to ice cream to thank them for being awesome sitters. the babysitters quickly de-uglify themselves (with limited success in cases like mallory) & enjoy their ice cream.
that afternoon, stacey calls claudia & asks if they can talk. claudia heads to stacey's house, & they both wind up apologizing: claudia for writing mean things about stacey, & stacey for turning into a bossy britches over the tutoring. they patch things up, & later, claudia receives a hand-written note for shea, thanking her for study help & being a friend.
the tagline on the cover is, "claudia & shea can't spell...but they can still be friends!" like spelling is some kind of pre-requisite for being friends in some parts of the world? weird.
at the babysitters club meeting that afternoon, mrs. rodowsky calls to request a tutor for shea, the oldest of the rodowskys. he has been struggling in school for a long time, & was recently diagnosed with dyslexia. however, even with a diagnosis that explains the real issue behind his learning difficulties, shea thinks he is dumb, & he has become suspicious of all the help & encouragement offered by adults. mrs. rodowsky hopes that tutor closer to him in age will be more successful.
claudia immediately begs off tutoring duty & explains her own school situation to the other sitters. they suggest that she get a tutor too. claudia is sad...until stacey offers to be her tutor. claudia is pleased that her best friend is stepping up to make herself truly helpful, & agrees to stacey's offer. meanwhile, mary anne takes the first tutoring session with shea.
the first time stacey comes over to help claudia study for her english test, she suggests that they work in the kitchen. she covers up all the clocks so claudia won't be distracted by the passage of time, & she gets very school marm-ish, making claudia work with spelling flash cards & such forth. claudia is grumpy, but tries to remember that stacey is trying to be helpful & be a friend. the next time stacey comes by for a tutoring session, she gives claudia a gift: a marbled composition book. at first, claudia is grateful, because she thinks stacey has given her a new sketchbook. claudia often uses the marbled composition books as sketchbooks because she can use them to draw in class & it looks like she's taking notes. then stacey explains that the notebook is claudia's new journal. she says that keeping a journal will help claudia practice writing in full sentences & paragraphs, & that she should try to work her vocbulary words into her entries. stacey will then correct her entries for spelling & grammar.
claudia is NOT pleased. she thinks it's pretty damn presumptuous of stacey to think she's going to take a red pen to claudia's innermost thoughts. so she decides to write very impersonal entries in the "official" journal, for which she look up every single word & prevent stacey from finding any fault, & she'll keep a private journal in which she complains about stacey's dictatorial tutoring style. i think we all see the wacky mishap soon to occur.
meanwhile, mary anne didn't have much luck with shea. he is really struggling & he really seems to think he is dumb. he often becomes frustrated & gives up on his work. & jackie & archie act weird when mary anne is over. she turns around to find them staring into shea's bedroom at the tutoring session, giggling together. at first she wonders if they're laughing at shea for needing extra help, but she reminds herself that jackie may be clumsy, but he's not mean-spirited. then she wonders if maybe they are jealous of the attention shea is receiving.
after mary anne's first study session with shea, she goes to a babysitters club meeting, which is interrupted by janine delivering a note she found addressed to the babysitters club on the front door. it says, "you are nice." janine cracks me up by saying something to the effect of, "it appears you are receiving special recognition for your positive efforts. how gratifying." god, i love janine. none of the sitters have any clue who is sending the notes...but they all wonder if maybe it's a boy working up the courage to ask them to the upcoming spring dance at the community center. hey, geniuses? why is it addressed to the entire babysitters club, then?
claudia isn't taking many new sitting jobs because she needs to spend all her time preparing for her english test, but she did have a job with the rodowskys already lined up. the boys are practicing softball when she arrives, & claudia notices that shea is a really good player, & really patient at helping the younger boys out with their skills. later, she asks him about his schoolwork & he becomes very critical of himself. claudia is all, "you can do it, shea, you're a smart kid," but she can tell it's not helping him. she knows because that's the same thing her parents & teachers have been telling her for years, & it's never helped her. but she doesn't know what else to say.
at her next tutoring session with stacey, stacey asks to correct claudia's journal. claudia forks it over, feeling quite smug about its perfect spelling. so she's shocked when stacey starts marking it up with a red pen. turns out, claudia made quite a few grammatical errors (writing "it's" for the possessive form of "its," for example). claudia is outraged & asks how she's supposed to learn with all the confusing rules of the english language. stacey is also not especially impressed by all the work claudia did decorating her flash cards with cute drawings. claudia thinks stacey is acting like a stern alien teacher.
it all comes to a head during the babysitters club meeting, when the girls get another weird secret admirer note on the door. this one says, "you're the greatest." stacey immediately concludes that it's for her, from sam. claudia hulks out & accuses stacey of being conceited. stacey has some choice words about claudia's lack of effort in school. claudia ends up kicking stacey out of her room, & hence, out of the meeting. all the other sitters are like, "holy shit." but none of them want to get in the middle of it. after everyone cleaves, claudia lets fly in her secret journal, writing all about how much stacey sucks as a friend & tutor.
claudia has nother job at the rodowskys, but she's in a shitty mood because of her fight with stacey. shea says something about his homework, & rather than lathering him up with platitudes, claudia sighs & says, "i know what you mean." she goes on to explain that she really struggles in school too, & might even fail english if she doesn't do okay on an upcoming test. shea is really interested & curious in her problems, & asks her to help him work on his spelling. claudia's all like, "okay, but i'm going to have to see the words, because otherwise i will have no idea if you're spelling them right." while she is quizzing him, she notices that shea has developed a few little tricks for sounding out words & figuring out how they're spelled. she asks him about his technique & is bowled over by the elegant simplicity of his explanations. she then asks him to quiz her, & she tries out some of his tricks & finds they work for her too. shea crunches some numbers in his head & tells claudia how many questions she needs to get right to get a high enough grade to pass her class, & she is like, "whoa, how did you do that in your head?" it turns out that shea is really good at math, & lots of other things too. it's just reading & writing that are hard for him, because of his dyslexia. together, they make a good tutoring team, each helping the other.
back home, claudia wants to tell stacey about her awesome session with shea...but they're not talking. claudia is sad.
after the next babysitters club meeting, stacey asks for claudia's journal because she needs to correct it again. claudia is distracted & stacey accidentally takes the secret journal. we all saw this one coming. when claudia realizes the mistake later that evening, she is like, "oh shit. so much for having a best friend." she seems to have a pretty easy time compartmentalizing the problem, & gets to work on her flash cards instead.
when the test rolls around, claudia works really, really hard...& scores a B-, which is enough to pass the class. she is overjoyed...but she still has to sort things out with stacey. meanwhile, the babysitters got another note, asking them to meet their admirers at the rosebud cafe on saturday morning. they become convinced that the admirers are cokie & grace trying to pull some mean trick of them (since sending fake admirer notes does seem to be cokie's stock in trade), so kristy suggests they all dress really badly & come armed with practical joke supplies. the whole "dressing badly" thing is a transparent plot device. i don't see how cokie & grace would be impacted in any negative way by the babysitters looking ugly. when the girls show up, they discover that their admirers are some of their charges--the rodowsky boys, the arnold twins, the braddocks--wanting to treat them to ice cream to thank them for being awesome sitters. the babysitters quickly de-uglify themselves (with limited success in cases like mallory) & enjoy their ice cream.
that afternoon, stacey calls claudia & asks if they can talk. claudia heads to stacey's house, & they both wind up apologizing: claudia for writing mean things about stacey, & stacey for turning into a bossy britches over the tutoring. they patch things up, & later, claudia receives a hand-written note for shea, thanking her for study help & being a friend.
the tagline on the cover is, "claudia & shea can't spell...but they can still be friends!" like spelling is some kind of pre-requisite for being friends in some parts of the world? weird.
