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Post by wenonah4th on Mar 2, 2012 16:23:38 GMT -5
Despie the fact that you were reading these books to begin with!
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Post by virgoscorpio on Mar 3, 2012 0:53:01 GMT -5
^ Totally! haha. The pageant stuff was so much better this time around, especially with Toddlers in Tiaras in mind (even though I don't watch the show).
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Post by zoar3 on Sept 12, 2012 22:30:19 GMT -5
Not a fan of this book at all. I did notice a few things this time around. Dawn is following tradition from the previous book, reminding us she wouldn't touch Claud's junk food with a ten foot pole. I will say one thing, at least at this point, MA is still enjoying treats without Dawn specifically lecturing her. I had totally forgotten that on page 44 Dawn admits she wants to go back to CA, too. On page 92 Dawn, tells us her mom will never have to worry about her (D) leaving, too. I have a hunch (I know I said this up-thread about feeling like Dawn was sort of biding her time early on) Dawn really did feel like Jeff chose to move back first (so she had to stay). It would have been interesting had the situation been vice versa, say if Jeff were a few years younger or something. I really wish Dawn had at least "thought," even though her mom had a new job that she seemed to like, friends, etc and Dawn for the most part was also happy, that they didn't have any permanent ties to CT. IDK, I'm still, after so many years, and countless re-reads, disappointed neither Dawn nor Jeff ever really got angry with Sharon's moving them across country or ever (to our knowledge) considering moving back to CA. I won't get going on that again, now, promise. One of my favorite BSC moments is on page 72 when Charlotte is talking with Stacey at Claudia's. I wish we had gotten to hear whether Char and Stace wrote one another. I am hoping Stacey told Char she loved her because Char replies, "I love you, too." Sweet and for once a true sisterly (no almost) moment.
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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 Sept 12, 2012 22:49:18 GMT -5
^ Totally! haha. The pageant stuff was so much better this time around, especially with Toddlers in Tiaras in mind (even though I don't watch the show). one time toddlers and tiaras came on after whatever show i was watching and i couldn't change the channel fast enough, and i actually ended up not hating it. the moms were clueless and the girls were brats but it was impossible to look away :] but i think toddlers and tiaras does a better job of demonstrating that pageants are bad than this book does -- showing vs lecturing.
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Post by wiggir13 on Sept 17, 2012 9:19:42 GMT -5
I guess I still don't understand what was so bad for Jeff. I know he was fighting with people but I just never understood why.
On pg 71 where it is describing Claudia's room, I got the image in my head that she is a total hoarder!
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Post by zoar3 on Sept 17, 2012 11:27:24 GMT -5
^Possibly (probably) because he felt (I don't think he or Dawn did) had any choice or say in suddenly up and moving to CT. I still would love to know what Jack thought of this and if Sharon had at least given thought to moving somewhere else in CA. I was thinking last night how odd (lonely, too) it must have felt for Jack to live in his family's house all alone. I'm guessing he didn't move initially mainly to keep things the same for Dawn and Jeff (that could be why Jeff wanted to leave CT, too). It just seems like that house was literally gigantic, tons of room for memories. I never understood how he (and the kids) were fine with Carol moving in down the road. Yes, I know this is gone O/T to this book, sorry about that. My point is, Jeff wanted to return to some sense of normalcy. Maybe he also didn't want to "see" his mom dating so many other men, hoping his parents would get back together. IDK, I wish Dawn had been honest and admitted she wanted to move back also. At this point Sharon was not dating Richard exclusively, if much at all. I wonder what she would have done?
Claud's room? Another inconsistency. I agree she perhaps hoarded a bit in order to "stock up." I never got how she sometimes complained about her room being small when it sounded huge. Supposedly she had at least three chairs: desk, director's and arm. Of course her bed, dresser, easel, etc. Lol, her closet must have held a good amount of storage too!
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Post by zoar3 on Jan 27, 2014 12:16:38 GMT -5
No one has wanted to be cheered by the Popeye song and lol the "unique" way it was sung in almost a year and a half? Last night when I realized the Grammy's were on (I didn't watch) I was thinking of a related (singing or show) BSC and finally came to this one. I found a surprise that truly brought me a smile and a laugh on the bottom of page 97 and top of page 98. Dawn shares with us two of the outfits Mrs. Pike bought for Claire and Margo for the pageant. Dawn went with them and this was one shopping trip I would enjoyed going on because while Claire got s white sailor suit and matching hat...Margo got painter's pants but wanted a monkey suit!! "Margo had wanted a monkey suit to go with her banana, but all the monkey suits had monkey feet, and I pointed out that Margo needed her feet free in order to peel her banana." I just thought that was great and so funny. It reminds me of a childhood rubber monkey (sort of like a rubber ducky) that I have. Oh and also, Andrew playing Spunky the monkey in a game of Let's All Come In."
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Post by booboobrewer on Jan 27, 2014 14:24:57 GMT -5
I had a monkey mask as a kid that my sister teased me about because it had curly brown hair attached to it that matched my own curly brown hair. It never occurred to me that Margo could have used it...lol
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Post by zoar3 on Jan 27, 2014 18:50:34 GMT -5
^Lol, that's funny and cute, too. Margo would have loved it. Since the full costume might not have worked out at least she could have worn a mask.
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Post by Honeybee on Apr 25, 2014 19:37:11 GMT -5
Finally done reading all the comments on this post. Yes, I like to read the pages from 1-12.
I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars.
This remind me of toddler and Tiara on TLC. I only saw clips of it, on youtube. Anyways, I see the four girls were being competition of each other. Started out with Dawn, then Kristy, then Mary Anne, & last Claudia. Who's the best baby-sitter. It remind me old New Kids On The Block commercial in the 80's. (Which tv Stacey was in.) No, I'm the biggest fan of New Kids On The Block. No, I am. You'll hear them saying like this: Dawn: I'm the best best-sitter I baby-sit in California. Kristy: No, I'm the best baby-sitter I thought of the club. I can see Mallory and Jessi, rolling their eyes at each other.
