|
Post by zoar3 on Feb 10, 2014 17:35:39 GMT -5
It's on page 145. Mrs. Barrett served Dawn ice tea and cookies! This was the day after Buddy had been taken by his dad and Dawn had decided to tell Mrs. Barrett she could no longer be a baby-sitter for her. Boo Boo, your cat namesake is even in this one. After Mrs. Porter's scary visit to ask for herbs, Kristy asks Karen where Boo Boo is (Kristy wanted to make sure the cat was at home not at Mrs. Porters) and Karen takes Kristy up to a spare bedroom where she says Boo Boo always naps. I need to reread the entire series or at least the older books, such a welcoming feel to them.
|
|
|
Post by Sideshowjazz1 on Jun 13, 2014 19:05:03 GMT -5
The title of this book doesn't make that much sense. Buddy, Suzi and Marnie aren't the impossible three - it's their mother who's impossible. And besides that, I don't think the Barretts have any consistent authority figures until Dawn starts babysitting for them. And what a messy divorce! Mr Barrett had no right to just take Buddy off and go. Didn't he realize the magnitude of what he was doing? Especially since he didn't manage to alarm the person he wanted to alarm since Dawn was babysitting.
|
|
|
Post by booboobrewer on Jun 10, 2016 17:23:06 GMT -5
I read this yesterday. I want to look up Taylor Street on the Stoneybrook map that was in the complete guide and see what part of town it's in--that's the street Richard used to live on, Pop-Pop asks if he still lives there at the Schafers' bbq. But the only Google image I can find is non-enlargeable. Boo.
|
|
mallorypike
Sitting For The Papadakis's
If I were thirteen instead of eleven, life would be a picnic...
Posts: 1,636
|
Post by mallorypike on Jun 10, 2016 23:28:01 GMT -5
I can't believe I haven't posted about this book! This isn't one of my favorites, but it's pretty good, and I like it a lot. Early Dawn definitely is more likeable. I liked her from #5 to #23 (Impossible Three to On the Coast). Past that, she became annoying. Kristy did act younger and more immature by acting jealous and a little mean to Dawn. But I understood because MA is her best friend too and it isn't easy sharing a best friend. I liked that Dawn tried to be friends with Kristy. Their moment in the barn was so nice. I agree that Buddy, Suzi, and Marnie weren't impossible at all. Mrs. Barret was. So the title is sort of misleading. Mrs. Barret is very neglectful and irresponsible. I'm surprised she hadn't had her children taken away from her! She was organized before the divorce, right? The divorce was messy and ugly, all right! Mr. Barret wasn't right to kidnap Buddy. He should've gotten in a lot more trouble than just a little talking-to. Too bad the kids never got to see their dad after this book. I guess Mr. Barret was a neglectful dad? Dawn isn't a total vegetarian yet! She ate taffy and she took sugar in her iced tea! And at the memorial day picnic, she decided to serve "East Coast" food. Later Dawn would stay a mile away from taffy and sugar in tea. And she would've forced people to eat tofu or something. At the end of the book, when Jeff took a picture of the five members of the BSC, I loved that moment! It would've been sweet if they took another group picture with Mallory and Jessi later on.
|
|
andrew
Sitter-In-Training
Posts: 353
|
Post by andrew on Jun 12, 2016 12:48:31 GMT -5
I think one of the amusing things in some of the early books is that the narrators' perception is pretty hyperbolic, like thinking the Barret kids are impossible and monsters when, at least reading as an adult, they're far from it.
|
|
|
Post by wistfuldreamer86 on Aug 19, 2018 18:06:30 GMT -5
So out of the first five books, this was one of my favorites. Dawn's voice in this one was great and I liked learning more about her character. Like her being super organized, into health food, and sensitive to Kristy's emotions. I liked how she tried really hard to make Kristy feel included and made an effort to hang out with Kristy without Mary Anne. The barn scene was really nice and it was great to see the more vulnerable side of Kristy. At that age, losing your best friend seems like the worst thing that could happen and I think that was portrayed realistically. As I've said in the last few threads, I always like seeing the girls hang out with someone who isn't their "best friend". So I liked the Kristy/Dawn stuff a lot. I also liked the baby sitting jobs she had with the Baretts. Mrs. B. took advantage of what Dawn was doing for her and the kids were getting too attached. I'm glad that was acknowledged and that Dawn told her that. Dawn couldn't have continued doing the things she was doing, it was hurting the kids. They need their mother. I also liked how the baby-sitting job went along with her own story. On a random note, it's kind of funny to me that Dawn thinks it's weird to put eggs in her hair. That's a totally "natural" thing to do to your hair and something I've considered doing. I wonder what the avocado paste would do to it...And speaking of hair, it's weird that on the cover, Dawn has dark blonde hair instead of white blonde like in the books. It always makes it hard to tell who she's supposed to be on the cover of a lot of books. And something else, it's weird how much like Dawn (at least in these books so far) I am now as an adult. I like health food and am aa vegetarian. Though I'm not sure she's actually a vegetarian here? Not sure what I think about a ginger, tofu salad though. I keep picturing something it probably isn't. I thought it was cool that she told her mom they should serve burgers and dogs at the cookout though. And I liked the whole cookout thing, with the girls eyeing her grandparents and how they reacted to Richard.
