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Post by wenonah4th on Mar 25, 2011 13:46:27 GMT -5
No, sounds more like Stacey thinks Mallory would be more interested. And besides, Mal's house is closest to Stacey's!
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Post by zoar3 on Mar 27, 2011 18:50:35 GMT -5
^True. Maybe I just "read" it wrong. Although the way Ann seems to feel about Mal, who knows! Different note, did anyone subscribe to the "G.I.R.L" Magazine (there's an ad) at the end of this book? It was supposed to include BSC Excerpts.
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Post by zoar3 on Oct 1, 2012 10:13:27 GMT -5
Sorry for the double post. On this re-read a couple things stood out for me, mainly concerning Mal's brothers. Other than their standard introduction and when she summoned the the boys to break the locks on the trunk, she always referred to Adam, Byron, and Jordan, as the triplets." I felt badly for them. I wonder if this was the start of them being lumped together like that. I still would have enjoyed getting to know each of them better. The other related thing, I know we never got to see a picture of the trunk, was didn't it sound awfully heavy? A, B, and J, lugged it down 2 flights of stairs (Stacey's house), across the backyards, and then possibly up 3 flights (I think the Pike's rec room was at level with their backyard) to Mal's room. For all this they earned the princely sum of $1. I know in BSC-land the sitters' charge like $2 an hour so $1 for maybe 15 minutes might have been a fortune...it just sounded unfair.
The other thing, totally O/T to above is recently there's been discussion on here as to whether the BSC treasury was all even. On Page 80, (new cover) Stacey announces the envelope has $32.41. 3 of the girls' need things for their kid-kits to which Stacey gives them money and instructs them to bring back the change. She doesn't say anything about receipt but I could totally see her requesting one just to keep track of prices!
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Post by wiggir13 on Oct 3, 2012 17:57:51 GMT -5
The bsc treasury is for me one of the biggest mysteries in this book. I can't figure out how they ever have any money!
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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 Oct 3, 2012 17:58:46 GMT -5
I once figured out their estimated expenses and their estimated income, and no....it doesn't add up.
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Post by wiggir13 on Oct 3, 2012 18:01:29 GMT -5
I was reading one the other day where they have to pay Charlie and that I half of the money they give up every week!
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Post by sillybillygoogoo on Oct 11, 2012 13:41:28 GMT -5
I like this book a lot! The idea of finding an old diary is intriguing, and Mal was likeable in this book.
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Post by virgoscorpio on Feb 18, 2013 20:07:57 GMT -5
I always enjoy this book but the actual mystery is the least interesting part for me. I think that Mallory was an excellent tutor, especially for an 11 year old!!! I'm surprised there wasn't a mention of her teaching any of the other Pike clan to read. Also, I noticed how Mallory says that she wanted to be a teacher but now she's happy being a writer. I have a feeling that was Ann's sentiments coming through.
What bothered me is that Buddy just comes over to Mal's house, reaches his hand in the trunk, fishes around a bit, gets his hand stuck and that leads to the solving of the mystery. I find that hard to believe seeing as there are seven curious Pike kids and any reasonably smart one, like Mallory, would know to check every nook and cranny to see if something was hidden in a pouch or pocket or something.
I guess the mystery is realistic but it kind of felt that Ann's heart wasn't really in it. Even Dawn didn't seem like she cared that much when she couldn't find that history book they were looking for. Under usual circumstances, the BSC would have torn Dawn's house to pieces looking for something that might help them solve a mystery. It was almost like they thought, "Meh. It's just Mallory's lame mystery diary."
I'm surprised that the chic McGill women would want the painting, let alone hang it up in their dining room or wherever. Judging from the description and the fact that the painting underneath had bleed through, it didn't seem like it was in very good condition.
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Post by zoar3 on Oct 22, 2013 18:40:58 GMT -5
I just finished re-reading and love this book. It's one of the BSC books sort of like KGI that after finishing it, I wouldn't mind starting over. I think part of that is because there is no fighting or drama either between the girls or like the later mysteries with crazed burglars. This story feels so very real--and I can imagine it truly happening in Stoneybrook and maybe other places, too. My favorite character in this was Buddy. I loved that he gained a lot of confidence and had fun, too. I wonder if he ever got to see the restored painting--I hope he did. This is still my favorite Mallory book, too. Finally she had an entire story without any bug bites or falls from horses, etc. One funny thing I noticed this time around is about Mal's infamous "life will be a picnic when I am thirteen" journal entry. Right before that she tells us how when she is 12 her mom said she can wear any clothes she wants and that contacts will be up for discussion. So maybe when she is 13 she'll also be able to wear sparkles? Or maybe she just focuses on the 13 because that's the age of the older BSC members. Virgo from above, I do agree what you said about in other circumstances the BSC members would probably have taken greater care to solve the mystery. I will always wish that Jared (Sophie's Dad) had been Jared Mullray and that we had learned more about that. It seemed like maybe having Dawn and MA not be able to find the book easily was a way for Ann and Co to not have to fill in the details. Still a great story and since Halloween is coming up are any of you ladies dressing as Madame Kristin?
