CLAUDIA'S NOT SURE SHE WANTS TO FIND OUT WHO'S ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE.
Welcome to the discussion post for week two! I hope nobody minds that it's up a bit early. It's Mother's Day here tomorrow so I won't get a chance to put the post up. If our FIRST discussion post was anything to go by, people will be in and out over the next few days. :)
Don't panic if you haven't finished Claudia and the Phantom Phonecalls yet - we're all in different time zones, so things will be a little bit staggered. The post doesn't have an expiry date on it, so just comment whenever you're ready.
This is the post to discuss your reading of Claudia and the Phantom Phonecalls.
What was your favourite part? What was your least favourite part? Any memorable quotes you'd like to share? What had you forgotten about since the last time this book was read? If someone wrote a fic set during the timeline of this fic, what should they write?
There are no mandatory questions or points of discussion for this - anything you want to talk about in relation to this week's book, go ahead!
Next week's book is BSC #3 - The Truth About Stacey
The spooky books were always my favorites. And they frequently scared the utter shit out of me! (Wait until we get to the first Super Mystery.)
I learned the word "peoples" from this book.
It's interesting that Janine helps Claud cheat on her homework! That seems out of character for her, but I can imagine it would be frutstrating sometimes to have to sit with Claudia.
No traditional Chapter Two! The stuff is just strewn about as it shows up. Even into Chapter 4.
Claudia thinks about how much younger MA and Kristy are, and that she and Stacey leave them out of things. This isn't something I remember, so it might have gotten dropped later on.
I like how New Yorker Stacey is so casual about the threat of the Phantom Caller. In all honesty, it is kind of a weird thing for MA to flip out over, but I guess that's her personality. Kristy is the next to pick it up, but Claudia is still kind of skeptical. BUT IT IS STACEY WHO COMES UP WITH THE DANG RIBBON CODE.
As an aside, since we get a Chapter Two-esque paragraph here, why is Claudia allowed a phone in her room, if her grades are so rotten? You would think that'd be the first thing to go.
The code practice is the first time we get Kristy being obscenely obnoxious. Claudia even notes that "she is so bossy sometimes."
Interesting that she says Janine "used to be normal." I might be remembering wrong, or later stuff contradicts this. I'd love to see fic about little Claud and Janine!
"October" is on a spelling test in seventh grade?
I don't know if this is regional or just dated but I feel like almost everyone brought lunch in my high school! I'm surprised that it's a sign of immaturity.
The dance is from 4 to 6! Ah, middle school. I don't even think mine were that early, though. Maybe more like 6-9. I cannot believe that when I was reading these books, I thought seventh/eighth grade was so grown-up and glamorous.
Is it a burn that Mrs. Newton wants to get a pair of Claudia's barrettes for the baby? Teddy bears with streamers! So sophisticated!
Watson, I don't think it's a good idea to give your kid who thinks the lady next door is a witch a book called THE WITCH NEXT DOOR.
As I've been reading, I forgot who did the burglar alarms. I thought it was going to be Kristy at Watson's... I 100% forgot about this MA chapter. The tape deck alarm is real genius, though. (This is what happens when you are an anxious person!)
Oh, I love all the girls being reassuring to Mary Anne when she's worried she'll have to quit the club! They are all so good and sweet!
Oh, Alan. I love how casual Kristy is about agreeing to go with him. I love how good and calm Claud is calling 911. I really like the Kristy/Claudia bonding that happens after, when they're talking about boys on the way home.
Claudia and Janine at the end is just lovely, too. I would really like to know how they are as adults.
The girls really struck me by having that strange mix of maturity and silliness again. They make up codes for calling the police and Mary Anne builds burglar alarms! But Claudia calls the police when she thinks there's actual danger, which is may more than I would have managed at her age. (Heck, it's more than I did manage at her age- my friend and I got scared when we were babysitting when we were 12, and we called our parents!)
