For once, Claudia's studied really really hard for her math test. And when Claudia gets her paper back, it has an A- on it. All right!
But then, Claudia's math teacher calls her to his desk and accuses her of copying off Shawna Riverson's test!
Claudia can't believe it. Neither can the Baby-sitters. Claudia would never cheat! And they're not going to rest until they help clear Claudia's name!
Summary[]
Claudia has actually studied for a math test. She feels like she did well. But another student makes the same grade while missing the same questions (and coming up with the same wrong answers). Claudia is accused of cheating on the test. The BSC helps clear her name.
Subplot[]
When Stacey babysits for the Pikes, the triplets play baseball and a window breaks. They won’t confess who did it because they’ve decided to be like the Three Musketeers. Mrs. Pike grounds the boys until one of them confesses.
When they're trying to think of a way to trick Shawna into giving herself away, they mention how they set traps for Cokie in both of those mysteries and got her to give herself away. Actually, Cokie just made a revealing comment in both.
On page 94, Cokie's name is Cokie Gray when it should be Cokie Mason.
Claudia says that Mr. Zorzi doesn’t know her well. But in chapter one, she says she’s had him before and he knows that it takes her a while to catch up.
Ann M. Martin's Dear Reader Letter[]
Dear Reader:
As you can tell in Claudia and the Middle School Mystery, Claudia is not a great math student ... and neither was I. I squeaked through math. My grades were okay, but I had to work very hard to pass. Numbers just don’t make sense to me the way letters and words do.
I was very embarrassed when my teachers suggested to my parents that they find a math tutor for me. But after I started working with my tutor and doing better, math wasn’t so bad anymore. My tutor was Johnny Valentine. He lived across the street from me. He was six years older, and I thought he knew everything. Guess what — Johnny used to be one of my baby-sitters.
As a baby-sitter, you can help your charges with their homework if they need it. If the kids are struggling, you can lend a helping hand. But remember, don’t do their homework for them; just show them how to do it themselves. They’ll really appreciate it, just like I appreciated the help Johnny gave me.
The working title for this book was Claudia and the Big Test [1].
Claudia is in a remedial math class.
This is the fourth time the triplets broke a window in the last three months.
The Kishi's have tacos for dinner in this book.
Claudia can always remember what she was wearing on any given day.
Some jobs taken but never see are Mallory at the Newtons, Jessi at the Braddocks, Stacey at the Johanssens, Claudia at the Perkins, and Kristy sitting for the Pikes (just four of them).
When she starts rhyming there's no stopping Vanessa.
Jessi teaches the Pike triplets "op talk."
This is the first time that Shawna ever cheated on any test.
Janine had a good relationship with the principal at SMS when she was going there.
In this book, only Claudia, Dawn, and Stacey are involved in the plan to search Shawna’s locker. But in book #17, when Claudia doesn’t want to go to the library to help with the research on witchcraft, Kristy says Claudia is going because the club sticks together.
Claudia isn’t allowed to take her test with her in chapter 5 because Mr. Zorzi needs it as evidence. But since she and Shawna missed the same problems in the same way, Shawna should’ve left her test with Mr. Zorzi as well (as further proof of the cheating).
Gallery[]
Original cover
1996 reprint. The girls' clothing has been re-colored.
