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Post by virgoscorpio on Dec 10, 2011 20:33:37 GMT -5
Some other cute things about this book: Sam actually offering to clean up the dishes for Kristy; Elizabeth Brewer's knowledge of baseball (she would be with her whole entire family obsessed with it); Mary Anne meeting Kristy when the tryouts were posted AND being early to check it out before Kristy got there. It was a small, cute moment that really showed their friendship.
I also liked the scene that described, in the tryouts, how the one girl caught the baseball with her non-gloved hand, and Kristy could feel the pain, and how the girl's hand was beet-red after.
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Post by virgoscorpio on Dec 11, 2011 0:25:56 GMT -5
I thought it was interesting how there's text that reads Kristy at bat in this book, especially since there is a later book titled that... tehe.
Stacey and Claudia taking over the Krushers was sweet, but do they really have all of that time to devote to that? Seemed weird. ALL OF A SUDDEN Claud and Stace are interested in baseball? They could have picked Jessi or Mal which is a bit more realistic and would have given the junzies (junior members) some plot lines.
I wonder if this book was published around the same time as Karen's Copycat...
*goes to check*
nah, Karen's Copycat is yearsss after.
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celaeno
Sitting For The Papadakis's
I have to share a room with Vanessa
Posts: 1,514
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Post by celaeno on Aug 24, 2012 22:05:05 GMT -5
I have a large pile of BSC books that I got at book sales and thrift stores, and I'm slowly making my way through them (chronologically). I've been excited about reaching this one, and I finally got to read it. As a kid, I only read a few of the books past around #70 or so, and this was one of them - I think my older sister got it as a birthday gift or something.
This is one of the few books where I clearly remember my experience of reading it - it was, by far, the BSC book I got most absorbed in. I remember feeling SO much anxiety and fear reading it, because I was terrified on Kristy's behalf and I felt like I was going through her experience. I remember totally feeling all her anxiety and guilt. I was a goody two shoes at the age I was reading this book, and I couldn't believe what Kristy was getting into, compared to how squeaky clean the other books in the series were. I mean, most BSC books are so soft, that my 8-year-old self just couldn't believe how the events in this book kept getting more intense. First I couldn't believe the softball team was asking the rookies to vandalize school property, then I couldn't believe Kristy actually went through with it, then I couldn't believe the book had 12- and 13-year-old smoking, then I couldn't believe Kristy's actions led to the building burning down, and then, most of all, I absolutely couldn't believe that it resulted in an innocent person ending up in freaking critical condition in the hospital. I mean, even reading this book now, that last part seems pretty intense for a BSC book!
I think I got so absorbed into this book because it played into my worst fears. Like I said, I was a goody two shoes, and I think I was a goody two shoes because somewhere along the line - whether it was because of how my parents raised me, or some other external factor - I grew up always convinced that any kind of misbehaving of mine could have results far more horrible than anything you could logically expect, and that's exactly what happened here. Kristy spray paints an old shed, which is unlikely to cause much harm to anyone (except possibly to herself, if she were to get caught and then suspended). Yet through a signficant portion of the book, we're led to believe that Kristy's actions might cause an innocent person to die. I think this book tapped into a very strong fear of mine, which is why I got more engrossed in this than any of the other BSC books.
I even enjoyed rereading it now, almost 20 (!!) years later. I didn't even mind the subplot, and normally I despise Karen. I think it's really realistic for kids that age to become obsessed with acting like a teenager or adult (like Jill in Super Mystery #1) so for some reason I enjoy plots like those.
I was also really happy that Kristy joined the softball team. It always bothered me how she's described to be so athletic and a sports enhusiast, and yet she wasn't on any teams. It also annoyed me how the BSC had the super athletes (Kristy, Abby, Logan) and then NO ONE else was on a sports team. I would have liked to have seen someone who was casual about sports and was on the school's volleyball or track team or something. I'm glad Kristy stayed on the team in the end, even if it was virtually never brought up again.
I'm also somewhat impressed that the writer(s) decided to have Kristy not confess at the end - it seems so unBSC. I'm not much into fan fic, but I have read a couple of stories where Kristy goes through a bad girl phase after 8th grade, and after this book I find that surprisingly believable.
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Post by virgoscorpio on Aug 24, 2012 23:39:24 GMT -5
^ That's really cool that you loved this book as a kid and also that you remember the experience of reading this. Sometimes I forget how bad-ass this book is in BSC land. It definitely rivals Bad Girls! Too bad those girls didn't have tube socks to hide their cigarette packs in
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Post by sillybillygoogoo on Oct 9, 2012 12:32:27 GMT -5
I just read this book. I liked it! I felt so bad for Kristy. I like how she was worried about Karen copying her, and feeling like she wasn't someone Karen should look up to, because of what she did.
