Claudia might give up the Club- and it's all the new girl's fault!
Childhood Memories: I remember when I read this book as a child, I thought that Ashley was this horrible person for trying to take Claudia away from the club. Looking back, I kind of side with Ashley. Claudia should be able to take her art career seriously because it's more likely that she'll grow up to be an artist than continue being a babysitter in Stoneybrook for the rest of her life. Also, I was in love with Ashley's outfit on the cover. Now, not so much.
Book Summary: The book starts with Claudia daydreaming in English class. In walks a new girl named Ashley Wyeth. Claudia talks to her and finds that they are both interested in art and that Ashley wants to be a sculptress when she grows up. At the next meeting, Claudia asks the club members if they know Ashley but they do not. The next day, Claudia goes to a sculpting class and is pleased to see Ashley there. They show each other their portfolios and Ashley tells Claudia she has lots of talent. Claudia thinks Ashley's work is absolutely amazing and learns that Ashley studied art at a famous institution in Chicago. The teacher announces that there will be an art show in four weeks that they can display their projects at. Claudia originally thinks she won't have enough to start a new piece and finish it in time for the show but Ashley starts to convince her otherwise. Claudia goes on a sitting job at the Rodowskys and is surprised when Ashley comes over from next door. Ashley asks why Claudia is babysitting and not devoting all her time to her art. Claudia decides she wants to be more serious and grown up like Ashley. The next day Claudia eats lunch and goes to an exhibit with Ashley. She shows up late for a club meeting and it is clear that everyone is upset with her, especially Stacey. While babysitting for the Perkinses, Dawn receives a phone call that her brother is in trouble at school. She has to pack up the girls and go get her brother. Claudia walks around town with Ashley in a search for inspiration on their sculpting projects. Claudia ends up missing a meeting but remembers to call to the let the members know she will be gone. They leave her notes telling her what her sitting jobs are and that everyone at school thinks Ashley is weird. Claudia misses another club meeting and the other girls discuss how much they miss her and are upset with her. At school, Claudia, Ashley, and the BSC members have a showdown, the members ask if she is going to quit the club. Claudia still can't decide what to sculpt for the show. When Claudia misses another meeting, the girls get angry. They leave mean notes, eat her junk food, and short sheet her bed. They decide that Ashley is only friends with Claud because she's an artist and doesn't care about Claudia's other interests. A few days later, Claudia is babysitting for the Rodowskys. Ashley comes over and they end up getting in a huge fight. Claudia realizes that Ashley was trying to control and finally decides that she is going to do a sculpture of Jackie for the art show. Claudia goes over to the Rodowskys' the next day to get some sketches of Jackie for her sculpture, she discovers that Mary Anne is babysitting. Ashley comes over, her and Claudia get in another fight. Claudia and Mary Anne semi-makeup. Claudia starts to get her life back in order, she explains things to Ashley, apologizes to her friends, starts catching up on her schoolwork, and decides not to enter any pieces in the art show. Claudia apologizes to the whole club at the next meeting. They accept and are friends once again. She also apologizes to Jackie and tells him that she won't be able to enter the sculpture of him in the art show. He is okay with this and still allows her to sculpt him. Claudia receives a phone call the day of the art show from her teacher explaining that she entered Claudia's piece as a work in progress. It ends up winning an honorable mention. Claudia and Ashley make up and end up being sometimes friends.
Snarkable Moments: First up, Ashley. I'm pretty sure Claudia has a lady crush on her. Like to the point of obsession at the beginning of the book. I love how she compares Ashley's style to that of a gypsy and then says her mom would call it Bohemian. I've never thought of gypsy and Bohemian as the same thing but it kind of makes sense. I love how offended Stacey gets about Ashley's bell bottom blue jeans, stick around a few more years Stacey, they'll be in style. Probably your seventh time through 8th grade. Claudia asks Ashley if she's related to Andrew Wyeth because they share the same last name, I wanted to know who this Andrew Wyeth was and if he was a real artist or just a creation of Stoneybrook like Cam Geary. He's real, I'm not such a huge fan of his work but I do like this piece:
Next, can I just say how much I love junior high fights? The insults are amazing. Examples "In my breadbox of friends, you are a CRUMB.", and the classic:
"Traitor, Traitor,
Claudia- we hate 'er!
Traitor, Traitor.
So long, see you later!
Good-bye Claudia."
Regina George ain't got nothing on them. Overall, it was a pretty immature book, like I felt the fights were more elementary school but whatevs.
Claudia's OOTD: There were so many good outfits here between Claudia and Ashley so I'm giving them one each.
"I was wearing a very short pink cotton dress, white tights, and black ballet slippers. I had swept all of my hair way over to one side, where it was held in place with a piece of pink cloth that matched the dress. Only one ear showed, and in it I had put my big palm tree earring."
"She was wearing a puffy white blouse, a blue-jean jacket, a long blue-jean skirt, and those hiking boots again. Beaded bracelets circle both wrists, and she'd tied a strip of faded denim around her head, like an Indian headband."
No comments:
Post a Comment