Kristy’s baby-sitting a shy kid, Courtney, who is new in town. Apparently in Stoneybrook, third-graders run for student council. And it just so happens that Kristy’s rival’s little brother is running for third-grade student council. Showing a characteristic complete lack of boundaries, Kristy decides to get way too involved in this and becomes the new kid’s campaign manager.

Sweet, sweet Mary Anne is the only baby-sitter who doesn’t immediately jump on-board to help with this campaign. Similarly shy Mary Anne wants to make sure Courtney is really on board with this, but all of the other baby-sitters are too swept up in Kristy’s new “great” idea to even listen to her.

So then a bunch of thirteen-year old girls swarm this little eight year-old’s house chanting her new campaign slogan “Count on Court!” Kristy micromanages the whole process. (Oh btw she’s supposed to be BABY-SITTING THIS KID not turning her into the Manchurian Candidate). It isn’t long before they’re taking this poor girl to the mall for a makeover.

But even the other sitters know that Kristy is cray. She overrides Mary Anne when she gives Courtney permission to play with a friend after-school before practicing her speech. It seriously feels like middle-school involvement in elementary-school elections should be banned. This has good to be the grade school equivalent of a foreign campaign contribution.

There’s even some shady dealings from her opponent. He tries to sabotage her with a snake in front of the whole school, but she loves animals and isn’t afraid of it, which only makes her campaign more successful.

When Courtney overhears Kristy arguing with her opponent’s older brother, she realizes that Kristy is more interested in winning than helping. The rest of the sitters feel awful that they didn’t intervene earlier.

But seriously, it’s easy to hate on Kristy. However, I love her. I really do. You can tell that she’s got a good heart under all of that overbearing control-freak mania. She apologizes to Courtney and tells her that winning isn’t as important as being yourself. Awwwwww.

Very Special Lesson: (see last complete sentence of previous paragraph.)