macca
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,084
|
Post by macca on Apr 10, 2006 18:20:19 GMT -5
Wow.
I decided to refresh my memory with this one and I have to say, after reading all those 'later' books, this one is definitely a breath of fresh air.
However, it's so weird to read a BSC book without Chapter Two - there is no mention (obviously) of California Casual or the two sixth grade girls being similar in many ways and different in others. No mention of Kristy's CRAZY, huge, jumbled family with the adopted kid and the menagerie (sp?) of pets. No mention of how MA's dad found true love and subsequently loosened up on his daughter.
This book is wonderfully written (well, compared to the ghostwritten later books), the characters have real depth without being over-the-top annoying, the friendships are shown, not just told. There is plenty of parental involvement, Kristy's mother is truly wonderful and Kristy seems to have a close bond with her brothers as well (despite them driving her crazy on occasion). The girls also seem like 12 yr olds, not mini adults - Kristy is rude to Watson and sent to her room etc.
|
|
ktag
Junior Sitter
Posts: 694
|
Post by ktag on Apr 10, 2006 18:41:34 GMT -5
Yes, it is great. Kristy's mom was awesome. I agreed with Kristy that it sucked how Watson worked during the days and went on dates in the evenings whenever he had Karen and Andrew.
The first few books are great. There's so many little details about their pasts that match with their personalities, cause you know, they had them back then.
|
|
macca
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,084
|
Post by macca on Apr 10, 2006 21:31:18 GMT -5
Yes, it is great. Kristy's mom was awesome. I agreed with Kristy that it sucked how Watson worked during the days and went on dates in the evenings whenever he had Karen and Andrew. So did I - and I was very surprised to read such an opinion in a BSC book. In the later series, the parental indifference was taken for granted, completely accepted. I was also surprised to read that Kristy's mom felt guilty having to work full time, despite the fact that she had no choice. Funny how once she married a millionaire, she was happy to continue working those hours even after adopting a child. Ann seemed to place a higher importance on motherhood back then.
|
|
|
Post by buffykay70 on Apr 10, 2006 22:10:16 GMT -5
i remember thinking this book was boring when i was little, but having re read it recently, its pretty good, i mean compared to many of the books later on in the series.
loved how the bsc had to take care of all of Kristys' cousins and how they had that fake wedding, even if David Michael and karen had to get married, ewwwy.
|
|
lisa
New To Stoneybrook
Posts: 201
|
Post by lisa on Apr 10, 2006 22:57:57 GMT -5
It was good that they were still little 12-year-olds in this book, with Mary Anne and Kristy playing some ball game and things like that. I can actually picture the girls fitting into their roles in this book better than any of the other ones. I also thought that this book took a long time to read compared to the other books, but I guess that could ahve something to do with you actually had to read chapter 2 and 3 (does anyone find themselves skipping that one too? Yeah, we've got the idea of how the club works )
|
|
Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
Her Original Point of View
Posts: 3,664
|
Post by Amalia on Apr 10, 2006 22:58:04 GMT -5
I loved this one. This was the one that got me started in the series. Kristy was rude to her parents. MA bit her nails. I think that Ann should have kept those things for the rest of the series.
|
|
|
Post by bscfan24 on Apr 10, 2006 23:39:27 GMT -5
^^I agree. It makes the characters seem real. They're not so Mary-Sue when they have those little quirks. I love the original books. Those stupid ghostwriters sure did know how to make a real BSC fanatic tear her hair out over their mistakes.
|
|
inge
Junior Sitter
Posts: 767
|
Post by inge on Apr 11, 2006 5:06:52 GMT -5
I wasn't as crazy about this book as you guys. I do like the depth in the characters, the actual presence of parents etc, but it just seems like one big long chapter two sometimes. (and yes, I do usually skip chapter two and three and every other description that I've read 30 times before - I know who the Pike kids are, thank you very much)
|
|
|
Post by sotypical42483 on Apr 11, 2006 12:45:30 GMT -5
wow I need to re-read this like, now! I'm in the middle of trying to read the series from the beginning, but it would be fun to read Kristy's Great Idea again. I love the original cover, they all look so adorable and young!!
|
|
macca
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,084
|
Post by macca on Apr 11, 2006 17:52:42 GMT -5
It was good that they were still little 12-year-olds in this book, with Mary Anne and Kristy playing some ball game and things like that I liked that too! They played tetherball and four square, which was cute. Unusual to see BSC members doing something that doesn't revolve around kids and baby-sitting. Also love how Claudia doesn't eat lunch with MA and Kristy anymore, she prefers to sit with those cool boys who do mature stuff like mix food into their milk cartons. Also agree that the original cover was gorgeous, especially Kristy.
|
|
|
Post by hitzpink on Apr 11, 2006 22:07:08 GMT -5
I loved the relationship Kristy had with her mom and her brothers in this book. They seemed so close, but it was still very realistic. I wish they would have kept that up throughout the series.
|
|
Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
Her Original Point of View
Posts: 3,664
|
Post by Amalia on Apr 18, 2006 19:59:41 GMT -5
I loved how Kristy got in trouble in this one, at the very beginning. We never see that anymore. I also loved how varied the different sitting experiences were.
|
|
macca
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,084
|
Post by macca on Apr 18, 2006 20:53:22 GMT -5
I loved the relationship Kristy had with her mom and her brothers in this book. They seemed so close, but it was still very realistic. I wish they would have kept that up throughout the series. Word. The brothers seem to fade into the background, just like the parents, as the series progresses. Also agree with mcpon - it was a realistic, refreshing change to see Kristy getting into trouble at school, mouthing off at her mother, etc. Too bad the girls become perfect miniature adults later on
|
|
jen
Sitting For The Johanssens
Posts: 1,156
|
Post by jen on Apr 18, 2006 21:14:35 GMT -5
If they stayed the way they were in this book, we wouldn't have so much to snark on! We wouldn't have a lot of those super mature plots, either.
|
|
Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
Her Original Point of View
Posts: 3,664
|
Post by Amalia on Apr 20, 2006 1:49:11 GMT -5
Hee hee, so true (to the above).
|
|