I also really loved the scenes with Claudia & Mimi and Claudia & Janine. I legit teared up, reading about Claudia painting Mimi's portrait. My heart! And I liked that Mimi pointed out that good relationships take work, even with family members, and Claudia took it to heart.
On a lighter note: how did Claudia get to seventh grade without knowing her times tables? That's like, 4th grade material!
I'm about to go read it, but before I do I want to state that that book TERRIFIED me when I was a kid. I mean, I started reading BSC a little on the young side (first or second grade?) but even so.
It's been a while since I read it, so it will be interesting to see what it's like now (although I have reread it at least once as an adult).
‘Depressed Trucker Drives Self Crazy’ Hahaha. It's the little things.
"A whole number can be even or odd, just as long as it’s a negative or positive integer." I'll fight Janine on this one. I've usually seen "whole numbers" used to refer to "positive integers or zero," not "negative numbers."
"I was sort of worried about the – PC myself." Slang drift ftw (or not).
They looked at all the regular channels and even tried to tune in some of the UHF stations. And another example of jargon dating the book.
Because I am a giant nerd, I took notes while reading:
- Claudia's IQ is also "above average"
This really jumped out at me. Like it made me feel really sorry for Claudia and highlights that yes, she can be clever, she's just not interested. I relate to this a lot - school just wasn't structured in a way I could find easy or interesting. I wasn't as terrible at it as Claudia, but I had to work really hard just to kind of hit "the middle" and it sucks to hear the old "if you just put more effort in, you'd be a great student!!"
- "Books are eyes into the hearts and lives of other people"
OH MIMI ♥ Any scene with Mimi in it just hit me right in the feels. I loved all the portrait sitting, and the lines about Claud trying to get Mimi's eyes right but it being impossible because there's just SO MUCH she sees there.
- Trevor has jet black hair and dark, brooding eyes
All of these years I have totally pictured Trevor as blond, whoops. Also I had forgotten he writes poetry! Is this ever mentioned again? Is it a totally huge Trevor plot point through every single book he's mentioned in, which I have just somehow forgotten?
- Kristy mentions her mom took a bunch of antique toys from "Grandma's"
Is this another weird change made to my book because the Aussie Scholastic team thought it best, or is Kristy potentially referring to "Nannie" as Grandma here? OR, did Elizabeth take a bunch of old toys from Patrick's mother's house? I think probably the former but can you imagine the latter? "He doesn't pay child support so I'm taking a bunch of antiques, okay? Okay."
- Mary Anne reading the Stoneybrook News and screaming aloud at the article about the Phantom Caller.
LOL ♥
- Alan Gray tells the math class Kristy was late because she had to go to the doctor for a flea bath
^ This actually made me laugh out loud. Alan ♥ Also I got annoyed that "mom" has been changed to "mum" all through this book but "math" hasn't been changed to "maths" -- be consistent, Scholastic!
- Claudia hates spiders
And now I want adorable fic of everyone having to rescue Claud from creepy crawlies all the time. With all the food around her (messy) room, I don't find it unreasonable for there to be spiders and/or ants or whatever around.
- Stoneybrook is the nearest town to Mercer
Is Mercer ever mentioned again? Or does it just get replaced by Stamford?
- Stacey comes up with the code
THE CODE. And the ridiculous argument they have while trying to work it out, hahaha. It's a clever idea but they're SUCH a bunch of preteen girls as they're trying to get it all finalised.
- CLAUDIA HAS A BOW TIE WITH LITTLE SCOTTIE DOGS ON IT
THIS IS ADORABLE
- Stacey imitates Mr Taylor on the phone with Claud
I love the dorky little moments like this, they're such a realistic take on things IMO. Stacey's also the one who does an amazing Porky Pig impression, though I don't think this has been revealed yet, so her imitating the teachers just gives me all sorts of glee.
