Chelsea and the Outrageous Phone Bill (Best Friends, Book 1) [Paperback]

Hilda Stahl (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1992 | Age Level: 9 and up

Chelsea held her breath as Dad told them the worst possible news in the entire world. They were moving away from Oklahoma--far away! That meant Chelsea would have to leave her best friend Sid behind! How could Dad do this to her? Soon Chelsea and her family were settling into their new home in Middle Lake, Michigan. But she missed Sid so much. If only they could still have their great talks. . . She knew she shouldn't call long distance - especially every day. But having her own phone in her bedroom was so tempting . . . Before long she was in big trouble. How could she get out of her dillemma - or survive without a best friend for that matter?.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-- When her family moves to Michigan, Chelsea is especially hard hit about leaving her longtime best friend. Lonely, she begins to make frequent secret long distance phone calls to Sidney; she is found out when the bill arrives. Stahl uses this situation to illustrate the need for children to obey their parents, to call on God for guidance, and to show the difficulties that arise when they do not. That heavy-handed message overshadows the story; the word ``obey'' is used repeatedly and exclusively, without the relief of synonyms. The parents' advice about God often sounds as if it were being delivered from a pulpit. Also, there is an apparent lack of love among the members of the family--one of the most basic of Christian values. Another problem is that readers never learn how the characters feel about the various scenarios, making their personality changes--such as Mom and Dad's promise to help Chelsea when she confesses--seem sudden. --Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 159 pages
• Publisher: Crossway Books (February 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891076573
• ISBN-13: 978-0891076575
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #857,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chelsea and the Outrageous Phone Bill, October 14, 2000

By 

Sarah Delaporte (Oregon, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chelsea and the Outrageous Phone Bill (Best Friends, Book 1) (Paperback)

This book is about a pre-teen named Chelsea who had to move away from her home. She missed the best friend she had at her old home so she started calling her friend a lot! Discover how Chelsea and her new friends recover from the terrible mess she has made for herself. This book is sure to delight any pre-teenager. It is well written. It teaches great moral & about a Christian family. However, it is not a preachy style book so your child will devour it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great!, January 9, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Chelsea and the Outrageous Phone Bill (Best Friends, Book 1) (Paperback)

This book was surprisingly good since I had read 20 pages in another best friends book, and it wasn't very good! It is the best, although some books in this series can be an abomination of Christian rights. In this book, Chelsea moves away from her home. She has a best friend and really misses her. When she discovers that there is a phone in her room, she is very tempted to make a phone call to Sidney. But how much trouble will it cause? Read Chelsea and the Outrageous Phone Bill to find out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great!, July 25, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Chelsea and the Outrageous Phone Bill (Best Friends, Book 1) (Paperback)

This book was delightful! It told about the real sadness of moving away. It showed how the girl felt. It's realistic too because people do feel guilty like that some times.