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The Baby-Sitters Club #12
Claudia et la nouvelle venue: Quatre gardiennes fondent leur club
Claudia has always been the most outrageous girl in her class...until Ashley Wyeth comes along. Ashey's really different - she dresses in hippie clothes, wears six earrings, and is the most fantastic artist Claudia has ever met.Ashey says Claudia has artistic talent, too. She thinks Claudia should spend more time on her "calling" and forget about the Baby-sitter's It's just a waste of time.The Baby-sitters are sick of Ashley Wyeth, and they think Claudia's a traitor. Claudia's got to either the Baby-sitter's Club or the new girl - one of them's got to go.
Paperback
First published April 1, 1988
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About the author
Ann M. Martin
1,102 books3,046 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 165 reviews
October 29, 2018
Claudia meets a new girl in her class from Chicago and they bond over art. However, the BSC soon begins to miss their friend and resent the time Claudia spends with Ashley. Yes, our BSC see act like the eight graders they are and are not too nice when interacting with Ashley.
The 12th book in the series, Claudia and the New Girl is also dedicated to the fans of the book series.
The 12th book in the series, Claudia and the New Girl is also dedicated to the fans of the book series.
January 14, 2020
Sculpt Me Like One of Your French Girls
The plot to this one is simple: There's a new girl in school, and she is Ashley. She's a super talented artist with cool clothes, and so is Claudia, so they become friends. The problem is that Ashley thinks baby-sitting is stupid that Claudia should forsake her dumb friends and her dumb job to focus on "high conceptual" art (not "low stupid" art) all the time. She draws Claudia in, and the rest of the Baby-sitters start getting mad that Claudia is ditching them and blah blah, we all know how this will go because Claudia's not getting written out of the series just yet. Everyone's friends in the end.
At face value, Ashley sucks. She is snobby and arrogant, and she represents the lack of a work/life balance. She also has a My-Way-or-the-Highway view of artistic expression that on the surface draws from a deep well of inspiration but is in practice quite rigid. She's judgmental and pedantic. She may dress well, but you can't take her anywhere.
But I've been trying to put myself in her sandals to -- in a rare moment of broad-minded optimism -- see if there is some spin I could cast onto Ashley's character that would make her sympathetic. It was tough because I've met people like Ashley, and they're just the worst. But what cracked it for me was realizing that it's not her laser-focus on art that defines her in this book. It's her laser-focus on Claudia.
Ashley's relationship with Claudia isn't just friendly or artistic. It's sapphic.
Think about it: Ashley -- despite being pretty and fashionable and talented -- has difficulty interacting with other girls at school. She's the new girl in this situation, but based on how she's written, I get the impression she felt isolated at her old school as well. The otherness inherent in same-sex attraction can seriously contribute to self-imposed social isolation.
Add to that the fact that she sees herself in Claudia. For Ashley, this goes beyond their shared interest and Claudia's genuine potential as an artist. Lots of kids bond over common pursuits. But Ashley is actively grooming Claudia to be almost a clone of herself. She's setting Claudia up to be a partner artistically and recreationally, of course, but also ideologically -- all while taking steps to isolate Claudia from the other aspects of her life. The further she gets in this process, the less alone Ashley feels.
Understanding Ashley's behavior through the lens of loneliness and deep-seated psychosexual impulse makes her a lot more digestible to me. It's something I can relate to.
I suppose you don't need the sexual/romantic aspect to make sense of this. There are any number of reasons why Ashley could feel alone and latch onto (read: create) a kindred spirit. Maybe it's just generalized social anxiety. But a teenage lesbian love affair is so much juicier, don't you think?
Maybe not. Maybe I just need to make Ashley into my own dress-up doll of despair to satisfy the needs of the closeted 12-year-old that still lives somewhere inside me. Like Mary Anne before her, maybe the reason I disliked Ashley is because she represents what I have disliked about myself.
Ann Martin, please stop plagiarizing my soul.
*************************************
Homework: Recall a time when you felt a bit too possessive of someone in your life. Consider whether you have been a lesbian this whole time.
<< #11: Kristy and the Snobs
#13: Good-bye, Stacey, Good-bye >>
The plot to this one is simple: There's a new girl in school, and she is Ashley. She's a super talented artist with cool clothes, and so is Claudia, so they become friends. The problem is that Ashley thinks baby-sitting is stupid that Claudia should forsake her dumb friends and her dumb job to focus on "high conceptual" art (not "low stupid" art) all the time. She draws Claudia in, and the rest of the Baby-sitters start getting mad that Claudia is ditching them and blah blah, we all know how this will go because Claudia's not getting written out of the series just yet. Everyone's friends in the end.
At face value, Ashley sucks. She is snobby and arrogant, and she represents the lack of a work/life balance. She also has a My-Way-or-the-Highway view of artistic expression that on the surface draws from a deep well of inspiration but is in practice quite rigid. She's judgmental and pedantic. She may dress well, but you can't take her anywhere.
But I've been trying to put myself in her sandals to -- in a rare moment of broad-minded optimism -- see if there is some spin I could cast onto Ashley's character that would make her sympathetic. It was tough because I've met people like Ashley, and they're just the worst. But what cracked it for me was realizing that it's not her laser-focus on art that defines her in this book. It's her laser-focus on Claudia.
Ashley's relationship with Claudia isn't just friendly or artistic. It's sapphic.
Think about it: Ashley -- despite being pretty and fashionable and talented -- has difficulty interacting with other girls at school. She's the new girl in this situation, but based on how she's written, I get the impression she felt isolated at her old school as well. The otherness inherent in same-sex attraction can seriously contribute to self-imposed social isolation.
Add to that the fact that she sees herself in Claudia. For Ashley, this goes beyond their shared interest and Claudia's genuine potential as an artist. Lots of kids bond over common pursuits. But Ashley is actively grooming Claudia to be almost a clone of herself. She's setting Claudia up to be a partner artistically and recreationally, of course, but also ideologically -- all while taking steps to isolate Claudia from the other aspects of her life. The further she gets in this process, the less alone Ashley feels.
Understanding Ashley's behavior through the lens of loneliness and deep-seated psychosexual impulse makes her a lot more digestible to me. It's something I can relate to.
I suppose you don't need the sexual/romantic aspect to make sense of this. There are any number of reasons why Ashley could feel alone and latch onto (read: create) a kindred spirit. Maybe it's just generalized social anxiety. But a teenage lesbian love affair is so much juicier, don't you think?
Maybe not. Maybe I just need to make Ashley into my own dress-up doll of despair to satisfy the needs of the closeted 12-year-old that still lives somewhere inside me. Like Mary Anne before her, maybe the reason I disliked Ashley is because she represents what I have disliked about myself.
Ann Martin, please stop plagiarizing my soul.
*************************************
Homework: Recall a time when you felt a bit too possessive of someone in your life. Consider whether you have been a lesbian this whole time.
<< #11: Kristy and the Snobs
#13: Good-bye, Stacey, Good-bye >>
January 22, 2010
there's a new girl at stoneybrook middle school named ashley wyeth. she has three holes pierced in each ear & wears long petticoats, bell bottoms, & hippie-style headbands. the other kids at school think she's weird & maybe stuck-up, because she never talks to anyone. she only talks to one person: claudia.
they have bonded over art. claudia asked if ashley was related to andrew wyeth, & then ashley turned up in claudia's after-school art class. ashley wants to be a sculptor, & attended a prestigious art school when she lived in chicago. she thinks claudia has a lot of talent & potential, & claudia is flattered beyond belief that someone with ashley's abilities & educational background sees potential in her. claudia isn't used to getting compliments from people because she's so bad at school, & even though her friends are complimentary about her art, it really means something coming from someone like ashley, who understands art.
a scultping show is coming up & ashley encourages claudia to ender. claudia is dubious--she doesn't think she has time to make a new piece before the deadline with all of her school & babysitting responsibilities. but she gets caught up in ashley's encouragement & even blows off a few babysitters club meetings to join ashley in "looking for inspiration in the field". ashley decides to scuplt a fire hydrant & encourages claudia to sculpt a traffic light. claudia is skeptical of sculpting an inanimate object. ashley suggests that claudia sculpt a concept instead, like "love" or peace". i remember this so well from my childhood--claudia asks how to sculpt a concept like how & ashley replies, "with an open heart & tender feelings." tender feelings? gross. claudia is not wowed by this.
