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Post by zoar3 on Feb 10, 2014 19:43:43 GMT -5
Aw, what a good story. After reading #5, I had to continue with this one. Now I really wish 7th grade had lasted even one more round so we could have learned more about the girls and their Bradford Court neighborhood and neighbors. I will always love the extra special feel of these early books. Stoneybrook itself will forever be in my heart. As I said in the #5 thread, it is the earlier books that really help me to feel apart of my favorite fictional town. Love the sitting chapters for the 14 kids and still enjoy looking at MA's lists of who is who and the different groups. I think that maybe reminds me of the outing to Sudsy's and how the BSC did something similar then. I was also glad to realize that when Karen is startled by Mrs. Porter at the wedding, she never screams "witch," the way I had thought she did, made me feel better about that. I still felt so badly for Mrs. Porter and do wonder if she had been invited to the wedding but chose to just drop by. I also realized that while Karen did let her imagination and audience inspire martian tale growth at the playground, once she truly did realize some of the kids were very much frightened, she felt badly. I am once again so thankful to now have read all the LS books and know both Karen and Andrew more fully. To end this on a humorous note, my favorite smaller moment besides the rent a tent, which is indeed so very funny is when Claudia and Kristy are taking their kids to the library for story hour. They have 7 kids altogether and 2 red wagons as transportation. All the kids want to ride in the wagons, but there is only room in each wagon for 3 kids. Claudia has the awesome idea of one kid being a "wagon watcher," making sure those riding keep their arms and legs inside the wagon. This starts on page 87, btw.
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Enigma
New To Stoneybrook
Posts: 128
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Post by Enigma on Dec 18, 2015 22:35:02 GMT -5
Just re-read it IMO, this is where the "mini-adult" portrayal of the teen sitters started; watching a large group of kids offers much more challenging dynamics than watching 2 or 3 kids (even with good ratios due to just the sheer number of kids sharing the same space), especially in a mixed age group in someone else's home. Mary Anne's list making was typical of her personality but things the above mentioned "wagon watcher idea" and how they calmed down 7 crying kids (half the group on the first day) at once in a calm, direct manner, and trying to get the boys to cooperate at the barber trip would be more typical of a professional day care teacher than young teen sitters.
Kristy still shows some of her earlier book ways; whining about about not wanting to move, getting all kid excited about being a bridesmaid. She also complains that Watson can "sometimes be a jerk" in chapter 1 which seems quite the opposite but a typical view from a teen who's being uprooted (even if only across town) against her own will.
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mallorypike
Sitting For The Papadakis's
If I were thirteen instead of eleven, life would be a picnic...
Posts: 1,636
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Post by mallorypike on Jan 3, 2016 19:18:35 GMT -5
I agree that is when the BSC became mini adults. What kind of 12/13 year old girls (Kristy and Mary Anne and Claudia were 12 going on 13 while Dawn and Stacey were already 13) wants to babysit 14 children and turn into a day care service? Though, they were getting, what, $500? I don't remember. Nonetheless, I still enjoy this book. It's one of my favorites. it was age appropriate of Kristy to whine. She still sort of resented Watson by thinking he was a jerk. That was understandable and realistic. The story itself was very fun and enjoyable. The BSC looking after 14 children. It showed it wasn't all fun and games; they dealt with problems. I loved the wedding rehearsal with the kids; Karen and David Michael "marrying" was funny and amusing.
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cme550
New To Stoneybrook
Hi everyone!!
Posts: 5
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Post by cme550 on May 15, 2016 8:42:20 GMT -5
I just completed this one on my reread. Unfortunately I have the re-release of this one. I prefer the originals.
I always loved this one, I was so jealous that Kristy got to be in a wedding, and when I was a kid I thought those adventures they had with the kids were awesome and funny lol. I especially liked Karen's shenanigans.
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Natasha
New To Stoneybrook
BSC Reread Update: no 115:Jessi's big break.
