Karen's Ducklings

[blossom114]

This was the first BSC or LS book I ever read, I dont remember how I stumbled across it, but I know it was the first I read and the first I owned. (I might've gotten it from a book order thing at school). so in a way, this book has remained in my heart.
I remember thinking that since it said "baby-sitters little sister" on teh cover, that the two girls on the cover were Karen's big sisters... ;D ah memories.
I loved the whole subplot about Karen ordering a toy car in the mail (seriously though, who would accept in order written in CRAYON??") and I always thought it was strange that they made a big deal about a duck in the courtyard. Ducks fly... Lol... but it was so cute, and so sad when the poor duckling died.

I also loved the illustrations. I think they made both Hannie and Nancy really pretty in the drawings...and when I was little I would try and copy teh drawings and draw the myself.

After reading this book though, I still had no idea where the "Baby-Sitters Little Sister" came from when I was all of 7 or 8 when I first read it Lol

[aln1982]

So glad to read a post about someone liking a LS book ;D I also really enjoy this one, even the subplot. Andrew seemed especially devious and I disliked him more than usual (and I usually can't stand him) I didn't remember that they wrote the order form in crayon - too funny. I always thought the names for the ducklings were cute and loved Karen's poem and sadness when the one baby died. I felt bad for her.
One of my favorite LS books but I think I like almost all of them

[mckay]

Is this the one with the ducks named after the Make Way For Ducklings ducks? That was majorly cute.

The mail-order thing cracks me up so much now. Although I did think it was kind of bratty that they were digging through coat pockets looking for a 20-dollar bill. I keep a fair amount of cash in my pockets (mostly because I forget it's there), so I would've been their victim there...maybe that's why it bugs me

[blossom114]

^ yup that 's the one I never read make way for ducklings...maybe i should Lol

[booboobrewer]

I always found this one a little boring when I was young. I don't know why I didn't like the whole springtime theme of it--I love it now and think it's one of the better ones in the series.

[sweetvalleygirl99]

I also thought this book was boring.

[aln1982]

I always liked this one, though I'm not sure why. I thought it was cute how they named the ducklings. It's been a while since I've read, though, so I need to reread and see what parts were my favorites

[mckay]

This was another one I found this weekend. I didn't like the subplot as a kid - I always got really uncomfortable reading about kids misbehaving and lying.

Now though I'm just confused about how they could have ordered the car without an order form or a credit card number/check or SOMETHING.

It still annoys me, though, that they went through everyone's coat pockets looking for money. Had it just been theirs, that would be okay, but it bugged me that they didn't seem to think of that as stealing. Right now I have fifteen dollars in bills and a ton of change in my coat, and I would be pissed off if my kid/sister/whatever helped themselves to it without asking!

[aln1982]

^ It seems like kids in the BSC books are always trying to make money by finding it in pockets and couches. I never even considered this so it seems odd to me. Is it to anyone else?
Never thought about how they ordered the car but that does seem weird. I didn't care a lot for this subplot but didn't hate it, either.

[booboobrewer]

mckay said:

Right now I have fifteen dollars in bills and a ton of change in my coat, and I would be pissed off if my kid/sister/whatever helped themselves to it without asking!

I would be too. I was going to say maybe it wouldn't be so bad if it they were old coats that hadn't been used in a long time, but nah, that would still bug me, if it was my coat The couches I can understand, but going through people's actual stuff for money is totally wrong!

[mckay]

Yeah, if anything falls into the couch cushions, that's finders keepers. But I don't see going through coats as being different than taking it out of someone's wallet.

[greer]

I don't think it's odd to go through couch cushions for money, but i started reading the bsc when i was so young that i think it was instrumental in the formation of my character. Hahaha. But if someone went through my coat pockets they'd find a ton of money

I have this book but haven't read it yet. It seemed boring to me. Now i want to though

[sparklymouse]

It was weird how all the teachers acted like the ducks were vicious animals. Ok, they were trying to keep the ducks safe from the kids and not the kids safe from the ducks, but they really went overboard. I wonder if the courtyard was also the school's playground area or a separate area. I'd be annoyed if I couldn't have outside recess for so long when someone could have just moved the ducks.

[aln1982]

Can ducks be mean? Now I'm having an image of being attacked by a duck? ;D
I thought it was that they were trying to keep the ducks safe, not the kids, but agree they did go overboard. I mean, they're ducks..... ;D

[scrounge]

Ducks can be mean. Geese are worse. I think they may have been more worried about the kids pestering the ducks, throwing rocks at the bush to get them to come out so they could see them, scaring the mother away so she'd leave the babies behind and they'd die, etc. I got the sense that the courtyard and the playground were two separate areas.