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March 2, 2025Claudia’s Friend
Claudia’s teacher (Mrs.Hall) tells her after class, that if she doesn’t ace the upcoming English test she’ll fail the class. She suggests time in “the resource room” but Claudia quickly tells her that’s not necessary and she’ll study. As they walk to their after school jobs, they talk about the Spring Dance coming up at the community center. So far no one’s been asked yet or have asked anyone.
At the meeting, they discuss Shea recently taking a reading test and finding out he’s dyslexic. Claudia is horrified and says “the resource room”. What is in this “resource room”? Is it like an old-fashioned torture chamber in the basement? Maybe “resource” secretly means “torture” and kids are sent to be provided “resources to make them do better.” The others point out this isn’t so bad. At least it was found out. But Shea (like Claudia) is resistant and his mother wants one of them to tutor him. It’s between Maryanne and Claudia. Claudia lets Maryanne have it. Maryanne asks is she sure and Claudia tells them about what her teacher said. Kristy says she needs to get some help. Dawn suggests “the resource room” and Claudia says no. So, they offer to tutor her.
Her parents agree after saying they’ll check with her teacher to see what subjects it’ll cover and they’ll continue to check her work. Claudia’s first session is with Stacey and she’s strict. Claudia’s made some space on her bed, but says they can work at her desk. But Stacey takes her to the table in the kitchen and turns the clock around. She explains there are too many distractions in her room. Time goes by slowly without a clock to work. When they’re finished with Claudia’s homework, Stacey pulls out flash cards and makes Claudia write down the vocabulary words. Claudia is a little snide. So, Stacey reminds her of the time her grades slipped and she almost had to quit the club. Claudia apologizes.
After Stacey leaves, Claudia decorates the cards with color. Mrs. Rodowsky explains to Maryanne what dyslexia means. Shea is above average in intelligence but he calls himself a dummy. Then they hear a crash. Mrs. Rodowsky goes to check on Jackie. Maryanne goes upstairs to find Shea in his room. Shea doesn’t seem to know (care) what his homework is so Maryanne tells him to decide which he wants to work on.
Shea says his teacher also told him to make a list of the assignments and books he’ll need. He has an English assignment to write a letter to someone he admires. Shea says Jackie Robinson. His teacher didn’t say they had to be alive. The letter is good but it’s filled with spelling errors. Shea gets frustrated and throws down his pencil and calls himself dumb. Maryanne says no he just learns things differently. She says they’ll make the letter perfect and they work on it bit by bit. Maryanne feels like she’s being watched and she turns around and there are Jackie and Archie. She tells them they’re trying to work but they won’t go away. They just stand there grinning. She has to firmly tell them goodbye. Maryanne wonders if it’s jealousy or confusion. Even tho Maryanne tells Shea he did good, he still looks discouraged when she leaves for the meeting.
At the meeting, they discuss Shea’s disability. Jessi says they should give him lots of praise and encouragement, but it has to be sincere. Claudia stays out of it. There was a time when she was thought to have had dyslexia. Stacey reminds Claudia to set up another session and Claudia tells her she’s pretty booked next week, but Stacey says she wants to be Claudia’s only tutor. The rest are ok with this. Janine then gives them a letter that’s anonymous and it says You are very nice.
Kristy says not Barts style. Maryanne thinks it’s Logan. Mallory thinks its Ben. Claudia wants it to be from Austin. They then all think about when Cookie sent the anonymous notes and wonder if she’s done it again. They agree it’s not Cokie and Dance’s style. They think maybe it’s related to the dance. Claudia sits for the Rodowsky’s and they practice softball. Shea is very encouraging to his brothers. They invite Claudia to play. After a while, they stop and Jackie and Archie run upstairs to work on a project.
Claudia finds out Shea likes art. It’s his favorite subject. So, much so he doesn’t consider it a subject. He spills some paint and calls himself a dummy. Claudia reminds him of what he told Jackie. Just concentrate and you can do it. He then gives up on the art. Claudia offers to help him with his homework. They start with science. He’s suppose to list 10 things that will help the environment and why. Claudia suggests put a timer on your hot water tank. He writes it but the P is backwards. Claudia corrects him. Then she helps him with the rest of it. Even tho he wants to quit. Then Claudia sees Jackie and Archie standing in the door. She continues on help him (and correct him) but he gets frustrated and throws his pencil and tells Claudia he doesn’t want to do it anymore. By then Mrs. Rodowsky’s come back. She thanks Claudia but she wants to say she thinks she made things worse.
Claudia tells them what happened on her job. Kristy says they just started they need to give it a chance. There’s another letter. It says You Are The Best! Kristy is suspicious even tho it’s nice. Because it’s arrived at the same time they wonder if someone’s been watching the house. But no one saw anything. They wonder if it’s Janine. Claudia says the words would be bigger and it’s not her style. Stacey stays over for dinner and then to tutor Claudia. Since they can’t use the kitchen (Janine’s cleaning it up) Janine offers her room. Stacey and Claudia work through the cards. Stacey only says the cards are nice. We worked on sentence construction. We worked on changing words to nouns, adverbs, and verbs. We worked on about a thousand vocabulary words and I made some new flash cards.
Claudia wants to decorate them but Stacey wants her to focus. She gives Claudia a black and white marbled notebook and tells her she wants her to keep a journal. Claudia decides to keep a secret diary along with the one Stacey wants her to keep. For the secret one she writes about not liking being bossed around and treated like a child by Stacey. In the other one she writes about her sitting job (and looks everything up to make sure all the words are correct). Kristy has a Krusher’s practice, but she also has to sit Skylar. Kristy starts to think about the notes and how that’s how Bart first started telling her he liked her. So, the sender must be Bart.
