Book 4: Singing sensation

Here we have Chelsie singing her heart out. Yay for canon-appropriate clothing, which is similar to the doll's clothes. Oh, the melodrama! of going to boarding school. Shiny covers does not scan well.

Chelsie comes down to breakfast. Chelsie's father which is cheerful and silly, hidden under his proper and serious exterior, says that he didn't came to say good night to her last night because he heard Chelsie singing and didn't want to interrupt her composing. For breakfast, they can't have anything other than tea and scones. Hello stereotypes. Chelsie's father knows a lot of languages, but he doesn't understand who the Ravers and other social groups at Chelsie's school are. Her father thinks she has potential as a songwriter.
Chelsie thinks her parents should stop being so formal, like opening the door for each other and always remembering to say please. I just think they're really sweet and well mannered. Her mother disapproves of the New York kids' behavior. Mr. Peterson's leaving for Portugal this evening. It comes to a shock for Chelsie, and she's disappointed. Her mother always wants Chelsie to be brave and understand a diplomat's responsibilities. Mrs. Peterson smiles and says that she won't be alone with the delegations as Chelsie will be there to help her. Chelsie often feels lonely in her home when her parents are working. She's much closer to her dad and hates that he has to be away the whole time.
Chelsie wishes she could wear some funky clothes for school, like all of her friends wear, but she has only sweater sets, boo hoo. Maybe her parents have no idea that she likes different styles?
James, their driver, takes Chelsie to school in their limo(!). Chelsie's father is usually going to work at the same time, but he can't drive with Chelsie today as he's meeting the Dutch ambassador at home. Tori goes quickly by on her skateboard, almost crashing into the limo. James wants to tell her off, but Tori is faster and sticks her head up to the window and says "Koala! Wombat! Dingo!" . Their chaffeur think she's really rude. Then she greets Chelsie and says "See ya at school."
James asks Chelsie if that girl was a friend of hers. Chelsie tells a half lie that it was just some girl from the school, as she's afraid James will find Tori "inappropriate company" and report back to her mother.

Chelsie and the other girls meet in the auditorium. Principal Simmons announces Sing Out, a competition between the seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen about who could write the best musical. Barbie tells the class that Chelsie's a professional song writer. Lara, which is the only one who understands what the Pants boys are saying, says that they read about her in the school newspaper. The class votes Chelsie as the songwriter, and Barbie, Chelsie, Nichelle, Tori, Ana and Lara is the creative committee. Chelsie can't bring the girls home with her, so they'll go to Nichelle's place instead.
Damien is principal Simmons' son and usually known as "Devil spawn". He will work on the musical with the girls. Chelsie almost wishes she was going to a boarding school, so she wouldn't have to perform in front of her whole school.

