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ryceejo's review against another edition
3.0
Great to take the setting outside of Stoneybrook for a book, but I had zero emotional connection to any of the babysitting charges here in New York.
I did NOT like the way Dawn was written in this book. It does not match her character at all, and it seemed like the author just needed to give her a character arc and thing to be annoying about since all the other babysitters did. Dawn, practical, level-headed Dawn, would never have acted the way she did. Especially being from a busy state like California.
I did NOT like the way Dawn was written in this book. It does not match her character at all, and it seemed like the author just needed to give her a character arc and thing to be annoying about since all the other babysitters did. Dawn, practical, level-headed Dawn, would never have acted the way she did. Especially being from a busy state like California.
situationnormal's review against another edition
4.0
The BSC meets New York, so what's not to love? Plus, Stacey, my fave, gets to have some lessons on being a little less sophisticated, and there are sleepover shenanigans. But I really want a sub now.
sweeneysays's review against another edition
http://www.snarksquad.com/2012/09/bsc-018-staceys-mistake.html
jamietherebelliousreader's review
4.0
4 stars. This was fun. I love when the girls travel that's why I'm excited to get to the Super Specials series. The girls got to visit Stacey in New York for the first time and it was a hot mess. Nothing went as planned and all of the girls were being petty and catty with each other. It was funny. I love these characters so much because if I didn't this book would've honestly got on my nerves but it didn't. Everything worked out in the end of course and they were able to salvage the trip and have a good time. Super cute.
chloereadsforpleasure's review against another edition
4.0
After Staceys dads job transferred him back to NYC after a year of living in Stoney brook Connecticut, Stacey has to leave all her friends and return to her friends in NY. Because of this, she obviously wants to see her Stoney brook friends again, so she invites 4 of her friends, Dawn, Kristy, Maryanne, and Claudia. These friend of hers are also members of a business Kristy had organised called The Baby Sitters Club.
The visit started off with Staceys friends almost getting LOST because they couldn’t find their way to Stacey, but eventually they found each other and went to Hard Rock Cafe to eat which took up most of their time for that day because they had trouble finding their way to find Stacey. After that, I’m pretty sure they just went to shop and Stacey was getting annoyed at them basically the whole visit. Why? Because she was bothered about how Dawn was scared of the city (honestly, she has the right to and i get that), Kristy has a ‘big mouth’ , and Mary Anne was SUPER interested in New York, but Claudia also got jealous of Staceys other friends which bothers Stacey but that hadn’t started yet. They had all got hard rock cafe t-shirts and were super excited about them.
A little later, Staceys New York friends and Stoney brook friends had come over for a PARTY! yay! except “yay” isn’t really the best way to describe the party though because Mary Anne was basically a walking map the whole time, Claudia was fighting with Laine ( Staceys New York best friend ). However, Kristy and Dawn were terrified the WHOLE time. Mary Anne actually talks some trash about Dawn, saying how pathetic it was when Dawn had gotten scared by a mouse earlier. Kristy had gotten a bit mad at Claudia because Kristy had gotten a chance to dance with a boy (?…bit strange that it was a boy) and Claudia had distracted him into dancing with her instead. That was basically all that happened at the party and then Laine and the BSC were going to have a sleepover. Of course, this didn’t end well either because Claudia and Laine were fighting the whole time, Kristy was kind of backing Laine up because she was also mad at Claudia for stealing her dance. Mary Anne and Dawn were also fighting about the whole mouse and trash talk thing.
Stacey had had enough and Laine called her dad to pick her up. The BSC then tried to get some sleep because they had a big day of baby sitting ahead of them. When they all woke up, they decided to make up for all their arguing— especially considering they were gonna have to spend the entire day together in-front of a bunch of kids.
Then, for the whole entire day they were walking a bunch of kids around New York which is basically all that had happened BUT they ended up LOSING a CHILD!! but they found him. After the huge long day, Stacey catches up on some news that Laine and her father had bought tickets for Stacey and her friends to see something in the theatre, Stacey then asks the BSC if they want to go with her and Claudia decides she wanted to try and start over with Laine.
They all go and watch something at the theatre with Laine, and Claudia exchanges phone numbers with her since they had now become good friends. Which makes a nice ending for the book apart from when everyone woke up the next morning to pack and leave.
There was SO many arguments in this one, wow— but i loved the ending. I also didn’t like how it was Staceys POV but i think thats just because i don’t really know if i like Stacey or not. For some reason, Kristy seemed really, REALLY funny in this one and i don’t know why.
3 and a half stars I’d say.
