Review: "Claudia & Mean Janine: The Baby-Sitters Club #7"

Claudia & Mean Janine: The Baby-Sitters Club #7 by Ann M Martin

4 out of 5 stars

This book has seen better days for sure...I'm missing the first 4 pages and there are several falling out! I am seriously freaking out about those first 4 pages: what if there was a "What Claudia is Wearing"??? O_o Anyway, apparently this book belongs to Shona Farmer...another alias of mine? Who knows!

Okay, this has to be one of the saddest books in the series (oh god, I just remembered what happens to Mimi later on!! *tear*). It starts out (on page 5) with the Kishi family eating breakfast and deciding what they're going to be doing that day. It's summertime, so of course Janine is taking two college courses and working in the library between. Nerd. I will admit, I did take summer classes but NOT during high school! One summer, I took Spanish 2 and had to do lab time each week in the coldest room in the whole building. So, there I was, wrapped up in a blanket while it's 152 degrees outside, watching Willy Wonka in Spanish. (No really, that's what I was watching...and I only recommend it if you want to feel like you're on drugs lol) What was my point here? I'm pretty sure that's not what Janine was doing.

Moving on! :) Claudia is taking some art class, babysitting the adorbs Jamie Newton, going shopping with Stacey & then a BSC meeting. Packed schedule. Janine seems jealous. And hey! It's time for "Where Claudia hides her junk" or "Why don't her parents pay any attention to her??"

-Cupcakes in the desk drawer (really?? cupcakes? Just hanging out in a drawer? How does she not have a bug or rat infestation?)

-Licorice in the pencil case

-The Clue of the Tapping Heels & The Message in the Hollow Oak under the mattress

-M&M's in the jewelry box

-The Clue in the Crossword Cipher in a box of art supplies

On to the meeting...Stacey gets her hair cut, everyone oohs and ahhs over it, Kristy asks big bro Charlie to drive her to the meetings since they now live in McMansionLand and he agrees for $1.00 per meeting day. He's such a good bro. And Kristy has An Idea. Playgroup. Because it went so well last time. *Sarcasm* They come up with a nifty flier and go around to all the neighbors gathering up kids for the playgroup. Jamie thinks 5 baby-sitters would be fun, Jenny Prezzioso is a brat, Mallory Pike is going to be a baby-sitter-in-training (Hello Foreshadowing!).

And here comes the big, heart-wrenching, *tear* plot...Janine & Claudia are having dinner with Mimi and arguing like always. Mimi goes to bed early, upset, and then the girls here a thud. "Mimi was lying on the floor in a heap...She looks so little, all crumpled on the floor. Her eyes were shut, and she was as white as a sheet." It turns out she had a stroke and has to stay in the hospital a few days and will be doing lots of therapy stuffs.

Life goes on and it's time for the playgroup's first day and a session of "What [the heck] Stacey is Wearing?" I took some major liberties this time, because....ew. Lol..."Stacey, wearing a pair of knee-length lime-green shorts, matching green high-topped sneakers, and a large white T-shirt with a gigantic taxicab on the front..." And also...Kid Kit!! Woo! I always wanted to make one of those, just for myself.

So this is getting long again; I haven't done a review in so long, I've obviously forgotten how to condense. ;) Okay, time for the speed summary: Playgroup is crazy, Janine & Claudia fight more, Mimi comes home & Claudia agrees to watch her during the day, Mimi resents being treated like an invalid and baby, she yells at MaryAnne who is only trying to help, Jamie is jealous of baby Lucy and almost pours punch on her, Claudia wears some weird outfit to Lucy's Christening, Janine & Claudia finally realize they're both jealous of each other, a new family moves into Kristy's old house (with kids of course), another BSC meeting, the Pikes' call and they are going on vacation and need 2 sitters, which leads into my favorite book of the series!! Sea City, here we come!! :)