At Nichelle's, Chelsie gets to borrow Nichelle's brother's guitar. She strums the guitar and performs her song about homelessness, with phrases like "the ache of life is in my bones". Ana, Lara and Nichelle doesn't look completely enthusiastic. I would think that Lara would appreciate the song more and I'm actually surprised that Tori likes it so much. So they think it's too depressing. I quote ""Life is depressing" [Chelsie] retorted. The other girls think they have no reason to be unhappy, and that they should write about something they have personal experience with. I quote again "She was embarrassed that her award-winning song not well-recieved. But mainly, she was angry. No reason to be unhappy? How about having the threat of boarding school hanging over your head? How about the reality of being constantly being separated from the one person who really understood you?". So melodramatic.
And then ""We have hurt your feelings." "Now, how could you?" Chelsie replied tartly. "I don't have any, remember?. Then she runs out and gets on the subway home. She's pulled herself together when she gets home. Her mother tells her that someone named Nichelle has called for her. ""No," [Chelsie] said, choking back tears. "I don't have any friends." And with that, she ran up the stairs to her room, threw her backpack down, and fell across the bed, sobbing." Okay, while I'd love to have Chelsie's life in so many ways, this is totally me as a fifteen year old. Shutting herself off from others and sulking because she's been insulted. Feeling that other people can never truly understand what you're going through. Getting hurt over the smallest things. Her mom goes up to asks what's wrong. "What's wrong?" "What was wrong was that no one understood her creativity". Sometimes this book feels like reading fanfiction. Chelsie's mother tries to comfort her and even asks if she has any friends that could keep her company while Mrs. Peterson goes to see the African delegation. Aww, I think her mother seems very gentle and sweet, not detached at all. She'll get home early so they could have a long talk later. Chelsie goes to her father's study to write. She snoops in one of the drawers and and find a letter addressed to her mother from headmistress Prunella Smythe *facepalm*. She has room for Chelsie at Underwood Boarding School. There's also an airline ticket for Chelsie at the night of the musical premiere. Chelsie's horrified. Going to a boarding school would be a. Fate. Worse. Than. Death.
Her friends come to say they're sorry and Chelsie reluctantly lets them in. She explains about the letter. Chelsie blames all decisions on being English and tradition. Then the girls talk some sense into her and say that her father probably hasn't seen this letter, since it arrived today and was addressed to her mother, so Chelsie can talk about the letter with him when he comes home. Ana proposes the story of Tori's Aunt Tessa as a musical plot. Tori has to ask her aunt for permission first. The girls quickly disappear out the back door so Chelsie's mother doesn't see them when she arrives home.

Chelsie goes to Recorded History, a music store, to ask the owner for advice. I can't believe a seemingly cultured girl have never seen any musicals. He educates Chelsie on songs and composition in musicals. Fletcher follows Barbie around because he has a crush on her. Barbie is hiding from him, so she and Chelsie try to sneak into Eatz without being noticed. Tori has written down the story, as told to her by Aunt Tessa. They discuss the script to come up with some more ideas. Fletcher comes in and tries to dance in his thick-soled boots, but trips and goes flying into the girl's table. They all laugh and because they're so nice, they tell Fletcher that this could be a funny moment in the show. When they talk about costumes, Chelsie says that she knows nothing on fashion. The others say that she looks really nice, but Chelsie doesn't believe them and goes home to listen to musicals. At their flat, Chelsie is sour when her mother is happy to have her home and thinks she would rather have her in a boarding school across the ocean. The French delegation are all nice and asks how it is being young in an interesting city like New York, and how about her interests and friends. Chelsie just replies that she has few friends, and she would like to go to her room to write soon. If you stopped wallowing in self pity, maybe you'd notice that most of those persons are actually interesting, and - better - interested in you and your opinions. Chelsie's mothers' eyes shine with tears for a moment, then she regains her composure. I just want to jump through the page and give her a hug and a big cup of hot chocolate. Chelsie herself decides that she's nevar evar going to boarding school.

Rehearsal at the school. Barbie will film. I must says that Tessa is an awesome person, but still, an artist's life in the desert, is that really a musical type of plot? I thought it would more like a serious or abstract piece, if it could be adopted to theatre at all. Chelsie shows up with her new song about Tessa and her parrot. "I won't preen, don't ask me". They find the song really funny. Chelsie starts performing the song and the whole cast gets in line, singing and dancing. Chelsie sings with Carla, a sweet girl who's playing Tessa. Fletcher gets overexcited and they all fall in a pileup with Fletcher on top. The juniors intrude to spy on the freshman class and show off their more professional moves. Damian has a plan...

The girls fear the worst. Chelsie realizes that they can't beat the juniors with the material they have now. She tries telling that to the rest of the group. Damian want to make sure the juniors can't use their two best performers by making "no pass, no play" rule, as he'd sneaked a look in his mothers records and sees that the best junior performers are falling maths. The other freshmen find this foul play, and argue that they would lose some of their good performers too, then. Barbie says that she'll tell his mother if he ever snoops into peoples grades again.

