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Dawn on the Coast is one of the many books in the series The Babysitter's Club. The premise of this book is Dawn, one of the babysitters, going back to visit California for the first time since her parents' divorce and her move to Connecticut. When Dawn first arrives in California, she immediately feels back at home spending time in her old town, visiting the places she grew up around, and spending time with the friends she left behind after her move. As time goes on, Dawn begins to wonder if she would be happier staying in California with her dad and brother. She starts weighing her options, assessing the pros and cons, and talks to the people around her to figure out where she would truly be happiest. In the end, Dawn realizes that although California has friends, family, and memories, Connecticut is her home now, and she would never want to leave her new life behind. Overall, this book was a very predictable, but relateable story for girls and young adolescents struggling with moving, divorce, or other family related issues. Throughout this story, Dawn is trying to figure out where she belongs and how to balance her childhood upbringing with her new life across the country. This is something that, unfortunately, is a reality for so many children, and this book does an excellent job relating those very real issues and explaining those inner conflicts in a way that makes children understand those feelings and pressures. The writing, I felt, was also a strong point for this book, because, although it was not the most maturely written, it read like a lengthened conversation, and would be easy for kids to pick up and feel a strong connection with Dawn and the other characters. ( )

Is it sad that I remember what happened in all of these? ( )