“I mean really go back.” BSC # 67: Dawn’s Big Move”

Memory Reaction

I think I liked this book, because after this one, stuff started happening in the BSC. Dawn moved to California, Mal got Mono, Stacey quit. It is kind of like the turning point for a second era in the BSC. I know I have said I don’t like change, but in retrospect, it is nice to have books that serve as a kind of “tent poles” for the whole series.

Also, even though I didn’t like Dawn leaving, I ended up liking all the books of her in California. I know there was a lot of them, because I remember getting annoyed at how she had about three summer vacations there when it was supposed to be a six month trip.

Revisited Reaction

This is one of those “Dawn is a spoiler brat” books. By that, I mean, this is a Dawn book. Anyway, it starts off with Dawn talking about how much she misses California and how she wants to see her dad and Jeff. Her mom says she can go for Thanksgiving, but this isn’t good enough for Dawn who declares she wants to go back for six months.

So, her mom and dad manage to deal with the logistics of their bratty child switching schools in the middle of the year, changing their custody agreement, buying plane tickets, etc. Dawn just expects everyone in the BSC to be happy for her, and gets annoyed that all Kristy can think of is the club. Later, when people get used to the idea of their friend leaving and ARE happy for her, she is annoyed that they are not missing her enough. Like, I said, she is a brat. She actually almost changes her mind at the last minute, but her family puts their foot down for once and doesn’t let her. Good for them.

There is also this really dumb sub-plot that involves something called “Run for Your Money.” It is some charity thing that seems to be some kind of field day where families from Stoneybrook compete with families from another town. There is WAY too much time spent on it.

High/Lowlights

• Dawn goes on and on about liking the fall and how California DOES have seasons thank you very much. Um….Since when does she like cool fall weather? In her first book, she complains about 60-degree weather.

• If school has just started, it is got to be mid-September, so Thanksgiving can’t be that far away. Don’t be such a brat about waiting less than two months to go visit your dad, Dawn.

• Underwear races? Where you peel off you clothes while you run to reveal stuff like boxers, a bathing suit, long johns, etc? What kind of event is that? Dawn, Mary Anne, and Sharon make poor Richard get heart boxers and a Simpson’s tank top for it. I can’t believe he goes along with it.

• But if I did believe Richard rehearsed an “underwear race,” I would at least think that he would have the decorum to do so in his backyard where the neighbors wouldn’t walk by and gawk at him.

• Dawn just announces she wants to go back to California in the middle of a pleasant day. Actually, she says, “I want to go home!” Then is surprised her MOTHER takes it personally. She thought Jeff was being a brat when he did the same thing, why is she surprised now?

• This run for your money thing is so weird. There are events like water balloon hot potato and three legged races. It sounds like something you would do in elementary school, not a town wide event.

• Dawn gets upset because the 32-year-old Carol says things like “wow” and “cool.” Well, I am only 27, and I say both those things constantly. Does that mean I have five years before I stop.

• Dawn’s mom tells her dad she can pick her clothes out herself because she is 13. Now…when I was 13, I didn’t pick all my clothes out myself. Mainly because I couldn’t buy them all myself. I had a say in what I wore, but I didn't go shopping by myself.
  

• Jessi visits her old house in Oakley and gets upset that the new people who live there cut down some trees…..okay, I can actually sympathize with that, the same thing happened where I grew up.

• So the BSC enters a team in the stupid run for the money thing, and Mal wants to enter Pet Races. Oh, Mal.

• No one wears anything that seems comfortable to this run for your money thing….Dawn wears a bathing suit under a sweat suit with sneakers, Richard wears, jeans, a sweat shirt, and brown “walking shoes.” Sharon wore shorts, leg warmers, and sneakers…all really weird clothes for an athletic event.

• Of course, one of the BSC events involves dancing so Jessi wins it for them. How original. I am surprised it wasn’t a health food eating contest so Dawn could win it for them, considering it is a Dawn book.

• Dawn figures out she is getting a surprise party, but keeps guessing the place wrong. She then thinks she is wrong and is disappointed. Of course, about five minutes later she gets her party and is validated.