Sets and costumes are being made and Chelsie and Tori keep going over the script and lyrics to make it even better. The cast hopes that this is the last lyric versions they'll have to learn. Blaine is going to play the parrot, as Mike who originally did the role has a sore throat. Chelsie has made a ballad about how difficult it is when the person you're closest to is far away. They're rehearsing a dance with paint brushes. On the opening night the dancers will paint on a backdrop on stage, but for now they'll do it without paint. It's going really well until Fletcher accidentally dips his brush in paint and sprays the pants boys with paint dots. Chelsie thinks the musical actually has a chance of winning, but she worries that her mother will notice her friends, find them unsuitable and send her to England before her father is home.

Chelsie decides to straighten up her room so her mother won't have anything to complain about. Mrs. Peterson wants to have a talk with her daughter above some tea. Chelsie has no appetite. Her mom takes out a letter, not the Underwood letter, but a letter from MIH which says that Chelsie has missed two math classes, a history quiz, and hasn't turned in most of her homework. Whoops, not the way to make your mother happy and keep everything under control, Chelsie. She explains that's she's been really busy with the musical. Her mum asks if she's happy, if the school work is easy, and if she's trying hard to fit in. Giles, Chelsie's father calls, and says that he won't be home soon as he's been asked to go Egypt. Chelsie loses control and screams "I want you to be there, Daddy! You're never here when I need you! Never..." Mrs. Peterson hangs up the phone and tries to hug her. Chelsie twists away and shouts that no one wants her in this house and that she's always last priority after the foreign delegations. Her mother will bring some tea in her room, now this quite lolworthy passage "Chelsie felt like her life was ending, and all her mother had to offer was tea! I don't want any TEA!" Chelsie bellowed." Now she gets grounded. "I understand more than you think." Chelsie screams, before she runs up to her room, slamming the door and locking it. She's so emo.

Chelsie's mum will be out with the Indian delegation all day, so Chelsie goes quietly out on her rollerblades to meet her friends at Eatz. They see that Chelsie's sad because her father isn't home in time to the show or to stop her from being sent to Underwood. Then she admits that she'd always secretly wanted to skate around in the park and wearing outrageous outfits. Ana, Lara, Nichelle, Barbie and Tori takes her to Thrift-O-Rama.
There's an offer of a free hat with a purchase, if they fits the customer's head. Hat lovers unite! I have a lot of hats, even if I look strange in most of them. Chelsie gets a velvet hat with a fake rose. Her friends pick out a short velvet dress, chunky boots and an antique purse for Chelsie. They rollerskate around, while Barbie films them, before they buy hot dogs from a vendor that doesn't speak English. They sit at a wall, eating hot dogs and talking, when the limo drives past with Mrs Peterson and the delegation. Chelsie holds her breath, but Chelsie's mother doesn't recognize one of the girls as her own Chelsie. A narrow escape.
They decide to not work on the show today, but to go to the park, and the Pants Boys leads them towards a band singing a song about the rain forest. Then they tell about Chelsie's songwriting abilities and urges Chelsie to perform. Chelsie borrows a guitar and sings her song about missing someone close. She's shy at first, but gets into the moment. Everybody liked her song and understood that this is something she's experienced from her own heart. Chelsie feels incredibly sad that this will soon be over.

At dinner, Chelsie throws a robe over her trendy outfit and fakes a cold so her mother won't suspect anything. Her mother wants her to stay home from school tomorrow. Chelsie almost protests, but realizes that if she's "ill" until her dad's home, she won't be sent to England. So she gets her meals up in her room and spends Sunday doing the last rewrite of the songs. On Monday, she hides her clothes under her robe again. She stops her mother from making Alice, the maid check on her. She'll get her own food through the day. When her mother has left, Chelsie sneaks out on the subway. She gives the new lyrics to Melissa. Her throat tightens as she thinks she won't be there to sing her own song.

