starrynight
Sitting For The Kuhns
The Royal Diner of Pizza Express
Posts: 4,004
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Post by starrynight on Aug 25, 2008 10:13:28 GMT -5
I just read this one for the second time and really liked it. I know Ann hadn't wanted to do a BSC book on child abuse, but I think it was kind of necessary that they have one. Lots of girls probably got into baby sitting because of these books, and I'm guessing that some had to deal with abuse issues. To have it handled in books that were an inspiration on some level was smart.
The part that really got me was the fact that the boys weren't allowed to have stuffed animals. I STILL have all my stuffed animals from childhood, and I can't imagine what it would be like to be a kid and not have that little bit of comfort.
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Post by greer on Aug 25, 2008 10:27:11 GMT -5
^where did ann say she didn't want to do a child abuse book? i know one was planned earlier (stacey and the new kids on the block, which became stacey and the mystery of stoneybrook instead) that never got written.
my mom wasn't allowed to sleep with stuffed animals because my grandmother thought it was dirty.
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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 Aug 25, 2008 11:21:08 GMT -5
^I thought I remembered reading somewhere that she never intended to do one...maybe I was wrong?
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Post by rainbowgirl28 on Jun 22, 2009 12:23:47 GMT -5
I just read this book the other day while waiting for the ferry, and I thought it was really good.
I don't know how common "happy" endings like that are, but I am sure it would have been traumatic for the book's reading level audience if the family had just picked up and moved again, or if the mom had been unwilling to leave and CPS didn't do anything.
I agree with everyone else that it was nice that the baby sitters asked an adult for help instead of trying to solve it themselves.
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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 Jun 22, 2009 14:13:21 GMT -5
^I liked that too. I recently re read this book as well and I am glad Claudia went to her mom for help, otherwise the situation would have gotten much worse.
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starlett2010
Junior Sitter
It's been YEARS but I'm back!!!! :)
Posts: 696
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Post by starlett2010 on Jun 23, 2009 0:50:15 GMT -5
^where did ann say she didn't want to do a child abuse book? i know one was planned earlier (stacey and the new kids on the block, which became stacey and the mystery of stoneybrook instead) that never got written. IIRC, Stacey and th New Kids on the Block was supposed to be about foster kids, but then the foster kid story line got switched along the line and ended up as Kristy and the Worst Kid Ever (this coming from Ann's note in Worst kid ever). But I don't know about the child abuse topic...
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fluffycakes
Junior Sitter
A silken-haired beauty with a laugh like pealing bells
Posts: 868
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Post by fluffycakes on Jun 23, 2009 16:23:39 GMT -5
I remember reading somewhere that Ann hadn't wanted to do an abuse storyline, too, but I can't remember where. Maybe in her "Dear Reader" letter? I don't have the book with me, so I can't check. I'm pretty sure I remember her saying she was "never" going to do a storyline involving abuse. I wonder what made her change her mind.
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Post by cokiemason on Oct 20, 2009 14:53:17 GMT -5
i think this is one of my favourite bsc books... cause it's real. so many of the families in stoneybrook are so perfect, and even when there's books that try to deal with not-so-perfect issues, they come up short. this one was SO GOOD. -i was pretty amazed that the boys actually had black eyes and bruises as well-- i kinda thought that just claudia hearing the slap was gonna be enough. it made me want to cry. i felt terrible for those poor little boys... -i liked how claudia actually seemed like a kid in this one too. i mean, im nearly 25 and still turn to my momma whenever i have a problem. it always irked me how these 13 year olds never did. -im also glad that mrs kishi actually worked with mrs nicholls and wasnt just some "superhero" like the books usually have. i mean, abuse is a huge thing and if mrs kishi was a stranger, i think that mrs nicholls reaction to her questions would have been even more vague. -i kinda wish they would have elaborated more on mr nicholls calling claudia. like... HE didnt leave stoneybrook, did he? so isnt claudia scared? if this guy has such issues that he beats his kids over touching a briefcase, what would he do to claudia-- or erica, for that matter? -also... the "job interviews"... that seemed weird. cause it didnt seem like he was actually going on them. i wonder if mr nicholls was involved in some bad business... - and yeah, i nearly wept for joy when they said the boys were going upstate to play with a puppy. its a good kind of happy ending, not a cheesy, typical, unrealistic one.
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Post by mafan4life on Oct 22, 2009 9:53:09 GMT -5
^where did ann say she didn't want to do a child abuse book? i know one was planned earlier (stacey and the new kids on the block, which became stacey and the mystery of stoneybrook instead) that never got written. my mom wasn't allowed to sleep with stuffed animals because my grandmother thought it was dirty. that's a shame
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,263
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Post by oldhickory on Dec 24, 2009 19:54:07 GMT -5
i just read this one for the first time. at 20, i have become used to rolling my eyes during the more unrealistic bsc books and to be honest i don't really ever expect anything great. but this book had me in chills. i totally agree with everybody -- it's so real and scary and creepy. the part where claudia was talking about having a safe place to come home to really struck me. my only issue is that (for all their talk about closure) there wasn't too much discussion about what happened afterwards, like mr. nicholls going to therapy or what becomes of the boys. but i think ellen nailed it. did anybody else notice that, on the cover picture, one of the boys has his back turned so you can't see his face? i thought that was really cool, since the boys tried so hard the whole time to hide the signs of abuse. and maybe this is just me, but his cheek looks really red.
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Post by sparklymouse on Dec 25, 2009 11:21:27 GMT -5
I just read this one for the first time too, oldhickory. (Really cheerful book for a Christmas read, by the way.) I didn't think about Mr. Nicholls still being in Stoneybrook until I read this thread. Yeah, that's creepy to think about. When Mrs. Kishi was taking everyone to Stamford because Mr. Nicholls wouldn't think to look there, I thought "if you are afraid to bring them to your house because he might come over, maybe you should make sure your teenage daughter Janine isn't sitting over there by herself right now!" Eeek! I loved how Kristy was so quick to say they would change Claudia's phone number if he called Claudia again.
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Post by anzuhana on Mar 8, 2010 12:57:53 GMT -5
I found the fact that Mr. Nicholls called Claudia at midnight very creepy. I felt sorry for his wife and kids. I liked how Claudia talked to her mother about the abuse issue and I liked the mother-daughter moment in chapter 10 in which Claudia's mother tells her how she sometimes wishes she could still protect her from everything. I think this book was well written about child abuse or maybe abuse in general because Mrs. Nicholls spoke about how she hoped things would improve and how she still loves her husband along with her denying the child abuse when she was confronted about it at first and I think these reactions she had are common when they're being confronted about the abuse.
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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, 2010 22:17:13 GMT -5
Yeah, Ann definitely said once that she would never do a BSC book about child abuse. It might have been in a magazine article in the early '90s. Vague, I know, but I only have a couple of old magazine articles about the BSC that I've saved, so if I remember, I'll check them next time I'm at my fiancé's apartment, since that's where they are. Now this is bugging me!
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Post by Honeybee on May 3, 2010 4:20:15 GMT -5
I think, I read this once. I really don't remember it. I'll have to see, if a library has a copy or tried to find @ garage sale, when the time comes.
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u4me
Sitting For The Papadakis's
Posts: 1,655
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Post by u4me on Jan 20, 2011 20:13:32 GMT -5
I had this book as a kid, but then my books were tragically ruined by water (sigh).
I've been looking and looking for this book because it was one of my faves. I found it on ebay and just reread it today. I loved it as much as I did when I was a kid (except for the parade - stupid). I actually work for CPS, so it hits home a little more and I have to say, I really want to go hug every single kid on my case load now!
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