starlett2010
Junior Sitter
It's been YEARS but I'm back!!!! :)
Posts: 696
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Post by starlett2010 on Oct 16, 2007 1:44:09 GMT -5
I forgot how much I loved this book! This is the only Abby book I read, but I remember liking her so much in it as opposed to the SS's. This book was pretty realistic in content and I thought the way Abby's mom reacted was too, my mom would have done the same thing. Ms. Frost was so mean! And I loved the Bat Mitzvah candle ceremony, it made me cry! The sleepover was really fun and the subplot was adorable and funny. All in all a good BSC book, especially being one of the later ones.
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Post by ringdings on Oct 16, 2007 9:56:28 GMT -5
I had a math professor like Mrs. Frost in college. She wouldn't excuse me from a quiz because I was at my sister's wedding! I asked isn't that a good reason?, and she replied that she doesn't excuse students who are sick, so why should she excuse me?
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blossom114
Sitting For The Papadakis's
Posts: 1,504
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Post by blossom114 on Oct 16, 2007 10:01:42 GMT -5
oh god wonder what happened if somene was in a car accident or something ? sheeshhhhhhh glad i dont really have a mean teacher...though mrs. allison is a stickler...but she's nice at least.
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Post by Sweet City Girl on Oct 16, 2007 13:58:10 GMT -5
Sounds like one of those dreadful dictatorial teachers I would hate to have. I liked everything about this book! The Bat Mitzvah party and ceremony were so touching and the subplot was actually one of my favorites. Reading about what a big deal the celebration was for the whole family made me want to experience something like that in my own life, as my relatives live pretty far from me and we don't get together for special events very often. There was my confirmation ceremony, but, wow, Bat Mitzvahs sound really neat (though I'm not sure I'd want to memorize all that Hebrew ;D ). I thought it was cool how Anna played music instead of giving a speech; that was certainly unique. And of course, it was fun reading about the whole math test dilemma, though I have to admit it was very similar to the situation in Claudia and the Middle School Mystery.... Hey, Abby's birthday was yesterday! She would be turning 33! I wonder what she's doing now....
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Post by aln1982 on Oct 16, 2007 15:49:57 GMT -5
^ I liked the Bat Mitzvah and family celebration, too. I almost wish I would have had one (a party at least) but I guess it does remind me a lot of the confirmation celebrations some of the kids had in our church. Mine wasn't a big deal, though, because I waited until I was an adult. (I did still get a little family party, though. ;D) I also liked how Anna played music. The one thing I didn't like about this book is that Abby didn't tell her mom the truth and didn't speak up right away to the teacher. I did like how it ended, though, and think she (hopefully ;D) learned something from the situation.
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Post by booboobrewer on Oct 16, 2007 17:58:13 GMT -5
I liked everything about this book! The Bat Mitzvah party and ceremony were so touching and the subplot was actually one of my favorites. Yeah, I enjoy this one a lot too! And happy belated birthday, Abby (and Anna)...
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fluffycakes
Junior Sitter
A silken-haired beauty with a laugh like pealing bells
Posts: 868
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Post by fluffycakes on Oct 18, 2007 19:03:58 GMT -5
I had a math professor like Mrs. Frost in college. She wouldn't excuse me from a quiz because I was at my sister's wedding! I asked isn't that a good reason?, and she replied that she doesn't excuse students who are sick, so why should she excuse me? That's lovely of her. A girl in my program just lost her aunt, and our teacher was completely unsympathetic. She expressed her disappointment that the girl missed class to attend a funeral. Nice, eh? I didn't love this one, although I enjoyed the ceremony a lot. I always get teary-eyed during any plot related to their dad. Otherwise, I thought it was a little silly. I absolutely couldn't believe it that the guy was selling the study guides for, like, $3. Wouldn't he be selling the guides to make some cash? So why charge so little? It's little things like that that boggle my mind.
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Post by aln1982 on Oct 18, 2007 19:24:01 GMT -5
^ I agree about only selling them for $3. I was thinking like $30.
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Post by ringdings on Oct 18, 2007 19:52:36 GMT -5
^^Yeah, now that you mention it, $3 wasn't a lot of money. But then again, money isn't treated realistically in BSC-Land--don't they charge like $3/hour, but can buy art supplies, junk food, CDs, and dibble clothes (except Mallory)? And with the dues, they can pay Claudia's phone bill, replenish Kid Kits, and have a big festival or whatever project Kristy comes up with?
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Post by aln1982 on Oct 18, 2007 23:31:17 GMT -5
^ I know. I've started thinking about BSC and $ and then decide to just forget it and accept whatever. ;D For some reason, though, the $3 did bug me. I think it was because it seemed like so much trouble for so little (but I guess baby-sitting is, too. ;D)
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Post by aln1982 on Mar 23, 2008 16:53:20 GMT -5
I really liked Mrs. Stevenson in this one. Reminds me of how my mom would have gone in and talked to my teachers to defend me. ;D I wish Abby wouldn't have kind of set her up, though, by lying to her. Also couldn't believe how dumb Abby was if she really didn't know the "study guide" was a cheat-sheet. And that MA didn't, either (though did she even have time to look at it).
