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Post by zoar3 on Aug 7, 2011 16:53:28 GMT -5
I actually am enjoying this book as well. Too bad a few books down the road none of the 6th grade officers or class members stick up for Mallory. It sounded like she did an awesome job organizing and running the fundrasier. I thought all 5 days sounded fun, especially the halloween one.
Question, what exactly is a student lounge? Would it be a large rec type room in the library? A place where kids could both do homework, read, but possibly also play board games/watch tv? Or would it simply be a cozier reading/homework area sort of like a kids' section of a bookstore? In any case, I imagine both as having at least one vending and drink machine.
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Post by wiggir13 on Aug 8, 2011 12:52:49 GMT -5
I loved the "fun" raiser booths! We had something similar in my HS like valentines and such. I always thought those types of things made school fun. I must admit I understand the being made fun of for grades. I made straight A's too and had my share of jokes made about it, I am different from Mal b/c I never keep what I feel to myself and told a lot of people to shut up or I'd punch their face in. After all, I did get kicked out of brownies for fighting b/c I just hated gardening and girlie junk back then so I just thought that was the answer. Luckily I mellowed out over the years Another subplot from hell! I truly hate these bands and parades. Does anyone think they even remotely sound good? Didn't they do another marching band one with a bunch of instruments or am I thinking of the music group?? Argh ... too many to think of! Zoar - I feel like the lounge would be a place to chill out and read or do homework. I'm guessing lots of plush furniture an tables and some vending machines. I'm guessing no TV or games if it was located in the library.
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Post by zoar3 on Aug 8, 2011 14:29:33 GMT -5
Good for you for getting all A's Wiggirl. I came close a few times but admit that after horrible junior high years, by high school I just wanted to be done.
What I don't "get" about the band is how all those little kids were able to hide kazoos inside their kleenex boxes and milk jugs in a way that the kazoos would still play? Also, isn't a kazoo basically a whistle? If so, how could it carry any kind of song tune?
Nodding about the lounge. I was picturing it as a quieter "rec barn" from "Haunted House."
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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 Aug 9, 2011 0:21:31 GMT -5
^ you hum into a kazoo, so you can play any tune you want :]
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Post by zoar3 on Aug 9, 2011 10:47:35 GMT -5
Thanks Oldhickory. The only (semi) Kazoo reference I've ever heard of besides this book, of course, is "The Great Gazoo" on the Flintstones.
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Post by virgoscorpio on Mar 24, 2012 18:59:29 GMT -5
I really really like this book. There's something about the Spring vibe in it that I also adore. The fun-raiser is cute, and I do love how Mallory is the narrator of this book that's so into school issues and social groups (as opposed to Stacey or Claud, for example). I'm also a huge children's lit fan so I give this book bonus points for that. It's one of the books that I wanted to keep reading and not stop (Although I skipped the subplot...zzzzz).
One thing I wanted to mention is the student lounge. Am I the only one who thinks it's unrealistic? How can the school support that? EVERY student is going to want to hang out there. I can imagine it bursting at the seems. It would be hard to regulate such a "coveted" space. We had no such space in my elementary school but in my high-school we had a tiny student lounge (a room) that was reserved for the Grade 12 student council only. Obviously other people went into it but it was really their "Friends". I can see the SMS lounge causing potential problems - becoming cliquey and such.
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Post by greer on Mar 26, 2012 9:43:42 GMT -5
We had a big student lounge and it was fine. But do middle schoolers get free periods, and is having a lounge in a library even practical?
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Post by zoar3 on Mar 26, 2012 11:44:58 GMT -5
^I sure never had any free periods, period, during school. Good point about the lounge being too loud for a library. I never thought of that before. No matter how "quiet" the activity, there'd still be more noise than just regular library use. It might have worked better as an un-used, out of the way classroom or in a portable classroom.
I also never had "study hall." During my last year of high school. I did have "Home" for the last two periods which literally meant I could go home at that time. (I only needed 4 classes by then to finish). To go to the "library" during a class you either had to go as an entire class, or get a specific pass from your current teacher (at the time) and make sure to return to that class before the end of the period. The BSC seemed to (depending on the book, of course) have a study hall, period daily. But then, IIRC, didn't their schedules list 8 periods during the day? I only ever had 6 at most. Yet we know SMS ran from 8:30?-2:30-2:40 so typical "school" hours. I guess maybe certain classes ran shorter than others like they do in college?
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Post by virgoscorpio on Mar 26, 2012 14:51:12 GMT -5
Yeah, middle school is kind of different here in Canada (at least in Ontario where I went to school). It's elementary school and it goes from JK-Grade 8. You don't switch classes, you just have your class. There are no free periods. I think some places they do have middle school or Jr. high (I'm thinking about Degrassi Jr. High which was a Canadian show) but I don't really know of them.