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Post by candykane on Oct 23, 2013 14:08:15 GMT -5
The painting, diary, old clothes, and confession letter all sound like things the Stoneybrook historical society would be interested in having. I wonder if Mallory kept all those clothes and the other things in the trunk? Of course she's not obligated to give any of it away, but it would have been cool to give them to a historical museum or something, since Old Hickory was such a well known local figure.
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Post by zoar3 on Oct 23, 2013 16:00:34 GMT -5
^Wow, what a cool idea, Candykane. I remember thee was an episode of the Berenstain Bears TV show where each family was supposed to bring something to a museum as a display about the history of Bear Country and how their family contributed/was apart of it. I could see Stoneybrook if even for a weekend doing something like that, too and maybe even having tours of homes or parts of them like the secret passage at Dawn's. I still wonder if other homes in the area were also stops among the underground railroad. I can imagine the BSC helping out in some way either with such an event or the historical society--this might have also made for a very cool super special. ETA: The Berenstain Bears Attic Treasure Episode. Enjoy. (Part 1) www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RubckejX6s (Part 2) www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8kgbbj9Sr8
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scrounge
Sitter-In-Training
Boo and bullfrogs!
Posts: 414
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Post by scrounge on Feb 21, 2014 23:53:19 GMT -5
I just read this book, and at the meeting where Mallory describes everyone's clothes, she herself is wearing jeans and "a big white long sleeved T-shirt that said I <3 KIDS across the front." Just...what? Why would this shirt exist? Mallory is eleven years old, who would make a shirt for children that says I [heart] kids? So maybe it's adult sized? Who would be the market for that? Is there anyone on the planet, real or fictional, who would wear a long sleeved T-shirt proclaiming their love for children, besides Mallory Pike?
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Post by zoar3 on Feb 22, 2014 0:21:23 GMT -5
^I imagine Kristy loved the shirt in both a genuine and BSC-advertising type way. I could see her wanting to get T's like that for the club. As for Mal, perhaps she made the shirt with either an iron on transfer or Krushers like letters? I do agree it is an odd T shirt for an 11 year old but when I was teaching I would have loved having such a shirt. I remember when I went to a few educational conferences there were always vendors selling not only classroom materials but also clothing and accessories for teachers. I once had a T that said "Preschool the happiest place on earth." I believe aside from Disneyland of course , and in my heart I always hope a child's home is happy, that preschools should be a like smaller scale kingdom type environment of just joy and wonder.
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Post by virgoscorpio on Feb 22, 2014 0:31:44 GMT -5
^Wow, what a cool idea, Candykane. I remember thee was an episode of the Berenstain Bears TV show where each family was supposed to bring something to a museum as a display about the history of Bear Country and how their family contributed/was apart of it. I could see Stoneybrook if even for a weekend doing something like that, too and maybe even having tours of homes or parts of them like the secret passage at Dawn's. I still wonder if other homes in the area were also stops among the underground railroad. I can imagine the BSC helping out in some way either with such an event or the historical society--this might have also made for a very cool super special. ETA: The Berenstain Bears Attic Treasure Episode. Enjoy. (Part 1) www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RubckejX6s (Part 2) www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8kgbbj9Sr8 I just watched this now. I loved the name "Professor Actualfactual". This actually works well with the Grade 2 curriculum on people and communities, so thanks for that, I will file it away.
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Post by sparklymouse on Mar 7, 2014 16:04:09 GMT -5
I just read this book, and at the meeting where Mallory describes everyone's clothes, she herself is wearing jeans and "a big white long sleeved T-shirt that said I <3 KIDS across the front." Just...what? Why would this shirt exist? Mallory is eleven years old, who would make a shirt for children that says I [heart] kids? So maybe it's adult sized? Who would be the market for that? Is there anyone on the planet, real or fictional, who would wear a long sleeved T-shirt proclaiming their love for children, besides Mallory Pike? I went to my thrift store today and saw a t-shirt that said "I love my job for all the little things" and had six little cartoony stick figure kids around the words. It was in the adult section but was plenty small enough for a kid.
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