Posts: 198
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Post by Natasha on Mar 1, 2017 9:10:10 GMT -5
I just completed this one on my reread. Unfortunately I have the re-release of this one. I prefer the originals. I always loved this one, I was so jealous that Kristy got to be in a wedding, and when I was a kid I thought those adventures they had with the kids were awesome and funny lol. I especially liked Karen's shenanigans. Was there much change in the re-release from the original? I was lucky to score the first 37 original BSC books from ebay recently.
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Post by booboobrewer on Mar 2, 2017 14:24:32 GMT -5
What kind of 12/13 year old girls (Kristy and Mary Anne and Claudia were 12 going on 13 while Dawn and Stacey were already 13) wants to babysit 14 children and turn into a day care service? Though, they were getting, what, $500? I don't remember. I think it was 120 per sitter so 600 dollars. It cracks me up that Sam offered to watch all 14 of them himself for 500. He would have given up after a day I'm sure.
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mallorypike
Sitting For The Papadakis's
If I were thirteen instead of eleven, life would be a picnic...
Posts: 1,636
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Post by mallorypike on Mar 2, 2017 17:53:01 GMT -5
^ Haha, I doubt Sam isn't babysitter material!
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Post by wistfuldreamer86 on Aug 19, 2018 18:10:58 GMT -5
This was a cute one, even if some of the situations were implausible. But it was still fun to read about their baby-sitting adventures. Does Kristy always get the books where they all are heavily involved in it? KGI was kind of like that too but I liked this one better. It was realistic that Kristy still had some lingering doubts about Watson but it was really just about moving. It had to be hard to move away from the home she's always known and getting used to a new family dynamic. I liked that she was finally okay with it when she saw her mom and Watson twining arms. It was fun to meet her Nannie too as well as other members of her family. Though it was hard to keep all the children straight since there were so many of them, lol.
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Post by booklover85 on May 7, 2020 9:04:15 GMT -5
Despite the Karen and Mrs.Porter scenes, I enjoyed this book. It showed Kristy and the girls acting their age and not the mini adults they started acting like in the newer books.
The scenes where the boys got their haircut and David Michael and Karen had a pretend wedding are my favorites.
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Post by CharlotteTJohanssen on May 8, 2020 13:07:44 GMT -5
I remember really liking this book as a kid. David Michael and Karen "marrying" was pretty funny. I also really liked how Kristy was excited to get a dress and get dressed up for the wedding. She was a good balance between a tomboy and girly when she wants to be.
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Post by m0drnmoonlight on Sept 19, 2020 12:37:11 GMT -5
If you have read both this book and Ramona Forever in which they also plan a wedding in two weeks, I guess it will give you pretty unrealistic ideas about wedding planning! Aunt Bea and Uncle Hobart's wedding was nowhere near as lavish as Watson and Elizabeth's! Remember, the neighbors all bring flowers to decorate the church with and Mrs. Quimby borrows a maternity dress from a neighbor. And then Ramona's dress is too long so she hems it with Scotch tape! Sorry, I love Ramona so much XD This is one of my FAVORITE books in the series but even as a kid I thought Elizabeth and Watson were nuts with pushing up the wedding so they could do it in two weeks and then the Thomases could pack up their house and move. If they absolutely had to get married before they moved, why couldn't they just marry at City Hall like Mary Anne and Dawn's parents did and then later in October have a huge wedding and reception? Logic, the BSC lacks it. Like Kristy mentions at one point that Elizabeth and Watson invited 300 guests to their wedding. So they're throwing together a wedding with a guest list of 300 people in two weeks? I know it's a book but how would that work in real life? Kristy says the only caterer they could grab on short notice would only do a cake and a main buffet entree so their family and Watson's friend had their work cut out for them, assembling appetizers and salads. Same with Nannie, making Kristy's and Karen's dresses. And of course, everything turned out perfect. I did love the BSC watching a huge group of children. Did this book break the record for Most Characters We Never Hear From Again? I know the Millers are mentioned in the Secret Santa book when Kristy sends them a Christmas card but apart from that, I don't think anyone else ever shows up again. I'm kind of grateful Kristy's cousin Emma never did, she was like a more obnoxious, brattier Karen.