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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 Jul 7, 2013 12:28:31 GMT -5
I thought this book had some good lines. In chapter 2, Mal says " In the beginning ... there was Kristy." If the BSC had official shirts, that could be their motto. Mal also says "Could anything be more fun than analyzing picture books?" I really wish she had said children's books instead, then that could basically be the motto of our boards! I thought it was pretty unrealistic that every 6th grader in Mal's class was so enthusiastic about studying children's lit. Most 11-year-olds are at that awkward age where they would try to look too cool to study kids' books, like "Aww man, these books are for babies." I mean, they could have been reading some of these books just a couple years ago, so it's weird they're all ok to analyze them like they're adults. It's really surprising to hear that Mal and Justin danced together in SS#3, because he's so popular in this book - Mal describes him as the cutest boy in 6th grade, and he's class president. Wouldn't it be a huge deal to Mal if she had danced with him? So this is embarrassing to admit, but I actually learned something new from this book. In chapter 2, Mal calls Stacey "a real trouper". I totally thought that was a typo, because I thought it was spelled "trooper". Turns out I was wrong! Small error in this book - in chapter 6, Mal says she's going to Short Takes as her last class of the day, but then they go to lunch.
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Post by sparklymouse on Jul 8, 2013 19:47:34 GMT -5
I thought it was pretty unrealistic that every 6th grader in Mal's class was so enthusiastic about studying children's lit. Most 11-year-olds are at that awkward age where they would try to look too cool to study kids' books, like "Aww man, these books are for babies." I mean, they could have been reading some of these books just a couple years ago, so it's weird they're all ok to analyze them like they're adults. Ha. Some of them were probably excited because they had read the books a few years ago and maybe wouldn't have to read the assignments. Or maybe that was just me always looking for a shortcut to my homework.
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Post by oldmeanie on Jun 8, 2023 14:25:17 GMT -5
I hate to admit it, because I love Mallory (she's tied with Abby for my favorite), but I just didn't like this one very much. I think there was too much going on... these books are too short to have 2 subplots. Usually the main plot starts to feel like a subplot, and that happened here.
Idk why this bothers me, because I like the Super Specials a lot and those frequently have SEVEN plots lol. I guess we're all a little hypocritical.
I don't understand the point in Mr. Cobb's class structure if I'm being honest. Like Mal, I would assume that it's fairly reading and writing heavy. It doesn't make sense to be largely participation based. That fits more so for a debate, public speaking, drama, or foreign language class. I think many kids at that age are still very shy, so it seems kind of... unfair in a way? I can't think of a better word. The class structure fits college much better in my opinion. And the discussions in the class weren't exactly deep. It's just... idk, weird, and I don't get it.
He should have also known from the beginning that if he was going to grade on participation, he should have called on raised hands instead of just letting, like, 3 outspoken dudes must lead every single discussion. It's actually impressive that he listened to Mal, and he should get props for that.
Then he turns out to be a tough grader, which I really don't like. Only 2 kids getting As seems sus to me. For 6th grade, that is way too harsh (Mal getting a B seemed fair, though, since she doesn't participate often even after the discussion. But seemed off otherwise. I really want to know what grade Benny Ott got, since he was so disappointed). Not to mention that none of them could even gage how they were doing because the only concrete grade was at the end.
Am I the only one who was bothered by this? Probably lol.
Mallory has guts, though, for talking to him, and you can bet that I would not have been a quarter as brave as she was at that age.
The student lounge subplot was probably the best plot out of this book, and to me it was just alright. I liked that Mallory talked with Sandra about not letting boys define her, and how she talked to the principal about the funds for the student lounge. All pretty good stuff, not much to critique.
The marching band plot, though? OH MY GOD. Hated it! It's why it took me longer than usual to read this book... I was just so thoroughly bored by it. I don't understand why it wasn't planned better, either, and why they didn't do something a little simpler like triangles or something idk (I know nothing about music, so I might be off). I don't know why they didn't have a sign up list... they ended up with like 28 or 30 kids, which the BSC can barely handle. I guess it just felt OOC of Kristy to not plan ahead, but in a way it's kind of nice that she dropped the ball on this one. But if they'd known, they could have planned it, and maybe had an actual adult help them out. Kristy was also just, like barking orders at everyone when they qere overwhelmed, and it's just a little uncomfortable to read. Idk, this subplot was just dumb and it's probably one of the worst in the series.
Overall, I'd give this one a 4... I really wanted to like it more, but nothing really hit right for me. I'm also sad, because this is the last Mallory book that takes place fully in Stoneybrook. They really did her and Jessi dirty. Mallory at least needed another book to cover the Spaz Girl arc. It's just kind of a bummer to me that I'm not a huge fan of this one. Maybe I'll like it more on my next re read (that has happened before, and on my next re read I plan on skipping my least favorite subplots).
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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 Jun 9, 2023 9:27:50 GMT -5
I did marching band for four years. We used to say there was no offseason because we went from February to December. It just takes a lot of work to put together a show. Even parades take practice! Totally aside from playing the music, you have to practice turning and stepping together. I know Kristy's marching band is just a fun thing for little kids, but I love the idea of just throwing a group together and herding them down the street.
Mallory's plot makes me sad because she can never win, but it's realistic that something that looks awesome actually has drawbacks when you're in the weeds. Even dream jobs come with red tape, ineffective managers, annoying coworkers, etc.
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