Baby-Sitters Little Sister #45- Karen's Twin Snark Chapters 1-5
Cover- Karen has her hands on her hips looking at Audrey like uhhh how DARE you copy my taxi sweater look? Audrey looks pleased to have the same haircut and outfit as Karen. It's like a who wore it better page in People Magazine except they both lost because oh Lord those taxi cab sweaters. Been taking fashion advice from Claudia much?
Chapter 1- Families (Ms. C strays from the curriculum)
Karen states that Ms. C is the best teacher she's ever had, and shes already in second grade. By second grade, most of us have had 3 whole teaches by now. But Karen has probably had many more that got her switched before landing her in the extra support class. (She claims she skipped a grade but we all know the truth.)
Karen takes attendance and we get a description of most kids in the class. Addie rolling into the classroom in her wheelchair reminds me of how in the BSC books Jessi's main personality trait is being black. She didn't describe how any of the other kids entered the classroom. Anyway, Ms. C has a SuRpRiSiNg announcement that they will be learning about families, including animal families. If this were a typical second grade class, this would spark many questions about how animals get pregnant. I know this because we had a bee keeper come to our class once and my students proceeded to ask me questions the rest of the day such as, "But if the queen bee is the mom who's the dad?!" "How come there's one queen but lots of drone bees?!" "Do they get married before she has her babies?!" "Is she married to all of them?!" The bee keeper was not asked back. Ms. C explains that some of the class will be going to the next door teacher's class for the assignment in a desperate attempt to have a few Karen free minutes in her day. Karen ends the chapter on how she thinks she is an expert on families.
Chapter 2- Karen's Family Trees (two families, say what?! I did not see that on coming)
Andrew is four going on five but will never actually reach five. Charlie and Sam are senior citizens so they go to high school but will never actually graduate. (Bad age to have a time warp happen.) The divorce is explained and Karen is sad she doesn't have a lot of time at the big house. I wonder when the fanfiction is coming about the adults of Stoneybrook. Sense they all have marriage problems or deaths or previous relationship drama I imagine it being a lot like Desperate Housewives.
Chapter 3- Keep Out, Emily (Did you not just say you wished you had more time with your big house siblings)
Karen and Andrew enter the big house because it makes for better plots, and Karen immediately bothers all of the pets. Emily Michelle follow her around and asks her to read to her. Karen can't be bothered but luckily Kristy puts her to bed. When her parents are home. On a Friday night. I shouldn't be surprised but just once I'd like to see Elizabeth parent her own children. She's like Michelle Duggar, having her older daughter raise the younger ones. In the morning, Emily wakes Karen up to play because at last someone besides Kristy is there to pay her some attention. But again, Karen can't be bothered. She and Hannie play in one of her playrooms and make a huge mess without cleaning up, and then march into Karen's room where Emily opened up a drawer. Karen freaks out at such a sight and calls her a pest. Then she and Hannie make a sign that says "Keep Out Emily." Emily is not offended because she can't read, but Kristy tells her to be nice. Then she goes off to an emergency BSC meeting where she and all her playmates contemplate whatever to do about this tragic sibling rivalry. Probably a carnival or parade. That usually solves everything.
Chapter 4- Twins (Stoneybrook Academy, where education goes to die)
SO get this- Ms. C spends the entire first part of the day asking "What is a family boys and girls?" That's it. Then they go to recess. No learning all 50 states, no multiplication, no grammar lessons. This woman is lucky she did not have someone from admin in there observing her. Some kids share who is in their families. Terri and Tammy live with their brothers and parents and grandparents. First of all, I read that Double Trouble book from the kids in Ms. Coleman's class series and they did NOT have brothers! Also, they say their grandmother is also an identical twin. However, fraternal twins run in families, not identical twins, so this would be extremely rare. Karen gets up on her pedestal and explains about who all is in both her families. Instead of groaning and falling asleep, the class listens intently. Then they go to recess so the teachers can play the "every time Karen mentions her two families take a shot" drinking game. At recess, Audrey goes up to the 3M's who are playing hopscotch. Even though Karen mentioned in chapter 1 that Audrey is nice and she should be more like her, Karen completely ignores her. Audrey says her family is boring and she wishes she had a twin sister. Karen continues to ignore and then Audrey asks Karen to be twins. "Sure," she says and hops away to join the rest of the plastics.
Chapter 5- Just Like You (The fan club she's always wanted)
Karen forgets about the twins thing until the next day when Audrey comes in wearing the same taxi sweater Karen wore yesterday. This means Audrey's mom took her to the mall on a SCHOOL NIGHT. If that was what was going in in Audrey's house she doesn't know how lucky she is to have a family like that! I would have killed to go to the mall with my mom on a school night. Audrey sits on a desk like Karen does and picks her to be on her team in gym. Then no academics happen. Then at lunch, as Karen wonders to the 3M's if butter is a carb, Audrey sits with them! I'm guessing before this happened Audrey sat alone and Karen never bothered to invite her to join them. Then more lack of academics happen and they go to recess. Audrey gives Karen a tootsie roll and a pencil so they can have the same things. Nancy wants to know where Karen got the tootsie roll, but Audrey says she only had two. Then she tells Karen to wear her taxi sweater the next day (Do they do laundry?) Karen agrees and thinks being her twin is fun. After all, it involves Karen's favorite thing- attention.