User:Propaniac/bsc/Dawn's Family Feud

Dawn's Family Feud is the sixty-fourth book in the Baby-Sitters Club original series.

Main plot
The novel opens with Dawn Schafer, Mary Anne Spier, and Sharon Spier cleaning their farmhouse in preparation for Jeff Schafer's visit from California. Richard is nervous because he will alone with Jeff for three days while Sharon is working. They plan on taking a family trip during the upcoming four day weekend.

The family starts having problems soon after Jeff arrives. His old friends have changed, and Richard is trying really hard to make Jeff comfortable. However, while Richard likes going to museums and learning about culture, Jeff likes to play sports. Dawn and Mary Anne realize that everyone is uncomfortable, however Mary Anne blames Jeff and Dawn blames Richard.

During the family trip to Boston, Jeff acts spoiled and Mary Anne and Richard can't stop reading from guidebooks. They finally end up splitting up, with one group going to one place and another going to a different attraction. Eventually Dawn realizes that everyone is missing out. Sharon and Richard force everyone to get along and they go home.

The family takes a family portrait. Mary Anne tries to include Tigger, against Sharon's wishes. The first few portraits, everyone is glaring at each other and making faces. They decide to hang up the mean picture next to the happy picture.

Secondary plot
Mrs. Barrett is dating Franklin Dewitt, a man with four children of his own. They hire the BSC to come along on family outings to help corral the children.

Other plot information
Jeff thinks the Pike triplets have changed and don't like him any more. They do. Mary Anne sees a similarity between her own family problems and the problems that the Dewitts and the Barretts are having. Kristy helps Mary Anne adjust to her new "blended" family.

Clients in this book

 * The Barretts
 * The Dewitts

Places in this book

 * Boston
 * Washington D.C. (Mentioned as an alternate vacation)
 * Casa Grande

Pop culture references

 * The Care Bears Meet the Smurfs
 * The Brady Bunch
 * Robin Hood
 * Hansel and Gretel
 * Leave it to Beaver

Back cover
Dawn can't wait for her little brother Jeff to visit from California. She's sure that Jeff is going to fit right in with the new Schafer-Spier family.

Jeff is miserable in Connecticut, though. His old friends have changed, and Mary Anne's dad is trying way too hard to Jeff's best friend. Dawn hopes that the family trip to Boston will bring everyone together.

Ha! Now the Schafers and the Spiers aren't talking at all. Could this mean divorce for the family?