the babysitters club is really upset that claudia is spending so much time with ashley (nicely foreshadowing their freak-out when mary anne cuts her hair, & later, when stacey makes friends with a different crowd of girls at school). instead of talking to claudia about what's going on, they continue to hold meetings in her room & do mean things like eat all of claudia's hidden candy & hide mean notes for her to find. they also short-sheet her bed. i am really torn on all of this. on the one hand, it's almost refreshing to see the girls acting like actual teenagers for once, who act before thinking & don't consider the consequences of their actions (ie, that maybe being mean to someone when you are jealous of them spending time with a new friend is not the best way to win them back). on the other hand, they are really bratty. claudia pays for her snacks & junk food out of her own money & provides food for meetings out of the goodness of her heart. it's pretty fucked up for the girls to purposefully eat it all just to be jerks, & to leave mean notes in her room when she's not there. why don't they make more of an effort to talk to claudia about what's going on?
anyway, claudia starts to realize that ashley isn't that great a friend. ashley doesn't understand why claudia "wastes her time" babysitting, & is always insisting that art has to come first "if you want to be a great artist". hey, ashley? you're thirteen. you have plenty of time for your art, trust me. let claudia be a kid. let her do her damn homework, for crying out loud! i am torn on this as well. it's true that young artists can be really pretentious & really self-involved, & they can seem to be in a big rush to work on their "careers" from a really young age. but thirteen? that really seems to be pushing the boundaries of my credulity. anyway. claudia starts to realize that ashley doesn't like her for herself--she just likes her for her art. & claudia doesn't think that's a real friendship. claudia & ashley have an argument, & claudia decides to sculpt jackie rodowsky for the sculpture show. finally, jackie's getting some love! ashley blows up when claudia tells her about her jackie sculpture. "you screwed your career," she says. okay, not really. but that would be awesome.
claudia makes up with the babysitters club--but the shitty part is that she makes up by apologizing to them. they seem to voluntarily apologize for a few things, like some of the mean notes, but i would have held out for more if i were claudia. maybe she shouldn't have skipped so many meetings, but she's extending the olive branch & deserves some mea culpas for all the junk food loss & the short-sheeting & for basically being made to feel like she can't have outside friends. at one point claudia says that the BSC are her "true friends" because she thinks they'd still all be friends even if they didn't like to babysit. claudia, did you get into mrs. schafer's stash again? because you are trippin'. no way would these girls be friends if they didn't have an unhealthy interest in the neighborhood children to share.
but whatever. the club makes up, claudia's art teacher enters her unfinished jackie sculpture into the show & it garners an honorable mention, ashley's fire hydrant takes hom the blue ribbon, & apparently sometimes ahsley sits with the club at lunch. except that we pretty much never hear of her again. which i think kind of sucks for claudia. ashley was a bit much, but it was nice for claudia to have an artistic peer to share her creative side with. it's true that her family & BSC friends give her compliments, but it's also true that those kinds of compliments mean so much more coming from someone who really gets what you're doing. oh well.
they have bonded over art. claudia asked if ashley was related to andrew wyeth, & then ashley turned up in claudia's after-school art class. ashley wants to be a sculptor, & attended a prestigious art school when she lived in chicago. she thinks claudia has a lot of talent & potential, & claudia is flattered beyond belief that someone with ashley's abilities & educational background sees potential in her. claudia isn't used to getting compliments from people because she's so bad at school, & even though her friends are complimentary about her art, it really means something coming from someone like ashley, who understands art.
a scultping show is coming up & ashley encourages claudia to ender. claudia is dubious--she doesn't think she has time to make a new piece before the deadline with all of her school & babysitting responsibilities. but she gets caught up in ashley's encouragement & even blows off a few babysitters club meetings to join ashley in "looking for inspiration in the field". ashley decides to scuplt a fire hydrant & encourages claudia to sculpt a traffic light. claudia is skeptical of sculpting an inanimate object. ashley suggests that claudia sculpt a concept instead, like "love" or peace". i remember this so well from my childhood--claudia asks how to sculpt a concept like how & ashley replies, "with an open heart & tender feelings." tender feelings? gross. claudia is not wowed by this.
the babysitters club is really upset that claudia is spending so much time with ashley (nicely foreshadowing their freak-out when mary anne cuts her hair, & later, when stacey makes friends with a different crowd of girls at school). instead of talking to claudia about what's going on, they continue to hold meetings in her room & do mean things like eat all of claudia's hidden candy & hide mean notes for her to find. they also short-sheet her bed. i am really torn on all of this. on the one hand, it's almost refreshing to see the girls acting like actual teenagers for once, who act before thinking & don't consider the consequences of their actions (ie, that maybe being mean to someone when you are jealous of them spending time with a new friend is not the best way to win them back). on the other hand, they are really bratty. claudia pays for her snacks & junk food out of her own money & provides food for meetings out of the goodness of her heart. it's pretty fucked up for the girls to purposefully eat it all just to be jerks, & to leave mean notes in her room when she's not there. why don't they make more of an effort to talk to claudia about what's going on?
anyway, claudia starts to realize that ashley isn't that great a friend. ashley doesn't understand why claudia "wastes her time" babysitting, & is always insisting that art has to come first "if you want to be a great artist". hey, ashley? you're thirteen. you have plenty of time for your art, trust me. let claudia be a kid. let her do her damn homework, for crying out loud! i am torn on this as well. it's true that young artists can be really pretentious & really self-involved, & they can seem to be in a big rush to work on their "careers" from a really young age. but thirteen? that really seems to be pushing the boundaries of my credulity. anyway. claudia starts to realize that ashley doesn't like her for herself--she just likes her for her art. & claudia doesn't think that's a real friendship. claudia & ashley have an argument, & claudia decides to sculpt jackie rodowsky for the sculpture show. finally, jackie's getting some love! ashley blows up when claudia tells her about her jackie sculpture. "you screwed your career," she says. okay, not really. but that would be awesome.
claudia makes up with the babysitters club--but the shitty part is that she makes up by apologizing to them. they seem to voluntarily apologize for a few things, like some of the mean notes, but i would have held out for more if i were claudia. maybe she shouldn't have skipped so many meetings, but she's extending the olive branch & deserves some mea culpas for all the junk food loss & the short-sheeting & for basically being made to feel like she can't have outside friends. at one point claudia says that the BSC are her "true friends" because she thinks they'd still all be friends even if they didn't like to babysit. claudia, did you get into mrs. schafer's stash again? because you are trippin'. no way would these girls be friends if they didn't have an unhealthy interest in the neighborhood children to share.
but whatever. the club makes up, claudia's art teacher enters her unfinished jackie sculpture into the show & it garners an honorable mention, ashley's fire hydrant takes hom the blue ribbon, & apparently sometimes ahsley sits with the club at lunch. except that we pretty much never hear of her again. which i think kind of sucks for claudia. ashley was a bit much, but it was nice for claudia to have an artistic peer to share her creative side with. it's true that her family & BSC friends give her compliments, but it's also true that those kinds of compliments mean so much more coming from someone who really gets what you're doing. oh well.
January 24, 2016
this one was way better than I remembered. claudia makes a new friend, ashley wyeth, who dresses like a hippie (claudia notes that she looks like the people in a movie she saw once called
woodstock
) and loves art even more than claudia does. ashley has a lot of ideas about how claudia can be a serious artiste, and most of them involve letting herself slack off regarding school and missing baby-sitters club meetings and friend hangouts. in the end, claudia pulls off a cool, "I can be an artist and still have friends, so fuck off!" thing a la buffy balancing slayerdom and friends/family.
highlights:
-this book's dedication: "this book is for the loyal readers of the baby-sitters club books."
-in class, claudia daydreams about flies. she wonders if flies call their vision "eyesight" or "flysight"
-I'm sure the fact that I've read some good claudia/ashley slash fic affects this, but seriously this book is ripe for fanfiction. claudia's narration: "somebody very . . . different had walked into my life."
-the scene where claudia and ashley go out "in the field" and look at inanimate objects in downtown stonybrook with the douche eye (ashley is like a one-man douche eye for the art guy). claudia comments on the power of the stoplight in a true stoner philosophy moment.
-the members of the baby-sitters club, when mad at claudia for missing too many meetings, SHORT-SHEET HER BED. seriously, short-sheeting is amazing and I wonder if kids still do it.
-very sweet moment: after claudia says she won't finish the sculpture of jackie in time for the show, he is bummed, but he still says he loves her and hugs her. she says she misses baby-sitting because only little kids do things like this.
nitpicks:
-dawn keeps having to fill in for claudia, but what are the vice presidential responsibilities? I thought she was just vp because she has a phone line of her own and she has the cool snacks.
