starrynight
Sitting For The Kuhns
The Royal Diner of Pizza Express
Posts: 4,004
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Post by starrynight on Sept 22, 2006 11:00:00 GMT -5
Just won this one off of EBay, and just finished reading it. All in all...I kind of loved it. I liked Abby so much in this book, and I have to agree with what someone said on another thread awhile back: Abby is a much better character in her own books than anyone else's. I like that she has such a distinct voice compared to the other characters, and in this book, she seemed less to be less the sports-loving caracature than she usually is. Is it wrong that I got weepy when I read the Bat Mitzvah part?
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Post by booboobrewer on Sept 22, 2006 19:20:07 GMT -5
Isn't the plot in this one really similar to Claudia and the Middle School Mystery? Abby's falsely accused of cheating on a test? I still enjoy it too. I thought it was kind of awesome how she was rude to her teacher and then erased her message. Their preparations for the Bat Mitzah, the big party, the sleepover, etc., were all pretty cool.
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lilafowler
Sitting For The Johanssens
Posts: 1,163
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Post by lilafowler on Sept 23, 2006 16:16:11 GMT -5
Abby was SO BAD in this one! Getting suspended and then not telling her mom? I loved it.
I used to get really uncomfortable when I read about her mom catching her, though, so I skipped that part when I reread it as a kid.
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Post by bscfan24 on Sept 24, 2006 18:05:01 GMT -5
I haven't read this book in a long time, so I might have to re-read it and get back to you on it.
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starrynight
Sitting For The Kuhns
The Royal Diner of Pizza Express
Posts: 4,004
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Post by starrynight on Sept 25, 2006 10:36:36 GMT -5
I liked that Abby did some realistic teenage things in this book. I've done similar stuff; in my last two years of high school, I skipped class a few times. When student was marked absent, an automated call was made to their home. Well, it always happened after I got home but before my mom did, so I just took the call. No one ever knew the difference since it was a recording, not a person. So yeah...one of the reasons I liked Abby so much was because she was a little more real.
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wanderingfrog
Sitting For The Arnolds
Official BSC Archivist
Posts: 2,552
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Post by wanderingfrog on Sept 25, 2006 11:50:35 GMT -5
Isn't the plot in this one really similar to Claudia and the Middle School Mystery? Abby's falsely accused of cheating on a test? I still enjoy it too. I thought it was kind of awesome how she was rude to her teacher and then erased her message. Their preparations for the Bat Mitzah, the big party, the sleepover, etc., were all pretty cool. No, Abby actually does cheat on a test. Which I liked, because I don't happen to think that cheating on a test in eighth grade is a mortal sin like the Baby-sitters seem to think. I wouldn't have cheated in college or anything, nor would have any of my friends, but every single person I went to school with cheated on a test at least once in junior high and didn't think it was a big deal. It might depend upon where you went to school, but really, in general, I don't think it's such a horrible thing. Getting caught, however, is pretty stupid...
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starrynight
Sitting For The Kuhns
The Royal Diner of Pizza Express
Posts: 4,004
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Post by starrynight on Sept 25, 2006 13:37:43 GMT -5
I think cheating is pretty wrong. Abby didn't realize that's what was going on at first (which was pretty naive), so it's more excusable in her case. I never cheated, and I don't think I ever would. Thought about a few times when I was really desperate for a good grade and not sure I would get one, but I never actually went through with it.
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Post by lovelylemontree on Sept 26, 2006 0:54:01 GMT -5
What I dislike about this book is the teacher's reaction in the end. She basically says, "Thank you, Abby, for being honest and telling the truth." But Abby had no intention of coming forward with the truth until after she was caught. She didn't intentionally cheat, but when she realized what happened, she did nothing to right the situation. I think that should have been pointed out.
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starrynight
Sitting For The Kuhns
The Royal Diner of Pizza Express
Posts: 4,004
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Post by starrynight on Sept 26, 2006 11:07:57 GMT -5
Hmmm...good thought.
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wanderingfrog
Sitting For The Arnolds
Official BSC Archivist
Posts: 2,552
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Post by wanderingfrog on Sept 26, 2006 15:56:42 GMT -5
Actually, now that I think about it, a similar thing happened to me once, and I did freak out about it. I was in grade six, and I came across the teacher's guide for our science book (my grandmother used to be a teacher and she had it). I read the stuff in the teacher's guide, and I didn't expect that our next test would be taken straight from the guide (the guide included a test for each chapter), as none of our previous tests on material in other chapters were taken from it. But it was, and I felt horribly guilty and I did tell the teacher about it later, although no one "caught" me.