I'm not sure how I feel about the girls not confessing. On one hand, I feel like Kristy was punished enough, but on the other hand, not confessing doesn't seem quite right to me. I don't know much about spray paint, but I do know it's highly flammable. Is it possible that the fresh spray paint caused the fire to be much worse than it would have been? That's something that occurred to me while reading the book.
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Post by wiggir13 on Dec 17, 2012 0:13:50 GMT -5
I still feel like this book is really ooc for kristy. I really loved seeing Sam and Charlie with her and helping her.
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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 Dec 20, 2012 14:59:09 GMT -5
I don't know much about spray paint, but I do know it's highly flammable. Is it possible that the fresh spray paint caused the fire to be much worse than it would have been? That's something that occurred to me while reading the book. I always figured that this was true....
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Post by rabbitbongo on Jan 8, 2019 2:19:02 GMT -5
Just read this one for the first time and can now put in my top 10 BSC books! I’m glad we finally get to see Kristy in a sports team! I feel so sorry for her being put under peer pressure but she wants to be a part of the team so badly that she eventually gives in. Even though she’s bossy with the BSC, this is a different group of people and she’s having to start from scratch to build a rapport with them so she would behave differently around them. Also, although I’m very anti-smoking, I’m happy to read that some of the teenagers in this book are smoking - this along with the peer pressure are very realistic aspects of teenage life (as opposed to baby parades and giant sleepovers). Think this is also the first regular BSC book to feature Karen and Andrew’s mum and stepfather but correct me if I’m wrong.
Finally, I absolutely agree with what has previously been said about the title - Karen copied Claudia, Stacey, MA and Kristy but it was only the subplot; I think title would have been better as ‘Kristy the Copycat’.
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cnj
Sitting For The Papadakis's
Posts: 1,708
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Post by cnj on Jan 18, 2019 4:39:12 GMT -5
Also, although I'm very anti-smoking, I'm happy to read that some of the teenagers in this book are smoking - this along with the peer pressure are very realistic aspects of teenage life - as opposed to baby parades and giant sleepovers. Actually, huge sleepovers are a realistic part of teenage life right along with smoking for many teenagers. Thankfully, none of my teenage nieces smoke or have been drunk yet, but they have classmates who've done both...and they have sleepovers as well. Baby-sitting is also a large part of realistic teen life...many teens want to begin earning their own money instead of relying solely on their parents' money for everything. All in all, for the most part, the BSC are pretty realistic teen girls...much more so than either the Sweet Valley teenagers or the former Fabulous Five.
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Post by rabbitbongo on Jan 18, 2019 12:22:55 GMT -5
Ooops, when I said sleepovers I meant the one the BSC organised for Stoneybrook Elementary, sorry for not making that clear
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cnj
Sitting For The Papadakis's
Posts: 1,708
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Post by cnj on Jan 23, 2019 10:16:03 GMT -5
Ooops, when I said sleepovers I meant the one the BSC organised for Stoneybrook Elementary, sorry for not making that clear. I still know many teens who help organize sleepovers for younger kids, though. Not all teens are self-obsessed.
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Post by rabbitbongo on Jan 24, 2019 4:32:55 GMT -5
Ooops, when I said sleepovers I meant the one the BSC organised for Stoneybrook Elementary, sorry for not making that clear. I still know many teens who help organize sleepovers for younger kids, though. Not all teens are self-obsessed. Really?! The teens where you’re from are clearly much nicer than the ones I knew as it 100% would not happen/have happened in my town (though that could be down to the adults too)
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,251
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Post by oldhickory on Jan 24, 2019 9:25:02 GMT -5
Really?! The teens where you’re from are clearly much nicer than the ones I knew as it 100% would not happen/have happened in my town (though that could be down to the adults too) I also don't know any teens who did this.
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cnj
Sitting For The Papadakis's
Posts: 1,708
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Post by cnj on Feb 12, 2019 17:43:32 GMT -5
Really?! The teens where you’re from are clearly much nicer than the ones I knew as it 100% would not happen/have happened in my town (though that could be down to the adults too) I also don't know any teens who did this. I sure do.
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Post by sparklymouse on Feb 12, 2019 18:47:15 GMT -5
Um, why are these real teens organizing big sleepovers for kids? That sounds very random, lol.
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