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Sleepover Friends #12
Kate's Sleepover Disaster
A sleepover party with friends from Walden may become a slumber party massacre when Kate discovers the girl she is staying with has four screaming siblings with an appetite for destruction
103 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1989
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 29, 2025
Have absolutely no memory of this one. I do remember the origin cover though. This time the girls go to Walden in a reverse exchange from a book or two ago. Everyone is paired off with pretty much the same people as before except Kate who is paired with a new girl Wanda Barnes. Wanda isn't bad but she has younger siblings who are monsters. Due to the narrator being the same always Lauren, we don't get to see any of this which is a sort of weak link in the series to me. We miss Patti's trip to Alaska and Kate dealing with those bratty kids. Anyway we learn Angela who's Jenny's friend is actually not that bad when Jenny isn't around. One of the monster kids fiddles with a scale and Lauren thinks she's gaining weight which she might've. I mean Lauren eats a ridiculous amount of food and isn't doing her usual exercises so of course she'll gain weight. Even with the super metabolism most kids have. I wish I still had that. I ate like a pig and was rail thin but now I'm older I definitely can't do that. Anyway Sleepover the donkey is back, a plot line that's from the Simpsons (where Bart chooses an elephant over money). The girls had him staying at a farm and decide to take him to Walden with them. He much like the beagle we had as kids is an escape artist and no matter where he is he breaks out of anything not made of metal. I think the story would've made more sense if Sleepover was a goat Goats are destructive buggers. But maybe my only experience with donkeys is Eeyore and Donkey from Shrek so who knows. Either way hijinks ensue, the girls confront a ghost, Stephanie ends up in a pond and Sleepover finds relief from boredom at the circus and all ends well. No memories of this one except the cover so I'm pretty sure I read it but it obviously wasn't that memorable.
February 13, 2019
Lol, I forgot how cute these books are.
It’s so funny reading about 5th graders though. They’re such lil babies 😂
It’s so funny reading about 5th graders though. They’re such lil babies 😂
April 6, 2019
Kate’s Sleepover Disaster
Plot: This is part two. In Lauren’s Sleepover Exchange, the farm kids come to Riverhurst in an exchange program. In this one, the Riverhurst kids go to Walden to stay with the person that picked their name. Sleepover (the donkey whose been staying at the Greens) keeps getting loose. They’ve put him up at a stable, but because he trashed the owner’s house he got to go. So, Rebecca says they can bring him, and he can live on their farm. Only throughout the book, he keeps escaping. And one of the guys from Waldon tells them it’s because he’s bored. Several other things happen during their visit. Everyone is happy with their pairings (even Angela seems nicer without Jenny around), except Kate. She’s staying with this girl named Wanda Brane’s, who didn’t come to Riverhurst. And her siblings are HORRIBLE! (Cause every series has to have the series rule of bad *** kids that prank). Wanda can’t control them. The father can’t control them. Stephanie says she knows how, but Kate basically tells her what the hell does she know about kids. She’s still an only child. (Her mother hasn’t given birth yet). But surprise (surprise) she gets the kid’s under control. That is, she bribes them. But it’s effective so. In the end, one of them runs away and tries to join the circus. The donkey actually does join the circus. Then there’s the Sleepover. During it, Stephanie gets mad at Lauren because she already knew who Kate likes, and dares her to go to the haunted shack from the ghost story Rebecca told in part 1. They hear a noise and freak out. Turns out to be Sleepover. There’s also a part where Lauren weighs herself and see’s she’s gained weight and goes on a temporary diet, but she finds out one of Wanda’s brother probably messed with the scale. Then there are the ridiculous amounts of food mention on the farm.
My Thoughts:
*This one dragged. It felt longer than the others. When I saw it was gonna be in Waldon, I kind of tuned out to this one. Then there were the countless mentions of the animal that gives me nightmares. And all the while I was reading this, I was trying to block the image of them popping up in my head. Kinda like I’m trying to do now. Glad this was not illustrated.
*There were also TOO MANY CHARACTERS! The Waldon kids didn’t make me feel anything. They were pretty flat, cliché, and stereotypical. Not looking at the book, the only ones I remember are Rebecca and Wanda. Don’t remember any of the boys. I even forgot what the cute one’s name was.
