California Diaries

Can Dawn find a life in California to match the one she left behind in Connecticut-or has too much changed between her friends? At Vista, eighth graders are required to write personal journals about their experiences. Meet thirteen-year-old Dawn Schafer, the crunchy and health conscious member of the Baby-Sitters Club, who has returned to California to live with her father, stepmother, and brother. Dawn is thrilled to be reunited with her old friends Sunny, Maggie, and Jill. It's not always easy to keep the group together, though-things are changing fast since they moved the eighth-grade classes into the high school. With new social demands and decisions to make, Dawn sees just how much her old friends have changed since she moved away. Or is she the one who is different now? It's time for this independent girl to let go of the life she had across the country and figure out just where she belongs now. This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.

When it comes to running away from feelings, Sunny is a master-but nobody can run forever Sunny Winslow is the life of the party. Even though her mother is suffering from lung cancer and her workaholic father is avoiding his family, Sunny is determined not to let life get her down. Her friends don't understand why she isn't more worried about her mom. They won't join her when she decides to cut class, so she takes off on her own. Headed to Venice Beach, Sunny meets the mysterious and cool Carson, who seems to understand where she's coming from. But can she run away from her problems with him, or will her true emotions creep back in? This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.

Maggie makes everything she does look easy - but there's a high price to pay for perfection. Maggie Blume does everything right. She gets straight A's, is a talented pianist, and was just named the youngest poetry editor of the school's literary magazine, Inner Vistas. She makes the life of a successful thirteen-year-old look easy. For Maggie's father, nothing but perfect will do. Not only is he obsessed with his job as a studio executive, he expects Maggie to have a detailed plan for her life, which unfortunately leaves no room for her true passion: music. Once Maggie's friends learn of her talent, they help her land a spot as the lead singer for Vanish, the band managed by her friend Amalia. Maggie could never share this news with her dad, so when she has to choose between going to his movie opening and the battle of the bands, she takes a huge risk to make sure she's able to do it all - perfectly. This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.

Amalia may be in love-but how do you know if someone loves you back?  Amalia Vargas knows she should feel lucky. She is the band manager for Vanish and her boyfriend is the guitarist, James, a sixteen-year-old high school junior. James is so into her that he can't stand for her to be with anyone else. That should be a good thing, but what seemed kind of sweet at first is suddenly getting annoying . . . and even kind of scary. James's jealousy doesn't just mean Amalia can't see other guys. He doesn't want her giving her attention to anyone-not her friends, her family, or even a toddler she's visiting at a shelter. When you're thirteen, love can be tricky. But is this the kind of love that Amalia wants-and is it even love at all? This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.

Ducky's old buddies have changed, leaving him feeling alone . . . Maybe he doesn't need guy friends anyway Sophomore Christopher McCrae has been called "Ducky" for as long as he can remember. It wasn't his choice, but it fits because it's weird and funny, just like him. Ducky's nickname has not changed, but other things have: His best friend, Jay, has started hanging with the Cro Mags-the kind of guys who spend their energy picking on guys like Ducky-and his other friend Alex is always spaced out and moody. Hanging out with his new friends Dawn, Sunny, Maggie, and Amalia has been cool, but he misses the connection to his guy friends. His parents are in Ghana for a year, and have left him alone with his older brother, Ted, who is gone most of the time. When Jay throws a party and invites Ducky and Alex, Ducky thinks things might be turning around. But when the night takes an unexpected turn, Ducky realizes it's not so easy to reconnect with his old friends. This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.

Arm yourself; prepare yourself; form a shell . . . because if you don't, you'll fall apart. Sunny's mom isn't getting better. In fact, her health (along with her mind) is deteriorating quickly. When Sunny turns to her best friend, Dawn, for support, it seems like all she gets is guilt. It doesn't help that Dawn seems to connect better with Sunny's mom than Sunny does, or that her dad is still so absorbed with work that he is never home. But at least there is one adult whom she can talk to-Dawn's pregnant stepmom, Carol. And Sunny has a stream of guys knocking at her door to keep her occupied. But none of that can replace her mom-and if she lets herself think about it, she may not be able to keep going. This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.

Dawn's dad and stepmom just had a baby girl-new, cute, and perfect . . . When vying for her parents' attention, how can Dawn compete? Dawn and Sunny's friendship is over. It seems to Dawn like she moved back to California for nothing-Sunny certainly doesn't appreciate all that Dawn has done to help her. Dawn spends more time with Maggie and Ducky, but somehow that makes her miss Sunny more, even though she's still angry with her. At home, all her dad and stepmom can do is think about the new baby. Is there even room for two daughters in her parents' lives now? Maybe she's not needed in California anymore. When Dawn heads back to Stoneybrook for the summer, perhaps it will be for good. This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.

