Jessi

[aln1982]

One of the worst is Jessi's Baby-sitter. Usually I don't notice the cover art but I looked after reading the comments on here. You are all totally right. Aunt C looks very masculine, too, but I assume that she is supposed to. On the other hand, isn't Jessi supposed to be really pretty?

[digigirl02]

Well at least prettier then Mal.

[sotypical42483]

I hate almost all the cover shots of Jessi. They always describe her as being so pretty and that's how I like to picture her in my head. She always looks like a boy!

[aln1982]

After downloading the pictures to put on my new "sitting for Ramseys" sig, I know where Jessi gets her male looks from - I could barely tell Aunt C apart from "Daddy". I had never noticed Jessi's masculine appearance before but once I looked, it is very obvious.
On another subject, I noticed in a few recent books that Jessi wrote letters to Dawn. I really liked these, especially the one (I think it might have been in Farewell Dawn) where she said that she looked up to and admired Dawn. This seems very realistic for a girl that age to look up to an older girl who is nice to her - even one who is supposedly on the same level as a friend. It seems like Jessi and Mal are almost in awe of the older girls in several books, which impacts their behavior. They tend to be reluctant to get involved in the fights and to speak up - probably because they don't want anyone to be mad. I sense that they feel like the other girls are doing something great by "letting" them be in the club and they don't want to jeopardize this - like their position in the club is not as solid as that of the other girls. At first, I thought this came from Mal's insecurity but now I think it comes from her and Jessi being younger and feeling "special" for getting to be friends with the older kids. I find this really realistic as I had similar feelings growing up.
As for Jessi's letters to Dawn, this was something I could see myself doing and it made me like Jessi more.

[booboobrewer]

On another subject, I noticed in a few recent books that Jessi wrote letters to Dawn. I really liked these, especially the one (I think it might have been in Farewell Dawn) where she said that she looked up to and admired Dawn.

I liked that too. I always thought she would choose Dawn or possibly Kristy for the older girl to look up to...

[Deleted]

It seems like Jessi and Mal are almost in awe of the older girls in several books, which impacts their behavior.

I agree...that totally makes sense, and *is* quite realistic. Today, we look back and think, what's the difference between an 11- and 12-year-old? I'm sure most of us have friends who are a year older or younger (besides ones WAY more; when you're, say, 25, it's no big deal to have a friend who's 30) But back then, even HALF a year mattered...remember the days when people would go around saying, "I'm ten...and a HALF!" Or, instead of simply saying they're 12 or whatever, "I'm ALMOST thirteen!" LOL

So, at any rate, if you were the youngest in a group - even by a year or two - it *was* a big deal, trying to make sure you'd *stay* in the group...

[fairy3lf2]

That's interesting about Jessi looking up to Dawn. Are there any notable interactions between them in the books?

[sotypical42483]

Wow I really want to re-read to see that letter Jessi writes Dawn. I don't remember it at all, I probably skimmed it everytime I read it cause it was Jessi's handwriting. I definitely agree that Jessi/Mal feel like the girls are letting them hang out with them and are grateful for that. I mean, when Claud goes back to 7th grade, they give her crap about having 12 year old friends, wonder how that made Jessi/Mal feel? And it's always pointed out that when the BSC fight, Jessi and Mal remain neutral. I would think especially Mal would feel this way, considering she once was a sitting charge and in one of the early books, she says how her mom lets her know MA and Claud will be there soon cause she knows Mallory really likes them and thinks they're cool, lol.

[aln1982]

Jessi's letter is at the very end of the book. I think it's in Farewell Dawn but may be in Dawn's Big Move. I love how Jessi and Mal are so supportive of Claud in Queen of the Seventh Grade and how they are always supportive of all the girls and try to stay out of fights. I think they are becoming my favorites in the series. I never liked Jessi as a kid but realized that I never really gave her a chance - I had only read about 1 Jessi book and didn't own any of hers. She's slowly growing on me.

[booboobrewer]

I'm pretty sure the letter is in the back of Farewell, Dawn. I'm reminded of how they all gave her that leather-bound journal as a going away present in Dawn's Big Move. I wonder if she "used" it for the California Diaries series?

[lyricalangel]

So she could write about how much she didn't miss anyone in Stoneybrook.

[aln1982]

Off topic on Jessi, but was Dawn a jerk in CA Diaries? It kind of sounds that way from lyricalangel's post. I've never read any of the books in that series except one about Maggie.

[sotypical42483]

hah that made me lol, lyrical. I have only read one Dawn CD book (Dawn #1) and while I wouldn't say she was a jerk in it exactly, she did come off as a bit cold. she does talk about how she doesn't particularly miss Stoneybrook/her friends all that much - it came as a bit of a shock when I read it. I've only read that book once, though, but I'm skimming it quickly right now. Dawn says that Mary Anne called her and "This is a terrible thing to write. However, since no one but me ever reads my journals I know I can say it safely - I don't miss Mary Anne or my other Connecticut friends as much as I thought I would." she does go on to say she misses them, though. Anyway, I remember being very surprised she said that, it's kind of sad really, especially when you think about how much Mary Anne missed Dawn after she moved!

[mckay]

I'm reminded of how they all gave her that leather-bound journal as a going away present in Dawn's Big Move. I wonder if she "used" it for the California Diaries series?

Wouldn't Dawn have freaked out over a leather-bound journal anyway? It's slaughtered animal hide and everything...guess it depends on who was writing that one.

[booboobrewer]

Haha, that is a possibility. And considering she didn't miss anyone in Stoneybrook very much, she probably put it away somewhere she can't remember.