It's Thursday, and Chelsie's totally nervous about how the show will be and if her mother will send her to boarding school. She notices her mothers sadness and understand that maybe she feels lonely too, and that Giles is the only person who understands her. Her mother explains that she misses her husband very much too, but she lets him do what he needs to do because she loves him. Chelsie understands the respect and understanding between their parents are their way of showing their affection. Chelsie's robe falls open and shows her outfit. Her mother notices that Chelsie has been hiding something, and then Chelsie spills that she knows about the letter from Underwood. Mrs. Peterson has not yet decided if she'll send Chelsie there. She had planned on discussing this with Chelsie's father, but he won't be home in time to make the decision and she just wants Chelsie to be happy. So she has to leave on Friday... Tori calls and says that Melissa has a great voice and will be singing Chelsie's song. Chelsie explains for Tori that's she's leaving and will miss them lots, but she can't disturb her father.
Chelsie asks them to stop the car, so she could thank Peter from Recorded History for everything he'd learnt her. In there, she overhear Damian telling some other boys that Melissa is sick and can't sing. They have no chance then, so Damian plans on sabotaging the juniors by metronome beat, so they get out of rhytm during their tap number. Chelsie can't let this happen. Chelsie tells her mother that she too has responsibilities and will meet her at the airport, before she runs off.

Chelsie runs to school and informs the others about Damian's idea. They tell the Pants Boys, who stuff Damian in the trash cans before he could do any sabotage. Melissa can't sing, so Chelsie has to do it. While the other shows are on, Melissa's costume are taken out and Chelsie's hair is done. She goes out on stage and does a terrific and moving performance. Everybody congratulate Chelsie. She has to hurry to her plane, so she's hugging the girls and they say goodbye while crying. Suddenly both her parents walk in. Her father is back for the concert and has seen Chelsie live. Barbie and the other girls sent him the video of the girls roaming around New York City and he had to go back to see what's happening with his daughter. Her parents have been really worried for Chelsie because she acted like she was sad and lonely and had a hard time. Stop being so passive agressive, Chelsie. Have you ever talked to parents about these things? Have you ever tried? I know people rarely understand your motives unless you talk to them, and then many people don't get a hint, so you have to voice your thoughts really clearly.
Mrs. Peterson was a diplomate's daughter herself. She had problems fitting in and felt like it was something wrong with her. She just didn't want her daughter to experience the same thing. She missed her father a lot and felt like her parents where disappointed. Chelsie's mother sounds like a character with hidden depths. Hey, now there's actually three decent adults in the series. Chelsie's parents and Aunt Tessa. Not bad, they should meet up. Such an upgrade from the first book where absolutely all adults were unlikeable. I'm purring like a cat at the thought of being the daughter of two smart, culturally educated Brits. Hey, I want a spin-off book about Mrs. Peterson, Giles, and Tessa. Like I want spin off stories about Gunnar Thorn. Now Chelsie and her mother will explore New York together.
The sophomores wins the contest, of course. Fletcher and Melissa are dating now, and Barbie's really happy for them. Then the whole sophomore class lifts Chelsie on their shoulders. Her future is full of friendship and fun in New York.

After reading this book, I like Chelsie's mother, even if she's meant to be annoying, and I actually like Chelsie too, even if she's very whiny and annoying, when she's meant to be likeable. I do not like Chelsie as much as when I only read about her from other perspectives, but I understand her flaws.

I'm slightly offended of the treatment of private school as a subject. I admire private schools, I've dreamt about those since I was 7 years old. Public school was never a place of well-being or knowledge for me.
My love of private schools, especially boarding schools, began with reading Harry Potter, the private school series in Wendy(one about a girl who cares for a slightly mistreated pony, and another with three regular girls who meet a new classmate who turn out to be an Arabian princess in disguise), the Foxhall book series, and The Worst Witch. Some of my biggest fandoms in my childhood were The Worst Witch, Generation Girls, Harry Potter, Wendy, Foxhall, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
So when I thought about private schools, I pictured the building as Hogwarts, the environment as Miss Cackle's academy, and the cute uniforms from the story about Jill and the pony. And then it inspired me to make my own little private school stories, as I wrote in the introduction. Private school is described as a threat, not a treat.

The article in the back is about Poogy, which is quite weird as I thought it would focus on covering Sing Out. Writing=honesty=you know it.

This book in one ord: Teen angst