My first boyfriend was in first grade. His name was Michael. We went into the corner of the school and held hands and kissed. After a glorious week, we…
My experience with summer camp comes exclusively from friends, horror movies, and that episode of The Simpsons where Lisa and Bart go to Camp Krusty. As…
At one time, I was just collecting and reading The Baby-Sitters Club. I was going to Goodwill every two weeks, buying whichever books in the series I…
Complete candor upfront — growing up, I had a difficult time relating to Stacey McGill. I had something in common with every other babysitter. I was…
Sometimes I wonder how people function. I mean, how specific people function. They always ask you for a pen, as if the idea that they might have to take…
I’ve started a club or two in my lifetime. They started with lofty goals and a generic name. Best Friends Club. Sparks Friends Club. The No Homers Club…
I have a sister. She’s one of my loyal readers. She’s also younger than me. When we were kids, she was active, popular, artistic, and had an…
I wasn’t there when my childhood pet died. His name was Sammy, and he was a gorgeous Australian Shepherd. He died while my family and I were abroad…
In which mild inconveniences indicate curses, the BSC goes spelunking in the creepy section of the library, and Mary Anne displays some sociopathic…
Being the first in a series is difficult, just like being the new kid in a school. There’s a need to set a precedent, whether it be a cool exterior to…
I’m conflicted when it comes to incredibly strict parents. My parents were pretty hands-off when it came to my sister and me — as long as we got good…
When I was eight, during the summer between third and fourth grade, my parents took my sister and me halfway around the world to the Philippines. The…