She goes over to his place and she tells him he’s the best. He doesn’t take the hint. He asks her to play and she tells him he’s nice. He notices that she’s dressed up and he asks if she’s going someplace special. He says it looks good but can she play in those clothes. After the game is over, Kristy is no closer to knowing if it was Bart. The test is a week away. Claudia fears she’ll still fail. So, she decides to write in her journals. She writes some bs in the official one about what they had at lunch (gray meatloaf and lime jello and how Cokie’s dress matched the jello but the color looked better on the jello. Then she writes in the secret one and vents more about Stacey.
Stacey comes by before the meeting and looks over Claudia’s journal. Claudia is so surprised when Stacey starts marking her journal and pointing out her mistakes. She looked up everything in the dictionary. There’s another note. Dawn gets it this time since Janine’s not there. This one says You’re the Greatest. Stacey thinks its from Sam. Claudia snaps at her that she’s not the only one that can get a letter. Stacey explodes back at her and says excuse her for trying to help her and be her friend. Claudia says she’s excused and asks her to go. So, Stacey storms out and the rest look shocked. The others leave when the meeting is over quietly. Then Claudia writes in her secret diary.
Claudia sits for the Rodowsky’s again. Shea says he has to go start his homework. It’ll probably take him 10 hours. Claudia tells him she has the same problem. Shea tells her she’s in eight grade he’s in the fourth. Claudia tells him about her problem and how she’s about to be sent to the resource room. People are always telling her how smart she is but when it comes to school work, she doesn’t feel like it. She even has a tutor. Shea can relate. Then they compare how much they don’t like their tutors. Shea asks Claudia to help him with his spelling. She says only if she can see the words otherwise, she won’t be able to spell them. Claudia is surprised that 1) the words are hard 2) she knows a lot of them 3) Shea is good (even tho he works slowly).
Then Claudia asks Shea to help her with her spelling. She picks Seventeen magazine. (Even tho Shea wants to use a spor ts one). Shea is a huge help! Claudia can’t wait to tell Stacey but then when she thinks about it she’s not ready to make peace. Stacey sits for Emily and David Micheal. David Micheal says he wants to play haunted house. They turn off all the lights and go from room to room looking for ghost.
Stacey says it’s not a good idea. More so because she’s scared. So, David Micheal wants to read scary stories. So, they read “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”. She finds a funny one. David Micheal likes it and wants another. Stacey says one is enough and then he excuses himself. After a while of playing with Emily “gimme five” David Micheal hasn’t come back. They go to look for him and see lights flicker. Stacey tells him to stop and then she hears him. Stacey knows he’s trying to get her to play haunted house. Then she sees all the lights are out outside. She goes to find a flashlight to look for him. They find David Micheal in the basement in a corner. Stacey starts to scream. David Micheal starts to scream. Emily starts to cry. The lights come on. David Micheal has on a white sheet. He says he just wanted to scare them a little. Then when the lights went out he thought it was Ben Brewer. He’s good for the rest of the night.
Stacey calls Maryanne and tells her how David Micheal was out ghosted by the power company. Maryanne tells her Logan asked her to the dance and Bart asked Kristy. Neither said anything about the notes. Mallory calls Stacey and tells her she’s going to the dance with Ben. Jessi is going with Curtis. She’s going with Sam. None of the guys have said anything. Stacey thinks maybe the secret admirer is a ghost.
Claudia is invited back to tutor Shea. Claudia helps Shea with math. He helps her with her vocabulary words. Before the meeting, someone rings the doorbell. There’s a note that asks to meet the baby-sitters at the Rosebud Café. Perfume is on the letter. So, they say it’s just Cokie and Grace again. Kristy says she’ll think of something. Stacey stays back and says she has to correct her journal and says she’ll take it home. Claudia tells her its in the drawer. Maryanne interrupts Claudia to give her back a magazine and Stacey says she can’t find it. Then she says she sees it.
Before going to the Café, Claudia dress as tackily as she can. Claudia goes to write in her diary but she only sees the official one. That means Stacey has the other one.
All the other girls are just as badly dressed but when they get there it’s not Cokie and Grace, it’s some of their sitting charges. This is what Jackie and Archie were working on. So they have to de-fashionize themselves and get rid of the gag items they all brought. They’ve even drawn portraits of each of the girls. The kids are the Rodowsky’s, the Arnold twins, Haliley and Matt.
Claudia and Stacey apologize to each other and make up. Claudia tells Stacey she wants her to keep helping her. Stacey hops right on and suggests they study then. Claudia gets a B-. On the spelling part she gets a 97. Austin asks Claudia to the dance. Pete Black asks Dawn. Shannon goes with a boy from her school. Carolyn and Marilyn dance with two of the Pike triplets. Jenny wears lavender. Jaime asks his mother to dance. Claudia asks Shea to dance. Shea and Claudia both admit school isn’t so bad now. They agree they’re not so dumb. Claudia tells him she passed her test. Shea tells her he did better on his report card.
My Thoughts:
At first, I thought Claudia was a little pushy with Shea. When she sat for him, she was suppose to SIT for him. She wasn’t hired to be his tutor. That she didn’t recognize that what she was doing to him, was the same thing that that was being done to her right off the bat was kinda unbelievable. But in the end, it was a nice moment when they actually helped each other with their learning disabilities. So it worked in reverse. She eventually *could* help him more so than anyone because she could actually relate to what he was going through. I also liked that the book gave them art in common.
I do wonder how many times they’ll repeat the mystery notes plot. It was cute what the kids did for the baby-sitters but how many different ways and times can you come up with to do this? I don’t know why also when I read this I had a feeling of dejavu like this had been covered before with another kid. Maybe all the *special issue* books are just blurring together.
Rating: 5
Claudia’s teacher (Mrs.Hall) tells her after class, that if she doesn’t ace the upcoming English test she’ll fail the class. She suggests time in “the resource room” but Claudia quickly tells her that’s not necessary and she’ll study. As they walk to their after school jobs, they talk about the Spring Dance coming up at the community center. So far no one’s been asked yet or have asked anyone.
At the meeting, they discuss Shea recently taking a reading test and finding out he’s dyslexic. Claudia is horrified and says “the resource room”. What is in this “resource room”? Is it like an old-fashioned torture chamber in the basement? Maybe “resource” secretly means “torture” and kids are sent to be provided “resources to make them do better.” The others point out this isn’t so bad. At least it was found out. But Shea (like Claudia) is resistant and his mother wants one of them to tutor him. It’s between Maryanne and Claudia. Claudia lets Maryanne have it. Maryanne asks is she sure and Claudia tells them about what her teacher said. Kristy says she needs to get some help. Dawn suggests “the resource room” and Claudia says no. So, they offer to tutor her.