The visit started off with Staceys friends almost getting LOST because they couldn’t find their way to Stacey, but eventually they found each other and went to Hard Rock Cafe to eat which took up most of their time for that day because they had trouble finding their way to find Stacey. After that, I’m pretty sure they just went to shop and Stacey was getting annoyed at them basically the whole visit. Why? Because she was bothered about how Dawn was scared of the city (honestly, she has the right to and i get that), Kristy has a ‘big mouth’ , and Mary Anne was SUPER interested in New York, but Claudia also got jealous of Staceys other friends which bothers Stacey but that hadn’t started yet. They had all got hard rock cafe t-shirts and were super excited about them.
A little later, Staceys New York friends and Stoney brook friends had come over for a PARTY! yay! except “yay” isn’t really the best way to describe the party though because Mary Anne was basically a walking map the whole time, Claudia was fighting with Laine ( Staceys New York best friend ). However, Kristy and Dawn were terrified the WHOLE time. Mary Anne actually talks some trash about Dawn, saying how pathetic it was when Dawn had gotten scared by a mouse earlier. Kristy had gotten a bit mad at Claudia because Kristy had gotten a chance to dance with a boy (?…bit strange that it was a boy) and Claudia had distracted him into dancing with her instead. That was basically all that happened at the party and then Laine and the BSC were going to have a sleepover. Of course, this didn’t end well either because Claudia and Laine were fighting the whole time, Kristy was kind of backing Laine up because she was also mad at Claudia for stealing her dance. Mary Anne and Dawn were also fighting about the whole mouse and trash talk thing.
Stacey had had enough and Laine called her dad to pick her up. The BSC then tried to get some sleep because they had a big day of baby sitting ahead of them. When they all woke up, they decided to make up for all their arguing— especially considering they were gonna have to spend the entire day together in-front of a bunch of kids.
Then, for the whole entire day they were walking a bunch of kids around New York which is basically all that had happened BUT they ended up LOSING a CHILD!! but they found him. After the huge long day, Stacey catches up on some news that Laine and her father had bought tickets for Stacey and her friends to see something in the theatre, Stacey then asks the BSC if they want to go with her and Claudia decides she wanted to try and start over with Laine.
They all go and watch something at the theatre with Laine, and Claudia exchanges phone numbers with her since they had now become good friends. Which makes a nice ending for the book apart from when everyone woke up the next morning to pack and leave.
There was SO many arguments in this one, wow— but i loved the ending. I also didn’t like how it was Staceys POV but i think thats just because i don’t really know if i like Stacey or not. For some reason, Kristy seemed really, REALLY funny in this one and i don’t know why.
3 and a half stars I’d say.
barmera's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
daybreak1012's review
4.0
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.
*******
It's such a trippy experience to me, rereading these books. Sometimes, I remember the whole story, crystal clear. Other times, I remember the premise well enough, though not all the details. And then there are the books, like this one, where I could not tell you what happens in it, but as I am reading, it all floods back; it's as if my subconscious knows what is going to happen next, so it isn't surprising, but my conscious brain doesn't remember it until I'm actually reading the words.
What I liked about Stacey's Mistake:
It made me nostalgic - Having grown up in Connecticut myself, I know that NYC is only a stone's throw away. One quick bus or train ride, and you're there. I went into the City multiple times before relocating to points further south. Many of those times, it was as a young adult, going into the City to see it dressed up for Christmas and catch a show, on or off Broadway. But my first trip in would have had me just about the age of the girls in this book. I remember being a combination of dazzled, overwhelmed, and somewhat freaked out. New York City was about as far away from the environment I grew up in -- a sleepy suburb, not little by square miles, but also I think the only building over three stories high would probably be the hospital. NYC, by contrast, was a lot. And the reactions of the various CT-BSC members were mostly reflections of how I felt in that same experience.
Giggling at some lines that I am reminded I took with me - A reference to Dawn nearly causing an avalanche on an escalator (the irony of this being that I hate everything about escalators). One of the little kids they sat for using the word 'hangaber' which I have been known to refer to a burger as such, if I am in a silly mood.
Some really good takeaways - There was some gentle broaching on the topic of homelessness, which, at least in the time I grew up -- and these books were written -- wasn't something to which a girl from CT would have had much exposure. I thought it was handled very well, both in explanation and in the adults trying to find a way to address and better the situation. Also, Stacey's realization that she was taking some pretty amazing things for granted, things she was initially annoyed with her friends' awe over, and that she didn't want to lose that sense of wonder.
What left me conflicted:
I was left questioning something - I know that this is a different time, some three decades later, but were adults really allowing 13-year-olds to wander to streets of NYC completely unchaperoned, much less in charge of a group of younger kids? Maybe this is my CT still affecting my thinking and this is not uncommon practice for parents to teach their barely teenage children to navigate their area? I couldn't decide whether to file this under things I didn't care for or things that left me conflicted. Opted for conflicted because I think it's a better descriptor for how I feel about it.
