During the summer before their seventh-grade year, Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey tackle difficulties, including family problems, crushes, moving, and making new friends.

"Claudia has always been the most creative kid in her class... until Ashley Wyeth comes along. Ashley's really different: she wears hippie clothes, has multiple earrings, and she's the most fantastic artist Claudia has ever met. Ashley says Claudia is a great artist, too, but thinks she's wasting her artistic talent with The Baby-sitters Club. When Claudia starts spending more time with Ashley and missing BSC meetings, it becomes clear that Claudia...