|
|
Elsie13
New To Stoneybrook
Posts: 126
|
Post by Elsie13 on Aug 28, 2020 4:44:14 GMT -5
I just read this one for the first time in ages. I really like it. I love the Kristy/Dawn thing and the time they spend together at Dawn's house in the loft. Dawn is really sensitive and considerate of Kristy which is lovely.I understand Kristy's feelings - I mean, she's 13 and has been Mary Anne's one and only best friend for most of their lives and Kristy already has a lot of changes going on with her family and moving without feeling like she's getting replaced/becoming less important to MA. I like how sensitive and understanding Dawn was about this. I like the Barrett kids a lot and feel pretty sorry for Mrs Barrett. As a kid I didn't think much of her, but as an adult I see how she really seems to struggling on her own, I was frustrated by her, but I felt for her as well. I felt for the kids the most though. Mr Barrett just made me so mad! I couldn't believe the description of him coming in 'looking sheepish' when he returns Buddy and his explanation about wanting to take the kids to teach his wife a lesson and get back at her. They seemed to let off the hook for that too much. I mean, he technically kidnapped his child and planned to kidnap all three kids. I guess, being a kids book, they couldn't really have him be a truly terrible, kidnapping father. But to have kidnapped your child and returned to the chaos of police and search parties merely looking sheepish annoyed me. He seemed to down play the gravity of the situation way too much. The situation itself though was very plausible and relevant - quite a lot for a children's book (custody battles, irresponsible parents etc.) but I think it was handled well. I had a chuckle when Dawn said "Kristy and Mary Anne think boys are dumb. Claudia and Stacey are boy crazy. I'm deciding." (I don't know if I quoted that exactly right) Overall, I was really impressed with Dawn in this book, especially the way she was with the kids, Mrs Barrett and Kristy. I also enjoyed the picnic with the Pike kids and the 'puddle walks.'
|
|
livvy
Sitter-In-Training
Posts: 394
|
Post by livvy on Mar 13, 2022 9:50:25 GMT -5
So Mrs Barrett had the time to make herself look good but don't have the time to clean up her kids and house? Priorities I guess.
|
|
|
Post by sparklymouse on Mar 30, 2022 17:58:13 GMT -5
I thought Marnie was made up like a clown at first glance. That's a cool looking toy by Buddy's foot. ETA another one: Buddy is a girl? The kids look cute though. Dawn does not look like she has a laid-back attitude.
|
|
|
Post by anzuhana on Mar 30, 2022 18:46:05 GMT -5
I love how sassy Dawn looks. I did notice Buddy having long hair, giving the impression that he's a girl. Maybe he got a wig from someone at school and put it on in front of Dawn. It's also possible he's a girl in the French version.
|
|
oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,270
|
Post by oldhickory on Mar 31, 2022 10:09:10 GMT -5
Marnie's also a lot older, and she looks like she's up to no good like the others.
|
|
|
Post by sparklymouse on Apr 6, 2022 18:26:54 GMT -5
Some of the titles translated into English:
Dawn and the Three Naughty Dawn and the Crazy Family Betty put to the test Violet and the Trio of Horrors Diane and the terrible trio Carole and the three "monsters" Carla and the three monsters Dana and the Impossible Barretts Dawn and the three troublemakers Dawnrose and a distracted mother (Lol) Dawn and the pesky kids New to the gang Dawn and the Unsupportable Trio (ouch)
Basically the Barretts are a mess in any language.
|
|
|
Post by booboobrewer on Apr 6, 2022 19:21:16 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by sparklymouse on Apr 8, 2022 14:38:48 GMT -5
This looks like an 80s romance novel. Well, this is ugly. ETA another: Dawn wears a lot of matching tops and bottoms in foreign countries. Like power suits for laid back teenage girls.
|
|
|
Post by anzuhana on Apr 8, 2022 15:35:52 GMT -5
Dawn's pants are giving me a Captain Planet and the Planeteers vibe.
|
|