Her parents agree after saying they’ll check with her teacher to see what subjects it’ll cover and they’ll continue to check her work. Claudia’s first session is with Stacey and she’s strict. Claudia’s made some space on her bed, but says they can work at her desk. But Stacey takes her to the table in the kitchen and turns the clock around. She explains there are too many distractions in her room. Time goes by slowly without a clock to work. When they’re finished with Claudia’s homework, Stacey pulls out flash cards and makes Claudia write down the vocabulary words. Claudia is a little snide. So, Stacey reminds her of the time her grades slipped and she almost had to quit the club. Claudia apologizes.
After Stacey leaves, Claudia decorates the cards with color. Mrs. Rodowsky explains to Maryanne what dyslexia means. Shea is above average in intelligence but he calls himself a dummy. Then they hear a crash. Mrs. Rodowsky goes to check on Jackie. Maryanne goes upstairs to find Shea in his room. Shea doesn’t seem to know (care) what his homework is so Maryanne tells him to decide which he wants to work on.
Shea says his teacher also told him to make a list of the assignments and books he’ll need. He has an English assignment to write a letter to someone he admires. Shea says Jackie Robinson. His teacher didn’t say they had to be alive. The letter is good but it’s filled with spelling errors. Shea gets frustrated and throws down his pencil and calls himself dumb. Maryanne says no he just learns things differently. She says they’ll make the letter perfect and they work on it bit by bit. Maryanne feels like she’s being watched and she turns around and there are Jackie and Archie. She tells them they’re trying to work but they won’t go away. They just stand there grinning. She has to firmly tell them goodbye. Maryanne wonders if it’s jealousy or confusion. Even tho Maryanne tells Shea he did good, he still looks discouraged when she leaves for the meeting.
At the meeting, they discuss Shea’s disability. Jessi says they should give him lots of praise and encouragement, but it has to be sincere. Claudia stays out of it. There was a time when she was thought to have had dyslexia. Stacey reminds Claudia to set up another session and Claudia tells her she’s pretty booked next week, but Stacey says she wants to be Claudia’s only tutor. The rest are ok with this. Janine then gives them a letter that’s anonymous and it says You are very nice.
Kristy says not Barts style. Maryanne thinks it’s Logan. Mallory thinks its Ben. Claudia wants it to be from Austin. They then all think about when Cookie sent the anonymous notes and wonder if she’s done it again. They agree it’s not Cokie and Dance’s style. They think maybe it’s related to the dance. Claudia sits for the Rodowsky’s and they practice softball. Shea is very encouraging to his brothers. They invite Claudia to play. After a while, they stop and Jackie and Archie run upstairs to work on a project.
Claudia finds out Shea likes art. It’s his favorite subject. So, much so he doesn’t consider it a subject. He spills some paint and calls himself a dummy. Claudia reminds him of what he told Jackie. Just concentrate and you can do it. He then gives up on the art. Claudia offers to help him with his homework. They start with science. He’s suppose to list 10 things that will help the environment and why. Claudia suggests put a timer on your hot water tank. He writes it but the P is backwards. Claudia corrects him. Then she helps him with the rest of it. Even tho he wants to quit. Then Claudia sees Jackie and Archie standing in the door. She continues on help him (and correct him) but he gets frustrated and throws his pencil and tells Claudia he doesn’t want to do it anymore. By then Mrs. Rodowsky’s come back. She thanks Claudia but she wants to say she thinks she made things worse.
Claudia tells them what happened on her job. Kristy says they just started they need to give it a chance. There’s another letter. It says You Are The Best! Kristy is suspicious even tho it’s nice. Because it’s arrived at the same time they wonder if someone’s been watching the house. But no one saw anything. They wonder if it’s Janine. Claudia says the words would be bigger and it’s not her style. Stacey stays over for dinner and then to tutor Claudia. Since they can’t use the kitchen (Janine’s cleaning it up) Janine offers her room. Stacey and Claudia work through the cards. Stacey only says the cards are nice. We worked on sentence construction. We worked on changing words to nouns, adverbs, and verbs. We worked on about a thousand vocabulary words and I made some new flash cards.
Claudia wants to decorate them but Stacey wants her to focus. She gives Claudia a black and white marbled notebook and tells her she wants her to keep a journal. Claudia decides to keep a secret diary along with the one Stacey wants her to keep. For the secret one she writes about not liking being bossed around and treated like a child by Stacey. In the other one she writes about her sitting job (and looks everything up to make sure all the words are correct). Kristy has a Krusher’s practice, but she also has to sit Skylar. Kristy starts to think about the notes and how that’s how Bart first started telling her he liked her. So, the sender must be Bart.
She goes over to his place and she tells him he’s the best. He doesn’t take the hint. He asks her to play and she tells him he’s nice. He notices that she’s dressed up and he asks if she’s going someplace special. He says it looks good but can she play in those clothes. After the game is over, Kristy is no closer to knowing if it was Bart. The test is a week away. Claudia fears she’ll still fail. So, she decides to write in her journals. She writes some bs in the official one about what they had at lunch (gray meatloaf and lime jello and how Cokie’s dress matched the jello but the color looked better on the jello. Then she writes in the secret one and vents more about Stacey.
Stacey comes by before the meeting and looks over Claudia’s journal. Claudia is so surprised when Stacey starts marking her journal and pointing out her mistakes. She looked up everything in the dictionary. There’s another note. Dawn gets it this time since Janine’s not there. This one says You’re the Greatest. Stacey thinks its from Sam. Claudia snaps at her that she’s not the only one that can get a letter. Stacey explodes back at her and says excuse her for trying to help her and be her friend. Claudia says she’s excused and asks her to go. So, Stacey storms out and the rest look shocked. The others leave when the meeting is over quietly. Then Claudia writes in her secret diary.
Claudia sits for the Rodowsky’s again. Shea says he has to go start his homework. It’ll probably take him 10 hours. Claudia tells him she has the same problem. Shea tells her she’s in eight grade he’s in the fourth. Claudia tells him about her problem and how she’s about to be sent to the resource room. People are always telling her how smart she is but when it comes to school work, she doesn’t feel like it. She even has a tutor. Shea can relate. Then they compare how much they don’t like their tutors. Shea asks Claudia to help him with his spelling. She says only if she can see the words otherwise, she won’t be able to spell them. Claudia is surprised that 1) the words are hard 2) she knows a lot of them 3) Shea is good (even tho he works slowly).
Then Claudia asks Shea to help her with her spelling. She picks Seventeen magazine. (Even tho Shea wants to use a spor ts one). Shea is a huge help! Claudia can’t wait to tell Stacey but then when she thinks about it she’s not ready to make peace. Stacey sits for Emily and David Micheal. David Micheal says he wants to play haunted house. They turn off all the lights and go from room to room looking for ghost.