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Post by sparklymouse on Sept 21, 2020 22:43:44 GMT -5
If you have read both this book and Ramona Forever in which they also plan a wedding in two weeks, I guess it will give you pretty unrealistic ideas about wedding planning! Aunt Bea and Uncle Hobart's wedding was nowhere near as lavish as Watson and Elizabeth's! Remember, the neighbors all bring flowers to decorate the church with and Mrs. Quimby borrows a maternity dress from a neighbor. And then Ramona's dress is too long so she hems it with Scotch tape! Sorry, I love Ramona so much XD This is one of my FAVORITE books in the series but even as a kid I thought Elizabeth and Watson were nuts with pushing up the wedding so they could do it in two weeks and then the Thomases could pack up their house and move. If they absolutely had to get married before they moved, why couldn't they just marry at City Hall like Mary Anne and Dawn's parents did and then later in October have a huge wedding and reception? Logic, the BSC lacks it. Like Kristy mentions at one point that Elizabeth and Watson invited 300 guests to their wedding. So they're throwing together a wedding with a guest list of 300 people in two weeks? I know it's a book but how would that work in real life? Kristy says the only caterer they could grab on short notice would only do a cake and a main buffet entree so their family and Watson's friend had their work cut out for them, assembling appetizers and salads. Same with Nannie, making Kristy's and Karen's dresses. And of course, everything turned out perfect. I did love the BSC watching a huge group of children. Did this book break the record for Most Characters We Never Hear From Again? I know the Millers are mentioned in the Secret Santa book when Kristy sends them a Christmas card but apart from that, I don't think anyone else ever shows up again. I'm kind of grateful Kristy's cousin Emma never did, she was like a more obnoxious, brattier Karen. Whoa. Three hundred guests is a really large wedding for the average Joe. I realize Watson was rich, but it was also the second wedding for both of them. That kinda reeks of arrogance from the wedding couple.
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Post by m0drnmoonlight on Sept 22, 2020 12:32:56 GMT -5
I guess they both know lots of people! And Kristy says she and her brothers were allowed to invite friends, so the BSC was there. Also, in a huge WTF moment, Jamie Newton was there too. Kristy says he calls out "Hi-hi!" during the wedding. Like, what? Why are the Newtons there? I guess since they're neighbors with the Thomases, maybe they're family friends?
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Post by CharlotteTJohanssen on Sept 22, 2020 12:34:35 GMT -5
I guess they both know lots of people! And Kristy says she and her brothers were allowed to invite friends, so the BSC was there. Also, in a huge WTF moment, Jamie Newton was there too. Kristy says he calls out "Hi-hi!" during the wedding. Like, what? Why are the Newtons there? I guess since they're neighbors with the Thomases, maybe they're family friends? I would hope that they're family friends otherwise that would just be so random to have them there. Plus if they're going to have family friends/neighbors I would hope Richard and Claudia's family is there too.
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charjo
New To Stoneybrook
Posts: 58
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Post by charjo on Sept 23, 2020 10:38:47 GMT -5
I guess they both know lots of people! And Kristy says she and her brothers were allowed to invite friends, so the BSC was there. Also, in a huge WTF moment, Jamie Newton was there too. Kristy says he calls out "Hi-hi!" during the wedding. Like, what? Why are the Newtons there? I guess since they're neighbors with the Thomases, maybe they're family friends? I think they were family friends - Elizabeth was "on call" to watch Jamie if Mrs. Newton went into labor when the girls were at school/in the middle of the night, so (I think) that indicates they were pretty close.
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