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starrynight
Sitting For The Kuhns
The Royal Diner of Pizza Express
Posts: 4,004
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Post by starrynight on Sept 26, 2006 16:33:59 GMT -5
Wow...that was some serious honesty!
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alula
Sitter-In-Training
Posts: 406
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Post by alula on Nov 9, 2006 4:27:01 GMT -5
What I dislike about this book is the teacher's reaction in the end. She basically says, "Thank you, Abby, for being honest and telling the truth." But Abby had no intention of coming forward with the truth until after she was caught. She didn't intentionally cheat, but when she realized what happened, she did nothing to right the situation. I think that should have been pointed out. That's a good point! I just read this one for the first time, and despite the cheese factor, I kind of regret that they actually didn't write out Abby's speech, which could have clarified if she learned that not being honest in the first place (both with the test and with her mom) made the situation get progressively worse. I think that might be implied, but considering the general level of subtlety in the books, I think that could have been spelled out. I also thought it was pretty risky of Mary Anne to hold the cheat sheet until after school--I'd have taken it either to Ms. Frost or the principal right away (I think they'll write you a late pass for that one, kids!). It's a good thing the BSC are such impeccable pillars of the community! I thought the candle-lighting was done really well--it was much more affecting than if they'd spent a long time spelling out all the emotions. I've just read 'Kristy + Bart = ?'* and 'Dawn and Too Many Sitters' as well as this one for the first time, and they seem to me to be collectively better-written than I expected, or other "new" ones I've read. (To me, "new"=after Mary Anne and the Memory Garden," which is the last one I had at original press time). It almost makes me wonder if Ann looked up from churning out all her outlines every month and thought "Oh, my lord, there are almost 100 of these things!" and geared up and did more writing herself to hit the big milestone or something. (Of course, 'Stacey's Broken Heart' is waiting for me, and Stacey and luv always has unintentional hilarity potential, so my theory may be shot down by tomorrow). *I mean, the raciness of the actual make-out scene is pretty creepy, but I think a lot of the book's general theme of Kristy accepting that she doesn't actually want a "romantic" relationship (like Logan and Mary Anne, the old married couple!) is actually executed pretty well, I think, and it's kind of interesting to see Kristy so completely freaking out.
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gabbie
New To Stoneybrook
Posts: 144
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Post by gabbie on Nov 17, 2006 7:15:38 GMT -5
I just reread this one and I was struck by the fact that Abby did actually skip school and not immediately get caught. Sure she got caught but not during the first minute.
Maybe I'm cynical here but why would Mrs. Frost automatically believe that Mary-Anne would never cheat and yet barely believe Abby? I would imagine in real life it is more likely to be the good kids who cheat. I've never cheated but I always got away with things that the "bad" boys at school couldn't have because I was a good girl, if that makes sense.
I actually thought the no-TV subplot was cute too.
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Post by aln1982 on Apr 8, 2007 23:43:56 GMT -5
Just read this one and agree with the above points about the teacher believing Abby. I think the cheating could have been handled much better. I think Abby should have told the truth right away to her teacher and mom. But I guess there wouldn't have really been a plot then I did enjoy the subplot - Vanessa and Karen are always good for a laugh. Even the Arnolds weren't too bad in this one. I'm still laughing about Margo and Claire wanting to watch "Mr. Pinhead" since my family used to (behind his back of course ) call my aunt's jerky ex-husband "the Pinhead." I liked the family stuff in this book, especially the party, and learning about Bat Mitzvahs. I never knew they existed until I started reading "Abby" books. Glad I didn't have to go through anything like that - sounds like a lot of work (though worth it)
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msstock87
Sitting For The Braddocks
Here Comes The Bride!
Created by Rie.
Posts: 3,618
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Post by msstock87 on Apr 8, 2007 23:59:17 GMT -5
This is one of my favorite BSC books. I really liked the scenes with The Bat Mitzvahs, especially when they lit the candle for their dad.
I also like how Abby seemed like a realistic teenager in this book. She made some mistakes, but ended up paying for them. I couldn't stand how her math teacher acted though in this book, she just seemed like the math teacher that would drive me crazy in class.
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