Stacey says it’s not a good idea. More so because she’s scared. So, David Micheal wants to read scary stories. So, they read “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”. She finds a funny one. David Micheal likes it and wants another. Stacey says one is enough and then he excuses himself. After a while of playing with Emily “gimme five” David Micheal hasn’t come back. They go to look for him and see lights flicker. Stacey tells him to stop and then she hears him. Stacey knows he’s trying to get her to play haunted house. Then she sees all the lights are out outside. She goes to find a flashlight to look for him. They find David Micheal in the basement in a corner. Stacey starts to scream. David Micheal starts to scream. Emily starts to cry. The lights come on. David Micheal has on a white sheet. He says he just wanted to scare them a little. Then when the lights went out he thought it was Ben Brewer. He’s good for the rest of the night.
Stacey calls Maryanne and tells her how David Micheal was out ghosted by the power company. Maryanne tells her Logan asked her to the dance and Bart asked Kristy. Neither said anything about the notes. Mallory calls Stacey and tells her she’s going to the dance with Ben. Jessi is going with Curtis. She’s going with Sam. None of the guys have said anything. Stacey thinks maybe the secret admirer is a ghost.
Claudia is invited back to tutor Shea. Claudia helps Shea with math. He helps her with her vocabulary words. Before the meeting, someone rings the doorbell. There’s a note that asks to meet the baby-sitters at the Rosebud Café. Perfume is on the letter. So, they say it’s just Cokie and Grace again. Kristy says she’ll think of something. Stacey stays back and says she has to correct her journal and says she’ll take it home. Claudia tells her its in the drawer. Maryanne interrupts Claudia to give her back a magazine and Stacey says she can’t find it. Then she says she sees it.
Before going to the Café, Claudia dress as tackily as she can. Claudia goes to write in her diary but she only sees the official one. That means Stacey has the other one.
All the other girls are just as badly dressed but when they get there it’s not Cokie and Grace, it’s some of their sitting charges. This is what Jackie and Archie were working on. So they have to de-fashionize themselves and get rid of the gag items they all brought. They’ve even drawn portraits of each of the girls. The kids are the Rodowsky’s, the Arnold twins, Haliley and Matt.
Claudia and Stacey apologize to each other and make up. Claudia tells Stacey she wants her to keep helping her. Stacey hops right on and suggests they study then. Claudia gets a B-. On the spelling part she gets a 97. Austin asks Claudia to the dance. Pete Black asks Dawn. Shannon goes with a boy from her school. Carolyn and Marilyn dance with two of the Pike triplets. Jenny wears lavender. Jaime asks his mother to dance. Claudia asks Shea to dance. Shea and Claudia both admit school isn’t so bad now. They agree they’re not so dumb. Claudia tells him she passed her test. Shea tells her he did better on his report card.
My Thoughts:
At first, I thought Claudia was a little pushy with Shea. When she sat for him, she was suppose to SIT for him. She wasn’t hired to be his tutor. That she didn’t recognize that what she was doing to him, was the same thing that that was being done to her right off the bat was kinda unbelievable. But in the end, it was a nice moment when they actually helped each other with their learning disabilities. So it worked in reverse. She eventually *could* help him more so than anyone because she could actually relate to what he was going through. I also liked that the book gave them art in common.
I do wonder how many times they’ll repeat the mystery notes plot. It was cute what the kids did for the baby-sitters but how many different ways and times can you come up with to do this? I don’t know why also when I read this I had a feeling of dejavu like this had been covered before with another kid. Maybe all the *special issue* books are just blurring together.
Rating: 5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2023
This is the last book I really remember reading in the original series. It also told me the last super special I read which was eight when they go to Shadow Lake as it was mentioned here. So anyway I this book Shae Rodowsky is told he has dyslexia and needs tutoring. In a parallel story Claudia is told if her spelling doesn't improve she is going to fail English and also needs tutoring. Instead of using her genius sister Stacey becomes her tutor. Claudia and Shae form a bond because they both have trouble in school. Shae learns he is excellent at math though. Claudia is mad at Stacey who makes her write in a journal that she corrects for her. They have a huge fight which is eventually resolved when Stacey accidentally takes home Claudia's real journal that she kept to complain about her making her write in the official journal. Claudia does improve and gets a 97 for her spelling on the test so you go girl!
The b plot has someone leaving notes on the Kishi's front door during meetings saying you're nice. Instead of sending someone downstairs to spy during the meeting they just guess who it could be and think it's a boy who has a crush on them even though it's addressed to all of them. They are invited to the Rosebud Cafe for a treat and start to think it's Cokie Mason. So they dress all ugly and mess up their hair only to learn that it's their baby sitting clients who wanted to thank them for what they do for them. So they quickly clean up and enjoy their special treat. It's kind of cute actually.
Anyway this wasn't bad but starting now (I think) it's time to move on to new books that I've never read before so that's exciting at least.
The b plot has someone leaving notes on the Kishi's front door during meetings saying you're nice. Instead of sending someone downstairs to spy during the meeting they just guess who it could be and think it's a boy who has a crush on them even though it's addressed to all of them. They are invited to the Rosebud Cafe for a treat and start to think it's Cokie Mason. So they dress all ugly and mess up their hair only to learn that it's their baby sitting clients who wanted to thank them for what they do for them. So they quickly clean up and enjoy their special treat. It's kind of cute actually.
Anyway this wasn't bad but starting now (I think) it's time to move on to new books that I've never read before so that's exciting at least.
May 13, 2023
Love this one. Shea, a 9 year old the BSC babysits, is diagnosed with dyslexia and is struggling with school, so BSC members tutor him. Claudia's in danger of flunking English, so Stacey tutors her. But the 'official' tutors aren't quite the right match for either of them, and both Shea and Claudia just end up frustrated and feeling dumb with the tutoring sessions. Then Claudia casually helps Shea with a bit of his homework, and he gives her some tips on spelling, and they both realize that they actually enjoy learning from each other.
I love how this shows two kids who are super smart but also struggling in school, and how they end up helping each other and actually being effective at it because they can understand how the other feels.
I love how this shows two kids who are super smart but also struggling in school, and how they end up helping each other and actually being effective at it because they can understand how the other feels.
April 29, 2009
Least favourite, omg. I've always been a good speller, so I just had no liking or respect for Claudia. I mean, I was 7 or so when I started reading and she was meant to be 12 and 13 and she couldn't even spell something like 'what'. Shea had an actual problem, but Claudia was just dumb.
/elitist snob.
/elitist snob.
March 18, 2025
The cover makes me laugh - “they can’t spell but they can be friends!” - as if being able to spell is a prerequisite for friendship.
I also had to laugh at the ending. So, you think it’s a trap and you’re going to show them all by… dressing like a slob? What?!
I also had to laugh at the ending. So, you think it’s a trap and you’re going to show them all by… dressing like a slob? What?!
October 26, 2020
This review was originally posted on Once Upon a Chapter
This was an interesting read. The BSC is faced with something completely new: a home life that isn't perfect. Granted Kristy's home life included an absentee father but Lou was a whole different ball game.