I didn't initially have the fondest memories of reading this particular installment. My original rating of it, based on recollection, was a middle of the road three stars. I don't know if I wasn't giving it enough credit in my memory or if I just enjoyed it more as an adult, but parts of it delighted me to the point that I could not justify failing to give it another star.
*******
It's such a trippy experience to me, rereading these books. Sometimes, I remember the whole story, crystal clear. Other times, I remember the premise well enough, though not all the details. And then there are the books, like this one, where I could not tell you what happens in it, but as I am reading, it all floods back; it's as if my subconscious knows what is going to happen next, so it isn't surprising, but my conscious brain doesn't remember it until I'm actually reading the words.
What I liked about Stacey's Mistake:
It made me nostalgic - Having grown up in Connecticut myself, I know that NYC is only a stone's throw away. One quick bus or train ride, and you're there. I went into the City multiple times before relocating to points further south. Many of those times, it was as a young adult, going into the City to see it dressed up for Christmas and catch a show, on or off Broadway. But my first trip in would have had me just about the age of the girls in this book. I remember being a combination of dazzled, overwhelmed, and somewhat freaked out. New York City was about as far away from the environment I grew up in -- a sleepy suburb, not little by square miles, but also I think the only building over three stories high would probably be the hospital. NYC, by contrast, was a lot. And the reactions of the various CT-BSC members were mostly reflections of how I felt in that same experience.
Giggling at some lines that I am reminded I took with me - A reference to Dawn nearly causing an avalanche on an escalator (the irony of this being that I hate everything about escalators). One of the little kids they sat for using the word 'hangaber' which I have been known to refer to a burger as such, if I am in a silly mood.
Some really good takeaways - There was some gentle broaching on the topic of homelessness, which, at least in the time I grew up -- and these books were written -- wasn't something to which a girl from CT would have had much exposure. I thought it was handled very well, both in explanation and in the adults trying to find a way to address and better the situation. Also, Stacey's realization that she was taking some pretty amazing things for granted, things she was initially annoyed with her friends' awe over, and that she didn't want to lose that sense of wonder.
What left me conflicted:
I was left questioning something - I know that this is a different time, some three decades later, but were adults really allowing 13-year-olds to wander to streets of NYC completely unchaperoned, much less in charge of a group of younger kids? Maybe this is my CT still affecting my thinking and this is not uncommon practice for parents to teach their barely teenage children to navigate their area? I couldn't decide whether to file this under things I didn't care for or things that left me conflicted. Opted for conflicted because I think it's a better descriptor for how I feel about it.
I didn't initially have the fondest memories of reading this particular installment. My original rating of it, based on recollection, was a middle of the road three stars. I don't know if I wasn't giving it enough credit in my memory or if I just enjoyed it more as an adult, but parts of it delighted me to the point that I could not justify failing to give it another star.
perfect_escape's review against another edition
2.0
I read the Babysitters Club books when I was younger but quickly grew out of them due to the poor writing. Well, I've recently found the books online (for free) and have nothing else to do, so here I am. If I read this book before, I don't remember doing so (really, I don't remember *any* of the books, but I know I read them). Here are my thoughts:
1. Stacey is a spoiled brat. The way she acted in "Boy Crazy Stacey", especially towards Mary Anne, and on a SITTING JOB, was awful. Especially when she tried to justify her behavior, and said that Mary Anne's friend was a nerd. Like, we get it (in every book's introductions, especially): you think you're oh-so sophisticated and mature, and Mary Anne is a shy little baby. (Even though it isn't Mary Anne's fault; for one, she lives a sheltered life due to her overprotective father. And second, she's 12 - she acts and dresses like a normal 12 year-old.) So anyway, I did not like Stacey from that book and on, although she was a little better in "Goodbye Stacey, Goodbye!" and this book confirmed that for me. She was obnoxious and full of herself. God forbid her friends act like tourists, they ARE tourists! Sure, Dawn is going overboard and Mary Anne is obnoxious, but really, they're 12/13. They're acting their age. I'm glad that later on she realizes she's been a jerk, but as always, the conflict is resolved in about two seconds, which is oh-so realistic of real life. Oh...wait.
2. The fact that five 13 year-olds were allowed to walk TEN KIDS around New York City is unrealistic. Babysitting in your neighborhood is one thing. Running a play group of sorts for fourteen kiddos in your background is one thing. Taking ten little kids around a giant museum and Central Park is another thing entirely. Like, sure, the girls are responsible with kids and have proven they can handle large groups. That's not the issue here. The issue is the fact that they were allowed to DO this. I mean, Stacey even said that ten year-olds aren't really allowed to go in the park. But a young teenager is? The teenager is a little bit smarter, sure, but still vulnerable, especially when there's five of them watching ten little children. I do appreciate that Stacey realized making them name tags was a bad idea, but the whole thing in itself doesn't seem realistic. But then again, I'm from a small town - the hicks, you could say. And this book was set in what, the 90s or so? So maybe it's realistic for the setting time-wise? And maybe this is a norm with parents...?
