jessi's little sister is obsessed with a TV show called "p.s. 163". in fact, a bunch of kids in stoneybrook watch it. jessi is surprised to learn that the kid who plays waldo, the science nerd, is originally from stoneybrook. she intends to bring it up at the next BSC meeting, but is even more surprised when the kid's mom calls to say they are back in town while the show is on break & she needs a sitter. jessi is the only one available to take the job, so she has a chance to meet derek masters in the flesh & ply him with questions about his acting career.derek is willing to answer jessi's questions, but is quick to change the subject when he can. jessi begins to realize that derek just wants to go back to his normal life in stoneybrook instead of having everyone fawn all over him. but his first day at school is a disaster. a reporter from the "stoneybrook news" is there to interview him, the girls are all lovestruck, & the boys make fun of him for wearing make-up on set. he tells jessi that one kid in particular, john, really bullies him. john threw derek's lunch all over the cafeteria, spilled his books all over the playground & stole his math homework, knocked him off the monkey bars, & tied his shoes together in gym class. jessi calls john a superbrat & wonders how she can repair the rift between the two.meanwhile, jessi is trying out for a part in the stoneybrook civic center's production of "swan lake". her auditions are going well, but jessi wants the part more than she is willing to admit to herself. she starts asking derek for tips on getting into modeling & acting, figuring that it's got to be less stressful than ballet. her parents agree to let her call agents & find out what she'd need to do to switch hobbies. the more she gets into the acting/modeling idea, the more hopeless she feels about her chances of landing a part in "swan lake".derek gets a part in a TV movie, so the family is moving back to los angeles sooner than they planned. jessi suggests that the babysitters arrange a surprise going-away party for derek. they decide on a breakfast theme, with cereal, bagels, & doughnuts, & all the sitters in bathrobes. they invite derek's entire class, & the party goes really well. no sign of any kid acting like a superbrat.at the end of the book, jessi gets a part as a swan in "swan lake" & realizes that ballet is her real passion after all. she ditches her acting/modeling plans. she stops by the masters' house to say goodbye to derek & asked him about the superbrat. derek confesses that he was the superbrat, doing mean things to other kids because they made fun of him at first over his acting. but once the kids started being nice to him, he was nice back. that's pretty much it. why are jessi books always a little dull? maybe because i don't care about ballet or any of the other crap jessi gets up to. i also wasn't crazy about the really kid-centric plot. wah wah, derek's peers are jealous of his acting career & he acts out, but then somehow magically everyone becomes friends in the end. isn't stoneybrook a magical place? it was kind of hilarious when jessi asked derek if he knows nicky pike, & he says, "nicky's a great guy." what a hollywood way to phrase it, especially coming from an eight-year-old.
Not bad. I like the focus on Jessi being nervous about Swan Lake auditions and then she cares for a child actor. It's also nice to see how the BSC works through problems that children have. But the book makes it seem somewhat normal for this to happen. I have to wonder what was going on back then, because I've read at least one other book where a child actor came to a small normal town to avoid publicity or whatever. The plot is rather cliched. But the whole theme of going after your dreams and not being afraid to try difficult and exciting things makes me smile. I wish everyone could find that motivation.
What do You think about Jessi And The Superbrat (1989)?
I remember liking this one way more as a kid. As it is, there aren't any glaringly blatant signs that 'John' doesn't exist, which is good. But on the flipside, Jessi books frequently show her being an unbelievable bitch to her friends in her own head. She gushes like CRAZY over Derek before she starts sitting for him, calling him Waldo and confusing him with his character. But her friends catch Hollywood fever for less time than she did and she's just so... rude about it. And really, would Mal h
—Marian
Jessi sits for a perfectly nice famous child.Jessi is excited to learn that a TV star--famous for a supporting role as a geeky kid on a school show which seems somewhat like Boy Meets World--hails from Stoneybrook, and is even more excited when he comes to town during the hiatus. Derek Masters is a nice, normal-seeming kid, and Jessi tries to be cool around him and to give as much attention to his little brother Todd. She’s sympathetic when Derek tells stories about a boy named John who gives him a hard time in school. Jessi nicknames John "Superbrat." Of course at the end of the book it is revealed that Derek is the Superbrat--he was the one who did all those mean things, to other kids--even though that doesn’t seem to make a lot of psychological sense.Making more psychological sense is a subplot where Jessi, nervous about a big audition, downplays her interest in ballet, and looks into alternate hobbies such as modeling and acting (suggested by Derek, who wants her to come to Hollywood with him). Derek gives Jessi some pointers about auditioning, which is really quite sweet.What annoys me most about this book is the premise (this is the first of many celebrities who will make homes, or at least temporary homes, in Stoneybrook; later we’ll have a princess, which is even more ludicrous), but what annoys me second most is the structure. Jessi HAPPENS to learn about Derek about a day before he comes back into town. You would think the writer could have removed the giant, blinking, annoying coincidence by having Jessi learn about Derek, oh, one day later, say when his mother calls the BSC.
—Laura Hughes
Fantastic books for young girls getting into reading!! Great stories about friendship and life lessons. The characters deal with all sorts of situations and often find responsible solutions to problems.I loved this series growing up and wanted to start my own babysitting business with friends. Great lessons in entrepreneurship for tweens.The books may be dated with out references to modern technology but the story stands and lessons are still relevant.Awesome books that girls will love! And the series grows with them! Terrific Author!
—April
