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Post by zoar3 on Mar 9, 2012 19:24:23 GMT -5
^He is but I still have a soft spot for Buddy. I picture him as a very skinny blond little boy who sometimes acts a little rougher to protect himself. I have taught a couple such preschoolers so that could also be why I like Buddy. Nicky, I always felt badly for, I never much bonded with. Jackie, I wish we had gotten to know better.
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Post by BuckinghamAlice on Mar 9, 2012 19:52:39 GMT -5
^I have a soft spot for Buddy and Jackie. Buddy seems like a little brat sometimes, but he also seems pretty cute and like he means well. And poor Jackie really isn't a bad kid. And I think they really overreact and exaggerate all that "walking disaster" business.
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Post by zoar3 on Mar 9, 2012 22:55:23 GMT -5
^Completely. I know the "title" was well-meaning but it turned out to be how they saw Jackie which is not cool at all. Also, he wasn't a "disaster" just his accidents ended up being work to clean up. I won't get started on kids and labels. A lot of you already know my thoughts on that anyway. It was the same with poor Jenny.
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Post by sugarfrostedflake on Mar 9, 2012 23:44:56 GMT -5
^ Doesn't buddy have ADD or something? Or am I just making that up in my head. Either way, I don't see him getting into sewing at all. And wouldn't Nicky be SO CONCERNED that the triplets are going to make fun of him for his rather feminine hobby? You might possibly be thinking of Shea Rodowsky, who was diagnosed with dyslexia in Claudia's Freind Friend.
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Post by virgoscorpio on Mar 11, 2012 15:30:09 GMT -5
You might possibly be thinking of Shea Rodowsky, who was diagnosed with dyslexia in Claudia's Freind Friend. Nope, I wasn't Although I may have made up Buddy having ADD in my head.
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,258
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Post by oldhickory on Mar 11, 2012 20:36:26 GMT -5
^ i don't remember an instance where it's specified, but it makes a lot of sense to me. that could explain why he had trouble with schoolwork, and his behavior during his tutoring sessions too.
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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 Jul 8, 2012 13:51:11 GMT -5
I just finished this one, and I have to confess that I like to sew and I've made a couple quilts, so reading this book was like a guilty pleasure for me. I'm sure it would be boring for most people to read about sewing techniques and her mega craft room, but I was, like, drooling.
And as someone who has made quilts: yes, it is utterly ridiculous that two people who are brand new to quilting (Mary Anne and Claudia) were teaching a group of 6 kids to make a quilt. That thing would have looked atrocious.
Mary Anne has tea a lot with Mrs. Towne in this book, and Mary Anne mentions that in the past she had never thought about whether she liked tea or not. But what about her special teas with Mimi!
I know that this is partially due to the angle at which we're viewing the scene, but the twins look waaay too short on the cover. They look like they would barely be able to see over the stove, which is pretty unrealistic for 8-year-olds.
This book is another example of one of the girls commenting on how they're meeting an old lady who *surprise* isn't dressed like an old fashioned, grandmotherly doll. Like, remember how they're always commenting on how Nannie isn't like all those other grandmothers (she wears *pants*! She bowls!)? Well, in this book there seems to be a lot of reference to the fact that Mrs. Towne wears *blue jeans*, not a floor length gingham skirt! I feel like there's been other books that make a big deal out of things like this too. It annoys me.
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Post by zoar3 on Jul 8, 2012 17:36:59 GMT -5
^I think the clothing reference is one more reminder that Ann tended to exist (set the books)in the 50's or early 60's.
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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 8, 2012 20:15:38 GMT -5
I'm not particularly crafty myself, but I like the books that involve a lot of that. I liked #12 for the same reason.
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Post by sparklymouse on Jul 8, 2012 20:43:22 GMT -5
I actually don't know any grandmotherly aged woman who doesn't wear pants 99% of the time. Old lady pants with the elastic waistbands instead of zippers and buttons, but pants none the less.
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,258
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Post by oldhickory on Jul 9, 2012 1:10:52 GMT -5
my grandma is super old-fashioned and only wears skirts or dresses. but i don't know anybody else like that.
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Post by virgoscorpio on Jul 9, 2012 1:59:29 GMT -5
Growing up, I didn't realize it was Marilyn and Carolyn on the cover. I thought they were just some random kids.
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supprazz
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,106
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Post by supprazz on Jul 14, 2012 2:08:23 GMT -5
Of course you didn't, their hair "grew" !
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Post by virgoscorpio on Jul 18, 2012 23:27:07 GMT -5
Some of my favourite parts of this book were the scenes that describe Mrs. Towne's house and the scene where Mary Anne is watering Mrs. Towne's garden in the late afternoon. I also liked the scene where Dawn and Mary Anne raced their bikes to Claud's house. Also, Claud and Mary Anne seem to share some common hobbies - like sewing and baking.
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supprazz
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,106
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Post by supprazz on Jul 19, 2012 3:39:57 GMT -5
^ and that bugger Elvira
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