Lou was a grieving child who'd been separated from her only family. She was angry and it showed. I liked that the BSC had their horizons widened. I'm also really glad things worked out for Lou!
Claudia really shone in Claudia's Friend! One of the regular BSC charges has dyslexia and is felling rather lost as everyone tries to make it better. I loved how Claudia found a way to connect with Shea to help him see that his learning disorder doesn't define him. I also liked that she taught him the ways that she overcame her own learning issues.
I almost feel bad for this book! I made the mistake of reading some Facebook posts that pointed out just how unlikely some of these situations were. Granted I knew that but it wasn't something I actively thought about....until 11 year old Jessi was hoping in and out of taxis by herself in New York City. Once I couldn't get into it the book was ruined for me. I actually really enjoyed the story I just couldn't settle into it like I usually do.
Ya know I always thought the Spier/Schaffer union went a little too smoothly! This is when things really hit the fan. I really could understand Dawn's position. What I couldn't understand was her need to be so vicious even after she knew Jeff was purposely being a brat. In the end things worked out but I have a feeling this is going to cause a division.
This was an interesting read. The BSC is faced with something completely new: a home life that isn't perfect. Granted Kristy's home life included an absentee father but Lou was a whole different ball game.
Lou was a grieving child who'd been separated from her only family. She was angry and it showed. I liked that the BSC had their horizons widened. I'm also really glad things worked out for Lou!
Claudia really shone in Claudia's Friend! One of the regular BSC charges has dyslexia and is felling rather lost as everyone tries to make it better. I loved how Claudia found a way to connect with Shea to help him see that his learning disorder doesn't define him. I also liked that she taught him the ways that she overcame her own learning issues.
I almost feel bad for this book! I made the mistake of reading some Facebook posts that pointed out just how unlikely some of these situations were. Granted I knew that but it wasn't something I actively thought about....until 11 year old Jessi was hoping in and out of taxis by herself in New York City. Once I couldn't get into it the book was ruined for me. I actually really enjoyed the story I just couldn't settle into it like I usually do.
Ya know I always thought the Spier/Schaffer union went a little too smoothly! This is when things really hit the fan. I really could understand Dawn's position. What I couldn't understand was her need to be so vicious even after she knew Jeff was purposely being a brat. In the end things worked out but I have a feeling this is going to cause a division.
December 16, 2020
(LL)
I had to rate this book again after pondering this is over night, which I don’t usually do, however, this is an important topic.
This book had a confusing and problematic approach towards learning disabilities, which is why I had a feeling this book would be bad. Claudia had all the classic signs of dyslexia, yet they refuse to say she has a learning disability. In fact, they say she was tested as a child and they found no signs of a learning disability, which based on all the facts from the books so far would say otherwise. Claudia wasn’t able to spell the word “shoe” correctly at 13 years of age...and she spelled it wrong with two different spellings: the first was “shu” and the second was “sho.”
They also made the resource center out to be this terrible place where “dumb” kids go for help. They call it the “challenged room” at the end, and yes this was written in the 1990’s, and that it’s still never an okay message to present to impressionable children reading the series. Especially if some of the readers suffer from a learning disability like dyslexia. Very disappointed in this.
They could have said Claudia had all these issues so they could slowly lead up to this book and have it make more sense and finally justify why both Claudia had such a hard time spelling and why the authors spent so much of Claudia’s personality on her terrible English skills.
As an aside: the way Claudia was able to worn with Shea is the only reason I didn’t give the book one star.
I had to rate this book again after pondering this is over night, which I don’t usually do, however, this is an important topic.
This book had a confusing and problematic approach towards learning disabilities, which is why I had a feeling this book would be bad. Claudia had all the classic signs of dyslexia, yet they refuse to say she has a learning disability. In fact, they say she was tested as a child and they found no signs of a learning disability, which based on all the facts from the books so far would say otherwise. Claudia wasn’t able to spell the word “shoe” correctly at 13 years of age...and she spelled it wrong with two different spellings: the first was “shu” and the second was “sho.”
They also made the resource center out to be this terrible place where “dumb” kids go for help. They call it the “challenged room” at the end, and yes this was written in the 1990’s, and that it’s still never an okay message to present to impressionable children reading the series. Especially if some of the readers suffer from a learning disability like dyslexia. Very disappointed in this.
They could have said Claudia had all these issues so they could slowly lead up to this book and have it make more sense and finally justify why both Claudia had such a hard time spelling and why the authors spent so much of Claudia’s personality on her terrible English skills.
As an aside: the way Claudia was able to worn with Shea is the only reason I didn’t give the book one star.
December 22, 2021
This book was sweet and fine. I have a running list in my phone of all the Stoneybrook kids who annoy me, and the Rodowsky children aren't on it, so I didn't mind the heavy babysitting focus.
I just want to call attention to this passage, at the very end of the book: "Across the [Stoneybrook Community Center Spring Dance], I caught a glimpse of Mary Anne, sitting next to Mrs. Newton. Mary Anne was holding Lucy, Jamie Newton's baby sisters, in her arms…"
WTF?! Why does Mary Anne ALWAYS find a way to care for children at any social event???? Mary Anne is the Jana Duggar of Stoneybrook. It’s hard to say which came first: her finding babies to sit at any social occasion or people just giving her their babies at social occasions.
I just want to call attention to this passage, at the very end of the book: "Across the [Stoneybrook Community Center Spring Dance], I caught a glimpse of Mary Anne, sitting next to Mrs. Newton. Mary Anne was holding Lucy, Jamie Newton's baby sisters, in her arms…"
WTF?! Why does Mary Anne ALWAYS find a way to care for children at any social event???? Mary Anne is the Jana Duggar of Stoneybrook. It’s hard to say which came first: her finding babies to sit at any social occasion or people just giving her their babies at social occasions.
December 12, 2025
Not my fave, but cute enough that it would feel wrong to rate it under three stars. I loved the friendship that developed between Claudia and Shea, and the subplot with the “secret admirer” notes was really sweet. Stacey’s treatment of Claudia while tutoring her felt wildly out of character, but was entertaining enough.
Also there’s a part toward the end where Claudia wonders how she and Stacey will dress their babies. She’s almost definitely referring to her and Stacey having babies individually, but I’d argue there’s a reading of that sentence where Claudia’s imagining a future where her and Stacey get married and have kids together. Love that for them.
Also there’s a part toward the end where Claudia wonders how she and Stacey will dress their babies. She’s almost definitely referring to her and Stacey having babies individually, but I’d argue there’s a reading of that sentence where Claudia’s imagining a future where her and Stacey get married and have kids together. Love that for them.
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July 29, 2020As a kid my best friends sister had the whole BSC series on a book shelf in her room. I thought she was so grown up. And I envied this bookshelf. And would often poke my head into that room just to look at it.
