Club-Read: The Baby-Sitters Club #29: Mallory and the Mystery Diary

So like I said in the last BSC blog, I've definitely noticed a pattern when it comes to the majority of the twenties. A book that expands the universe, followed by a filler book. Given we're coming off a big book where Stacey's parents get divorced and she returns to Stoneybrook, this definitely feels like we're entering a massive comedown book. And given it's a Mallory book, that fills me with less optimism. I like Mallory, but she's in a position similar to Dawn in that the quality of her books can be shaky at best. It also doesn't help that this book's premise feels very much in line with The Ghost at Dawn's House, which wasn't a very interesting book. Hope to be wrong on these concerns though. Let's talk about Mallory and the Mystery Diary.

Covers are decent, but neither exactly excite me that much. Both have Mallory on a bed looking through the diary. Though the latter adds Jessi instead of Buddy Barrett. Of the two, I prefer the one with Jessi as their dynamic is always really good, so I like the idea of them tackling the diary together. But neither exactly hit me with this energy of "I have to read this one RIGHT NOW". 

Horrific Hindsight: R.L. Stine and Point

Without Point there would be no Fear Street. Without Point there would be no Goosebumps. 

That might be hyperbole, but everything starts with first steps. And for not just for R.L. Stine but the entire 90s horror wave in general, it might have been a different landscape if things hadn't fallen into place like they did. Point was a book line by Scholastic in the 80s that was focused on a teen market. It also capitalized on the growing popularity of horror and thrillers within said teen market. Which given this was the era of Freddy, Jason and so many other slasher icons, it's not hard to see why it would be a market that would be worth milking. It technically started in 1979 with Arthur Roth's book Avalanche, but by 1985, the series was up and rolling. And in 1986, Robert Lawrence Stine, an author from Ohio who was trying to make his name in the literary world, though namely by doing work for licensed properties like Indiana Jones, G.I. Joe and Masters of the Universe, would be on board. Stine was a longtime horror fan, having grown up in the age of the pre-comics code horror comics, B-horror and works like The Twilight Zone. The latter ol' Jovial Bob loved to crib for Goosebumps.

NNtG: Graveyard School #17: Jack and the Beanstalker

We don't get many beanstalk-related horror stories with these kids horror books. But leave it to Graveyard School of all series to provide one for us. I still haven't found the Graveyard School book I really loved, so maybe this is its chance to leave a giant impression on me. Or will it Fee-Fi-Fo-Fumble the bag? Let's find out with Jack and the Beanstalker.

Sadly this is one of those covers that I can't find a nice clean rip of, so enjoy this saturated low quality rip. But it does the job that it has to. We got us a beanstalk, that's for certain. And it's growing out of Graveyard School. I like the touch of the school supplies falling to the ground. We only see the legs of our protagonist Jackson, but with sneakers like that you'd think this was a Jacobus work. It's not, but it's still decent stuff.

NNtG: Spinetinglers #10: The Dead Kid Did It

It's time to open up another Spinetinglers. We've had an interesting batch of books so far. A few I like, a few I didn't. This time we're dealing with a dead kid. Not just that but a dead kid who's a bit of a prankster. Did this predict Dead Bart? Probably not, but I can't say I'm not intrigued. Let's find out why The Dead Kid Did It. 

Oh gee, I have absolutely no idea who could have illustrated this cover. That's sarcasm, just as a head up. This might be the most Tim Jacobus cover ever. The checkerboard ceiling, the massive warped angle, the design of the kid in general. If his feet weren't obscured I'm certain he's have Chuck Taylor's on. The cover also weirdly feels like an alternate of the cover for The Haunted School. Books and papers spilling out of a locker with a creepy being inside. Weirdly also feels like a flip with the lockers being green and the ceiling having red, where it's vice versa for Haunted School. This book predates Haunted School by at least over a year, so maybe Tim just went back to the well for the Goosebumps cover? Wouldn't surprise me. Either way, it's a great cover. 

Club-Read: The Karen Tax: Baby-Sitters Little Sister #05: Karen's School Picture

It's tax time. We're getting closer to these being lumped into a multi-review, but for now we're back to talking about the agent of chaos. And this one is an important one in a way as Karen is now wearing glasses. We also have a book about image issues and dealing with school pictures. Does that lead to a good book? Well it's Little Sister, so I guess passable book makes more sense? Let's find out with Karen's School Picture.

Three covers to talk about this time, each varied just enough to actually have a reason to talk about them. The original cover is, I don't know why, eerie to me. Just this very static school picture shot of Karen's class. The tagline is "Look what Karen's wearing!" But I'll front with you, I couldn't really pick Karen out of that lineup. I guess she's the blond one with glasses given the story and all, but she's not even centered so she wouldn't even be the first kid you'd pick out. The reprint is better at this. Karen center in the back, with the glasses, clearly not happy about said glasses. It also is less off-putting compared to the original cover so it stands out so much better. The graphic novel is fine, but doesn't exactly scream "book about a school picture". Easy winner for me on this front is the reprint.

Club-Read: The Baby-Sitters Club #28: Welcome Back, Stacey!

All the way back in book #13 Ann M. Martin made the daring decision to have Stacey McGill move out of Stoneybrook and return to New York. The result did lead to Mallory getting a bigger role and Jessi debuting for the series. But there's always been this feeling of a void being left since her departure. And even with subsequent appearances that followed, it just never felt right to not have Stacey back. But now the long national nightmare is over, and Stacey's finally back in Stoneybrook. That's good news. But why exactly? Let's find out as we say Welcome Back, Stacey!

Both covers are solid. Both do feel like it's a big deal that Stacey is back in Stoneybrook. The reprint's is cute with the big hug and all, but does feel a bit "just there" by comparison to the original. Also no Mallory or Jessi feels odd. I get it, this is about the core five reuniting, it just feels weirdly regressive to me. The original in my eyes works better. I think having the station wagon in the background sells this one for me. With Good-bye Stacey, Good-bye having her in the car and this one having her out of the car, does finally feel like a case of all is right with the BSC world. Also Claudia's outfit is just great. Purest of pure 80s vibes. Good stuff.

Club-Read: The Baby-Sitters Club #27: Jessi and the Superbrat

We haven't really gotten much in terms of the popular culture in the BSC universe. More often than not, it's media that exists within the real world. A whole slew of Meatballs and Disneyworld references. So now we get a brief window of that as Jessi has to deal with a pompous child star. Does that make for a good book, or would we be better off changing the channel? Let's see with Jessi and the Superbrat.

Technically, we have two covers to talk about, but given that the cover got a slight update in the 90s reprint and eBook, it's still fair game. The original cover is solid. Both covers showing Jessi's frustrations when it comes to dealing with Derek Masters, who doesn't seem to be getting along with the Pike triplets in a game of tennis. The 2023 reprint does a better job in my opinion, giving Jessi a more fed up in a silly way face while setting up that Derek is definitely a Hollywood kid. I think the reprint also sells the gimmick better that Derek is a TV star, while in the original he could be any kid and it's the tagline that does the heavy lifting. See? I don't always knock the reprint covers.