-mari drabek's name is spelled mari then mary at different points in the book. also I did not remember that she was introduced this early -- I very much associate her with Claudia and the Recipe for Danger where she is a more developed character.
-after her teacher introduces ashley to the class, claudia can't remember her name and thinks it is ashford. I call bullshit. ashley is a common name and I'm SURE claudia has heard it before, and ashford is the name of, like, a butler in, like, the 1890s.
claudia outfit:
-"I was wearing a very short pink cotton dress, white tights, and black ballet slippers. I had swept all of my hair way over to one side, where it was held in place with a piece of pink cloth that matched the dress. Only one ear showed, and in it I had put my big palm tree earring." (this one actually sounds cute, except for the earring)
two ashley outfits: (I definitely wanted timberlands after this book came out, fyi)
-"She was wearing a very pretty pink flowered skirt that was full and so long it touched the tops of her shows--which I soon realized were not shoes, but sort of hiking boots. Her blouse, loose and lacy, was embroidered with pink flowers, and both her wrists were loaded with silver bangle bracelets. Her hair, which was almost as long as my friend Dawn's and was dirty blonde, was pulled into a fat braid (which, I might add, was not held in place with a rubber band or anything; it just sort of trailed to an end). But the amazing thing was that because he hair was pulled back, you could see her ears. And she had three pierced earrings in each ear. They were all silver and all dangly, but none matched."
-"She was wearing a puffy white blouse, a blue-jean jacket, a long blue-jean skirt, and those hiking boots again. Beaded bracelets circled both wrists, and she'd tied a strip of faded denim around her head, like an Indian headband."
jackie walking disaster moments:
-spills rice krispies on the floor
-gets his hand stuck in the bathtub drain with the door locked (claudia climbs on the doghouse and into the 2nd floor window to get him out)
-falls in red light, green light
-vaccums up three pairs of socks (his, shea's, and archie's)
-knocks over a ten-pound bag of dog chow
-gets nail polish all over a pair of socks
-knocks a vase off a table onto the carpet
-accidentally kicks claudia in the knee
kristy's gross comments about cafeteria food:
-regarding the pizza-burger: "it looks like...remember that squirrel that got run over?"
-"you know the smell of sneakers after gym class? and you know the smell of cuthbert athlete's foot creme? well, if you mixed those smells together, wouldn't they smell just like this pot roast?"
snacks in claudia's room:
-doritos (n.s.)
-bazooka bubble gum in her hollow book
-cookies under her pillow
-twinkies in her sock drawer
-pretzels in her pyjama bag
-crackers in her monopoly box
-marshmallows in her shoe box
-licorice sticks under her mattress
highlights:
-this book's dedication: "this book is for the loyal readers of the baby-sitters club books."
-in class, claudia daydreams about flies. she wonders if flies call their vision "eyesight" or "flysight"
-I'm sure the fact that I've read some good claudia/ashley slash fic affects this, but seriously this book is ripe for fanfiction. claudia's narration: "somebody very . . . different had walked into my life."
-the scene where claudia and ashley go out "in the field" and look at inanimate objects in downtown stonybrook with the douche eye (ashley is like a one-man douche eye for the art guy). claudia comments on the power of the stoplight in a true stoner philosophy moment.
-the members of the baby-sitters club, when mad at claudia for missing too many meetings, SHORT-SHEET HER BED. seriously, short-sheeting is amazing and I wonder if kids still do it.
-very sweet moment: after claudia says she won't finish the sculpture of jackie in time for the show, he is bummed, but he still says he loves her and hugs her. she says she misses baby-sitting because only little kids do things like this.
nitpicks:
-dawn keeps having to fill in for claudia, but what are the vice presidential responsibilities? I thought she was just vp because she has a phone line of her own and she has the cool snacks.
-mari drabek's name is spelled mari then mary at different points in the book. also I did not remember that she was introduced this early -- I very much associate her with Claudia and the Recipe for Danger where she is a more developed character.
-after her teacher introduces ashley to the class, claudia can't remember her name and thinks it is ashford. I call bullshit. ashley is a common name and I'm SURE claudia has heard it before, and ashford is the name of, like, a butler in, like, the 1890s.
claudia outfit:
-"I was wearing a very short pink cotton dress, white tights, and black ballet slippers. I had swept all of my hair way over to one side, where it was held in place with a piece of pink cloth that matched the dress. Only one ear showed, and in it I had put my big palm tree earring." (this one actually sounds cute, except for the earring)
two ashley outfits: (I definitely wanted timberlands after this book came out, fyi)
-"She was wearing a very pretty pink flowered skirt that was full and so long it touched the tops of her shows--which I soon realized were not shoes, but sort of hiking boots. Her blouse, loose and lacy, was embroidered with pink flowers, and both her wrists were loaded with silver bangle bracelets. Her hair, which was almost as long as my friend Dawn's and was dirty blonde, was pulled into a fat braid (which, I might add, was not held in place with a rubber band or anything; it just sort of trailed to an end). But the amazing thing was that because he hair was pulled back, you could see her ears. And she had three pierced earrings in each ear. They were all silver and all dangly, but none matched."
-"She was wearing a puffy white blouse, a blue-jean jacket, a long blue-jean skirt, and those hiking boots again. Beaded bracelets circled both wrists, and she'd tied a strip of faded denim around her head, like an Indian headband."
jackie walking disaster moments:
-spills rice krispies on the floor
-gets his hand stuck in the bathtub drain with the door locked (claudia climbs on the doghouse and into the 2nd floor window to get him out)
-falls in red light, green light
-vaccums up three pairs of socks (his, shea's, and archie's)
-knocks over a ten-pound bag of dog chow
-gets nail polish all over a pair of socks
-knocks a vase off a table onto the carpet
-accidentally kicks claudia in the knee
kristy's gross comments about cafeteria food:
-regarding the pizza-burger: "it looks like...remember that squirrel that got run over?"
-"you know the smell of sneakers after gym class? and you know the smell of cuthbert athlete's foot creme? well, if you mixed those smells together, wouldn't they smell just like this pot roast?"
snacks in claudia's room:
-doritos (n.s.)
-bazooka bubble gum in her hollow book
-cookies under her pillow
-twinkies in her sock drawer
-pretzels in her pyjama bag
-crackers in her monopoly box
-marshmallows in her shoe box
-licorice sticks under her mattress
July 26, 2016
Claudia's an artist and she really doesn't have much else in school that she's good at, and while her babysitting friends respect her art, they don't really get it. That means she falls hard when a new girl named Ashley--who's selective about who she talks to--actually talks to Claudia about her art, and thinks she's good. Problem is, she's willing to totally be a jerk and dismiss that babysitting is worthwhile, and tries to convince Claudia that sitting is going to be a hindrance in her artistic development.
I didn't like that Ashley was written as a cardboard cutout of a priss (even though she wore "individual" clothes even more so than Claudia), because she read a lot like a contrived reason to inject insecurity into Claudia's life. For some reason the thing I remember most about reading this book as a kid is the description of Ashley's fire hydrant sculpture, which I didn't really see why it would be so amazing. I liked that Claudia decided to sculpt one of the kids she babysits. I didn't like that it never felt like Claudia's feud with her babysitting friends would last past the book, though; these books really had an episodic feel that made it clear any fights they had would be resolved in a kiss-and-make-up at the end. I also thought her friends were little jerks to her when they were hurt by her failure to attend Baby-Sitters Club meetings. Instead of leaving pranks for her, eating her food, and writing her nasty notes, somebody could have written her a letter and given her a chance to understand why her behavior was hurting them. Guess these are things a set of immature, frustrated kids might do, though. . . .
I didn't like that Ashley was written as a cardboard cutout of a priss (even though she wore "individual" clothes even more so than Claudia), because she read a lot like a contrived reason to inject insecurity into Claudia's life. For some reason the thing I remember most about reading this book as a kid is the description of Ashley's fire hydrant sculpture, which I didn't really see why it would be so amazing. I liked that Claudia decided to sculpt one of the kids she babysits. I didn't like that it never felt like Claudia's feud with her babysitting friends would last past the book, though; these books really had an episodic feel that made it clear any fights they had would be resolved in a kiss-and-make-up at the end. I also thought her friends were little jerks to her when they were hurt by her failure to attend Baby-Sitters Club meetings. Instead of leaving pranks for her, eating her food, and writing her nasty notes, somebody could have written her a letter and given her a chance to understand why her behavior was hurting them. Guess these are things a set of immature, frustrated kids might do, though. . . .