*Then there was some ridiculousness. It’s ridiculous to even think that you could get a freaking DONKEY from a giveaway. There has *got* to be some law against this. Although it’s hazy, I think I listened to a horror podcast where they *did* say a long time ago they knew someone who did get (maybe it was a monkey?) from some kind of catalog. Just out of curiosity I searched Donkey Give A Way and someone actually is offering to give 2 mini ones away, but it’s not a give-a-way. Just seems absurd to me.
* As well as Lauren shocked that she gains weight. I mean. She needs to go back and read her own series. Does she realize how much of that super marshmallow fudge, and spare-ribs, and onion dip, and Charlies she stuffs herself with book after book? WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? Talk about unrealistic expectations. It does say she jogs, but… All I’m saying is COME ON LAUREN! You better be glad you’re in the magical pages of the land of Riverhurst. Anywhere else you’d be FAT.
*And anyone else tired of Lauren and Pete Stone? All this back and forth they do book after book. Pete is wearing on me because he seems to not be able to make up his mind. Ok yeah, he’s 11. But it’s tiring to read about. He’s looking at Jenny. He’s looking at Lauren. He’s looking at Patti’s hot guest. Then he’s back talking to Lauren. But oh no wait, he’s sitting with Jenny. Lauren honey why do you even give this guy a second look. He’s already showing you what he’s gonna be when he hits middle school and high school.
*I admit tho, I’m kinda like Stephanie. I think horror movies are HILARIOUS!
*I had NO IDEA Dr. Pepper was even so popular. That’s ALL they drink in this series. Dr. Pepper even in the ’80s didn’t seem to me like the most popular of the soft drinks. Then it’s kinda funny because they gorge themselves with all this junk and then they’ll have a litter of DIET Dr. Pepper. LOL REALLY?
*Other ridiculousness they think the Waldon teacher is gonna call a special day for them or something and not teach. YEAH! Ok. It’s a SCHOOL related program, not a vacation. Which is actually what I thought it was at first. Just the Sleepover Friend’s visiting the new friends they made for a weekend.
*Then STEPHANIE, not Wanda’s father (I don’t even care enough about this plot to look his name up) get’s HIS kid’s in order. But sadly, this happens. I know a family member who doesn’t say a damn thing to his kids and pretty much lets them run things. But you are a SORRY *** parent if a fifth grader can control your kid and you can’t.
*I’m not an animal activist, but did anyone else think it was a little inhumane to tie Sleepover to a fence with a short chain? I just keep seeing this rope around his neck and if he goes to far it yanks him by the neck. Just doesn’t seem right. Even though he’s bad as hell. I probably would have told that man “Uh there’s been a mistake.” And made him take him back. Could he have refused them not accepting him?
Rating: 5 Lackluster.
Plot: This is part two. In Lauren’s Sleepover Exchange, the farm kids come to Riverhurst in an exchange program. In this one, the Riverhurst kids go to Walden to stay with the person that picked their name. Sleepover (the donkey whose been staying at the Greens) keeps getting loose. They’ve put him up at a stable, but because he trashed the owner’s house he got to go. So, Rebecca says they can bring him, and he can live on their farm. Only throughout the book, he keeps escaping. And one of the guys from Waldon tells them it’s because he’s bored. Several other things happen during their visit. Everyone is happy with their pairings (even Angela seems nicer without Jenny around), except Kate. She’s staying with this girl named Wanda Brane’s, who didn’t come to Riverhurst. And her siblings are HORRIBLE! (Cause every series has to have the series rule of bad *** kids that prank). Wanda can’t control them. The father can’t control them. Stephanie says she knows how, but Kate basically tells her what the hell does she know about kids. She’s still an only child. (Her mother hasn’t given birth yet). But surprise (surprise) she gets the kid’s under control. That is, she bribes them. But it’s effective so. In the end, one of them runs away and tries to join the circus. The donkey actually does join the circus. Then there’s the Sleepover. During it, Stephanie gets mad at Lauren because she already knew who Kate likes, and dares her to go to the haunted shack from the ghost story Rebecca told in part 1. They hear a noise and freak out. Turns out to be Sleepover. There’s also a part where Lauren weighs herself and see’s she’s gained weight and goes on a temporary diet, but she finds out one of Wanda’s brother probably messed with the scale. Then there are the ridiculous amounts of food mention on the farm.
