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Post by greer on Sept 19, 2010 4:07:38 GMT -5
I've never heard of a school that refused to hire male teachers. I don't even know if it's legal.
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,270
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Post by oldhickory on Sept 19, 2010 12:18:43 GMT -5
^ i didn't even think about that greer. you're probably right. but it still annoys me :]
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Post by zoar3 on Sept 19, 2010 21:58:01 GMT -5
^Me either. Maybe it is a little weird for an all girls school, especially a boarding one to have male teachers but no male students. I've never attended any type of boarding school (or all girls school) so lol can't really say. I did like the sound of Riverbend though and it's too bad, one more book didn't detail some of my Mal's life there (in the active/present tense).
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Post by zoar3 on Aug 24, 2011 17:52:25 GMT -5
Whoever said that this book put them in the "Riverbend frame of mind and then ended," was sure right. Total disappointment. I had just gotten into Mal's new life there when the book ended. I only wish my experience as a 6th grader had been like Mal's. Heck even my first year of college was no where near as dibble as Mal's intro to Riverbend (minus Alexis) came across. I really think it stunk that there was not one last Mal book. The subplot? My mind is spinning from the 9 previous pages of this thread, but, unelss Claire and Margo's room was HUGE, (and/or at the very least they got bunk beds) how could 3-4 girls fit in there? Also, would Vanessa really want to live with a 5 year old? The solution for the boys was perfect but seemed odd for the 3 girls. Maybe because I never thought of Vanessa/Margo/Claire as being super-close. Maybe the Pikes could have asked the Barrett-DeWitts for "addition" advice for their home.
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Post by wiggir13 on Aug 24, 2011 19:07:22 GMT -5
I really wish too that maybe there had been a spin off or a least another riverbend book. It totally made me want to go to boarding school b/c I am a super nerd who loves school! I really just can't believe this is the last Mal book, it makes me sad. Even though I know I can reread again, I kind of feel like I did when I realized the series had ended and I would never again have a new BSC adventure. Luckily, the prequel came out, but not really the same.
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Post by zoar3 on Aug 24, 2011 19:56:19 GMT -5
^To me, the prequel made me sadder at how the series ended (and played out in parts). MA in the prequel, for instance, truly did care about Kristy and others. She was also her own person/character. Kristy and Stacey, actually spent time with their families and came across as so young and genuine. Even though I didn't like Claud's chapters, at least Mimi was healthy. In this book, Mal finally had some positive moments and then "the end." :/ I also always wondered what the Pikes told SMS and what happened (not that they ever did, but you know) the following year when the triplets were in 6th grade.
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Post by sparklymouse on Aug 24, 2011 21:05:23 GMT -5
Regarding the rooms, I thought the girls went to the boys' bigger room and the boys got the two smaller rooms. I seriously think Mallory never wanted to come back to Stoneybrook again (it must suck to be that jaded at 11). I bet within a year or two she would be finding excuses not to come home or go visit her school friends' homes during breaks, so I doubt she would be using the room that much anyway. I would sleep on the couch in the living room when I came home if I was her. If you think Vanessa/Claire are odd roommates, Mallory/Claire is even stranger.
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Post by zoar3 on Aug 24, 2011 21:12:16 GMT -5
^Poor Mal, but you're probably right. As long as she continued to feel more and more at home at Riverbend, CT probably felt less of a home so it's a toss up. I think her first longer vacation home might be odd, especially if for whatever reason she had to go to SMS. You reminded me that the Pikes' also made their den into a bedroom for Uncle Joe so they could have done that for Mal, too.
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,270
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Post by oldhickory on Aug 26, 2011 0:13:06 GMT -5
Also, would Vanessa really want to live with a 5 year old? The solution for the boys was perfect but seemed odd for the 3 girls. Maybe because I never thought of Vanessa/Margo/Claire as being super-close. for me, margo seems SO much younger than seven. she's like another claire. so it blows my mind that vanessa and margo are only two years apart -- the same gap between margo and claire. but in reality, two years and two years aren't very big gaps at all. i imagined that margo and claire shared a bunk bed and vanessa got a regular bed.
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Post by zoar3 on Aug 26, 2011 11:02:39 GMT -5
^ITA about Margo often sounding younger than 7. I think part of that is we rarely hear from her aside from a slight case of bossiness or potential car-sickness. She's really the odd Pike out in a way. It was said that she and Claire are bff. I don't think we ever really saw that. I don't remember ever reading about Margo/Vanessa hanging out. I think Claire and Jordan spent more time together than M/V.
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Post by virgoscorpio on Jan 6, 2013 22:23:59 GMT -5
I felt the urge to re-read this the other day and I agree with the consensus that it was a good Mallory book, and also a good send off. Between the two junior members, at least Mallory got a sort-of farewell. Jessi just totally fizzled out! I also liked the ode to Mallory at her last "official" meeting where they talked about her past experiences with the BSC.
Was I the only one who thought it was super obvious that Mallory's friends are all different types of girls that don't fit into the BSC mold. One was Indian and the other was eccentric and into drama. I kind of rolled my eyes at that but I always felt like Scholastic wanted everyone to feel inclusive based on race, religion, etc.
Why would a 9 year old want to share her room with a 5 year old? That doesn't make sense to me. But, whatever, there are always exceptions so I will shrug it off. But I'm surprised that Vanessa went from sharing a room with her OLDER sister to wanting to share a room with 2 YOUNGER sisters. I felt the final room arrangements was a big cop-out and Byron just saying he was okay with sharing with Nicky was brought up to more quickly solve the situation and wrap up the subplot.
The Math classes wouldn't have sufficed in reality. Doesn't the government have somewhat of control over setting guidelines and curriculum for the schools? I felt that ghosty was getting a little carried away with creating this fun perfect school for Mallory and forgot a bit about reality. Still, a lot of the classes sounded fun.
I was getting some The Facts of Life images in my head while reading this -- just because it also takes place at a New England boarding school.
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supprazz
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,106
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Post by supprazz on Jan 7, 2013 9:43:42 GMT -5
Was her friend native indian or south asian?
Wouldn't it have made more sense for Vanessa to have her own room with the others staying where they are?
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Post by virgoscorpio on Jan 7, 2013 14:01:20 GMT -5
I just remember Mallory describing her as Indian and saying that her parents moved here from New Delhi. Also, her last name was Narula.
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celaeno
Sitting For The Papadakis's
I have to share a room with Vanessa
Posts: 1,514
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Post by celaeno on Jan 7, 2013 18:16:40 GMT -5
Wouldn't it have made more sense for Vanessa to have her own room with the others staying where they are? I definitely would have protested if my sister had a room of her own and there were four of us stuck in another room!
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supprazz
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,106
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Post by supprazz on Jan 9, 2013 8:31:09 GMT -5
Yes, so she's South Asian. The only other indian I remember was Raj in the group of kids she went out with for burgers with in Jessi and the Awful Secret.
Well Margo could have gone with Vanessa then if not Claire, Claire going with her is like another Full House scenario
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