January 2, 2025
Back in my nostalgia era. I remember reading this book from my library aged about 8 or 9 and even then I didn't really like Claudia. She's arty and cool and not very good at school, and just the opposite of me as a kid (and now to be honest). So I wasn't a big fan of her books, and because this leans into the art side of Claudia a lot I didn't really find it that engaging, and a little superficial.
A few thoughts as I was reading:
Why would a teacher let a 13 year old child take home her little brother from detention? That woman needs to be calling social services, not telling Dawn she's responsible.
Ashley is 100% neuro divergent coded, and to be honest Claudia's treatment of her and just dropping her entirely felt very mean. Yes, she's not a nice person but the Babysitters Club member are equally as mean. The club feels like a cult at times.
A few thoughts as I was reading:
Why would a teacher let a 13 year old child take home her little brother from detention? That woman needs to be calling social services, not telling Dawn she's responsible.
Ashley is 100% neuro divergent coded, and to be honest Claudia's treatment of her and just dropping her entirely felt very mean. Yes, she's not a nice person but the Babysitters Club member are equally as mean. The club feels like a cult at times.
July 27, 2025
Claudia's artistic flair meets suburban drama when a new girl threatens her BSC status.
There's a peak middle-grade angst, a healthy dose of jealousy and enough friendship lessons to fill a Lisa Frank binder. It’s like Mean Girls but with more scrunchies and less legitimate scheming. A classic BSC tale proving that even the creative types can get tangled in social knots.
Perfect for anyone who remembers friendship bracelets and fluctuating loyalties!!!
There's a peak middle-grade angst, a healthy dose of jealousy and enough friendship lessons to fill a Lisa Frank binder. It’s like Mean Girls but with more scrunchies and less legitimate scheming. A classic BSC tale proving that even the creative types can get tangled in social knots.
Perfect for anyone who remembers friendship bracelets and fluctuating loyalties!!!
June 26, 2022
Before I get to my actual review, a quick disclaimer: Ever since I learned that Netflix was reimagining one of my favorite childhood book series, I had decided that I would be embarking on a re-read of this series, reliving a series of books that helped to shape me into a voracious reader. I am so excited to embark on this travel back in time. I don't expect to be mentally stimulated -- I mean, I'm not exactly a pre-teen middle-schooler these days -- but I make no apology for choosing to enjoy this series from the perspective of adulthood. Don't expect me to have any sort of psychoanalyst or feminist sermonizing on the appropriateness of the situations or the effects on a young girl reading these books; there's plenty of that to go around already. I'm here for the nostalgia and the meander down memory lane.
**********
This was never one of my favorites. I never really connected with Claudia. I am not much of an artistic person. And let's be honest, Ashley was an absolute brat. I used to dread when I'd get to this book during one of my many childhood rereads of the series, and I would be lying if I said I didn't dread it this time as well.
What I liked about Claudia and the New Girl:
Emphasis on friendship - One thing I didn't remember from this book was the focus on what makes a good friend. Without getting too analyzing, I'll simply say that's a great lesson to have modeled for a child and it's not a bad reminder for some adults either.
Middle-school girl fights - This just made me laugh. You hear all about "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" but four girls mad at once is level-up on that.
What I didn't care for:
Ashley - Good grief, intense, domineering, pushy, condescending. Blech. I realize she was the tension source in the book but sheesh.
Dawn and Jeff - Maybe I should have more compassion for Jeff's character, but he just rubs me the wrong way. He isn't written in a way that makes me feel for him, unless the goal is to make me feel annoyed at his behavior. And then there's Dawn. Always being pointed out as the organized, responsible member of her family and she leaves with someone else's children and doesn't think to write a note just in case? Yes, I realize she's a middleschooler. Just don't sell her as Ms Responsibility when she isn't.
Prior to my adult reread, I rated this book one star. Acknowledging my appreciation for the lesson in friendship and also being able to see the humor in infuriated eighth grade girls (now that I have some, shall we say, distance from that time in life) coaxed me into awarding an additional star. Still one of my least favorite books in the series though. But one of my favorites is coming up next!
**********
This was never one of my favorites. I never really connected with Claudia. I am not much of an artistic person. And let's be honest, Ashley was an absolute brat. I used to dread when I'd get to this book during one of my many childhood rereads of the series, and I would be lying if I said I didn't dread it this time as well.
What I liked about Claudia and the New Girl:
Emphasis on friendship - One thing I didn't remember from this book was the focus on what makes a good friend. Without getting too analyzing, I'll simply say that's a great lesson to have modeled for a child and it's not a bad reminder for some adults either.
Middle-school girl fights - This just made me laugh. You hear all about "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" but four girls mad at once is level-up on that.
What I didn't care for:
Ashley - Good grief, intense, domineering, pushy, condescending. Blech. I realize she was the tension source in the book but sheesh.
Dawn and Jeff - Maybe I should have more compassion for Jeff's character, but he just rubs me the wrong way. He isn't written in a way that makes me feel for him, unless the goal is to make me feel annoyed at his behavior. And then there's Dawn. Always being pointed out as the organized, responsible member of her family and she leaves with someone else's children and doesn't think to write a note just in case? Yes, I realize she's a middleschooler. Just don't sell her as Ms Responsibility when she isn't.
Prior to my adult reread, I rated this book one star. Acknowledging my appreciation for the lesson in friendship and also being able to see the humor in infuriated eighth grade girls (now that I have some, shall we say, distance from that time in life) coaxed me into awarding an additional star. Still one of my least favorite books in the series though. But one of my favorites is coming up next!
January 17, 2019
When new girl Ashely moves to Stoney Brook Claudia is intrigued. Another girl who is into ART! None of her friends take art seriously so when Ashley moves to town Claudia just HAS to become friends with her. This new girl seems to take art super seriously though and believes that true artists must only focus on art and not have different hobbies like Claudia does so Claudia slowly starts to change herself to fit in and impress her new friend. This story is all about peer pressure, staying true to yourself, learning that you can love one thing and still have other hobbies and talents at the same time.
November 12, 2010
I was sure I read this as a child but I didn't remember any of it! So this is a new read for me. To begin with, the idea of the BSC being annoyed at Claudia for having a new friend seemed a bit selfish, but in actuality I can see where they were coming from. Claudia was being a jerk as she completely ignored her old friends in favour of Ashley, and didn't warn them in advance if she was going to have to cancel prior commitments, like BSC meetings. It seemed, to me, that if she'd been able to balance both Ashley and the BSC then none of the problems in this book would ever have arisen. In the end, Claudia comes to the refreshing conclusion that she's only thirteen and she should be allowed to have fun with her friends and baby-sit, rather than devoting her life to art like Ashley does. She can see that she doesn't need to be like Ashley in order to be a good artist. Plus, it seems to be that Ashley is one of those kids whose parents discover that they have a talent and pushes them into it, shutting everything else out. Poor kid! Sure, Claudia is a great artist but she also likes babysitting, going shopping and reading mystery novels. I also liked that Jackie featured in this book, and it was clear that why the girls found him annoying they do really enjoy babysitting for him. All in all, I really enjoyed this BSC book. It's not my favourite but it was a typically realistic early BSC book where the girls simply act like normal thirteen year olds! I wish there were more book series out there like this, where girls are more concerned with friendships and school than boys and make-up. 9/10
July 7, 2020
While I actually started reading around age 3 (thank you, my Granny's Dick and Jane books!), this series is what I remember most about loving to read during my childhood. My sister and I drank these books up like they were oxygen. I truly think we owned just about every single one from every one of the series. We even got the privilege of meeting Ann M. Martin at a book signing, but of course little starstruck me froze and could not speak a word to my biggest hero at that time. Once in awhile if I come across these at a yard sale, I will pick them up for a couple hour trip down memory lane, and I declare nearly nothing centers and relaxes me more!
June 17, 2020
honestly like a lot of the middle schoolers in these books could do with some therapy??
September 26, 2020
I've re-read enough of these books now to determine that all of these characters are actually little bitches. They're mean-spirited, petty and immature and they have no business babysitting for other people's children.
Here are a few little mean-spirited ditties from the book:
From Claudia regarding one of her "best" friends;
Here’s an example of one of the big differences between Kristy and me. I was wearing a very short pink cotton dress, white tights, and black ballet slippers. I had swept all of my hair way over to one side, where it was held in place with a piece of pink cloth that matched the dress. Only one ear showed, and in it I had put my big palm tree earring. (Kristy was not wearing any jewelry.)