- Watson calls Andrew 'Andy'
ADORABLE. Does this happen much in the later books? It's totally my headcanon and I've written it into fic, but I can't actually remember any other instances of it happening in canon.
- Watson buys Karen a book called 'The Witch Next Door'
SERIOUSLY DUDE, WHY
- Kristy decides to read it to her bit by bit on each baby-sitting visit
ADORABLE
- "frowsy gray hair"
This is used in Kristy's description of Morbidda Destiny and it's such a great description. Also what the actual fuck at Mrs Porter handing Kristy A BAG OF MOUSE PARTS.
- Stacey and Charlotte watch spook theatre
STACEY WHY
- Mary Anne says David Michael is like her brother ♥
Omg so many Spier and Thomas feelings ♥
- Mary Anne goes into Sam and Charlie's room and goes through their tape collection
SO MANY FEELINGS This has the potential to be "wtf such an invasion of privacy" but I love the idea of her being so comfortable in that house she's totally okay with digging through Charlie and Sam's stuff to find what she needs.
Also her burglar alarms are amazing but her job was the LEAST scary job out of everyone's. MARY ANNE, YOUR DAD IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR. (I can't be too mad, I am most like Mary Anne and would be freaking out if my mind was on home invaders and I was home alone, but I kind of wish the burglar alarms had been used on one of the scarier jobs.)
- "Everything" makes Kristy think of Alan Gray
God just get MARRIED already, you two.
- Stacey cries when she finds out Sam has a date with Tamara the punk
Oh my god I laughed so hard at Kristy's description of Tamara and then I felt bad for Stacey when she started crying.
- The parents on Bradford court formed a playgroup
OH ♥ God I would kill for fic of this. All the Bradford Court parents having playgroup sessions and catching up on neighbourhood news and gossip, pleeeease.
- Kristy imitating Sam's phone call
Lollll I loved this. When Claud (?) asked if the phantom caller could be Sam, and Kristy was like "No, Sam would want credit for it" and then she made up an example. So perfect.
- JAMIE WEARS OFFICER DREW'S HAT
ADORABLE. ♥
- Kristy demanding that Alan answers her questions before the policeman's questions
LOL FOREVER
Yup, I still love this book. It's been years and years and years since I read it, and I'd forgotten a lot of it, but it's adorable and I love it. I also thought the actual mystery of it was quite clever.
First of all: Jamie was wide-eyed with disbelief at what his beloved Kristy had just said. -best sentence in the book!
-I always thought it was perfect that as the Nancy Drew enthusiast, Claudia got the first (unofficial) mystery book. And hey, the policeman that came was called Officer Drew!
-I don’t remember the bit about Claudia’s above-average IQ. I like to think she really hits her stride when she’s older – that people start recognizing how she really IS smart. Just not in the way that is typically privileged by schools.
-ah, the mini infighting about who gets to take which job. Which is going to lead to the big fight in book 4. Continuity! There’s lots of it before the big time warp.
-I love the image of baby BSC all sprawled out in a yard, still not quite sure how to do things together as a group of friends.
-Kristy reads a Ramona book! How timely, since Beverly Clearly just turned 100. : )
-I have to laugh at all the future Thomas-Brewers united in collective WTF at Mary Anne’s Home Alone traps. :D
-Claudia saying she wants to be like Mimi when she’s old! <3
-the ongoing threat of how the Phantom Caller might also be in the house as you is still so creepy. I like to think Babysitters Beware took all the creepy factors in this book and turned them up to eleven.
-Stacey’s anxiety about friends and fitting in in a small town is really well done. It’s so sad when she says that going back to visit NY "is not the same as having friends".
-LOL @ Kristy’s Sam impression
-I didn’t much of Friends Forever, but Claudia/Alan always seemed like a fun full-circle thing for me, considering he first appears in her first book.
I can't believe I didn't know this (ozqueen told me the other day) but hey, the toddler Claudia's holding on the original cover art? It's Kirsten Dunst!
