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Post by liss31d on Dec 3, 2006 13:30:36 GMT -5
With the amount of people living in that house, it was a wonder how Kristy's family ever needed a sitter
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Post by booboobrewer on Mar 1, 2007 17:36:24 GMT -5
I think this book has a great intro, with Kristy talking about wanting to be hit in the face with a pie. Although the film festival is cheesy, it just cracks me up when Kristy's whispering, with eyes shining,"That's my dream! To get hit in the face with a pie!" Anyone remember when Claudia or somebody gets a call while they are sitting from some random kid that asks "Do you have Prince Albert in a can?", and they think it was a prank phone call gone bad? I never had any idea what that joke could be getting at. That's really a good point. I always found the bloody thumb in the popcorn incident incredibly lame. If Betsy had shared more of herself instead, I would have found the book more appealing as a whole. Despite her devilishness she seemed concerned and unusually mature when she called the ambulance for Claudia. And there was the much older sister, the absent parents. I'd have liked to know what was going on in her head.
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alula
Sitter-In-Training
Posts: 406
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Post by alula on Mar 1, 2007 21:50:07 GMT -5
Anyone remember when Claudia or somebody gets a call while they are sitting from some random kid that asks "Do you have Prince Albert in a can?", and they think it was a prank phone call gone bad? I never had any idea what that joke could be getting at. It's a really, really corny old joke, kind of like "is your refrigerator running?"--there used to be a brand of tobacco called Prince Albert that was sold in cans (and maybe some other way too?) so people would ask for it that way in shops, and then the punchline is supposed to be "Well, you'd better let him out, then!" Why a kid in Stoneybrook would know this (I know it only from being a research geek) or really, why it would be that funny to anyone not living in the 1920s and over the age of eight remains a mystery to me. Yes, I agree. Even when I was little the "prank war" aspect kind of bothered me, because it seemed just not cool for teenagers to declare war on a seven-year-old. There are so many times when the BSC has preternatural insight into why kids act up and do bratty things, but it's like they can't empathize with Betsy at all. Edited for typing a word which was totally not the word I thought I was typing. It didn't even have the same letters! I think it's time for bed.
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lilafowler
Sitting For The Johanssens
Posts: 1,163
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Post by lilafowler on Mar 3, 2007 18:37:30 GMT -5
I actually think it's more realistic than all the times they figured out what was up with some kid before his or her parents did.
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Post by booboobrewer on Mar 3, 2007 20:39:51 GMT -5
Ah, thanks for the clarification!
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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 Mar 7, 2007 23:38:48 GMT -5
When I read this book, I actually laughed when Claudia was being dramatic about how she was almost killed. I used to have a Friend that did that ALL the time with everything, if somebody bumped into her in the hall, she would think that person wanted to kill her.
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wanderingfrog
Sitting For The Arnolds
Official BSC Archivist
Posts: 2,552
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Post by wanderingfrog on Mar 9, 2007 18:21:54 GMT -5
I think this book has a great intro, with Kristy talking about wanting to be hit in the face with a pie. Although the film festival is cheesy, it just cracks me up when Kristy's whispering, with eyes shining,"That's my dream! To get hit in the face with a pie!" I love that, too. I also like how in the Complete Guide, they think "Has never been hit in the face with a pie" is important enough to include it in the character information.
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inge
Junior Sitter
Posts: 767
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Post by inge on Mar 11, 2007 17:03:18 GMT -5
Hahaha! Wouldn't that have to be included with practically everyone, then? Otherwise it would seem like everyone else WAS hit by a pie. Which I highly doubt!
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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 Mar 12, 2007 13:19:11 GMT -5
Here's something that occured to me over the weekend about this book: Claudia apparently broker her leg seriously enough to require surgery anda hospital stay. Would the cast really have come off as fast as it did in that case? It was only 8 weeks, I think, and that seems pretty standard for broken bones.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2007 14:19:20 GMT -5
<i>and claud was overreacting a bit, like when she said that she nearly got killed. man. </i>
From Claud's 13-year-old perspective, I'm sure she WAS saying that just to be dramatic...but the truth is, a fall like that, depending on the height and angle and whatnot, could easily break a person's spine. Stupider accidents have put people in wheelchairs for life. So it really wasn't overreacting, IMO. The stunt could've easily ended up much worse.
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Post by aln1982 on May 24, 2007 8:26:58 GMT -5
This book really bothers me. I’ve never been a big “slapstick” or practical joke fan, anyway, and really can’t stand the way the girls “get” Betsy. I don’t know what a better solution would be but “tricking” her back seems very immature and counter productive. I don’t think it really teaches her a lesson in the long run, either. I didn’t like the subplot (was there really one?), either. The only thing that I do like about this book is I can relate to Claudia’s fear of having another accident. I also worry frequently about getting hurt and it's sometimes made me very cautious. I agree with dibblycool, too, that this type of accident could have ended up much worse - as if a broken leg isn't awful enough Bascially, I just reread this book to have the support of relating to Claudia's fears when I was facing some fears of my own. For this, it was good but I think it is one of my least favorite BSC books.
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Post by liss31d on May 24, 2007 9:53:58 GMT -5
When I think about it, what Betsy did was pretty terrible. That definitely could have ended up a lot worse than a mere broken leg... kinda scary when you think about 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 Jul 5, 2007 16:22:57 GMT -5
I'm in the middle of this one again, and I'm right there with everyone who thinks Mrs Sobak's reaction to the accident was not okay. If I were her, I would only call the BSC again to apologize profusely. I'd be too embarassed to call and actually hire another sitter.
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Post by aln1982 on Jul 5, 2007 23:14:56 GMT -5
^ Mrs. Sobak always made me so mad because it seemed like she didn't really think what Betsy did was that big of deal. I got the impression that Betsy felt the same way, too, but someone said that they thought she felt bad about what she had done so I guess I need to reread. Don't care much this one, though (not only do the Sobaks make me mad but I can't stand the practical jokes subplot because that kind of humor just doesn't appeal to me)
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Lauren
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,026
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Post by Lauren on Jul 5, 2007 23:16:59 GMT -5
I always thought this book was ok. I like practical jokes as long as they don't hurt somebody whether physically or emotionally.
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