3. The fact that Mary Anne was allowed to go is not believable at all lmao. I mean, he let her go to the beach for two weeks, but that is very different from NYC. I mean the dude wouldn't even let her babysit alone a year ago, and now he's letting her walk around a major city? Walking ten kids on the boardwalk is very different from walking ten kids in NYC.
4. I didn't know that Ann M. Martin had ghost writers, but I guess they messed up on a minor detail. At the beginning, when Stacey is describing Dawn, she straight-up says that Dawn's brother ended up moving back to California. But later, at the end, she's completely surprised and says she didn't realize it happened. Huh?
5. I'm sure the point above isn't the only minor detail error in the series, especially if there were multiple ghost writers. Especially if the books from #9/#10 on are ALL set in eighth grade. For some reason the characters are forbidden from high school? I know in a later book Claudia is moved back to seventh grade, but if the books are going in series order (which I've gathered it does), then it's November in this book. Does Claudia move back in the middle of the school year? And why are so many books set in eighth grade? I mean, Claudia breaks her leg in the next book and that of course is a timeline of a couple months, which would mean February or so by the next book. Yet the next 80 books are all in eighth grade? Huh???? Someone explain this to me?
1. Stacey is a spoiled brat. The way she acted in "Boy Crazy Stacey", especially towards Mary Anne, and on a SITTING JOB, was awful. Especially when she tried to justify her behavior, and said that Mary Anne's friend was a nerd. Like, we get it (in every book's introductions, especially): you think you're oh-so sophisticated and mature, and Mary Anne is a shy little baby. (Even though it isn't Mary Anne's fault; for one, she lives a sheltered life due to her overprotective father. And second, she's 12 - she acts and dresses like a normal 12 year-old.) So anyway, I did not like Stacey from that book and on, although she was a little better in "Goodbye Stacey, Goodbye!" and this book confirmed that for me. She was obnoxious and full of herself. God forbid her friends act like tourists, they ARE tourists! Sure, Dawn is going overboard and Mary Anne is obnoxious, but really, they're 12/13. They're acting their age. I'm glad that later on she realizes she's been a jerk, but as always, the conflict is resolved in about two seconds, which is oh-so realistic of real life. Oh...wait.
2. The fact that five 13 year-olds were allowed to walk TEN KIDS around New York City is unrealistic. Babysitting in your neighborhood is one thing. Running a play group of sorts for fourteen kiddos in your background is one thing. Taking ten little kids around a giant museum and Central Park is another thing entirely. Like, sure, the girls are responsible with kids and have proven they can handle large groups. That's not the issue here. The issue is the fact that they were allowed to DO this. I mean, Stacey even said that ten year-olds aren't really allowed to go in the park. But a young teenager is? The teenager is a little bit smarter, sure, but still vulnerable, especially when there's five of them watching ten little children. I do appreciate that Stacey realized making them name tags was a bad idea, but the whole thing in itself doesn't seem realistic. But then again, I'm from a small town - the hicks, you could say. And this book was set in what, the 90s or so? So maybe it's realistic for the setting time-wise? And maybe this is a norm with parents...?
3. The fact that Mary Anne was allowed to go is not believable at all lmao. I mean, he let her go to the beach for two weeks, but that is very different from NYC. I mean the dude wouldn't even let her babysit alone a year ago, and now he's letting her walk around a major city? Walking ten kids on the boardwalk is very different from walking ten kids in NYC.
4. I didn't know that Ann M. Martin had ghost writers, but I guess they messed up on a minor detail. At the beginning, when Stacey is describing Dawn, she straight-up says that Dawn's brother ended up moving back to California. But later, at the end, she's completely surprised and says she didn't realize it happened. Huh?
5. I'm sure the point above isn't the only minor detail error in the series, especially if there were multiple ghost writers. Especially if the books from #9/#10 on are ALL set in eighth grade. For some reason the characters are forbidden from high school? I know in a later book Claudia is moved back to seventh grade, but if the books are going in series order (which I've gathered it does), then it's November in this book. Does Claudia move back in the middle of the school year? And why are so many books set in eighth grade? I mean, Claudia breaks her leg in the next book and that of course is a timeline of a couple months, which would mean February or so by the next book. Yet the next 80 books are all in eighth grade? Huh???? Someone explain this to me?