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Post by Sweet City Girl on May 4, 2008 13:38:21 GMT -5
I just read this one again. Abby’s Lucky Thirteen is a book that both touches and amuses me in various ways. I think it’s one of my favorite Abby books, if not a BSC favorite in general. I enjoyed reading about her math class dilemma with Ms. Frost. Abby’s boldness with figures of authority is pretty amusing, actually. In some ways, I think she’s more outspoken than Kristy. I would never have had the nerve to get mad at a teacher outright (though I could have easily identified with her feelings about math at that age!- I haven't always liked it ;D). And she was quite sneaky when she got suspended! I felt for her; as I can’t stand injustice. And I am very familiar with getting on a teacher’s bad side due to parent interference. ;D There’s no question that Abby should have been honest right upfront, but despite her naughtiness, I really like her in this book. I think her flaws are what make her more relatable and interesting. You can also tell that underneath all her hyper-drive and her bluntness, she is generally a very good person, and delightful in her own way. She seems more “real” than the other BSC members, somehow. I like her for this reason, and for her passion and distinct “voice.” She’s actually one of the more interesting characters to read about, hence why she is actually my true favorite (I keep going back and forth between her and Stacey, but I really do think Abby's my top fave). As far as the subplot goes, this one is always one of my favorites(well, not so much at the end, when the kids started behaving, although their show was cute- I was really amused by the part when Claudia had to unscrew the door to the Prezzioso’s bedroom because Jenny refused to come out! ;D). My favorite chapters by far, though, were the Bat Mitzvah chapters at the end. First of all, they were very interesting! I liked reading about the Jewish traditions and how the ceremony was done. Beside that, though, is the fact that the Stevenson family gathering and the ceremony itself really touched me. I think this is one of the few moments in a BSC book that make me feel a little choked-up, particularly when Abby says to Gram Elsie, “I wish tonight could go on forever…everyone together for always.” I don’t know why, but that part always pulls on my heartstrings! I liked the way Abby described her anxiety as she got ready to give her speech- I can identify with that feeling- the fear that comes at first, when you’re about to step out and do something important after so much practice and anticipation, and then the joy that replaces it when you realize just what a special moment it is. I also thought the way Anna decided to express herself through her music was awesome. And then there’s the other emotional part, of course, when Abby and Anna light a candle for their father. The party at the end sounded so fun! I also liked reading about the other Stevensons. Maybe another reason why these parts of the story are so powerful to me is that I have an inner longing for something special like that to happen in my own life. As I mentioned before, my relatives live pretty far away, and we don't get together for special events very often. I’m also an only child, so I don’t have a lot of opportunities to share a big event with someone special, if I ever have one (which isn’t often). I think it’s great that Abby and Anna are twins and have each other to lean on and share life with, even though they are so different from each other. I wish I had that! I really like the book cover for this one; it captures a great scene. It’s nice to see Anna with Abby. Ugh, this post is huge. That's what happens when I decide to write about an entire BSC story.
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Penny Lane
Sitting For The Arnolds
The Girl With Colitis Goes By
Posts: 2,888
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Post by Penny Lane on May 12, 2008 10:12:53 GMT -5
I really liked this book. I've been liking all the bsc books that i've been reading for the first time lately. It's like they go through batches of ones I like and ones I don't like. Or maybe it's just been a long time since I had a Mallory on my list. I liked how they handled the cheating and how Abby acted like a normal person and didn't come forth and call a family meeting about it. I liked that no one acted like it was zOMG the End Of the World and "it might get back to our clients" and/or "we should write about it in the Mystery Notebook". It just.. happened and they didn't have big long emergency meeting about it or even tell each other. That was nice. Maybe it's because Abby is sort of a newcomer to Stoneybrook. She should probably learn the rules aobut sharing with friends before she gets a haircut though. I liked the subplot enough, I guess. I liked reading about all the trouble the sitters were having with the kids when suddenly the children of stoneybrook were no longer perfect. However, "television head"? Is that a common term?
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Post by booboobrewer on May 12, 2008 12:02:30 GMT -5
It's like when they said "pageant head" in Little Miss Stoneybrook. I don't think it's common but it's just helpful to use.
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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 Jul 14, 2008 12:24:37 GMT -5
I just reread this one over the weekend, and darn it if the Bat Mitzvah chapters didn't make me weepy again. They're really well-written and almost powerful, in a way, even compared with the rest of the book. This is definitely one of my favorites among the later books.
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