Every time a Claudia outfit is described it sounds like a friggin' shit-show, to be honest -- like something that was fished out of a second hand shop and the rest of her clothes were being washed and these items were all that she was left with. I'll take Kristy's ugly jeans and sweatshirt, thanks.
Describing Stacey's fashion-sense;
but she’s not as outrageous as I can be. I did notice that day, though, that she had painted her fingernails yellow and then put black polka dots all over them.
Gasp! Outrageous! Not the yellow nails with black polka dots!!!! The teachers at school must have just been clutching their pearls, aghast!
Some people are here are TRAITORS. And you know who you are.
Someone wrote the above in the BSC record book... lol someone is a traitor cos they ate lunch and did an afternoon activity that wasn't revolving around a non-insured "business" for child labor?! Claudia is acting 12 (or 13??) for once!
Another mean-girl comment from Stacey:
Stacey eyed Ashley critically. “Nice dress,” she commented.
And Dawn is a complete asshole too, who thinks this about their friend??!
She didn’t seem too thrilled, though, and told me later that as she biked over to my house for the meeting, a mean little rhyme kept running through her head: Traitor, traitor. Claudia — we hate ’er! Traitor, traitor. So long, see you later! Good-bye, Claudia.
GOODBYE CLAUDIA!? Are they going to bump her off for missing a couple of stupid meetings, which by the way, she is kind enough to still let happen in her bedroom! Without her there!!!
This whole next few pages blows my mind of how awful these little bitches truly are. If someone did this in my room while I wasn't there, this would be unforgiven and they would no longer be allowed to run their petty little business from my premises.
“I can eat some of it,” Stacey replied. “I can eat her pretzels and her crackers — not too many, of course. And I know where they’re hidden. Pretzels in that old pajama bag, crackers in the Monopoly box.” “I wouldn’t mind eating up some of her stuff,” said Kristy with a slow grin. “Let’s see, she’s got marshmallows in that shoe box and licorice sticks under her mattress.” “I’ll even help you eat that junk,” said Dawn, making, for her, a supreme sacrifice. “Well, I’ll help, too,” said Mary Anne. “And, hey! After we’re done? We should take whatever’s left and put it back in the wrong places!”
“Let’s short-sheet her bed!” They didn’t even use my name anymore. They just called me “she” or “her” and knew who they meant.
And this last one;
“Hey, Dawn, let’s hide some notes for Claudia to find.” “Notes? What kind of notes?” “Mean ones.”
What complete asswipes. Claudia was in the wrong in most situations, but this group of mean-girls (Kristy is a complete Regina George on all occasions btw) are a thousand times worse -- ganging up. Bullying! Leaving nasty notes is the 2020 version of anonymous tweets that bully a person in to harm. This book was so stupid -- if anything it points to how nasty and untrustworthy ALL the girls are.
And Ashley? Ashley is a dickhead but at least she doesn't pretend to be something she's not and she was never really mean to Claudia or the other girls -- she was just clear about her thoughts and feelings and you gotta respect her honesty if nothing else!
This book should have been Claudia and The Mean Girls! Plot twist, they were her own club. As if they could run a successful business.
Here are a few little mean-spirited ditties from the book:
From Claudia regarding one of her "best" friends;
Here’s an example of one of the big differences between Kristy and me. I was wearing a very short pink cotton dress, white tights, and black ballet slippers. I had swept all of my hair way over to one side, where it was held in place with a piece of pink cloth that matched the dress. Only one ear showed, and in it I had put my big palm tree earring. (Kristy was not wearing any jewelry.)
Every time a Claudia outfit is described it sounds like a friggin' shit-show, to be honest -- like something that was fished out of a second hand shop and the rest of her clothes were being washed and these items were all that she was left with. I'll take Kristy's ugly jeans and sweatshirt, thanks.
Describing Stacey's fashion-sense;
but she’s not as outrageous as I can be. I did notice that day, though, that she had painted her fingernails yellow and then put black polka dots all over them.
Gasp! Outrageous! Not the yellow nails with black polka dots!!!! The teachers at school must have just been clutching their pearls, aghast!
Some people are here are TRAITORS. And you know who you are.
Someone wrote the above in the BSC record book... lol someone is a traitor cos they ate lunch and did an afternoon activity that wasn't revolving around a non-insured "business" for child labor?! Claudia is acting 12 (or 13??) for once!
Another mean-girl comment from Stacey:
Stacey eyed Ashley critically. “Nice dress,” she commented.
And Dawn is a complete asshole too, who thinks this about their friend??!
She didn’t seem too thrilled, though, and told me later that as she biked over to my house for the meeting, a mean little rhyme kept running through her head: Traitor, traitor. Claudia — we hate ’er! Traitor, traitor. So long, see you later! Good-bye, Claudia.
GOODBYE CLAUDIA!? Are they going to bump her off for missing a couple of stupid meetings, which by the way, she is kind enough to still let happen in her bedroom! Without her there!!!
This whole next few pages blows my mind of how awful these little bitches truly are. If someone did this in my room while I wasn't there, this would be unforgiven and they would no longer be allowed to run their petty little business from my premises.
“I can eat some of it,” Stacey replied. “I can eat her pretzels and her crackers — not too many, of course. And I know where they’re hidden. Pretzels in that old pajama bag, crackers in the Monopoly box.” “I wouldn’t mind eating up some of her stuff,” said Kristy with a slow grin. “Let’s see, she’s got marshmallows in that shoe box and licorice sticks under her mattress.” “I’ll even help you eat that junk,” said Dawn, making, for her, a supreme sacrifice. “Well, I’ll help, too,” said Mary Anne. “And, hey! After we’re done? We should take whatever’s left and put it back in the wrong places!”
“Let’s short-sheet her bed!” They didn’t even use my name anymore. They just called me “she” or “her” and knew who they meant.
And this last one;
“Hey, Dawn, let’s hide some notes for Claudia to find.” “Notes? What kind of notes?” “Mean ones.”
What complete asswipes. Claudia was in the wrong in most situations, but this group of mean-girls (Kristy is a complete Regina George on all occasions btw) are a thousand times worse -- ganging up. Bullying! Leaving nasty notes is the 2020 version of anonymous tweets that bully a person in to harm. This book was so stupid -- if anything it points to how nasty and untrustworthy ALL the girls are.
And Ashley? Ashley is a dickhead but at least she doesn't pretend to be something she's not and she was never really mean to Claudia or the other girls -- she was just clear about her thoughts and feelings and you gotta respect her honesty if nothing else!
This book should have been Claudia and The Mean Girls! Plot twist, they were her own club. As if they could run a successful business.
January 3, 2023
So, my challenge this year is to write reviews of every book I read.
I'm reading the Baby-sitter's club books as a way of bonding with my sister, who loves them.
Anyway, in this one, Claudia meets a cool girl who wants her to pursue art and quit baby-sitting to spend all her time on art. Claudia keeps missing meetings, and all the baby-sitters call her a traitor. She eventually sculpts a kid's head and calls in off with Ashley. But then Ashley and her become sort-of friends anyway.
Pros:
-A Tree Grows In Brooklyn! Sarah Plain and Tall! From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler! A Wrinkle In Time! In chapter 1, Ann M. Martin has already given readers a list of great books to read that are way better than Claudia and the New Girl. Of course, this will only go so far, and someday she'll wind up with no readers because all her readers are caught up in the lives of Francie, Anna, Claudia and Meg instead of Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, Stacey, and Dawn.
-Jackie's a cute kid, his accidents fill up a lot of the pages of the book, probably so there would be some actual babysitting in it. Nevertheless, he was entertaining.
-I liked the B-plot about Jeff more than the A-plot. And Myriah and Gabbie are the cutest.
Cons:
-ASHLEY was the only toxic friend in this situation? Because Claudia misses like, two meetings, and everyone else is writing about how she's a traitor. Then they get mad when she misses more meetings? If I was Claudia, I would duck out of there quick.
-Ashley and Claudia are sort of friends at the end. Because that always happens in books like this. Just once I'd like to see people just break up and continue to do that. It happens more often than not. I know.
Remarks:
-What kind of name is Shea?
-What kind of cool person wears a colonial dress?
-These eighth graders are reading books I read in fourth grade. Meanwhile, me in eighth grade reading To Kill a Mockingbird and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Huckleberry Finn...
I'm reading the Baby-sitter's club books as a way of bonding with my sister, who loves them.
