Susan Tang

Karen has three older brothers, and sometimes they are a pain. Karen is so mad she decides not to talk to any boy. And maybe then Karen's brothers will stop treating her like a girl!

For New Year's Eve, Karen thinks everyone should make a promise. Hannie is going to stop biting her nails. Kristy promises not to talk to her boyfriend on the phone so much. And Karen makes the most promises of all -- nine! But pretty soon, everyone starts breaking their promises. And her brothers and sisters are calling Karen a spy! Poor Karen. Why is everyone being bad except her?

"Karen loves to spell words. She is very good at it, too. First she wins the spelling bee in her class. Then Karen wins another spelling contest. And another...and another! Soon Karen might be the best junior speller in the state of Connecticut. She's even going to be on TV! Karen thinks that is so great. But her friends don't. They think Karen is a show-off!"--Back cover.

"Everybody used to love Karen. She was cute. She was the little sister. But now baby Emily is in their family, and Karen feels left out. Then Emily gets sick and everybody has to take care of her. Even Karen. And that's when Karen finds out that being a big sister is the most fun of all!" -- Back cover.

"Karen plays on the Krushers softball team. One day when the Krushers are in a game, Karen hits a home run! So she starts calling herself Home Run Karen. But that jinxes Karen, and she can't hit at all. She even strikes out. How can Karen march with the Krushers in the big parade when she's nothing but a stikeout queen?" -- Provided by publisher.

"Karen has new roller skates. She is a very good skater. She can even do tricks. But oh, no! Karen falls down and breaks her wrist! She has to go to the hospital and get a cast. Karen wants somebody famous to sign her cast. It isn't going to be easy--but Karen won't give up till she gets the job done!"-- Provided by publisher.

"Karen has to get glasses--two pairs! One pair for reading and one for all the time. Karen does not want glasses. Her school pictures are going to be taken soon! But Karen has to...so she picks out some pretty pink and blue ones. Karen thinks she looks very grown-up. Then Yicky Ricky calls her Four-eyes. If Karen wears her glasses for the school picture, Ricky will make fun of her. But Karen is not a wimp! Glasses or no glasses--that Ricky is going...

It's fun to be a Baby-sitters Little Sister! Karen feels like an ugly duckling. Her baby teeth are all falling out, and she has to wear new glasses, too! Karen needs a new haircut to make her look glamorous.But the beauty parlor lady cuts Karen's hair all wrong. Now she's uglier than ever! What will all the kids at school say?

Some kids (like Hannie) think Amanda is a snob. But Karen doesn't care. She and Amanda are friends. But now the bad news! Amanda's family is moving away. Hannie thinks this is funny. But Karen is so sad. How can she say good-bye to one of her best friends.

Karen's plan to hold a neighborhood carnival becomes more of a problem than she expected.