The Babysitters Club #41: Mary Anne vs. Logan

I actually have a weird/funny story about this book. I found a copy last summer in one of the worst thrift stores in the world. Seriously, this place had 9,000 different pieces of clothes and around 3 things in its “housewares” department. It was so gross that from the moment we walked in, we wanted to run in terror. I found a copy of this book, carried it around the store, and finally put it back. My best friend warned me that I might never find another copy, but I literally stumbled across it in another thrift store a few weeks ago. Someone put it in the lamp section, so I thought it was kismet LOL.

Anyway, Mary Anne is suddenly wondering what’s going on with Logan. He wants to see her all the time and apparently she is the only teenage girl that finds this weird. He wants her to cancel a sitting job with Jenny P. so they can go out and she refuses. He calls her a few times that night and she gets annoyed with him. She does, however, make a date to see him the next night.

A week goes by and all she wants to do is curl up in front of the fireplace with Wuthering Heights. Logan calls and even though she doesn’t want to go, she finally agrees. He takes her ice skating, gets her hot chocolate, and they build a snowman with some kids. Mary Anne keeps thinking about her legs and how she is so cold, but won’t say anything. When she finally does, Logan seems put out and she almost cries.

When she gets home, Richard wants to talk. He tells her that she is spending too much time with Logan and she agrees. She talks it over with Dawn and points out that she never has time for herself anymore because Logan keeps taking over. She calls him and tells him that they need to take a break, hangs up and cries her eyes out.

The next day in school, Logan pretty much ignores her. She cries some more because she thinks he should talk to her or slip a note in her locker. She even gets sad when he won’t look at her during an assembly. He stops by her locker after school to tell her hi and she feels better because they are now where she wants to be. Dawn finally makes her tell the BSC and everyone is shocked.

Mary Anne decides that she made the right decision, but still mopes around the house. She imagines an elaborate fantasy, where Logan meets a girl named Olivia who is incredibly glamorous. Logan calls the BSC, needing a sitter for Valentine’s Day. She cries some more, especially when he tells her that Kerry and Hunter requested her.

She stops by his house for Valentine’s Day and he answers the door in a tuxedo. He brings her to the table and announces that he planned it all for her. He made dinner and gives her a rose, corsage, box of chocolates, and a gold heart bracelet. She cries, thanks him, they have a good time, and then she goes home confused. She finally decides that she can’t do this anymore and arranges a meeting with him. Mary Anne tells him that she wants to breakup and gives him back his bracelet.

The other story is Jenny P. because Mrs. P is pregnant. Jenny is not happy and acts even more bratty than usual. Mary Anne sits for her a few times and she tears apart the nursery. Jenny wants to act like a baby, so Mary Anne puts her in a high chair, feeds her milk, and sends her to bed. Mallory tries explaining the good things about having siblings, but she doesn’t care.

Mr. P arranges a baby shower and hires Claudia, Stacey, and Mary Anne. Everyone brings a small gift for Jenny and she complains again. Jessi gets to sit for her when they rush to the hospital and she acts like a brat some more. Mary Anne sits for her when they bring the baby home. Jenny sees Andrea and it’s “love at first site”, so apparently everything is fine.

So many comments on this one!

*Reading these books now, I can’t help noticing how wishy washy Mary Anne is! The ghostwriter always describes her as shy, but she constantly has a backbone. She can be just as bitchy and mean as all of the other girls, but because she is quiet, she must be incredibly shy.

*Mr. and Mrs. P come across as really bad in this book. They never comment on Jenny’s behavior, but keep buying her stuff so that she will like the new baby. When Jessi comes over, they don’t even bother waking her up to explain that they are going to the hospital.

*Apparently Jenny hasn’t seen her parents or the baby in 3-4 days (since they went to the hospital). I find it hard to believe that they wouldn’t bring her to the hospital at least once.

*Mr. P says (after leaving at 10) that is the baby comes before 4, he will call. What is he smoking? He even plans on being home by 4 if the baby was born. Sure.

*Mary Anne uses the word “acute” multiple times to describe something cool. That is a really stupid word.

*When Mary Anne breaks up with him, Logan cries. Does anyone think that is remotely realistic for a 13 year old boy?

*Her big problem here is that she won’t just say something. They go skating and she’s cold, but gets pissed off because Logan doesn’t psychically know that she’s cold. They go out to eat and she gets ticked because he orders for her. She even admits that he got her usual, but she wanted something different. The second the waitress walks off, she complains to him. Then flag her down!

*MA says she’s been feeling this way for “awhile”, but it isn’t mentioned in any other books. And don’t they get back together in just a few books?

*Dawn tells her that she thought they would be together forever and get married. Just the thing that you want to hear after a breakup…