Month: May 2020

Photo by @parktroopers on Unsplash

Book #5: Dawn and the Impossible Three

Synopsis: Dawn is adjusting to life in Connecticut and is complaining a lot about the cold. We meet the Barrett family, who turn into some of the regular baby-sitting charges.

Thoughts: My re-read of the series (I’m slow in blogging but am about 35 books in) has helped me realize that I totally underestimated the BSC books when I was growing up. They tackle some pretty serious and, at times, dark things and this book was where I really began to see it. Dawn is adjusting to life in Connecticut and although she was invited to join the BSC at the end of the last book, it’s still slow going. She has to prove herself, and Kristy is hella jealous that this California swooped in and stole her best friend. In what I can only call an inordinate amount of awareness, Dawn totally sees what’s going on and deftly handles the situation and wins over Kristy, who even suggests giving Dawn the title of “alternate officer.”

Meanwhile, in BSC business, we meet the Barrett family: Buddy, Suzie, and Marnie and their Mom, who is described as a “young woman,” which made me feel super old. The Barretts have just gone through a contentious divorce and when Dawn shows up to babysit, she’s instructed that the kids aren’t supposed to talk to Mr. Barrett on the phone if he calls. The house is a mess, Mrs. Barrett is scattered, and basically runs out of the house without giving Dawn any other directions. Over the course of the book, Dawn becomes they’re regular babysitter and is basically doing more to take care of the kids and the house than Mrs. Barrett, who even forgot to tell Dawn about a food allergy which could have proven tragic if it weren’t for Mallory’s quick thinking. Buddy comes to her house for homework help. Suzie calls her on the phone all the time. And it all comes to a head when Buddy disappears. It turns out that scatter-brained Mrs. Barrett mixed up visitation days and Mr. Barrett picked up Buddy, who was playing outside, without telling anyone. Buddy was returned about 10 seconds before his face was plastered on the side of a milk carton. Dawn finally confronted Mrs. Barrett about how dysfunctional she is, and Mrs. Barrett agreed to try harder and to pay Dawn for all of the extra chores she’d been doing. As I read, I couldn’t help thinking how absurd this entire situation is. It wasn’t so much that I disbelieved it, but more just that it reminded me how heartbreaking it is when kids and teenagers end up parenting the adults in their lives.

Unbelievable/Surprising: “In Connecticut, people barbecue things.” As someone from below the Mason-Dixon line who also lived in Connecticut for years, I am here to tell you that this is one of the most ridiculous sentences ever written. Ever. In the history of the world.

For context, Mary Anne’s dad and Dawn’s mom have started seeing each other and the Schaefers decide to have people (Sharon’s parents, the Spiers, BSC members, etc.) over for a cookout. Sharon plans a sprouted tofu salad casserole or something of the sort, but Dawn is so eager to make a good impression and fit in that she forces her mom to go to the store and buy a grill and meat to cook on it. She calls it a barbecue, but we all know the truth: it’s just a cookout.

Lingering Question(s): Will Mrs. Barrett ever get her shit together?

Next Up: Kristy’s Big Day