|
Post by Sideshowjazz1 on Jun 26, 2014 4:23:31 GMT -5
I was really disappointed with the winning teams. Two out of three were the series regulars? I wanted Grace and Mari's team to win over Logan's, actually, because Mari actually had talent and experience. I mean, it was obvious that Claudia and Mary Anne would win, because baby-sitters NEVER FREAKING LOSE AT ANYTHING, but...little things like that bug me. I need a hobby, I guess. ;D I did, too. Grace and Mari were pretty good bakers. If they weren't sabotaged, they should've done well. Kids' books do annoy me with the characters winning at everything.
|
|
|
Post by booboobrewer on Jun 29, 2014 18:29:06 GMT -5
I skimmed this one recently. The chocolate peanut butter bars that the cute boy team made really made me crave some! And pizza when they all went out to Pizza Express.
Kristy, the undercover cake cop, gets a hat with a "C" on it to wear. Does anyone think Kristy might become a police officer when she's older? She enjoys "playing" one, in this and Stacey and the Mystery at the Mall.
|
|
|
Post by greer on Jun 29, 2014 19:00:14 GMT -5
I can see Kristy loving being a Chief of Police!
|
|
|
Post by Sideshowjazz1 on Jun 30, 2014 17:32:44 GMT -5
Whatever Kristy does when she grows up, she'll probably do a people job where she's in a position of authority and where she has an excuse to be bossy. I can't see her doing anything not involving people, and I think she'd hate not being in charge of whatever she does.
|
|
|
Post by zoar3 on Jul 9, 2014 11:03:35 GMT -5
I reread in honor of chocolate day on Monday and this book (minus Marty and Kyle) had a lot of sweet and very funny moments. Loved the opening scene with Jamie playing in his Lion King Pool, so cute. I also enjoyed when Claudia and Jamie along with Stacey and Charlotte go into town for ice cream reminded me of when they do that in Claudia and the Clue in the Photograph. The idea of Claudia, Mary Anne, and Shea, coming together to be a team for the contest is really cool, something totally different from other books and shows more of the bond between the girls and their charges. I still wish we had gotten to read about some of the client parents entries and some of them baking together. I would have much preferred that as an extra sub-plot to the Kyle and dangerous Marty stuff. The Kidz Kitchen always makes me laugh lol to Bug Salad for 75 cents that is not made with real bugs. I also hope Claudia did help Jackie make a cake one day soon after this book and that she did write a thank you note to Verna for the recipe. Richard was awesome to rush down to SHS with the ingredients for the cake and I smiled when MA hugged him in thank you for that. I hope he enjoyed his own cake.
|
|
Natasha
New To Stoneybrook
BSC Reread Update: no 115:Jessi's big break.
Posts: 198
|
Post by Natasha on Feb 22, 2018 4:25:20 GMT -5
I didn't like this one much. Too boring I nearly gave up. How lame to think poor Jackie as a suspect. He may be a walking disaster but he'd never sabotage!
But I did like Grace Blume bonding with the BSC. She's pretty decent without Cokie. Does she become more of a regular without Cokie around?
|
|
oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,251
|
Post by oldhickory on Feb 23, 2018 11:47:08 GMT -5
I love hearing other people's reactions because this is one of my absolute favorite books in the series. I enjoy baking though so that could be a reason why I like it. I agree that it was pretty silly to suspect Jackie was the culprit. He's a fun little kid who gets into mild trouble (making messes and knocking stuff over) but he would never deliberately hurt somebody or sabotage a contest. He's one of the most lovable and sweet characters in the series.
|
|
|
Post by CharlotteTJohanssen on May 27, 2020 21:24:43 GMT -5
I really like this book. I like that Grace can be nice and friendly with Claudia. I wish we got to know Mari a bit more, this is the third or fourth book she was mentioned in at this point? I would have like to see Mari and Grace win second or something.
Alma's Memory Cake sounds amazing, I wish I could try it.
|
|
|
Post by Sideshowjazz1 on Aug 6, 2021 22:54:38 GMT -5
. One thing I wondered though was about Mary Anne being a cook since I thought I remembered a book that said she could sew but not cook - the book where she is failing Home Ec because she can't make Jello. But I guess Jello isn't cooking. Baking and cooking are actually pretty different. Cooking is more involved and involves more guesses. Baking is very exact and mathematical, and it involves mixing several different ingredients together, then putting it all together and leaving the oven to do its work. Some parts are easier or harder than cooking. I'm a pretty good cook, but a moderate-to-mediocre baker. I can do a good spag bol or or roast lamb, or an egg stir-fry or even parmigiana with homemade breadcrumb mix, but pass me some flour, cocoa, baking powder and sugar and I won't have a clue what to do. It's funny, though, because I love watching baking competitions (New Zealand created its own version of The Great British Bake-Off, just substituting "British" for "Kiwi") but not so much cooking competitions.
|
|
oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,251
|
Post by oldhickory on Aug 9, 2021 15:51:02 GMT -5
^ I consider myself a good cook, but a very good baker, for those reasons. Baking is a science and each ingredient serves a function. It's easy for me to experiment because I know how ingredients react in the oven. In cooking, anything goes. You can deviate from a written recipe much more freely and it's just up to you to end up with a dish that tastes good.
|
|
|
Post by oldmeanie on Feb 26, 2023 13:39:34 GMT -5
This one was actually kind of a slog for me until the second half. I think I just didn't care for the daycare subplot and couldn't believe they suspected Jackie. Poor kid.
But this book has a lot of good things in it. I like Claudia's charm bracelet descriptions (also, am I going crazy? I couldn't find one for Stacey), Claud becoming friendly with Grace, the description of Alma's cherry chocolate cake, and the conclusion of the subplot (it was weirdly kind of heartwarming, idk why. I liked how Dawn was so understanding). I was kind of underwhelmed by the main mystery for some reason.
I actually like that Alma's cake won. Normally it's annoying that the BSC always win, but in this case I'm glad they did. It's a nice honor of her memory. It's nice to see Claud and Mary Anne team up too... I imagine them growing closer in high school because I think they have a lot in common. I imagine the Bradford Court girls always at least keeping in touch.
|
|
|
Post by booboobrewer on Feb 26, 2023 17:13:24 GMT -5
Stacey’s charm was a little rectangle, symbolizing a credit card.
|
|
|
Post by oldmeanie on Mar 13, 2023 2:02:31 GMT -5
Stacey’s charm was a little rectangle, symbolizing a credit card. Ah. I think I misunderstood and thought it was just on Claudia's charm in the first chapter. That makes sense for her though.
|
|
livvy
Sitter-In-Training
Posts: 394
|
Post by livvy on Dec 19, 2023 2:12:23 GMT -5
Number one rule to baking: always taste as you go. Sure Claudia's cakes might have looked good but flavour triumphs looks. Obv she and her team didn't taste as they went along.
Another thing why are the girls always rewarding bad kids for ther and behaviour? Dawn did the same thing back in no 2 Beware Dawn. Instead of scolding him and telling him what he did was wrong she gives him a hug-reward. Then she does the exact same thing with Kyle-hugged him despite him letting his own sister take the blame for his bad behaviour.
|
|