Maggie is going to stay in control-even if it kills her. Maggie can't do much about the demands her dad puts on her. Or her mother's alcoholism. Or even her insecurity about being the lead singer of her band, Vanish. The only thing that she can control is what she eats. Or, more accurately, what she doesn't eat. Losing weight makes her feel clean; it gives her the power she so desperately wants. When Maggie's friends begin to worry that she has an eating disorder, Maggie doesn't care. It's her body; it's her life . . . which is what her mom says about her drinking problem. Could Maggie and her mom have more in common than she thinks? This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.

Amalia would do anything to help her friend-but what if she doesn't want help? Amalia knows Maggie's eating disorder is becoming severe, and makes it her mission to learn all she can to get Maggie the help she needs. Amalia and Dawn try to talk to Maggie but can't seem to get the words right. Amalia's mom suggests that Maggie go to a therapist she knows, but Maggie will only go if Amalia goes with her. The healing process is going to be slow, and meanwhile Vanish has its first paying gig to play. Between Maggie and the band, Amalia has a lot to take care of. In fact, there's so much to do that it seems like there's not a lot of time left over for her own life. This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.

All Ducky wants is the comfort of his family-but when they're around, he feels lonelier than ever Ducky has been worried about Alex ever since the party at Jay's, when Alex "accidentally" tried to hurt himself. He can't talk to Sunny about it-she's got enough going on with her terminally ill mom. Jay is still hanging with the Cro Mags, the jocks who push Ducky around. And Ducky's older brother, Ted, just wouldn't understand. Fortunately, Christmas is around the corner and his parents are coming back from Ghana, so Ducky will finally have the family support he's desperately been missing. But when they return, the McCraes don't seem to care about what's been going on in Ducky's world, either, and can't wait to leave again. With no one to turn to for advice, Ducky decides to confront Alex-and his deepest fears are confirmed. This time, there's no mistaking Alex's actions for an accident.  This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.

Dawn and Sunny need each other more than ever-what does it take to reunite with a friend? Dawn and Sunny used to be best friends. But now it seems like nothing can get them to talk to each other and resolve their issues. Dawn misses her former friend-even if she can't admit it. When Ducky scores tickets to see their favorite band, Jax, he wants to take both Dawn and Sunny. But even a fun night out can't bring them together. In fact, they are angrier and further apart than ever before. The one thing they still share is their sadness over Sunny's mom's illness. No one else understands what they're going through. But can they get through their anger long enough to rekindle their friendship? This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.

Sunny knew this was coming, but she never prepared herself to say good-bye forever Sunny's mom has stopped her cancer treatments, leaving the hospital to spend her final days at home. Sunny has been sleep deprived and kind of all over the place. She goes to school, but not to her classes. She talks to Dawn a little, but otherwise, her mind has been hijacked by thoughts of losing her mom. When a string of visitors comes through the door to say their good-byes, she finally realizes this is it. The end. Facing the pain allows Sunny to actually talk to her mom and learn a little more about her before she's gone. Sunny makes it her duty to start helping and becomes obsessed with listing everything she needs to say before her mom dies. Her mother knows there isn't enough time-there will never be enough time-to say everything that needs to be said . . . but maybe there's something she can give her daughter that will help ease Sunny's pain. This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.

Maggie has never ever gotten star struck - until now. Maggie and her friends have been sticking by Sunny's side since her mom's death. But Maggie's dad doesn't give up the demanding goals he's set for her, and right now he's harping on her to finish reading the script for his newest production, Love Conquers All, a new Romeo-and-Juliet flick. She could care less that teen star Tyler Kendall has the lead and will be at her home for the launch party. To Maggie's surprise, Tyler turns out to be pretty nice, and when he asks her out, she agrees. But Maggie is not prepared for the paparazzi. When their date is blasted all over the gossip columns, she is mortified. And when her band is chosen to play for a scene in the movie, she wonders if the celebrity life is more than she can handle. This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.

One moment-that's all it takes to lose faith in everyone Amalia's grades have been slipping. She's been worried about Maggie, whose mom's drinking has gotten out of control. At least Amalia and her new boyfriend, Brendan, are getting along great-on a movie date, she even kisses him for the first time. But then, while she is waiting outside the theater, several drunk girls assault her and call her racist names. Shaken, Amalia can't help thinking that maybe Palo City isn't the place she thought it was. She begins to shut down-and shut out Brendan and her friends. Planning her parents' twenty-fifth anniversary party, she starts to wonder if she should even invite her extended Hispanic family to this town. Can her friends and boyfriend reassure her that she belongs in the same world as they do? This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.

