sj

I wanted to read this SO BADLY when it came out, but my library never got a copy, and I couldn't justify paying extra for it out of my allowance when I could have bought two other BSC novels for the same price.So, this was the first time I've read this, even though I'd read other Super Specials when I was young.I was a little creeped out by Claudia's secret admirer, and by the fact that 10 year old boys were allowed to just run around without supervision on an unfamiliar Caribbean island. Seriously? I wouldn't even let my 12 year old do that now and I CERTAINLY wouldn't leave him in charge of his little brothers while he was unsupervised. Ugh.Also, I can totally see where the whole "Mary Anne is actually gay" fanfic comes from now. It starts in this story when she notices how well some anonymous girl her own age "fills out her bikini." Ummmm...? Look, I'm a grown woman, and I've read all kinds of erotica (fanfic and legit), but this made me seriously uncomfortable. Not because I don't think that kids at 13 notice things like that, but because I know that the targeted age group for these books is the pre-teen set. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but it was seriously off-putting.Finally, WTF - how does Mr Pike's award cover a family OF TEN, PLUS full time nannies (who are ONLY being paid by being taken on the trip, so it's pretty much slave labour) AND THEN Watson is all "Oh, hey Kristy, that sounds awesome, lets take our ginormous family AND THE REST OF YOUR FRIENDS! No big."Where the hell were friends like that when I was growing up? Hell, where are they RIGHT MEOW? Anyone want to take me (and my family of 6 - 7 if we bring my dad, can we bring my dad, please?) on a Caribbean cruise [all inclusive] with a 3 day stop at DisneyWorld? If you were REALLY my friend, you would do this for me.