Anyway, in this one, Claudia meets a cool girl who wants her to pursue art and quit baby-sitting to spend all her time on art. Claudia keeps missing meetings, and all the baby-sitters call her a traitor. She eventually sculpts a kid's head and calls in off with Ashley. But then Ashley and her become sort-of friends anyway.
Pros:
-A Tree Grows In Brooklyn! Sarah Plain and Tall! From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler! A Wrinkle In Time! In chapter 1, Ann M. Martin has already given readers a list of great books to read that are way better than Claudia and the New Girl. Of course, this will only go so far, and someday she'll wind up with no readers because all her readers are caught up in the lives of Francie, Anna, Claudia and Meg instead of Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, Stacey, and Dawn.
-Jackie's a cute kid, his accidents fill up a lot of the pages of the book, probably so there would be some actual babysitting in it. Nevertheless, he was entertaining.
-I liked the B-plot about Jeff more than the A-plot. And Myriah and Gabbie are the cutest.
Cons:
-ASHLEY was the only toxic friend in this situation? Because Claudia misses like, two meetings, and everyone else is writing about how she's a traitor. Then they get mad when she misses more meetings? If I was Claudia, I would duck out of there quick.
-Ashley and Claudia are sort of friends at the end. Because that always happens in books like this. Just once I'd like to see people just break up and continue to do that. It happens more often than not. I know.
Remarks:
-What kind of name is Shea?
-What kind of cool person wears a colonial dress?
-These eighth graders are reading books I read in fourth grade. Meanwhile, me in eighth grade reading To Kill a Mockingbird and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Huckleberry Finn...
December 30, 2022
Read via audio (narrated by Ali Ahn).
August 3, 2016
The BSC book where Claudia attempts to make a friend out of the baby sitters circle, and they turn on her for it. It's interesting that this book follows on the heels of Kristy's book about making new friends. Kristy's new friend, Shannon, is interested in baby sitting, so no harm comes to Kristy, but Claudia's new friend, Ashley, is not interested in baby sitting, so therefore she is evil and must be eliminated, making the BSC seem like a creepy cult for the first time in the series.
Things I remember from reading this as a kid
I was also reading The Westing Game and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler around the same time that I was reading this book, and I remember sympathizing with Claudia's dislike of these books. Like Claudia, I loved to read, but I hated being told what to read, and how to read it, a hatred I've had to this very day. Reading loses its fun when you're being pop quizzed on the words in the book.
I remember I thought Ashley was so weird and creepy because she never seemed to have any fun, or even a sense of humor. I could not understand why Claudia, who I so related to, wanted to be her friend so much.
Things I've considered since reading this as an adult:
I've been a little confused, reading all the lesbian references people seem to be drawing from this book, but after reading it as an adult, I get it. Claudia and Ashley keep making coy eye contact, and looking away, Claudia knows after talking to Ashley for a few minutes that they will be good friends (and gets some reassurance from wise Mimi that she felt exactly the same way when she first met Claudia's grandfather), then Claudia seems to count the minutes until she sees Ashley again. It's all very Annie On My Mind.
Ashley did not come off as pretentious to me as a kid, just off-putting, but as an adult she is so obnoxious and pretentious that I can understand why the baby sitters hate her so much. What's funny is that I met a lot of people like her when I worked at the bookstore, and I had so much fun messing with them, since not a one had a sense of humor (or one they would admit to). I wish I had remembered about Ashley Wyeth back then because I would have called them Ashley Wyeth as a collective group, and possibly individually. I love that she asks Claudia about their community center's art teacher's qualifications to teach their class, and Claudia just thinks, "Um, she teaches. I like her. What does it matter?" Then Ashley tells Claudia, "I only spend time on people with talent," making me wish Claudia has answered, "Oh, so do I. So I guess we can't be friends." Most of what I remember reading about Ashley is from Claudia Kishi, Live From WSTO! when she and Claudia run a radio show together, and while she was somewhat unpleasant, I don't remember her being too bad. However, in this book she comes across as a passive agressive, manipulative, pretentious bitch. Despite that, I could see how Claudia gets caught up with her. Ashley doesn't make Claudia feel stupid, and she clearly admires her art. When you find someone who shares and understands your passion it can be hard NOT to be their friend, even if they are a terrible person in every other way. Ashley's focus and love for art is inspiring to Claudia, and when the two of them keep their interactions focused to art they are the best of friends. It's when Claudia talks about her other interests that Ashley acts like a sociopath, turning on a dime against Claudia when she dares to tell Ashley that she cares about baby-sitting, and the kids she looks after. I did think it was funny though when Ashley tells Claudia as she's storming away that she is "ruining her career."
Speaking of sociopaths, the other BSC members are total mean girls in this book, both to Claudia, and to Ashley. They make fun of Ashley's clothes, both behind her back and to her face, they go through Claudia's room when she's not there, hiding her stuff and short-sheeting her bed. Then they all write awful, mean notes to her, and leave them for her to find. And then they all sit around her room, griping about what a horrible friend Ashley is to Claudia. Pot, meet kettle.
Everyone makes a big deal about Ashley making an inanimate sculpture for the contest, but WTF???? I have been to about 20 art exhibits that were NOTHING by inanimate sculpture. I think (as Ashley apparently does) that inanimate sculpture takes more skill to master than animate sculpture because you have to give new form to something that doesn't have fluidity to begin with. There is nothing unusual or innovative about that. Also, Claudia comes off as a total idiot about art, or maybe she's just too young to understand the concept of sculpting something like love.
Things I remember from reading this as a kid
I was also reading The Westing Game and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler around the same time that I was reading this book, and I remember sympathizing with Claudia's dislike of these books. Like Claudia, I loved to read, but I hated being told what to read, and how to read it, a hatred I've had to this very day. Reading loses its fun when you're being pop quizzed on the words in the book.
I remember I thought Ashley was so weird and creepy because she never seemed to have any fun, or even a sense of humor. I could not understand why Claudia, who I so related to, wanted to be her friend so much.
Things I've considered since reading this as an adult:
I've been a little confused, reading all the lesbian references people seem to be drawing from this book, but after reading it as an adult, I get it. Claudia and Ashley keep making coy eye contact, and looking away, Claudia knows after talking to Ashley for a few minutes that they will be good friends (and gets some reassurance from wise Mimi that she felt exactly the same way when she first met Claudia's grandfather), then Claudia seems to count the minutes until she sees Ashley again. It's all very Annie On My Mind.
Ashley did not come off as pretentious to me as a kid, just off-putting, but as an adult she is so obnoxious and pretentious that I can understand why the baby sitters hate her so much. What's funny is that I met a lot of people like her when I worked at the bookstore, and I had so much fun messing with them, since not a one had a sense of humor (or one they would admit to). I wish I had remembered about Ashley Wyeth back then because I would have called them Ashley Wyeth as a collective group, and possibly individually. I love that she asks Claudia about their community center's art teacher's qualifications to teach their class, and Claudia just thinks, "Um, she teaches. I like her. What does it matter?" Then Ashley tells Claudia, "I only spend time on people with talent," making me wish Claudia has answered, "Oh, so do I. So I guess we can't be friends." Most of what I remember reading about Ashley is from Claudia Kishi, Live From WSTO! when she and Claudia run a radio show together, and while she was somewhat unpleasant, I don't remember her being too bad. However, in this book she comes across as a passive agressive, manipulative, pretentious bitch. Despite that, I could see how Claudia gets caught up with her. Ashley doesn't make Claudia feel stupid, and she clearly admires her art. When you find someone who shares and understands your passion it can be hard NOT to be their friend, even if they are a terrible person in every other way. Ashley's focus and love for art is inspiring to Claudia, and when the two of them keep their interactions focused to art they are the best of friends. It's when Claudia talks about her other interests that Ashley acts like a sociopath, turning on a dime against Claudia when she dares to tell Ashley that she cares about baby-sitting, and the kids she looks after. I did think it was funny though when Ashley tells Claudia as she's storming away that she is "ruining her career."
Speaking of sociopaths, the other BSC members are total mean girls in this book, both to Claudia, and to Ashley. They make fun of Ashley's clothes, both behind her back and to her face, they go through Claudia's room when she's not there, hiding her stuff and short-sheeting her bed. Then they all write awful, mean notes to her, and leave them for her to find. And then they all sit around her room, griping about what a horrible friend Ashley is to Claudia. Pot, meet kettle.
