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Post by zoar3 on Dec 15, 2014 17:31:58 GMT -5
I couldn't even read this book straight through last night. This time around, it was so negative and I am sorry to say boring, too. The only parts I enjoyed besides when Squirt got to come home, of course!, where when Jessi told us she prayed he would be okay (nice to see some mention of faith) and when Mal brought the Ramseys a Christmas Tree, what a great friend. The rest, sub-plot included, not a fan of and seemed to drag on. I much preferred Mallory's Christmas Wish!
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Post by virgoscorpio on Dec 11, 2015 14:31:38 GMT -5
One thing that really bothered me in this book was Aunt C being rude and disrespectful while shopping. The poor salespeople!
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,257
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Post by oldhickory on Dec 14, 2015 17:28:08 GMT -5
I love reading this book during the holidays. I find it to be a pretty realistic depiction of family conflict during a time that's supposed to be happy. This is one of those books where I can understand everybody's point of view and sympathize with them all.
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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 9, 2018 9:30:06 GMT -5
I totally blame Jessi for unbuckling Squirt's seat belt. I meant what the heck! Never ever unbuckle a child in a moving car! I'm a mum myself and I've never done that and never will. That's just asking for trouble and trouble is what they got. Why didn't they blame Jessi? She unbuckled him! And why didn't they cancel the festival?
And another vent-Jessi said she missed a meeting with Kristy's permission. Um, Kristy isn't Jessi's mother. Jessi's brother is in hospital, she didn't need Kristy's permission to visit him. Family comes first!
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,257
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Post by oldhickory on Mar 12, 2018 9:12:53 GMT -5
That seems harsh to me. The mom instinct you talk about isn't there for Jessi. She's a really young kid whose aunt and caretaker is advising her to unbuckle the baby. I would never blame a child for following the instructions of an adult she trusted. Plus Jessi is still several years away from learning to drive. She can't be expected to have better judgement than a seasoned driver/mom when it comes to car safety.
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Post by sparklymouse on Mar 13, 2018 0:05:28 GMT -5
It was an unlucky accident. Jessi could have unbuckled him 100 times with nothing happening. There was also a time where toddlers could sit in the back of station wagons completely unbelted. People would ride in the beds of pick up trucks. Charlie would pile 8 people into his car. Driving was weird not that long ago, haha.
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Post by merrymelody on Jun 16, 2020 13:30:13 GMT -5
Ha, I'm glad reading the comments that other people were bugged by Mr R.'s "guest" comment. Iirc, Aunt Cecilia was basically caring for Squirt all day, 5 days a week until whenever Mr and Mrs Ramsey clock off; plus she did chores around the house, cooked a bunch, etc. The Ramseys were getting very cheap labour just having her live there (same as the Brewers were with Nanny.) I'd have told John to care for his own baby, tbh. (Although she was a massive douche for parking in a handicapped spot and sassing the shop assistants.)
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Post by sparklymouse on Mar 21, 2022 19:31:03 GMT -5
What's up, Jessi? She looks cute. Also like she's going to a pool party with a citrus fruit theme. This is not exactly a holiday cover.
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Post by anzuhana on Mar 22, 2022 7:02:05 GMT -5
Jessi looks like a teen here. It's how I would imagine her to look as one.
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,257
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Post by oldhickory on Mar 22, 2022 7:16:05 GMT -5
She looks really cute, but that's not a winter outfit. Where was this cover published? Image search shows the pound sign on a similar cover, but I thought all the UK covers had the schoolhouse design.
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Post by sparklymouse on Mar 22, 2022 15:52:55 GMT -5
"This edition was published in 2000 by Scholastic in London." The Brits must have gotten some updates as well.
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Post by booboobrewer on Mar 22, 2022 18:54:48 GMT -5
She looks like she’s inside a lava lamp
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,257
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Post by oldhickory on Mar 23, 2022 9:14:36 GMT -5
The colors make it look like it was printed on a brown paper bag.
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swizzles
New To Stoneybrook
Claudia Kishi ruels ok
Posts: 83
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Post by swizzles on Dec 6, 2022 22:29:19 GMT -5
Good lord, this made me want to throttle Cecelia. She annoys me in every book she’s mentioned, but she really took centre stage in this one. I found it interesting to learn about Kwanzaa, but the information was presented in such an obviously ‘teaching moment’ way, it made the story-telling seem very stilted. I did love the play that Jessi and Mal put together, and how the kids’ exuberance threatened to get them all off script. Is it just me or was Stacey not mentioned once in this book? She’s still in the club, I think (though my knowledge of the books after 100 is a little hazy). Poor Jessi and her guilt. I would have liked her to enjoy the festive period more, even if she did spend a lot of it at the hospital.
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,257
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Post by oldhickory on Dec 8, 2022 11:43:21 GMT -5
I remember learning about Kwanzaa in school in the 90s, probably around the same time this book was new. I think Kwanzaa had its heyday then because I never hear about it anymore. It used to be one of the big three winter celebrations, but now even Hanukkah is understood to be a minor Jewish holiday so it feels like Christmas is the only one left.
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