Karen's New Teacher is the twenty-first book in the Baby-Sitters Little Sister series.
Back Cover Summary[]
Karen loves her second-grade teacher. Ms. Colman never yells, and she makes school interesting. Karen's class is learning about math by making pizzas!
But now there's bad news. Karen and her friends are getting a substitute teacher. Mrs. Hoffman has lots of rules, like NO TALKING. She even makes Karen clean the sink. Please come back, Ms. Colman!
Summary[]
Ms. Colman needs an operation and she has to be out of school for a month. The substitute teacher is a really strict woman named Mrs. Hoffman. Her rules include no talking, dress neatly, and form two lines like the book Madeline. Karen and her classmates play tricks on Mrs. Hoffman at first, but they later get along after wearing their clothes backwards.
Characters in this book[]
Karen's Family
- Karen Brewer
- Andrew Brewer
- Big House - Watson Brewer, Elizabeth Thomas-Brewer, Charlie Thomas, Sam Thomas, Kristy Thomas, David Michael Thomas, Emily Michelle Brewer, Nannie
- Little House - Seth Engle, Lisa Engle
Kids
- Ms. Colman's Class: Natalie Springer, Hank Reubens, Bobby Gianelli, Nancy Dawes, Hannie Papadakis, Pamela Harding, Leslie Morris, Ricky Torres, Tammy Barkan, Terri Barkan
Adults
- Ms. Colman
- Miss Pettig - substitute who teaches the class as they are like kindergartners
- Mrs. Hoffman
Places in this book[]
- Big House
- Little House
- Stoneybrook Academy
Trivia[]
- When the class lines up in alphabetical order, Karen is the leader of the line when the Barkan Twins should be in front of her. Ricky Torres is the leader of the boys’ line. But since that line also would’ve been in alphabetical order, the leader should’ve been Bobby Gianelli. The incorrect alphabetical order is also seen on the class chore chart.
- On the dedication page it says: "For all those who have learned to cope without."
- Ms. Colman went as a pencil for Halloween before.
- Watson is planning on getting a new van on Saturday.
- The class can read cursive already.
- Karen has never been called shy before.
- Books mentioned include: Mr. Poppers Penguins, Doctor Doolittle, Madeline, We Help Mommy
- Continuity includes: Karen recalls when Amanda moves away in Karen's Good-bye, when Nannie had to go to the hospital from Karen's Wish, Louie died from Kristy and the Snobs, and Crystal Light dying from Karen's Goldfish on page 24.
- Karen thinks that Natalie and Ricky won't be able to see from the back of the room, even though they wear glasses to see from anywhere in the room.
- Inconsistencies: Karen says that she's the leader of her line, except since the class rule is alphabetical Terry and Tammy should be in front of her on page 44,
- Sam and his friends trick their substitute teachers and sometimes their regular teachers.
- Tricks the class plays on her include: not taking a quiz, dropping their science books at the same time.
- Backward day is Pamela's idea.
- Some 5th grade girls mention that the class in two lines are like Madeline, where 12 children (all girls) line up in two lines.
- Two 4th grade boys point and make fun of the class in two lines.
Gallery[]