Reading this, I realized I'd forgotten pretty much the entire thing, and spent most of the book assuming Alan had a crush on Claudia, not Kristy, whoops. But Trevor having a mutual crush on Claudia was adorable!
But it was a fun book! I especially liked Officer Drew, who was clearly amused by this preteen romance shenanigans, but also clearly going to talk to Alan about privacy and how to treat girls with respect.
Also I am already emotionally compromised over Mimi, oh no. And also feel a lot more sympathetic towards Janine than I did when I was Claudia's age reading these books. That bit where Claudia is trying to reminisce about their childhood together with the thunderstorms, and Janine is obviously trying to engage but goes with her fear response comment, and Claudia getting angry and not realizing that Janine's trying. I'm interested in seeing more of their relationship throughout the books!
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stoneybrook2016-05-07 09:10 pm
CLAUDIA'S NOT SURE SHE WANTS TO FIND OUT
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(Anonymous) 2016-05-07 02:55 pm (UTC)(link)I learned the word "peoples" from this book.
It's interesting that Janine helps Claud cheat on her homework! That seems out of character for her, but I can imagine it would be frutstrating sometimes to have to sit with Claudia.
No traditional Chapter Two! The stuff is just strewn about as it shows up. Even into Chapter 4.
Claudia thinks about how much younger MA and Kristy are, and that she and Stacey leave them out of things. This isn't something I remember, so it might have gotten dropped later on.
I like how New Yorker Stacey is so casual about the threat of the Phantom Caller. In all honesty, it is kind of a weird thing for MA to flip out over, but I guess that's her personality. Kristy is the next to pick it up, but Claudia is still kind of skeptical. BUT IT IS STACEY WHO COMES UP WITH THE DANG RIBBON CODE.
As an aside, since we get a Chapter Two-esque paragraph here, why is Claudia allowed a phone in her room, if her grades are so rotten? You would think that'd be the first thing to go.
The code practice is the first time we get Kristy being obscenely obnoxious. Claudia even notes that "she is so bossy sometimes."
Interesting that she says Janine "used to be normal." I might be remembering wrong, or later stuff contradicts this. I'd love to see fic about little Claud and Janine!
"October" is on a spelling test in seventh grade?
I don't know if this is regional or just dated but I feel like almost everyone brought lunch in my high school! I'm surprised that it's a sign of immaturity.
The dance is from 4 to 6! Ah, middle school. I don't even think mine were that early, though. Maybe more like 6-9. I cannot believe that when I was reading these books, I thought seventh/eighth grade was so grown-up and glamorous.
Is it a burn that Mrs. Newton wants to get a pair of Claudia's barrettes for the baby? Teddy bears with streamers! So sophisticated!
Watson, I don't think it's a good idea to give your kid who thinks the lady next door is a witch a book called THE WITCH NEXT DOOR.
As I've been reading, I forgot who did the burglar alarms. I thought it was going to be Kristy at Watson's... I 100% forgot about this MA chapter. The tape deck alarm is real genius, though. (This is what happens when you are an anxious person!)
Oh, I love all the girls being reassuring to Mary Anne when she's worried she'll have to quit the club! They are all so good and sweet!
Oh, Alan. I love how casual Kristy is about agreeing to go with him. I love how good and calm Claud is calling 911. I really like the Kristy/Claudia bonding that happens after, when they're talking about boys on the way home.
Claudia and Janine at the end is just lovely, too. I would really like to know how they are as adults.
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(Anonymous) - 2016-05-07 20:57 (UTC) - Expand(no subject)
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I also really loved the scenes with Claudia & Mimi and Claudia & Janine. I legit teared up, reading about Claudia painting Mimi's portrait. My heart! And I liked that Mimi pointed out that good relationships take work, even with family members, and Claudia took it to heart.
On a lighter note: how did Claudia get to seventh grade without knowing her times tables? That's like, 4th grade material!