Ducky and Sunny get along so well-does that mean they should be dating? Ducky and Sunny have a pretty special friendship. And working together at Sunny's dad's bookstore has only brought them closer. But when Ducky notices Sunny laughing a little too hard at his jokes and giving him moony eyes, he doesn't know what to do. His guy friends aren't available and Dawn, Maggie, and Amalia are too close to Sunny to understand. Ducky knows most guys would love to be with Sunny, but he can't pretend to be into her when he's not. Right now, the last thing Sunny can handle is more pain. How can he let her know without hurting their friendship? This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.

Teenager Maggie Blume struggles with not being perfect in this spin-off from the Newbery Award–winning author's Baby-sitters Club series. Straight-A student Maggie might seem perfect, but in reality, her life is anything but. There's not much she can do about the demands her dad puts on her, her mother's alcoholism, or her insecurity about following her passion for music-but she can control what she eats. As Maggie's friends begin to worry that she has an eating disorder, she'll have to face the fact that she might have a problem being perfect won't solve . . . The next chapter following Ann M. Martin's bestselling Baby-sitters Club series, the California Diaries are the first-person journals of Dawn, Sunny, Maggie, Amalia, and Ducky-five teenagers dealing with the ups and downs of growing up. This collection includes the complete set of Maggie's three California Diaries.

Teenager Maggie Blume struggles with not being perfect in this spin-off from the Newbery Award–winning author's Baby-sitters Club series. Straight-A student Maggie might seem perfect, but in reality, her life is anything but. There's not much she can do about the demands her dad puts on her, her mother's alcoholism, or her insecurity about following her passion for music-but she can control what she eats. As Maggie's friends begin to worry that she has an eating disorder, she'll have to face the fact that she might have a problem being perfect won't solve . . . The next chapter following Ann M. Martin's bestselling Baby-sitters Club series, the California Diaries are the first-person journals of Dawn, Sunny, Maggie, Amalia, and Ducky-five teenagers dealing with the ups and downs of growing up. This collection includes the complete set of Maggie's three California Diaries.

Teenager Christopher "Ducky" McCrae deals with feeling isolated in this spin-off from the Newbery Award–winning author's Baby-sitters Club series. Ducky has great new friends in Dawn, Sunny, Maggie, and Amalia. But as much as he enjoys spending time with the girls, sometimes he misses the connection he had with his former friends Jay and Alex, who've recently drifted away. With his parents always traveling and his brother too busy to spend time with him, lately Ducky feels like the loneliest teenager on the West Coast. So when one of his female friends develops a crush on him-no one is more surprised than Ducky . . . The next chapter following Ann M. Martin's bestselling Baby-sitters Club series, the California Diaries are the first-person journals of Dawn, Sunny, Maggie, Amalia, and Ducky-five teenagers dealing with the ups and downs of growing up. This collection includes the complete set of Ducky's three California Diaries.

Teenager Dawn Schafer struggles with big changes on the West Coast in this spin-off from the Newbery Award–winning author's Baby-sitters Club series. Thirteen-year-old Dawn is thrilled to be back in California again after living in Connecticut, but her life and friends on the West Coast aren't exactly like she remembers. As Dawn adjusts to having a new baby sister in her house and attempts to rekindle her relationship with her friend Sunny, the crunchy, health-conscious member of the Baby-sitters Club will have to figure out how she fits in and where she belongs... The next chapter following Ann M. Martin's bestselling Baby-sitters Club series, the California Diaries are the first-person journals of Dawn, Sunny, Maggie, Amalia, and Ducky-five teenagers dealing with the ups and downs of growing up. This collection includes the complete set of Dawn's three California Diaries.

Teenager Amalia Vargas finds the courage to be true to herself in this spin-off from the Newbery Award–winning author's Baby-sitters Club series. When you're thirteen, having a boyfriend in a band is basically the coolest thing ever. But Amalia is starting to feel trapped by her relationship with James, who's jealous when she spends time with anyone but him-even her family and friends. Amalia knows standing up for yourself is important, but every time she takes a step forward something else happens to make her doubt everything-including the place she calls home. Luckily, her friends are there to help her through the hard times . . . The next chapter following Ann M. Martin's bestselling Baby-sitters Club series, the California Diaries are the first-person journals of Dawn, Sunny, Maggie, Amalia, and Ducky-five teenagers dealing with the ups and downs of growing up. This collection includes the complete set of Amalia's three California Diaries.