Ugh. I didn't like this one at. all. Funny because I remember it being one of my favorites as a kid---but I was boy crazy too. Now I'm just imagining my 11 year old reading it and cringing... skimpy bikini, 13 year old trying to get the attention of a man (not to mention the cover art man looks at least 35. Ew.) ( )

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good book ( )

Now was exactly the right time to read this BSC book seeing as there's a change of location and Stacey & Mary-Anne are off to a beach town to babysit eight kids for two weeks. Stacey's infatuation with everything that moves reminded me of myself at that age and I loved the growing friendship between the two girls. One of the best books of the series so far. ( )

In the Baby-Sitters Club series, summer is still raging, and Mary Ann and Stacey are heading to the job they received in the last book, to be Mother's Helpers to the Pike family on their summer vacation. They are staying in a beach house in Sea City. The girls are excited for the trip for a variety of reasons, but Stacey finds one more when she arrives: cute lifeguards. She falls in love with Scott, who is eighteen and appreciates the attention of many beach girls. Stacey can't see what Mary Ann clearly tells her, that Scott is just using her and not going to be interested in a such a young girl. Stacey doesn't believe her, and knows that Mary Ann is irritated because Stacey is leaving a lot of the work with her, but she can't stop herself. She is in luv.

The story of course addresses her infatuation, as Stacey eventually sees the light and then discovers a boy closer to her age who likes her back. It also evokes happy feelings of summer vacation. I remember when I was a kid, and summer vacation was the most important thing in the world. Witnessing the joy of the Pike children, and the excitement of the babysitters, made me long a bit for those days. As is typical with this series, childhood concerns are dominant, and matters of friendship and family are the main themes, along with love; at least, love as far as a preteen girl conceives it. This book was a light and fun read. Since I am a married adult, those feelings of puppy love and infatuation are far removed, and so the book did not move me as much as others that dealt with sickness or mixed families or change. I do see how it would definitely appeal to a young girl, and I still enjoyed the quick reading. ( )