And when I read BSC, I felt like such a grown up.
And while I might have still been a little too young to understand some of the issues dealt with in these books, I do appreciated that Ann M. Martin tackled age appropriate issues, some being deeper than others, but still important.
March 7, 2024
4 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed this. Claudia is on the verge of failing English class and Stacey tutors her and it causes a riff in their friendship as Stacey is really firm and strict. I also liked that Claudia could relate to the character Shea whom has dyslexia and ends up asking Claudia to tutor him. I thought all of that was handled really well and it was a great boost of confidence for Claudia. There was also a fun side plot of the BSC receiving anonymous letters. This was a great read.
December 9, 2020
This was an after-school special book on how kids with dyslexia are not dumb and it's okay to use the resource room at school if you need it. Honestly, this book wasn't terrible (unlike Kristy & The Secret of Susan, which is mentioned in this one). We start out with Claudia in English class and she's zoning out of course. Her teacher keeps her after class and tells her that if she doesn't pass the next test (not just pass, but ace it), she'll fail the grading period. She suggests Claudia use the resource room (because it worked before) and Claud freaks and says "No!" but that she will study more for sure. I don't remember Claudia ever having to use the resource room in any of the other books.
That afternoon, at the BSC meeting, Mrs Rodowsky calls and wants one of the girls to tutor Shea, who was just diagnosed with dyslexia (okay really, why do they have to make that word so hard to spell?? It's just mean!) and she thinks having someone closer to his age might help. Mary Anne gets the job. Claudia announces her personal dilemma and Stacey offers to tutor her. Claudia thinks this is a great idea (spoiler: it's not) and when she asks her parents that night after dinner, they agree to give it a shot. Stacey comes over the next afternoon and immediately turns into Ms Strict McGill, Tutor Extraordinaire. They study in the kitchen, she covers all the clocks and any other distractions, and makes Claud write out flash cards for her spelling & vocabulary words. Later, she gives Claudia a journal and tells her to write in it each day and Stacey will correct her spelling and grammar. Blegh. I don't blame Claudia for being annoyed and starting a secret journal to kvetch about Stacey. (It was soooo hard to write this below with the spelling mistakes lol.)
"Anastasia Mcgill is a pill. I am glad shes helping me studey. I know I need all the help I can get, espesially sinse I don't want to fail english. But I don't like being bossed around like I am some two year child. But the morre Stacey treats me like child, the moore I want to act like a child. That's not as bad as how Stacey is acting, tho. She should see herself. Hah."
And underneath that I drew a caricature of Stacey as a pointed-nosed schoolteacher holding a ruler.
I'm sure you can guess that Stacey ends up with the wrong journal at some point. But first they have an argument about how Stacey is just trying to help, etc...and the BFF's don't speak for a couple of days. Stacey asks for her journal to mark and Claudia tells her it's in the drawer, forgetting she put both there until several days later when she goes to write in the secret journal. Towards the end of the book, they meet up and both apologize at the same time because they were both wrong blah blah and we finally get a What Claudia & Stacey Are Wearing!
I changed into something more suitable -- a giant blue-and-white striped shirt and socks with blue spots, over blue bike shorts that matched the stripes and spots. I pulled on red high tops, and hung a dangly red earring made of a string of hearts in one ear and another earring that was a dangly row of silver arrows. [I want these earrings!] I pulled my hair back with a red ribbon, and headed for Stacey's.
She'd changed, too, into black jeans and black Doc Marten's, and a big golden yellow shirt with round black buttons. She looked super. But stern.
In baby-sitting news, Shea's tutoring isn't going well, he thinks he's dumb when he's really not, and just getting frustrated. Claudia actually has some sessions with him and they end up helping each other out. Claudia didn't know how to spell "peach" or know the "i before e" rule. In the 8th grade. She probably should be using the resource room regularly. Stacey baby-sits Emily Michelle & David Michael, who wants to play haunted house and accidentally scares himself in the basement when the power goes out. Nannie has a hot date and wears this sassy number: a pink silk dress with a wide twisted silver and pink sash, sparkly silvery earrings, and these really cool flat pale silver slippers.
Finally, the girls have been getting secret notes for awhile at Claudia's house, during club hours, that say things like "You are very nice" and "You are the best". There's a dance coming up (yes, another one) and each girl seems to think the note is meant for them, from the boy of their choice. Kristy even dresses up, in a denim skirt and tights, to go see Bart and try to figure out if it's from him. (It's not) They get one last note asking them all to meet at the Rosebud Cafe for a special surprise. The note smells like perfume which leads them to believe it's actually a prank from their nemeses Cokie & Grace. So they decide to dress up in their worst clothes, because?? That will show them?? I don't really know the reasoning behind this. See blog for fashion victims. Turns out it wasn't Cokie & Grace, but the Rodowsky kids plus Arnold twins and Braddock kids, wanting to thank the BSCers for being so awesome.
Wrapping up this unnecessarily long review: Claudia passes her English test, gets a 97 on the spelling part; the Spring Dance is at the Community Center so has all ages there; Shea & Claudia dance together; the end.
Blogged at SeeJennRead
That afternoon, at the BSC meeting, Mrs Rodowsky calls and wants one of the girls to tutor Shea, who was just diagnosed with dyslexia (okay really, why do they have to make that word so hard to spell?? It's just mean!) and she thinks having someone closer to his age might help. Mary Anne gets the job. Claudia announces her personal dilemma and Stacey offers to tutor her. Claudia thinks this is a great idea (spoiler: it's not) and when she asks her parents that night after dinner, they agree to give it a shot. Stacey comes over the next afternoon and immediately turns into Ms Strict McGill, Tutor Extraordinaire. They study in the kitchen, she covers all the clocks and any other distractions, and makes Claud write out flash cards for her spelling & vocabulary words. Later, she gives Claudia a journal and tells her to write in it each day and Stacey will correct her spelling and grammar. Blegh. I don't blame Claudia for being annoyed and starting a secret journal to kvetch about Stacey. (It was soooo hard to write this below with the spelling mistakes lol.)
"Anastasia Mcgill is a pill. I am glad shes helping me studey. I know I need all the help I can get, espesially sinse I don't want to fail english. But I don't like being bossed around like I am some two year child. But the morre Stacey treats me like child, the moore I want to act like a child. That's not as bad as how Stacey is acting, tho. She should see herself. Hah."
And underneath that I drew a caricature of Stacey as a pointed-nosed schoolteacher holding a ruler.
I'm sure you can guess that Stacey ends up with the wrong journal at some point. But first they have an argument about how Stacey is just trying to help, etc...and the BFF's don't speak for a couple of days. Stacey asks for her journal to mark and Claudia tells her it's in the drawer, forgetting she put both there until several days later when she goes to write in the secret journal. Towards the end of the book, they meet up and both apologize at the same time because they were both wrong blah blah and we finally get a What Claudia & Stacey Are Wearing!
