LS #58, Karen's Ski Trip

This book starts with Watson announcing that since the children are off of school during the upcoming winter break, the family is going to go on a trip to Shadow Lake. Unlike their usual summer jaunts, this one will be a winter trip. There will be skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and fun. Ah, Shadow Lake. Home of the dorm-style cabin where the BSC can go on trips and have vacation romances. Oddly enough, Watson does not invite the whole world on this trip. It's limited to just the family. Karen is really excited. She's never tried skiing before and she's sure she's going to be fantastic at it. Before she leaves on her trip, Karen invites Hannie and Nancy over. They play Lovely Ladies and discuss the upcoming vacation, and Karen starts packing her stuff.

Hannie has a completely different face than she normally does in the illustrations. Karen, on the other hand, is rocking a side ponytail and looking much like she always does. Karen tells Hannie and Nancy that she is sure she'll be great at skiing, and that Andrew wants to try too but he's probably going to suck at it.

When the family arrives at Shadow Lake, everyone goes to the lodge. Karen notices that there is a Winter Carnival and a Valentine's Dance, both scheduled for the last day of the family's vacation. Everyone rents skis except for Sam, who tries snowboarding instead, and Nannie and Emily, who just want to hang out in the lodge, because what is more fun than trying to keep a two year old entertained in a ski lodge while she knows that her older siblings are playing outside and having fun? Not much, that's what!

After all the bragging Karen was doing about how she was going to be a natural on the slopes, it turns out to be quite the opposite. Karen is terrible and can't get the hang of skiing, but Andrew is a natural. After falling down a whole bunch, Karen stomps back into the lodge, returns her skis, and vows never to ski again.

Not skiing makes being on a ski trip a little boring for Karen, but the next day, she meets a boy named Keegan who is vacationing with his parents. Keegan doesn't really care for skiing, and he and Karen make friends and spend the day together. Karen finds out that Keegan likes ice skating, and she and Keegan decide that they will enter the skating contest and the snow sculpture contest at the Winter Carnival.

Karen has a dream that she is a famous Olympic ice skating champion. I know I put a ton of images in this post, but if you only enlarge one, it should be this one. Then you have to check out the faces of the judges. Look at the judge just to the left of Karen's hair. Did you ever see such a happy judge? She's given Karen an 11. I don't know why this picture cracks me up so much, but it does.

The next day, Watson announces that the whole family is going to spend the day together. They all help make breakfast, and then have a breakfast picnic on the cabin floor. They go snowmobiling, Sam shows off some of his snowboarding moves, they build a whole family of snowmen, eat lunch at the lodge, go ice skating, and then go back and make dinner together at the cabin. It is kind of nice to read about the whole family spending time together, because even though it's a family vacation, most of the family members are barely mentioned in this book. They're all just skiing or watching Emily or otherwise out of the picture.

On Saturday, the day of the Winter Carnival, Karen and Keegan meet up at the lodge. They're scoping out the best spot for their sculpture competition when there is a big commotion. Andrew fell while skiing and hurt himself badly. Karen and Keegan quickly rent skis and ride up so that Karen can hold Andrew's hand while he waits for medical attention. Does it really take that long for a kid to get rescued from a fall on the bunny hill? Karen didn't even get the skis right when Andrew fell, she heard people discussing the accident before  she rushed to his side. After Andrew is whisked away, Karen realizes she is up on the mountain with no choice but to ski down. Luckily, Keegan is able to teach her in two minutes what her paid skiing instructor couldn't, so she and Keegan slowly ski their way down the mountain, and Karen gets over her fear of skiing.

Karen and Keegan compete together in the ice skating competition. Karen does not have a fancy outfit like in her dream, so she has to wear jeans and a sweater. Keegan appears to be wearing a fetching sweater dress with leggings. They do not win the skating competition, which actually kind of surprised me but I'm glad they didn't.

It turns out that Andrew has twisted his knee badly and will have to use crutches for a while, so Karen and Keegan say that he can help them with their snow sculpture. They get Honorable Mention in the contest. Karen thinks it's just because the judges feel badly for Andrew because he got hurt. The winner of the snow sculpture competition makes a beautiful snow angel. Apparently this is what you should make if you ever enter one of these competitions, because the winner of the snow sculpting in Karen's Sleigh Ride also made a snow angel.

That night is the Valentine's Dance. Keegan asks Karen if she will be his date at the dance. It is a little odd when 11- and 13-year olds have romances at Shadow Lake but it is downright ridiculous when 7-year olds do. I may be a little biased here because I hate how young children are pushed to "date" or "be boyfriend and girlfriend". I get especially irritated when people post pictures of infants with their friend's same aged baby and announce that the two are betrothed. Still, Karen's parents see nothing wrong with her having a date to the dance, so I guess it's really none of my business. Karen and Keegan mostly stand around talking, but he does ask her to dance and they do. At least they don't kiss.

Foods eaten in this book: lasagna, salad, green beans, bread, melted cheese on crackers, fresh squeezed lemonade, chocolate milkshake, hot chocolate, bacon, eggs, pancakes, waffles, cereal, juice, coffee, pretzels, toast, soup, spaghetti, rolls, toasted marshmallows, punch, jelly beans, chocolate kisses.

Overall, this book is not one of the strongest in the series. It's pretty forgettable, and nothing in it is ever referenced again (Andrew's knee has healed before the next book.) My score: 6/10, and that's mostly for the picture of the happy judge giving Karen an 11.