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It's been a while since I read it, so it will be interesting to see what it's like now (although I have reread it at least once as an adult).
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"A whole number can be even or odd, just as long as it’s a negative or positive integer." I'll fight Janine on this one. I've usually seen "whole numbers" used to refer to "positive integers or zero," not "negative numbers."
"I was sort of worried about the – PC myself." Slang drift ftw (or not).
They looked at all the regular channels and even tried to tune in some of the UHF stations. And another example of jargon dating the book.
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(Anonymous) - 2016-05-08 00:32 (UTC) - Expand(no subject)
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- Claudia's IQ is also "above average"
This really jumped out at me. Like it made me feel really sorry for Claudia and highlights that yes, she can be clever, she's just not interested. I relate to this a lot - school just wasn't structured in a way I could find easy or interesting. I wasn't as terrible at it as Claudia, but I had to work really hard just to kind of hit "the middle" and it sucks to hear the old "if you just put more effort in, you'd be a great student!!"
- "Books are eyes into the hearts and lives of other people"
OH MIMI ♥ Any scene with Mimi in it just hit me right in the feels. I loved all the portrait sitting, and the lines about Claud trying to get Mimi's eyes right but it being impossible because there's just SO MUCH she sees there.
- Trevor has jet black hair and dark, brooding eyes
All of these years I have totally pictured Trevor as blond, whoops. Also I had forgotten he writes poetry! Is this ever mentioned again? Is it a totally huge Trevor plot point through every single book he's mentioned in, which I have just somehow forgotten?
- Kristy mentions her mom took a bunch of antique toys from "Grandma's"
Is this another weird change made to my book because the Aussie Scholastic team thought it best, or is Kristy potentially referring to "Nannie" as Grandma here? OR, did Elizabeth take a bunch of old toys from Patrick's mother's house? I think probably the former but can you imagine the latter? "He doesn't pay child support so I'm taking a bunch of antiques, okay? Okay."
- Mary Anne reading the Stoneybrook News and screaming aloud at the article about the Phantom Caller.
LOL ♥
- Alan Gray tells the math class Kristy was late because she had to go to the doctor for a flea bath
^ This actually made me laugh out loud. Alan ♥ Also I got annoyed that "mom" has been changed to "mum" all through this book but "math" hasn't been changed to "maths" -- be consistent, Scholastic!
- Claudia hates spiders
And now I want adorable fic of everyone having to rescue Claud from creepy crawlies all the time. With all the food around her (messy) room, I don't find it unreasonable for there to be spiders and/or ants or whatever around.
- Stoneybrook is the nearest town to Mercer
Is Mercer ever mentioned again? Or does it just get replaced by Stamford?
- Stacey comes up with the code
THE CODE. And the ridiculous argument they have while trying to work it out, hahaha. It's a clever idea but they're SUCH a bunch of preteen girls as they're trying to get it all finalised.
- CLAUDIA HAS A BOW TIE WITH LITTLE SCOTTIE DOGS ON IT
THIS IS ADORABLE
- Stacey imitates Mr Taylor on the phone with Claud
I love the dorky little moments like this, they're such a realistic take on things IMO. Stacey's also the one who does an amazing Porky Pig impression, though I don't think this has been revealed yet, so her imitating the teachers just gives me all sorts of glee.
- Watson calls Andrew 'Andy'
ADORABLE. Does this happen much in the later books? It's totally my headcanon and I've written it into fic, but I can't actually remember any other instances of it happening in canon.
- Watson buys Karen a book called 'The Witch Next Door'
SERIOUSLY DUDE, WHY
- Kristy decides to read it to her bit by bit on each baby-sitting visit
ADORABLE
- "frowsy gray hair"
This is used in Kristy's description of Morbidda Destiny and it's such a great description. Also what the actual fuck at Mrs Porter handing Kristy A BAG OF MOUSE PARTS.
- Stacey and Charlotte watch spook theatre
STACEY WHY
- Mary Anne says David Michael is like her brother ♥
Omg so many Spier and Thomas feelings ♥
- Mary Anne goes into Sam and Charlie's room and goes through their tape collection
SO MANY FEELINGS
This has the potential to be "wtf such an invasion of privacy" but I love the idea of her being so comfortable in that house she's totally okay with digging through Charlie and Sam's stuff to find what she needs.
Also her burglar alarms are amazing but her job was the LEAST scary job out of everyone's. MARY ANNE, YOUR DAD IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR. (I can't be too mad, I am most like Mary Anne and would be freaking out if my mind was on home invaders and I was home alone, but I kind of wish the burglar alarms had been used on one of the scarier jobs.)
- "Everything" makes Kristy think of Alan Gray
God just get MARRIED already, you two.
- Stacey cries when she finds out Sam has a date with Tamara the punk
Oh my god I laughed so hard at Kristy's description of Tamara and then I felt bad for Stacey when she started crying.
- The parents on Bradford court formed a playgroup
OH ♥ God I would kill for fic of this. All the Bradford Court parents having playgroup sessions and catching up on neighbourhood news and gossip, pleeeease.
- Kristy imitating Sam's phone call
Lollll I loved this. When Claud (?) asked if the phantom caller could be Sam, and Kristy was like "No, Sam would want credit for it" and then she made up an example. So perfect.
- JAMIE WEARS OFFICER DREW'S HAT
ADORABLE. ♥
- Kristy demanding that Alan answers her questions before the policeman's questions
LOL FOREVER
Yup, I still love this book. It's been years and years and years since I read it, and I'd forgotten a lot of it, but it's adorable and I love it. I also thought the actual mystery of it was quite clever.
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(Anonymous) - 2016-05-09 11:40 (UTC) - Expand(no subject)
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(Anonymous) 2016-05-08 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)(no subject)
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-I always thought it was perfect that as the Nancy Drew enthusiast, Claudia got the first (unofficial) mystery book. And hey, the policeman that came was called Officer Drew!
-I don’t remember the bit about Claudia’s above-average IQ. I like to think she really hits her stride when she’s older – that people start recognizing how she really IS smart. Just not in the way that is typically privileged by schools.
-ah, the mini infighting about who gets to take which job. Which is going to lead to the big fight in book 4. Continuity! There’s lots of it before the big time warp.
-I love the image of baby BSC all sprawled out in a yard, still not quite sure how to do things together as a group of friends.
-Kristy reads a Ramona book! How timely, since Beverly Clearly just turned 100. : )
-I have to laugh at all the future Thomas-Brewers united in collective WTF at Mary Anne’s Home Alone traps. :D
-Claudia saying she wants to be like Mimi when she’s old! <3
-the ongoing threat of how the Phantom Caller might also be in the house as you is still so creepy. I like to think Babysitters Beware took all the creepy factors in this book and turned them up to eleven.
-Stacey’s anxiety about friends and fitting in in a small town is really well done. It’s so sad when she says that going back to visit NY "is not the same as having friends".
-LOL @ Kristy’s Sam impression
-I didn’t much of Friends Forever, but Claudia/Alan always seemed like a fun full-circle thing for me, considering he first appears in her first book.
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http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/young-kirsten-dunst-cover-babysitters-club-book/story?id=24664260
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But it was a fun book! I especially liked Officer Drew, who was clearly amused by this preteen romance shenanigans, but also clearly going to talk to Alan about privacy and how to treat girls with respect.
Also I am already emotionally compromised over Mimi, oh no. And also feel a lot more sympathetic towards Janine than I did when I was Claudia's age reading these books. That bit where Claudia is trying to reminisce about their childhood together with the thunderstorms, and Janine is obviously trying to engage but goes with her fear response comment, and Claudia getting angry and not realizing that Janine's trying. I'm interested in seeing more of their relationship throughout the books!
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