Teenage Reading

I have an addiction, if I may say so, towards the 'Baby Sitters Club' books. Bad start, ugh. My heart rests(too formal), I looooove(too informal), I really love(just perfect) these books by Ann M. Martin. I have over forty of them, thanks to my parents. For girls, and guys too, this book really provides a lowdown on an American teenager's life. There are five girls aged 13 who are part of the BSC (Baby Sitters Club) and they are excellent sitters, great friends and share a wonderful camaraderie with each other. Kristy, Claudia, Mary Anne, Stacey and Dawn are the five girls who do have problems and tide over them in a perfectly normal way. Problems they face (ofcourse not all of them have all these problems) range from adjustment after divorce, diabetes, low grades in school, a single parent and division of families. Two other girls, Mallory and Jessi, aged 11, also are part of this great club. Mallory has seven siblings, yeah, seven and Jessi is Afro-American. She has to deal with racism. Ofcourse, they do have their 'crushes', some steady, and some not steady. They enjoy their life in Stoneybrook, a fairly small town, very unlike major metro cities. The contentment is remarkable. No ambitiousness or slogging away at school (though slogging away at school does give you large returns later), and great respect and love for each other. There are 131 books, from each member's point of view. Kristy has an adorable adopted sister, and two cute stepsiblings, Mary Anne has Logan (her boyfriend) and Tigger, her cute cat, Claud is super stylish and innovative and is great at art, Stacey is the 'NYC' girl, who copes with her diabetes positively and Dawn is the veggie environmentalist, who is really 'California' at heart. (Well, she is from Cali.) Mallory draws and writes well (though having seven siblings is really a bit too much, and I always sympathize with Mal for having to babysit them most of the time). Jessi is a really talented ballet dancer who has danced in lead productions and is great at languages. Logan(an associate member, also MA's boyfriend) is a complete jock who is great at all sports, and looks like Cam Geary to Mary Anne. MA looooves Cam Geary, so you get the picture. Shannon, the associate member, is totally into studies and extra-curriculars (sort of like me) and Abby, the member who appears in #Book 90, is also totally athletic(like Kristy) and is asthmatic. All of them are so different and unique, and thats what makes reading a great pleasure. There are minus points though, but they are 'minus', so just leave them. The plus points are just too many. Its really a part-reflection of your life, and the feelings we all have had. Feelings towards everything, like school, friends, activities, choices, decisions, health and love. Grab a book, hope that it is raining outside, make yourself a cup of creamy, frothy coffee or hot chocolate, cuddle up with your quilt, or just sit on a rocking chair, and transport yourself to the heaven of reading!! (Re-reading, Re-Re-Reading will definitely follow. Just ask me!) Savour them. You will really learn a lot. (Not in the truest academic sense, but it does make you wordly wise.) Ofcourse we read other books, but let me assure you, the BSC will be really intertwined with your heart and life. (Am I going too overboard? I really, really looooove the books!) All thanks to my school library who introduced me to them. Your next destination: bookstore and then Mocha, CCD or Barista, for that irreplaceable coffee!! Enjoy reading!!