Everyone makes a big deal about Ashley making an inanimate sculpture for the contest, but WTF???? I have been to about 20 art exhibits that were NOTHING by inanimate sculpture. I think (as Ashley apparently does) that inanimate sculpture takes more skill to master than animate sculpture because you have to give new form to something that doesn't have fluidity to begin with. There is nothing unusual or innovative about that. Also, Claudia comes off as a total idiot about art, or maybe she's just too young to understand the concept of sculpting something like love.
October 16, 2021
Hmm... this is the first book that made me think I might not like Claudia as much as I thought I did. It's not really that she ditched all her friends for someone else--that's pretty relatable, and she does eventually realize what a shitty thing that is to do. It's just that Claudia is incredibly superficial and constantly seems to be looking to upgrade; after all, she didn't have a best friend until Stacey, the only other girl she considers her equal, moved to town.
Also, Ashley Wyeth is incredibly creepy. This book should be called Claudia and the Abusive Girlfriend. In the span of four weeks, Ashley isolates Claudia from all her friends, convinces her to quit her "job," negs everything that could cause Claudia to drift from her, and shows up at Claudia's workplace announced to harass her multiple times. The fact that the entire population of Stoneybrook Middle School gets weird vibes off her is just proof of how dumb Claudia is.
Also, Ashley Wyeth is incredibly creepy. This book should be called Claudia and the Abusive Girlfriend. In the span of four weeks, Ashley isolates Claudia from all her friends, convinces her to quit her "job," negs everything that could cause Claudia to drift from her, and shows up at Claudia's workplace announced to harass her multiple times. The fact that the entire population of Stoneybrook Middle School gets weird vibes off her is just proof of how dumb Claudia is.
February 14, 2020
I am surprised that I don’t remember reading this one.
The other babysitters were way harsh to Claudia for missing like 2 meetings. They wrote her insulting notes and Dawn made up a song about Claudia being a traitor. They were also very mean-girlish to Ashley, Claudia’s pretentious new friend. Considering that the BSC members are always going on about kindness and not bullying I was surprised they were being antagonistic toward Claudia and Ashley. That said, I can remember lots of jealousy and insecurity between old and new friends when I was that age.
I do remember reading a detail of this book when I was young, about how Dawn was so mad that she forced herself to eat 3 of Claudia’s marshmallows. As a child I could not fathom disliking sweets like Dawn’s character, and could not imagine having to force myself to eat sweets or candy.
All and all this is a great BSC book. I feel like the best books are about Claudia, but maybe that’s bc I am and always have been a Claudia stan.
The other babysitters were way harsh to Claudia for missing like 2 meetings. They wrote her insulting notes and Dawn made up a song about Claudia being a traitor. They were also very mean-girlish to Ashley, Claudia’s pretentious new friend. Considering that the BSC members are always going on about kindness and not bullying I was surprised they were being antagonistic toward Claudia and Ashley. That said, I can remember lots of jealousy and insecurity between old and new friends when I was that age.
I do remember reading a detail of this book when I was young, about how Dawn was so mad that she forced herself to eat 3 of Claudia’s marshmallows. As a child I could not fathom disliking sweets like Dawn’s character, and could not imagine having to force myself to eat sweets or candy.
All and all this is a great BSC book. I feel like the best books are about Claudia, but maybe that’s bc I am and always have been a Claudia stan.
August 30, 2020
I honestly liked the plot of this story. New girl Ashley moved into Stoneybrook and would only accept Claudia as her friend. Why? Because she's a very talented artist and would only want people with the same caliber to be associated with.
As the story progressed, it seemed like Claudia was leaving everything behind and just focused on her art, sculpting to be exact, as influenced by Ashley, who really isn't that nice of a friend. She only wanted Claudia because of her talent but disregarded everything else.
Some drama was involved, especially with Stacey being Claudia's best friend. Things got sorted out of course!
As the story progressed, it seemed like Claudia was leaving everything behind and just focused on her art, sculpting to be exact, as influenced by Ashley, who really isn't that nice of a friend. She only wanted Claudia because of her talent but disregarded everything else.
Some drama was involved, especially with Stacey being Claudia's best friend. Things got sorted out of course!
March 25, 2020
Me gustó mucho. Llevaba desde enero que no leía estos libros.
April 12, 2021
This really brought me back to times of middle school friend group drama and I thought that it was such a realistic depiction of conflict at this age. Of course since it’s a BSC book, everything was able to be neatly wrapped up at the end. But I liked getting to read about this happening from Claudia’s POV - so relatable for middle school me!
April 1, 2022
A short, light, and fun read to end the month of March with.
July 8, 2024
ashley listens to stevie nicks and adrianne lenker
January 9, 2019
3.25 stars
Really enjoyable, as always. Not one of my favourites but I enjoyed the commentary on friendships and what makes someone a friend and about having different interest to your friends.
Really enjoyable, as always. Not one of my favourites but I enjoyed the commentary on friendships and what makes someone a friend and about having different interest to your friends.
October 11, 2016
I just read this one this weekend, so it's totally fresh in my brain! :) And I'm super excited, because only 2 more books and then it's time for Super Special #1!! Woo!
Okay, I know Claudia is supposed to be baby-sitting Jackie Rodowsky, which is a pretty good reason to wear jeans, but the rest of her outfit? Totally not Claud...white sneakers? Come on! Snazz it up a little...paint that shirt, change the laces in your sneakers, something!
There's a new girl in town, Ashley Wyeth, and Claudia is her new BFF. They both looooove art and dress weird. Although Ashley is, admittedly, a little weirder, especially for the late 80s. For example: "She was wearing a very pretty pink flowered skirt that was full and so long it touched the tops of her shoes-which I soon realized were not shoes, but sort of hiking boots. Her blouse, loose and lacy, was embroidered with pink flowers, and both her wrists were loaded with silver bangle bracelets. Her hair, which was almost as long as my friend Dawn's and was dirty blonde, was pulled into a fat braid (which, I might add, was not held in place with a rubber bang or anything; it just sort of trailed to an end). But the amazing thing was that because her hair was pulled back, you could see her ears. And she had three pierced earrings in each ear. They were all silver and all dangly, but none matched."
Ashley is very intense about her art though, it's like she's in a relationship lol. And she wants Claudia to be that way too. But of course, Claud has baby-sitting, her friends and a silly little thing called homework to deal with. She lets all those things slide though because Ashley thinks she has real talent and should enter a sculpture show. Soon, Claudia is failing spelling tests (but really, who can spell "pharaoh" without spell-check? And I totally just misspelled it! Hah!!) and skipping BSC meetings, which of course makes the other girls super pissed.
This book really kinda rubbed me the wrong way and I couldn't decide what it was until I read some other reviews on Goodreads. Someone mentioned that the other BSC members were actually acting like 13 year old girls and that's it...instead of their normal, understanding selves they are catty, rude and selfish. Now, yes, Claudia did go completely overboard being Ashley's friend and ignoring the rest. But I can see where she's coming from, since none of her other friends are artistic/crafty at all. Lucky for me, my sister and mom are both super crafty like me and also very into Blythe dolls which is my other passion besides books. :) If they weren't, it'd get very lonely doing things by myself.
So, to see the other girls calling Ashley "weird" and "stuck-up" just really annoys me for some reason. Plus, they don't encourage Claudia at all in the art show like they normally would have. And then there's the whole "eat all her candy and short-sheet her bed" chapter. Of course everything ends up happily ever after in BSCLand in the end, but still.
There was also a subplot about Dawn & Jeff, giving us some major foreshadowing about Jeff moving back to Cali and eventually Dawn. Oh and a cute part with that Walking Disaster, Jackie Rodowsky, when Claudia decides to sculpt him for the art show but runs out of time. When she tells Jackie, he's disappointed but tells Claudia he loves her...awwww!!!
Blogged: SeeJennRead
Okay, I know Claudia is supposed to be baby-sitting Jackie Rodowsky, which is a pretty good reason to wear jeans, but the rest of her outfit? Totally not Claud...white sneakers? Come on! Snazz it up a little...paint that shirt, change the laces in your sneakers, something!
There's a new girl in town, Ashley Wyeth, and Claudia is her new BFF. They both looooove art and dress weird. Although Ashley is, admittedly, a little weirder, especially for the late 80s. For example: "She was wearing a very pretty pink flowered skirt that was full and so long it touched the tops of her shoes-which I soon realized were not shoes, but sort of hiking boots. Her blouse, loose and lacy, was embroidered with pink flowers, and both her wrists were loaded with silver bangle bracelets. Her hair, which was almost as long as my friend Dawn's and was dirty blonde, was pulled into a fat braid (which, I might add, was not held in place with a rubber bang or anything; it just sort of trailed to an end). But the amazing thing was that because her hair was pulled back, you could see her ears. And she had three pierced earrings in each ear. They were all silver and all dangly, but none matched."