My Thoughts:
*This one dragged. It felt longer than the others. When I saw it was gonna be in Waldon, I kind of tuned out to this one. Then there were the countless mentions of the animal that gives me nightmares. And all the while I was reading this, I was trying to block the image of them popping up in my head. Kinda like I’m trying to do now. Glad this was not illustrated.
*There were also TOO MANY CHARACTERS! The Waldon kids didn’t make me feel anything. They were pretty flat, cliché, and stereotypical. Not looking at the book, the only ones I remember are Rebecca and Wanda. Don’t remember any of the boys. I even forgot what the cute one’s name was.
*Then there was some ridiculousness. It’s ridiculous to even think that you could get a freaking DONKEY from a giveaway. There has *got* to be some law against this. Although it’s hazy, I think I listened to a horror podcast where they *did* say a long time ago they knew someone who did get (maybe it was a monkey?) from some kind of catalog. Just out of curiosity I searched Donkey Give A Way and someone actually is offering to give 2 mini ones away, but it’s not a give-a-way. Just seems absurd to me.
* As well as Lauren shocked that she gains weight. I mean. She needs to go back and read her own series. Does she realize how much of that super marshmallow fudge, and spare-ribs, and onion dip, and Charlies she stuffs herself with book after book? WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? Talk about unrealistic expectations. It does say she jogs, but… All I’m saying is COME ON LAUREN! You better be glad you’re in the magical pages of the land of Riverhurst. Anywhere else you’d be FAT.
*And anyone else tired of Lauren and Pete Stone? All this back and forth they do book after book. Pete is wearing on me because he seems to not be able to make up his mind. Ok yeah, he’s 11. But it’s tiring to read about. He’s looking at Jenny. He’s looking at Lauren. He’s looking at Patti’s hot guest. Then he’s back talking to Lauren. But oh no wait, he’s sitting with Jenny. Lauren honey why do you even give this guy a second look. He’s already showing you what he’s gonna be when he hits middle school and high school.
*I admit tho, I’m kinda like Stephanie. I think horror movies are HILARIOUS!
*I had NO IDEA Dr. Pepper was even so popular. That’s ALL they drink in this series. Dr. Pepper even in the ’80s didn’t seem to me like the most popular of the soft drinks. Then it’s kinda funny because they gorge themselves with all this junk and then they’ll have a litter of DIET Dr. Pepper. LOL REALLY?
*Other ridiculousness they think the Waldon teacher is gonna call a special day for them or something and not teach. YEAH! Ok. It’s a SCHOOL related program, not a vacation. Which is actually what I thought it was at first. Just the Sleepover Friend’s visiting the new friends they made for a weekend.
*Then STEPHANIE, not Wanda’s father (I don’t even care enough about this plot to look his name up) get’s HIS kid’s in order. But sadly, this happens. I know a family member who doesn’t say a damn thing to his kids and pretty much lets them run things. But you are a SORRY *** parent if a fifth grader can control your kid and you can’t.
*I’m not an animal activist, but did anyone else think it was a little inhumane to tie Sleepover to a fence with a short chain? I just keep seeing this rope around his neck and if he goes to far it yanks him by the neck. Just doesn’t seem right. Even though he’s bad as hell. I probably would have told that man “Uh there’s been a mistake.” And made him take him back. Could he have refused them not accepting him?
Rating: 5 Lackluster.
June 9, 2019
2.5 stars
Don’t forget, girls...it’s never too early to start obsessing about your weight! 😡
Don’t forget, girls...it’s never too early to start obsessing about your weight! 😡
May 15, 2021
Really enjoyed this one because this time the Riverhurst kids went to Walden.
November 18, 2025
These are so cute!
September 10, 2022
I think this is the first Sleepover Friends book that I've come across that I hadn't previously read! And it's funny, because I wondered after reading Number 10 if the girls would get to do their part of the exchange, so that was neat.
But the donkey was annoying. And the donkey was the main plot in this story. And the story just kind of ended, so now I'm pumped to keep reading, especially since these books tend to kind of follow a narrative. I'm dying to know if Angela will keep being friendly to the Sleepover Friends, or if we see her change back!
But the donkey was annoying. And the donkey was the main plot in this story. And the story just kind of ended, so now I'm pumped to keep reading, especially since these books tend to kind of follow a narrative. I'm dying to know if Angela will keep being friendly to the Sleepover Friends, or if we see her change back!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews