sbsterling's review against another edition
And now I'm ready to party like it's 1987!
keepingyouonread's review against another edition
4.0
Last year I was really inspired by a few accounts that were reading childhood favorites. This year, one of my goals is to read more older books - not published in the last few years or something I loved growing up.
My first read in 2021 is Dawn and The Impossible Three, book five of The Babysitters Club. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend the Netflix series. This book is narrated by Dawn and mainly focuses on her babysitting for Mrs. Barrett, who is scattered and unreliable. Dawn takes on more and more responsibilities for Mrs. Barrett until one day, one of the children goes missing. Side stories include: Kristi being jealous of Dawn and Mary Anne’s friendship, Dawn and Mary Anne’s parents dating, divorce, Dawn’s move from California, and Kristi’s mom remarrying and moving the family.
This book reminded me of why I loved these as a kid. The BSC kids are clearly in charge and in many cases more responsible then the adults. There’s a scene where Dawn finally confronts Mrs. Barrett and I wanted to cheer for her. She’s professional but clearly sets boundaries. Dawn and Kristi also talk about new friendships and jealousy.
Reading them as an adult, I did laugh that the girls are 12 and watching children for upwards of eight hours a day. One scene made me laugh when Dawn informed her mom you could buy pre-made potato salad. I’m going to assume they sell pre-made foods in California and Dawn’s mother should have known this, although I think the point was more about buying foods their friends would enjoy and not just serve tofu. Dawn also comes across as a little judgy - Mrs. Barrett is a slob and Dawn needs to clean her house.
But did I still love it? Yes! Would I read more? Yes! I’m thinking a Claudia or a Stacey one next. Would I recommend to kids today? Yes! The book’s themes are still relevant and the writing holds up as engaging and interesting.
My first read in 2021 is Dawn and The Impossible Three, book five of The Babysitters Club. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend the Netflix series. This book is narrated by Dawn and mainly focuses on her babysitting for Mrs. Barrett, who is scattered and unreliable. Dawn takes on more and more responsibilities for Mrs. Barrett until one day, one of the children goes missing. Side stories include: Kristi being jealous of Dawn and Mary Anne’s friendship, Dawn and Mary Anne’s parents dating, divorce, Dawn’s move from California, and Kristi’s mom remarrying and moving the family.
This book reminded me of why I loved these as a kid. The BSC kids are clearly in charge and in many cases more responsible then the adults. There’s a scene where Dawn finally confronts Mrs. Barrett and I wanted to cheer for her. She’s professional but clearly sets boundaries. Dawn and Kristi also talk about new friendships and jealousy.
Reading them as an adult, I did laugh that the girls are 12 and watching children for upwards of eight hours a day. One scene made me laugh when Dawn informed her mom you could buy pre-made potato salad. I’m going to assume they sell pre-made foods in California and Dawn’s mother should have known this, although I think the point was more about buying foods their friends would enjoy and not just serve tofu. Dawn also comes across as a little judgy - Mrs. Barrett is a slob and Dawn needs to clean her house.
But did I still love it? Yes! Would I read more? Yes! I’m thinking a Claudia or a Stacey one next. Would I recommend to kids today? Yes! The book’s themes are still relevant and the writing holds up as engaging and interesting.
lovesarahmae's review against another edition
2.0
The Babysitters Club continues with book 5, Dawn and the Impossible Three. This book is a little worse for its age, lacking nuance as it discusses divorce (a whole lot of dead-beat dad narrative), possible depression in a parent, and a noncustodial parent kidnapping. It would be much shorter in 2019- everyone would facetime their dad daily, therapy would abound, and 911 would be called the minute a kid showed up missing.
helloskayuu's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
owloutstanding's review against another edition
3.0
A babysitter who can identify other people's jealousy, gripe about misspelled food packaging, set boundaries with a grown up, and question the way adults mask their emotions. What can't Dawn do?!
_elisebeth's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my goodness! These books were my favourite books for such a long time! I would read them everywhere and anywhere I went!
daybreak1012's review against another edition
3.0
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.
**********
I remember when I first encountered Dawn in this series. It was so odd for me because I had literally never met someone else with my name, fictional or otherwise. I couldn't decide if it was weird or cool, but I would get opportunity to navigate it since with book five, she was officially a member of the club and would have a voice as one of the narrators of the series.
What I liked about Dawn and the Impossible Three:
The dynamic of Kristy having to let someone else into Mary Anne's close circle - This is handled in a way that felt extremely relatable to me, especially when your circle of friends is pretty small and you don't yet have the maturity to understand that there's room for someone new without jettisoning someone to make that room. Mary Anne is, in fact, capable of having room for both her old best friend and her new one, but I like that it falls more on Dawn to recognize Kristy's uncertainty, include her, and forge a peace.
The jolt of understanding larger scale implications - When the BSC was formed, Kristy, Mary Anne, and Claudia can all see one another's houses from their own. Stacey and Dawn are just a short distance away. Now, with her mom's impending marriage, Kristy isn't going to be nearby anymore (which obviously doesn't help her situation in my previous point) and what does this logistically mean for a middle-schooler's continued participation, as often as the BSC meets? I like that they are given real-world issues to figure out. I recall reading this as a child who was utterly dependent on the adults in my life if I wanted to go somewhere beyond the confines of my bubble. This is a big deal and it was executed with believable anxiety on the part of the girls.
Continuing to see the effects this series had on who I am as an adult - Still, every time I see a turn of phrase that I use to this day, directly or in some variation, it cracks me up. You don't think that what you read has profound effect on you...until you return to something from your formative years and see that it really did shape some of your personality. (Let that sink in for a minute!)
What I didn't care for:
The Buddy situation - This really stressed me out when I read it as a kid. I mean, a kid goes missing while you're sitting?? I can't even. As an adult, though, I was a little taken aback that Dawn wasn't more freaked out. Because I would have lost it, if I had been Dawn. (That's a really strange sentence for me to say, by the way. Ha.)
Felt bereft of humor - One of my favorite aspects of the other books I've re-read so far is that there is almost always humor injected. While there was that one scene at Watson's house during "Let's All Come In" (dang, Karen has an impressive imagination!) that I found mildly amusing, mostly it fell flat on that front. I don't know if Dawn's mom's scatterbrained behavior was supposed to fill this void, but it didn't for me.
What left me conflicted:
Dawn - It turns out that Dawn is pretty much my least favorite character. She's judgy and a bit of a snob, sometimes. Headstrong, but in a different way from Kristy; Kristy is more driven by specific goals, while Dawn just thinks her way is the best mostly across the board. Unlike Claudia and Stacey, with whom I just had nothing in common but I thought they were still likable, I really wanted to at least like Dawn (I mean, same name!!), but most of the time, she just rubbed me the wrong way. I did find it interesting that quiet Mary Anne was drawn toward best friends that were far more assertive; yep, Mary Anne is my girl! (If you met most of the important people in my life, you'd get the impact of this statement.) I also find it amusing that Dawn frequently has strong feelings about the weather. Now that is something with which I can identify! Although she whines when it's not warm enough and I whine when it's too warm (our situations were reversed: I grew up in Connecticut and moved to Florida).
Mrs Barrett - Mrs Barrett really stressed me out as well. Good gracious, lady, get it together at least a little bit! But I also could not fathom, as a twelve-year-old, having the ability to confront her on her shortcomings. I can barely do that as an adult, without some consternation. It had to be done, but I almost felt like it would have been more appropriate coming from Dawn's mom! Then again, given Mrs Schafer's own flakiness, maybe I shouldn't be shocked that Dawn is able to identify the issues and deal with them self-sufficiently.
Worth noting:
I don't know what the Bizzer Sign is supposed to accomplish or why it makes everyone on the receiving end cry, but it effectively makes my left eye twitch.
Once again, my memories of this book held true -- which isn't all that unexpected for me, as I probably read these early books in the series at least a dozen times as a child whilst impatiently waiting for newer installments to be released, and I recall them pretty clearly, especially how I felt while reading reading them. Three-star rating stands; Dawn still aggravates me, at least at this point. (Did this shift over time? We'll see as I further jog my memory down BSC lane...)
**********
I remember when I first encountered Dawn in this series. It was so odd for me because I had literally never met someone else with my name, fictional or otherwise. I couldn't decide if it was weird or cool, but I would get opportunity to navigate it since with book five, she was officially a member of the club and would have a voice as one of the narrators of the series.
What I liked about Dawn and the Impossible Three:
The dynamic of Kristy having to let someone else into Mary Anne's close circle - This is handled in a way that felt extremely relatable to me, especially when your circle of friends is pretty small and you don't yet have the maturity to understand that there's room for someone new without jettisoning someone to make that room. Mary Anne is, in fact, capable of having room for both her old best friend and her new one, but I like that it falls more on Dawn to recognize Kristy's uncertainty, include her, and forge a peace.
The jolt of understanding larger scale implications - When the BSC was formed, Kristy, Mary Anne, and Claudia can all see one another's houses from their own. Stacey and Dawn are just a short distance away. Now, with her mom's impending marriage, Kristy isn't going to be nearby anymore (which obviously doesn't help her situation in my previous point) and what does this logistically mean for a middle-schooler's continued participation, as often as the BSC meets? I like that they are given real-world issues to figure out. I recall reading this as a child who was utterly dependent on the adults in my life if I wanted to go somewhere beyond the confines of my bubble. This is a big deal and it was executed with believable anxiety on the part of the girls.
Continuing to see the effects this series had on who I am as an adult - Still, every time I see a turn of phrase that I use to this day, directly or in some variation, it cracks me up. You don't think that what you read has profound effect on you...until you return to something from your formative years and see that it really did shape some of your personality. (Let that sink in for a minute!)
What I didn't care for:
The Buddy situation - This really stressed me out when I read it as a kid. I mean, a kid goes missing while you're sitting?? I can't even. As an adult, though, I was a little taken aback that Dawn wasn't more freaked out. Because I would have lost it, if I had been Dawn. (That's a really strange sentence for me to say, by the way. Ha.)
Felt bereft of humor - One of my favorite aspects of the other books I've re-read so far is that there is almost always humor injected. While there was that one scene at Watson's house during "Let's All Come In" (dang, Karen has an impressive imagination!) that I found mildly amusing, mostly it fell flat on that front. I don't know if Dawn's mom's scatterbrained behavior was supposed to fill this void, but it didn't for me.
What left me conflicted:
Dawn - It turns out that Dawn is pretty much my least favorite character. She's judgy and a bit of a snob, sometimes. Headstrong, but in a different way from Kristy; Kristy is more driven by specific goals, while Dawn just thinks her way is the best mostly across the board. Unlike Claudia and Stacey, with whom I just had nothing in common but I thought they were still likable, I really wanted to at least like Dawn (I mean, same name!!), but most of the time, she just rubbed me the wrong way. I did find it interesting that quiet Mary Anne was drawn toward best friends that were far more assertive; yep, Mary Anne is my girl! (If you met most of the important people in my life, you'd get the impact of this statement.) I also find it amusing that Dawn frequently has strong feelings about the weather. Now that is something with which I can identify! Although she whines when it's not warm enough and I whine when it's too warm (our situations were reversed: I grew up in Connecticut and moved to Florida).
Mrs Barrett - Mrs Barrett really stressed me out as well. Good gracious, lady, get it together at least a little bit! But I also could not fathom, as a twelve-year-old, having the ability to confront her on her shortcomings. I can barely do that as an adult, without some consternation. It had to be done, but I almost felt like it would have been more appropriate coming from Dawn's mom! Then again, given Mrs Schafer's own flakiness, maybe I shouldn't be shocked that Dawn is able to identify the issues and deal with them self-sufficiently.
Worth noting:
I don't know what the Bizzer Sign is supposed to accomplish or why it makes everyone on the receiving end cry, but it effectively makes my left eye twitch.
Once again, my memories of this book held true -- which isn't all that unexpected for me, as I probably read these early books in the series at least a dozen times as a child whilst impatiently waiting for newer installments to be released, and I recall them pretty clearly, especially how I felt while reading reading them. Three-star rating stands; Dawn still aggravates me, at least at this point. (Did this shift over time? We'll see as I further jog my memory down BSC lane...)
lemonysnicket's review against another edition
3.0
Before last week the only Baby Sitters club book I had read was #23 Dawn on the Coast but I've recently collected them and decided to read the books I've always wanted to read as a teen. This one was not as enjoyable as the last five books. I found Dawn's constant whining about Connecticut weather off putting. Possibly because I know she leaves in #88 Farewell, Dawn so I don't want to get attached to her character.
jlennidorner's review against another edition
5.0
Time-traveled back to my childhood for the fifth time! (Plus, this book means the series is halfway to including Logan Bruno!)
Yes, I know, some of you are wondering why I'm into these books. A big part of it was having a crush on Mary Anne during my youth. (What? Yeah, I know. Shut up.)
The books are just as fun to read now as they were twenty-five years ago (crap, I'm old). It's a time before mobile phones and everyone having the Internet. I guess they could have rewritten/updated/ modernized the series, but I'm kind of glad they didn't. This is part of my history, of the way life was back then.
Plus, lots of my friends were girls, and they loved reading these, so I got sucked in. Sometimes it's okay to be a sheep, like when it means reading books like these.
Yes, I know, some of you are wondering why I'm into these books. A big part of it was having a crush on Mary Anne during my youth. (What? Yeah, I know. Shut up.)
The books are just as fun to read now as they were twenty-five years ago (crap, I'm old). It's a time before mobile phones and everyone having the Internet. I guess they could have rewritten/updated/ modernized the series, but I'm kind of glad they didn't. This is part of my history, of the way life was back then.
Plus, lots of my friends were girls, and they loved reading these, so I got sucked in. Sometimes it's okay to be a sheep, like when it means reading books like these.