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Post by anzuhana on Jun 1, 2011 11:07:24 GMT -5
I think so but it's been a while since I read this book. But I'm pretty sure that Jessi and her synchro partner also practiced during the weekend.
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Post by wiggir13 on Jun 1, 2011 18:47:51 GMT -5
Good point Zoar! It was definitely after school and on the weekends. I guess it wouldn't have been a very dramatic book though if Mal and Jessi did the horse lessons. I'm thinking Jessi would excel and someone choreograph a routine for the horses while Mal falls on her keister.
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Post by zoar3 on Jun 1, 2011 20:14:05 GMT -5
^Sadly, that probably would be the case. But then, maybe there'd be a smidgen of hope it would go the other way and Mal would succeed. IDK, I thought Mal should have continued with the lessons.
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Post by virgoscorpio on Dec 4, 2011 19:54:44 GMT -5
I'm re-reading this book right now and I noticed that this is the second book where Jessi mentions "there are no fat ballerinas". In this book, it's on page 3, and the second book is Jessi's Babysitter (which, ironically, I just finished reading!) I wonder what message this sends to young girls. When I read this, I thought of my sister who is a big girl -- genetically; so she is big now and was big as a young girl -- and what she must have thought, being a fat girl, and reading this (because she was into BSC, too, as a kid and I know she probably read this book as she read most of them). I know the intention wasn't to be harmful, but I wonder if Jessi has some issue with it or something, having been brought up in a few of her books.
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Post by virgoscorpio on Dec 4, 2011 19:57:16 GMT -5
I liked how the publishing date went along with the book (i.e. Jessi talks about watching the Summer Olympics; this book was published in June 1992 and there was a 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain).
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Post by virgoscorpio on Dec 4, 2011 23:42:36 GMT -5
It would have been nice to see Elise mentioned in another book, or at least her friendship with Jessi progressed a bit throughout the book. *She* could have even been the new babysitter asked to join when Mallory got sick, instead of bad babysitter Wendy (therefore, I guess Elise could have been the bad babysitter?)
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Post by Honeybee on Apr 8, 2012 4:09:46 GMT -5
Pilot: I'm not fan of sports. But, i do love swimming. When, I was reading the swimming part. I want go swimming. Sub-Plot: mini olympics was lame. That every kid won a ribbon for everything they can think of. Funny that Alan Gary was Kristy slave.
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wanderingfrog
Sitting For The Arnolds
Official BSC Archivist
Posts: 2,552
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Post by wanderingfrog on Apr 11, 2012 17:37:49 GMT -5
^Sadly, that probably would be the case. But then, maybe there'd be a smidgen of hope it would go the other way and Mal would succeed. IDK, I thought Mal should have continued with the lessons. Before Mallory goes to Riverbend, she talks about how there are stables nearby and she always wanted to take riding lessons again. Um, no, you didn't, Mal. Your parents told you that you could, but you were too scared to. I always like to think that she did try horseback riding again when she went to Riverbend. I think "The All-New Mallory Pike" would be willing to try to get over her fear.
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Post by candykane on Apr 21, 2012 9:25:10 GMT -5
I liked how the publishing date went along with the book (i.e. Jessi talks about watching the Summer Olympics; this book was published in June 1992 and there was a 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain). I was very into the 1992 Olympics and watched almost all the events. I especially loved all the gymnastics, swimming and diving. It sure doesn't seem like it's already been 20 years since then.
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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 Apr 21, 2012 14:33:35 GMT -5
i love the olympics. swimming has always been one of my favorite events too. i think it's because i had such limited exposure to swimming, and because i'm pretty much a mallory when i'm in a swimsuit, so i never could have taken to it as easily as jessi did. I'm re-reading this book right now and I noticed that this is the second book where Jessi mentions "there are no fat ballerinas". In this book, it's on page 3, and the second book is Jessi's Babysitter (which, ironically, I just finished reading!) I wonder what message this sends to young girls. When I read this, I thought of my sister who is a big girl -- genetically; so she is big now and was big as a young girl -- and what she must have thought, being a fat girl, and reading this (because she was into BSC, too, as a kid and I know she probably read this book as she read most of them). I know the intention wasn't to be harmful, but I wonder if Jessi has some issue with it or something, having been brought up in a few of her books. as a kid the series did make me feel way self conscious about my weight. the girls all seem to have perfect bodies -- claudia, stacey, and dawn in particular are described as being naturally thin, and kristy, jessi and abby are all great athletes -- and the only mention of anyone being overweight was poor norman. his whole family was in shape and they completely tore him apart for being heavy. the only other mention of weight loss was concerning anorexia, and being too thin was something i could only dream of as a kid. i can understand jessi's need to be in shape, but i'm sure i'm not the only reader who felt alienated.
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Post by zoar3 on Apr 21, 2012 16:16:34 GMT -5
^If the books had come out at a different time in my life (when I was younger) they probably would have had the same affect on me. I've shared before that for the first 12 years of my life I was overweight. Not massively or anything but there were periods when I probably was 10-15 pounds too heavy. After that, probably for almost the next 12, I went in the opposite direction. I'm sorry you felt cast aside Oldhickory. As a kid I knew that feeling all too well but for reasons other than weight.
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Post by zoar3 on Oct 30, 2012 22:29:39 GMT -5
So boring, especially after reading an overall touching story, "MA Secret in the Attic." We were talking about Jessi in the "Dream Horse," thread. This book could be another instance where she (sort of) blows off Mal. The "best" part was on page 70 when Charlotte was finally, for once, 8 years old and in the 4th grade. I did like and feel badly for Andrew and it was good to see Jenny participating in the race. Otherwise, I'm not a fan of Jessi's almost instant success or in a different-way worse, Alan being a slave-boy. I know I'm in the minority on that but I just did not find it funny either in idea or how it was carried out. Oh well, a "visit" to Shadow Lake is in order for better reading.
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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 31, 2012 20:38:09 GMT -5
^ You're not the only one....I didn't really find anything about this book entertaining, Alan or no Alan.
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Post by zoar3 on Oct 31, 2012 21:39:38 GMT -5
^Good to know. I just don't care for slavery in any connotation. I did think of a question about this book. Does anyone remember if Charlotte and Mary Anne's conversation about the Mini Olympics is "live" anywhere or just as MA recalls it as a BSC meeting? I quickly looked yesterday but only saw the latter. For some reason, I'm remembering it as being played out, maybe because I wanted it to be?
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Post by wiggir13 on Nov 4, 2012 23:50:30 GMT -5
It wasn't live, it was just mentioned that they talked on the phone.
How ridiculous that Alan and kristys bet would make teachers say hey let's have a big coed challenge for these two. Not likely...
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