I changed into something more suitable -- a giant blue-and-white striped shirt and socks with blue spots, over blue bike shorts that matched the stripes and spots. I pulled on red high tops, and hung a dangly red earring made of a string of hearts in one ear and another earring that was a dangly row of silver arrows. [I want these earrings!] I pulled my hair back with a red ribbon, and headed for Stacey's.
She'd changed, too, into black jeans and black Doc Marten's, and a big golden yellow shirt with round black buttons. She looked super. But stern.
In baby-sitting news, Shea's tutoring isn't going well, he thinks he's dumb when he's really not, and just getting frustrated. Claudia actually has some sessions with him and they end up helping each other out. Claudia didn't know how to spell "peach" or know the "i before e" rule. In the 8th grade. She probably should be using the resource room regularly. Stacey baby-sits Emily Michelle & David Michael, who wants to play haunted house and accidentally scares himself in the basement when the power goes out. Nannie has a hot date and wears this sassy number: a pink silk dress with a wide twisted silver and pink sash, sparkly silvery earrings, and these really cool flat pale silver slippers.
Finally, the girls have been getting secret notes for awhile at Claudia's house, during club hours, that say things like "You are very nice" and "You are the best". There's a dance coming up (yes, another one) and each girl seems to think the note is meant for them, from the boy of their choice. Kristy even dresses up, in a denim skirt and tights, to go see Bart and try to figure out if it's from him. (It's not) They get one last note asking them all to meet at the Rosebud Cafe for a special surprise. The note smells like perfume which leads them to believe it's actually a prank from their nemeses Cokie & Grace. So they decide to dress up in their worst clothes, because?? That will show them?? I don't really know the reasoning behind this. See blog for fashion victims. Turns out it wasn't Cokie & Grace, but the Rodowsky kids plus Arnold twins and Braddock kids, wanting to thank the BSCers for being so awesome.
Wrapping up this unnecessarily long review: Claudia passes her English test, gets a 97 on the spelling part; the Spring Dance is at the Community Center so has all ages there; Shea & Claudia dance together; the end.
Blogged at SeeJennRead
August 20, 2021
I feel like this plotline was fairly recycled (although developing a friendship with Shea was pretty cute, and the side story with the secret notes was adorable). I did really enjoy the chapter about Stacey's babysitting job for Kristy's family although was it just me or was that very odd and unrelated to the rest of the book?
March 5, 2023
When I was 10 I joined a readers club/group where we got a new book every week. I chose The babysitters club.
The books are fantastic! So enjoyable. I loved getting the book every week. They are super quick reads and I was able to read it in one day.
Highly recommend for young teenagers to read or even younger if they are able too read well.
The books are fantastic! So enjoyable. I loved getting the book every week. They are super quick reads and I was able to read it in one day.
Highly recommend for young teenagers to read or even younger if they are able too read well.
July 20, 2020
It's nice to read a book about the Rodowskys that isn't entirely about Jackie. And I always like books where Claudia gets some educational confidence. All in all, this was better than I remember it being!
September 1, 2017
Not an exceptionally great Claudia book, but it could have been worse. Maybe it couldn't have been anymore boring, but definitely not any worse!
October 10, 2019
Review on www.Audible.com please listen to this book.
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September 8, 2020Read my recap at A Year with the BSC via Stoneybrook Forever: https://www.livethemovies.com/bsc-blo...
March 14, 2022
Actual rating: 3.7 stars
March 28, 2024
It was OK.
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September 8, 2023
The dyslexia stuff is really good. And Claudia definitely seems to have adhd, although some of the depiction is really good and some of it seems to fall shorter of the mark. But the things that everyone says to her... I remember all that from my own childhood. I wish they'd done more to address how wrong that stuff is. And also not paired off all the little kids into heteronormative romantic couples at the end!
September 30, 2025
Claudia books are some of my favorite. This one was really good- it showed her vulnerability as a student and human, as well as her excellence as a baby-sitter and role model.
March 21, 2011
As a tween I DEVOURED the BSC books. I can still remember the first one I read was #8 - Stacey in Sea City. Man did I love those books. You could see a little bit of yourself in almost all of the babysitters. I was artistic, close to my Grandmother, and couldn't spell like Claudia, I was shy and cried easily like Mary Anne, I wore glasses like Mallory. The only one I never really liked was Kristy. I always found her annoying. And really, who likes bossy people?
In the last few years, I've been trying to reread (essentially relive my childhood) each of the BSC books. I have a checklist and everything. Some, I'd never read before and this was actually one of them - at least I think. Once I read through it, parts felt familiar, which makes me suspect that I may have read it over (omg!) 20 years ago.
I liked it fine I guess.
Oh, and it didn't actually take me three days to read this. (I picked it up on the 19th and read the first chapter and then finished it last night - unfortunately not until after midnight)
In the last few years, I've been trying to reread (essentially relive my childhood) each of the BSC books. I have a checklist and everything. Some, I'd never read before and this was actually one of them - at least I think. Once I read through it, parts felt familiar, which makes me suspect that I may have read it over (omg!) 20 years ago.
I liked it fine I guess.
Oh, and it didn't actually take me three days to read this. (I picked it up on the 19th and read the first chapter and then finished it last night - unfortunately not until after midnight)
May 1, 2013
Fantastic books for young girls getting into reading!! Great stories about friendship and life lessons. The characters deal with all sorts of situations and often find responsible solutions to problems.
I loved this series growing up and wanted to start my own babysitting business with friends. Great lessons in entrepreneurship for tweens.
The books may be dated with out references to modern technology but the story stands and lessons are still relevant.
Awesome books that girls will love! And the series grows with them! Terrific Author!
I loved this series growing up and wanted to start my own babysitting business with friends. Great lessons in entrepreneurship for tweens.
The books may be dated with out references to modern technology but the story stands and lessons are still relevant.
Awesome books that girls will love! And the series grows with them! Terrific Author!
December 17, 2015
My favorite part of this book was Stacey being really rude about Claudia's atrocious spelling and grammar, hahahahahaha (this book was supposed to leave me with sympathy for people with learning disabilities and instead it made me envy Stacey getting to correct all of Claudia's mistakes with a red pen) (I'm such a Stacey).
May 20, 2021
Claudia is struggling in school, so badly that she might not pass her class. Nobody understands, except for Shea Rodowsky, who's also struggling because of dyslexia. Together the two work hard, study, and make great improvements.
July 7, 2007
Gah! For a couple of best friends, Stacey and Claudia really don't treat each other well. Why don't they just - I don't know - TALK to each other?
December 9, 2009
This time, it's Claudia's Very Special Episode about dyslexia - too bad Claudia doesn't really have a learning disability. Her spelling errors defy the logic of something like dyslexia.
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