Entry tags:
Three Worst Baby-sitters Club Books (that I've read)
I wish I knew which Baby-Sitters Club ghostwriter wrote which book. I think there must have been one particularly bad one who did Mallory and the Dream Horse, Maid Mary Anne and Stacey and the Mystery of Stoneybrook because they all share a remarkable lack of plot events, unprecedented intellectual and emotional stupidity in the main character's thoughts and dialogue, and confusing if present themes and lessons.
( And here's how. )
I wouldn't be so upset about these occasional problem books if the others hadn't set such a high standard, typically giving the girls real, consequential problems; individual personalities; and coherent emotional arcs. Even when the girls are being immature, they are usually at least understandable (such as Kristy's irrational hatred of Watson in #1 or Claudia's clearly erroneous belief that she caused Mimi's stroke in #7). Dream Horse and its ilk are the books that remind me of the level of non-quality that most people assume BSC books have, and how unmemorable and unreadable they all could have been if handled differently.
( And here's how. )
I wouldn't be so upset about these occasional problem books if the others hadn't set such a high standard, typically giving the girls real, consequential problems; individual personalities; and coherent emotional arcs. Even when the girls are being immature, they are usually at least understandable (such as Kristy's irrational hatred of Watson in #1 or Claudia's clearly erroneous belief that she caused Mimi's stroke in #7). Dream Horse and its ilk are the books that remind me of the level of non-quality that most people assume BSC books have, and how unmemorable and unreadable they all could have been if handled differently.