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Post by sotypical42483 on May 2, 2006 11:51:41 GMT -5
I didn't mind Mallory winning her ribbon, cause she only got 6th place, so it wasn't exactly the BSC swooping in and winning everything as usual. But I can see your point, definitely.
I would assume those kids signed a huge waiver when signing up for the lessons agreeing NOT to sue if they fell off!
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Post by aln1982 on May 2, 2006 15:15:54 GMT -5
I don't think you can sue for falling off at a riding lesson. Stables do have insurance that covers that and it is kind of one of those implied risk things unless the instructor or the stable is just blatently negligent. As for Mal loving horses all of her life and then finding out that she didn't like riding, this is more common than people often think. People always think that because someone loves riding, they are a "horse lover" like Mallory and Jessi and that "horse lovers" will automatically love riding. This isn't always the case (despite what the Saddle Club books tell you Just my experiences. I might start a thread on this book if I get the time.
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macca
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,084
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Post by macca on May 2, 2006 17:47:09 GMT -5
There are more regulations on suing in Australia than in the US. But over here, I think if you voluntarily took part in horse riding lessons (in which I'm absolutely certain the parents would've signed a huge agreement that all riding is done at ones' own risk) and happened to be injured in the course of that activity, you wouldn't have grounds to sue unless you sustained long-term permanent injury and there were unusual circumstances.
I guess if the school had knowingly given Mallory a 'difficult' horse, that would count. Although you'd then have to prove it.
Lord knows they could use the extra money though! Four boys are gonna get sick of sharing one bedroom!
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jen
Sitting For The Johanssens
Posts: 1,156
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Post by jen on May 3, 2006 4:51:42 GMT -5
So back to worst BSC books... I just reread Starring the BSC. I SWEAR, the Jessi chapters are like a fanfic parody. She wanted to be credited as assistant producer after she didn't get the lead role? You're dreaming, kid.
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macca
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,084
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Post by macca on May 3, 2006 19:53:22 GMT -5
^ the Jessi chapters make Starring the BSC one of my favorites! They're so hilariously lame and entertaining. All they need to do is have her accuse Mr Cheney (was that his name?!?) of racism! Now that would've been classic.
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jen
Sitting For The Johanssens
Posts: 1,156
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Post by jen on May 4, 2006 7:05:34 GMT -5
Heh, pretty much her first line in that book was "Oh noes!!!1! I'm BLACK!".
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wanderingfrog
Sitting For The Arnolds
Official BSC Archivist
Posts: 2,552
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Post by wanderingfrog on May 11, 2006 18:50:28 GMT -5
I hate Mallory Pike, #1 Fan. Stupidest plot ever.
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Post by greer on May 11, 2006 18:58:02 GMT -5
^mal definitely took the opportunity of her 11 years and squandered it.
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alula
Sitter-In-Training
Posts: 406
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Post by alula on May 17, 2006 17:20:29 GMT -5
Jessi and the Awful Secret almost trivialized a much too serious subject. Huh. It's been a long time since I read it, but I thought I remembered it as one of the better "serious" books, at least after the first 30 or so--as in, not better than Kristy and the Snobs or Claudia and the Sad Good-bye, but definitely better than Dawn and Whitney, or the Danielle books. I remember thinking it did better than a lot of books if only because Jessi actually seeks advice from a bona fide adult (albeit after they spend a meeting perusing Janine's psych 101 books. She also talks to Madame Noelle instead of only trying to solve the problem herself, which is radical in the BSC-verse. (I also have a totally irrational soft spot for moments when the stern mentor figure softens up--Bailey on Grey's Anatomy owns me--and I remember Mme Noelle's speech to Mary kind of doing that to me, when she calls her "Mary, dear" instead of Mademoiselle BROMSTEDT, or however they would French her up normally). And I liked that Mary wasn't "cured" within the pages of the book--I don't remember or know if she reoccurs later, but that seemed surprisingly realistically somber for the BSC. So it beats Full House! And because I'm a sucker, I thought the ballet they put together for the kids' class sounded absolutely adorable--much better than most recitals I've seen! Boring (to me) books, off the top of my head: Jessi and the Superbrat, Stacey and the Mystery of Stoneybrook, Dawn and the Disappearing Dogs, Dawn and the Surfer Ghost Books that bothered/annoyed me: I've always had a bad reaction to Kristy and the Secret of Susan, mostly because even when I was little, I HATED that Kristy had the nerve to think she knew better than Susan's parents and could just fix her. But I'd already had a lot of personal experience with autism that colored my reading. Kristy and the Missing Child seemed too serious a 'mystery' to me. Mallory Pike, #1 Fan--obviously.
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Post by sparklymouse on May 17, 2006 22:23:46 GMT -5
Kristy was irritating in the Secret of Susan. I could handle her being a bossy know it all when she knew what she was talking about, but here she really had no clue and just thought she had the magic touch with all kids.
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Post by greer on May 18, 2006 1:51:06 GMT -5
^yes, but i feel that part of that book was about kristy's comeuppance: she isn't a miracle worker with children, just a good baby-sitter.
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Post by lovelylemontree on May 19, 2006 0:58:42 GMT -5
I think most of Jessi's books and SS chapters read like fanfic parodies, what with her constant talk of not being a black robot and such. I think this is Jessi's redeeming quality. She is good for an eyeroll and a laugh.
Regarding Starring the Baby-Sitters Club, it's definitely one of my least favorite Super Specials, save for Jessi's delusions and Cokie Mason's chapter.
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Post by booboobrewer on May 20, 2006 17:57:34 GMT -5
Summer Vacation and Island Adventure were my two least favorite SS's growing up...and practically all my books are so ragged the covers are coming off, except for Jessi's. I've had Jessi's Secret Language and Jessi and the Superbrat for years and years and I think I could only get through each of them once. I don't mind Jessi's Big Break all that much, though. I read that one just last summer!
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Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
Her Original Point of View
Posts: 3,664
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Post by Amalia on May 21, 2006 1:07:56 GMT -5
^ Were any of the ghost writers black? I think that would have helped Jessi's book to be better if that person could have written them since he/she would be more knowledgeable or in tune with African-American culture than Ann & co. seem to be. Sorry if that rubbed off wrong.
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macca
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,084
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Post by macca on May 22, 2006 6:14:06 GMT -5
^ I don't know what race the ghostwriters were, but it seems unlikely that a black writer would write what is virtually a parody of the hard-done-by token black chick without even a trace of irony.
Another favorite kid series of mine, the Gymnasts, features a black character and we are not reminded of that fact every five seconds. I'm amazed that the BSC books couldn't be multi-racial and PC without being so ludicruously blatant.
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