Karen's talent. Wheels on the bus. Didn't she had talent in the LS series? She made it a long version of it. Even the Judges got bored with her song. lol
Didn't care for Jeff leaving. Not my favorite character. Good riddance to him. (No offense to people, who like his character.) Jack and Sharon, should have sat down with the kids. Saying, where do you want to lived? With mom or with your dad? We know all Jeff will lived with his dad. Dawn, will probably lived with her dad. Then, their won't be any Dawn's book. Would be the treasurer? Since Stacey, moved back to NYC. Dawn, told her mom, she'll never leave her. But, she goes back to CA. In the later books. Mmmm, Dawn, didn't keep your promise.
I like it, when Dawn and Kristy, comfort Margo and Karen, when they lost the pageant show.
My sister was in model show for pre-teens/teens, when she was pre-teen. I wanted be in it, as well. But, they said, I was too young. I was devastated by it. I couldn't wait to grow up, so I can be in model show. But, when I got her age. I was in car accident. So, I was busy doing physical therapy, going to the doctors. I lost insert in it. Now, I don't have the body type of being a model. I'm over weight. Don't care for those things anymore.
Margo, wanted wear bathing suit. Well, when she grow up. She can do Miss America. They do bikini suits, on that show.
Just watch someone peeling a banana with their feet on youtube. Theirs lot of the videos of people peeling banana with their feet.
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Post by claudiaslastringding on Apr 26, 2014 2:29:30 GMT -5
I actually only read this one for the first time last year, because for some reason I could never find it anywhere when I was younger. I remember that I always really wanted to read it though, because it seemed to be one of those ones that they reference in other books a fair bit. Like I'm fairly sure that in Stacey's Mistake the girls were talking about how Jeff moved back to California, and also how Margo (I think?) peeled the banana with her feet. And I thought that scene was hilarious when I was just reading about them talking about it, so 8 year old me was always very keen to read the actual book. Though when I was finally able to read the book, something about the whole thing irritated me. I know that I felt sorry for poor Charlotte at least.
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Enigma
New To Stoneybrook
Posts: 128
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Post by Enigma on Dec 26, 2015 15:22:36 GMT -5
Just read it and here are my thoughts:
1) Of course, the BSC would get all competitive by trying to one-up each other by taking a 'My Fair Lady' type role where they have to transform their typical little girl clients into posed pageant material (while the parents stay quietly in the background). Only Mary Anne had her work cut out for her with 'perfect and talented' Mariah Perkins; she sounded like real stage material and could have probably even gotten into the entertainment industry on a small scale (like Rosie Wilder except her parents didn't push for it). The description of her pink leotard and pink tutu when preforming did remind me of 'Sophia Grace and Rosie' on Ellen though.
Karen, Claire, and Margo sounded like very normal little girls who just loved the idea of being in the spotlight but had no concept of what was really expected of them. Poor Charlotte was just like a mini-Mary Anne, introverted and just terrified of being in the spotlight; Claudia was a ditz for for pushing the pageant on her just for her own ego. Stage moms are a dime a dozen but this might be the first time I read about a stage-baby-sitter.
2) This book came out before all the publicity about child beauty pageants; all the girls in this book are potrayed as dressing up in age appropriate dresses (little girl dresses with ruffles, sailor suit costume, etc with no make up) yet a 7 year old with make-up and an evening gown wins even though she can't sing well. Nonetheless, Sabrina Bouvier's style seemed very tame when compared to what you see on 'Toddlers and Tiaras' today with toddlers dressed up as mini-show girls with heavy make up and 'sexy' costumes.
3) Jeff seemed to be okay and adjusting well in the two previous Dawn books but then he starts having behavioral issues once he starts fifth grade and turns into a monster. I was wondering if AMM had him move back to California because she already planned on having Mary Anne's father marry Dawn's mother down the road and wanted Jeff out of dynamics of that household so she could focus more intensely on Dawn and Mary Anne adjusting to being stepsisters. He still visits from time to time but that's not the same thing as a being a permanent fixture to the Schafer-Spier household
Your thoughts?
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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 Dec 30, 2015 14:00:45 GMT -5
I agree with your opinion of Jeff's moving. The chapter twos love to discuss Mary Anne and Dawn's relationship, and how they are best friends AND stepsisters, but they rarely make any mention of Jeff (unless Dawn is narrating, and even then it's separate from the discussion about MA and Dawn). Having two stepsiblings isn't as "special" as having a stepsister/best friend combo. Jeff makes it less romantic.
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Post by booboobrewer on Dec 30, 2015 23:36:33 GMT -5
Yeah, the Parent Trap movie is mentioned the very first time Mary Anne and Dawn hang out together. I think Ann really liked the idea of two girls bringing their parents together like in PT.
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Post by booboobrewer on Sept 17, 2016 13:37:53 GMT -5
Reading this again, and I love it. Perfect balance of sad and funny. The scene in the airport was so realistically sad. You're waiting around "killing time" with your loved ones, while knowing the time is running out with them Dawn whispering "don't go" to Jeff, sniff sniff. Dawn and her mom have such a nice relationship, and Sharon is very understanding. Parts I love: Mal looking "murderous" the day of the pageant, Sabrina Bouvier singing Moon River in elbow-length gloves, the judges looking at their watches while Karen belts out The Wheels on the Bus. Mary Anne being like "thanks Dawn!" when Dawn accidentally gives her the idea of holding a dress rehearsal. Haha, so lame.
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