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Post by virgoscorpio on Mar 22, 2012 11:54:51 GMT -5
^ True. And I've seen those holes and usually they have something (whether it's a ladder or faux steps) so that workers can get in and out of the space. But it's true that Jake could have been stuck since I've even had a hard time, as a 6 foot tall guy, getting in and out of them - let alone a chubby kid.
But it's also not the worker's responsibility to make sure fallen kids aren't trapped in the spaces. To be honest, I think Jake was kind of dumb. (Not really Jake but more the ghost writer.) Jake should have screamed and screamed for help if he really wanted to be found badly enough. It's not like he lost his vocal cords. Granted, it wouldn't have made much of a book if he was found, but still...
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Post by zoar3 on Mar 22, 2012 17:24:22 GMT -5
^Do you work in construction, Virgo? I haven't read this book in forever but it sounded like Jake fell a long way down and that even if he could climb out there were no stairs to do so. Just another example of how even one extra day would have enhanced the story. Maybe instead of the annoying MA/home EC subplot, the secondary story could have been how the Kuhn girls were dealing with their Dad being back temporarily. That could have even led to Jake seeing his parents together and maybe hoping they'd stay that way. Anything to make the tale more about the Kuhns and that Jake was truly missing for over 2 days. I think somewhere along the way the fact that eight year old Jake had vanished got lost in favor of all the searching. That sounds bad, I know, but isn't it sort of true? I hope this makes sense. It's like Kristy and the kids were searching but no one else actively (to us the reader) was. Therefore that lessened the urgency of the situation. IDK, this would be another candidate for a fan fic re-write.
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Post by candykane on Mar 22, 2012 18:39:05 GMT -5
Jake should have screamed and screamed for help if he really wanted to be found badly enough. It's not like he lost his vocal cords. Granted, it wouldn't have made much of a book if he was found, but still... Didn't Jake say he tried yelling for help but the construction workers couldn't hear him over the noise of their machinery?
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Post by anzuhana on Mar 22, 2012 18:42:56 GMT -5
^ They's what Jake said and that he kept falling asleep.
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Post by zoar3 on Mar 22, 2012 19:07:01 GMT -5
I just checked and Jake goes missing on a Thursday afternoon after the workers had already left. Conveniently they (the crew) only had one day, Friday to hear him. Page 116 in the middle.
Later, on pages 199-120 Jake tells Kristy that he went into the house and walking on the unsteady floor. He fell right into the hole. Kristy replies that the workers must be used to walking around it. So, there was no covering! It did say that "a few" new houses were being built so I guess its conceivable that no one entered "Jake's" on Friday? Though that seems very hard to believe. I would love to know what the construction crew members said after learning that's where Jake was. Too bad there was never even a one page "postscript" to this story.
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dbug89
New To Stoneybrook
Posts: 14
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Post by dbug89 on Jun 30, 2012 23:46:12 GMT -5
Just re read this its still great
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Post by zoar3 on Oct 29, 2012 16:39:23 GMT -5
I'd still be interested in hearing the construction workers "excuse" for not realizing Jake was trapped. This time around, it sounded like the majority of the Stoneybrook Police were camped out at the Kuhns 24/7 instead of searching. I know Edie gave the police permission to interview Kristy. Wasn't it weird though that she didn't call Kristy at Claud's tell give her heads up that they were coming? Also, the officers really should have waited downstairs until Janine got Kristy, there was no need to "surprise" her that way. But then, the police should have either taken Kristy and/or Mrs. Kuhn along possible routes Jake may have walked home on. They also could have asked if anything "different" was going in in the neighborhood that might have held interest to Jake. Say a construction site. Finally, Kristy, Bart, and David Michael watch Jake head to his house-- the opposite direction to their own neighborhood. The construction site was something the three of them past by. Unless Jake truly began walking home, stalled for whatever reasons, and after it had begun raining, turned around in the opposite direction to seek shelter (which makes zero sense) how could Kristy not have seen him?! I will always be glad Jake was found when he was and okay, but the solution truly was mostly thanks to Matt.
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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 Nov 2, 2012 12:53:45 GMT -5
^ Wouldn't there have been some kind of fencing up around a major contruction site? I don't think I've ever seen one without it. That's not to say that Jake couldn't have found his way in anyway, but access to places that is usually pretty restricted. Or so I thought.
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Post by zoar3 on Nov 2, 2012 14:22:45 GMT -5
^On La Brea, a major street near me, there is construction on parts of both sides right now. All the "projects" have huge fences/blocked off partitions with warning signs all over. I never thought of that about the houses but it did sound like quite a few were being built. Also, since Stoneybrook is so residential with lots of small children on foot, there should have been some sort of blocking. Good point, Starrynight.
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Post by wiggir13 on Nov 4, 2012 15:46:17 GMT -5
They are building houses right across the street from mine and there is definitely no fencing! I saw some kids walking around and I thought about this book.
I like this one, but the other stories really annoy me... I don't care about ma and home even nor did I care about the awards. I feel like those awards could never happen now with everyone being so pc.
This book also made me realize how gross and slimy I think jello is!
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Post by zoar3 on Nov 4, 2012 16:52:07 GMT -5
^I definitely agree about the home-ec subplot! I've said before it should have been how Patsy and Laurel were coping along with Mr. Kuhn flying to CT to help look. As for the awards ceremony, what made it a little annoying to me was, of course, that the end of 8th grade (graduation) didn't come for another 9 years.
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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 Nov 8, 2012 23:21:28 GMT -5
They are building houses right across the street from mine and there is definitely no fencing! I saw some kids walking around and I thought about this book. You should go over there and make sure none of them fell into any floor holes.
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Post by wiggir13 on Nov 9, 2012 8:58:49 GMT -5
Hahaha well I couldn't hear any cries for help over the machinery
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Post by zoar3 on Jan 26, 2014 18:51:22 GMT -5
After reading some other BSC/LS books with cooking or food (Karen's Candy) as the main story, I went ahead and reread this one. I just wanted to hug Jake and was so thankful he was okay and found. This time around I had the thought that it was meant to be that Kristy and Bart helped to find Jake since they felt the most responsible for his being missing. I still get scared when the police officers surprise Kristy and the others at their emergency meeting. It seems to me like Kristy's mom or Watson should have taken the few minutes to let Kristy know they were coming or much better and more appropriate to take Kristy and possibly one of her friends along for support to the station on their way home. No need to burst in Claudia's room that way, plus I felt awful for Janine who truly might have had little clue as to what was going on and all of a sudden two officers were at her door asking for Kristy. The thing that still upsets me after all these many rereads is if it weren't for Matt's idea to check the construction site, it sure sounded like Jake would have been missing longer. We never do see or read about the police searching. Kids missing is a horrible thing and not something I like to think about but it would have been nice to see more of Stoneybrook (aside from all the kids which was awesome how Kristy organized the search party) looking for Jake. Oh and for a smile, I loved the idea of Buddy making green sponge trees for his Charlotte's Web diorama. I thought that solution was clever of MA to come up with and also enjoyed reading about Suzi's pony barn.
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Post by virgoscorpio on Jan 22, 2016 10:23:39 GMT -5
This book is decent and I like how they have a mystery about a missing child since they are babysitters and it just makes sense. Even though I read this one before, and we have had lengthy discussions about Jake falling through the construction site, I temporarily forgot about the ending (which worked well for this re-read!) I just wish that the workers had not come the day before - if it was a weekend or something - as that would make more sense. It would have been easy to write into the story since you get to make it up yourself, Ellen! I'm surprised that Claudia or Stacey didn't win a best dress award - also Mal and Jessi were barely in this book!
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