Ashley is very intense about her art though, it's like she's in a relationship lol. And she wants Claudia to be that way too. But of course, Claud has baby-sitting, her friends and a silly little thing called homework to deal with. She lets all those things slide though because Ashley thinks she has real talent and should enter a sculpture show. Soon, Claudia is failing spelling tests (but really, who can spell "pharaoh" without spell-check? And I totally just misspelled it! Hah!!) and skipping BSC meetings, which of course makes the other girls super pissed.
This book really kinda rubbed me the wrong way and I couldn't decide what it was until I read some other reviews on Goodreads. Someone mentioned that the other BSC members were actually acting like 13 year old girls and that's it...instead of their normal, understanding selves they are catty, rude and selfish. Now, yes, Claudia did go completely overboard being Ashley's friend and ignoring the rest. But I can see where she's coming from, since none of her other friends are artistic/crafty at all. Lucky for me, my sister and mom are both super crafty like me and also very into Blythe dolls which is my other passion besides books. :) If they weren't, it'd get very lonely doing things by myself.
So, to see the other girls calling Ashley "weird" and "stuck-up" just really annoys me for some reason. Plus, they don't encourage Claudia at all in the art show like they normally would have. And then there's the whole "eat all her candy and short-sheet her bed" chapter. Of course everything ends up happily ever after in BSCLand in the end, but still.
There was also a subplot about Dawn & Jeff, giving us some major foreshadowing about Jeff moving back to Cali and eventually Dawn. Oh and a cute part with that Walking Disaster, Jackie Rodowsky, when Claudia decides to sculpt him for the art show but runs out of time. When she tells Jackie, he's disappointed but tells Claudia he loves her...awwww!!!
Blogged: SeeJennRead
August 13, 2016
Claudia's an artist. She's always been "the artist." And her babysitting friends just kind of nod and smile without really getting it. Enter new girl Ashley: not only is Ashley a great artist herself, but she totally respects art and thinks Claudia is talented. Hungry for interaction with someone who shares her interests, she's dismayed (and a little swayed) by Ashley's disgust toward babysitting, but before long Ashley's got Claudia convinced that her artistic development is being held back by her dedication to her babysitting and her friends. Before long she's alienated all her friends, and they're not shy about showing her how they feel. . . .
This is really a great issue to cover--the balance between one's artistic passion and one's social relationships/other interests--but the book handled it a bit poorly because Ashley was one-dimensional with an agenda and very little complexity. And I hesitate to say this, but I found the BSC members' actions toward Claudia very unrealistic. They seemed so petty when they felt Claudia was ignoring them. Why wouldn't one of them just take her aside and say "Hey, Claudia, listen, you've totally been ditching us and it's making us feel rejected, so can we talk?" Instead, they do a bunch of passive-aggressive things to her and it increases the hostility. Maybe this is actually what young girls with lifelong bonds do to each other when one of them has a minor screw-up, but . . . really? You know from the tone of reading this book, though, that everything will work out in the end, and Claudia will find a good balance between her work and her social life.
This is really a great issue to cover--the balance between one's artistic passion and one's social relationships/other interests--but the book handled it a bit poorly because Ashley was one-dimensional with an agenda and very little complexity. And I hesitate to say this, but I found the BSC members' actions toward Claudia very unrealistic. They seemed so petty when they felt Claudia was ignoring them. Why wouldn't one of them just take her aside and say "Hey, Claudia, listen, you've totally been ditching us and it's making us feel rejected, so can we talk?" Instead, they do a bunch of passive-aggressive things to her and it increases the hostility. Maybe this is actually what young girls with lifelong bonds do to each other when one of them has a minor screw-up, but . . . really? You know from the tone of reading this book, though, that everything will work out in the end, and Claudia will find a good balance between her work and her social life.
July 23, 2020
Ashley is so off-putting. Her controlling, possessive behavior makes me wonder a lot at what her home environment is like. She has no clue how to be a friend or socialize or look people in the eye. I wonder if she has a social spectrum disorder, or as hypothesized in another review, a same-sex attraction that only a 13 year-old would have no idea what to do with.
What disappointed me was how the other members of the BSC responded. They didn’t know Claudia enough to know that she was trapped in a possessive relationship? You would hope that best friends like these would help each other, but instead they immediately ostracized her and hid hate notes all over her room. It was petty and very un-BSC of all of them (maybe not for Kristy, and Stacey could be wounded, but I expected way more from level-headed Dawn and trusting MaryAnne).
Luckily, Claudia was very self aware of why she was so drawn to Ashley: because of the validation she so desperately craved from authority figures. Which makes me a bit angry at her parents and art teacher for not working harder to be a good mentor for Claudia. An emotionally immature peer should never be allowed that much power over another vulnerable teenager.
What disappointed me was how the other members of the BSC responded. They didn’t know Claudia enough to know that she was trapped in a possessive relationship? You would hope that best friends like these would help each other, but instead they immediately ostracized her and hid hate notes all over her room. It was petty and very un-BSC of all of them (maybe not for Kristy, and Stacey could be wounded, but I expected way more from level-headed Dawn and trusting MaryAnne).
Luckily, Claudia was very self aware of why she was so drawn to Ashley: because of the validation she so desperately craved from authority figures. Which makes me a bit angry at her parents and art teacher for not working harder to be a good mentor for Claudia. An emotionally immature peer should never be allowed that much power over another vulnerable teenager.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2021
Claudia had a crush on Ashley Wyeth, a new girl in her English class. She was breathless when she first saw Ashley and kept sneaking glances at her during class. "I glanced once more at Ashley's retreating figure. I knew that somebody very . . . different had walked into my life." After school, Claudia told her grandmother, Mimi, she thought she and Ashley would become friends. Mimi said, "'It happens that way sometimes. Happen when I meet your grandfather. In one second, I know . . . knew . . . we would fall in love, be married, have children.'"
Claudia was not yet ready to explore her sexuality, but quickly developed an intense friendship with Ashley, a fellow artist. Claudia spent all her time with Ashley instead of attending BSC meetings and hanging out with her friends in the BSC, including her BFF Stacey. Ashley decided to mentor Claudia on her art as the girls prepared for a sculpting show. Claudia had no idea what to sculpt, so Ashley suggested the concept 'love'. According to Ashley, 'love' was sculpted "'with gentle curves and tender feelings'". At the end of the book, Claudia and Ashley downgraded their intense friendship and became sometimes friends. Is that the equivalent of going from dating to being 'just friends'?
Claudia was not yet ready to explore her sexuality, but quickly developed an intense friendship with Ashley, a fellow artist. Claudia spent all her time with Ashley instead of attending BSC meetings and hanging out with her friends in the BSC, including her BFF Stacey. Ashley decided to mentor Claudia on her art as the girls prepared for a sculpting show. Claudia had no idea what to sculpt, so Ashley suggested the concept 'love'. According to Ashley, 'love' was sculpted "'with gentle curves and tender feelings'". At the end of the book, Claudia and Ashley downgraded their intense friendship and became sometimes friends. Is that the equivalent of going from dating to being 'just friends'?
February 1, 2017
I've been having fun re-reading the BSC books on my kindle. The early ones (first 30 or so) in particular hold up pretty well, and the friendships and parent-child relationships are usually sweet and realistic. This one is a major miss-step. Basically, Claudia makes a new friend who is a dedicated artist; Claudia throws herself into her art for a few weeks and starts neglecting babysitting and the BSC; so, the other BSC members - who are supposed to be her best friends and overall nice people - plays pranks on her, leave mean notes around her room, and give her the cold shoulder. What??? That is not healthy or appropriate. That is controlling and manipulative. Worst of all, Claudia is the one who apologizes to the BSC at the end, and they grudgingly forgive her while offering no apologies of their own. Poor Claudia. She deserves to be treated better.
January 23, 2013
I love the BSC and I just miss it so much when I'm not reading the series. This was a good installment with a realistic conclusion. The books always have a lesson to share but the lovable group of girls and the babysitting adventures save them from being preachy. I'm glad the issue of having friends who don't understand your talent or passion but encourage you anyway was addressed - true friends love you for yourself, not for a common interest (that's a bonus). There's some good character development for Claudia here also who's much more responsible in this than in previous books. Great novel and a quick read.
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