Claudia's Portrait

[candykane]

I agree it would have been great if Mimi had put her hand prints in the cement too. Claudia probably would have loved being able to go out and see them from time to time after Mimi passed.

[booboobrewer]

I love that idea too.

[msstock87]

The hand prints were my favorite part of this book. I think it was been sweet, and adorable if Mimi had put hers there too. Claudia would have treasured that always.

[zoar3]

^And so, would I I remember seeing at Michael's pet paw print kits. I think it was similar to the handprints in cement or even very young kids making clay hands for their parents. I did have the thought that it might have been sweet had I done that with Champ. But then, his love is always in my heart and Mimi's is for sure with Claudia.

[booboobrewer]

Aww! I admit the thought of pet paw prints crossed my mind, nice to see you mentioned it Mona

[zoar3]

^I'm glad I just had another sweet though if Mimi had left handprints that MA and Kristy might occasionally go see them, too. I really wish because it sure sounded that way in "Mother's Day Surprise," Kristy had spent more time to our knowledge with Mimi. I can imagine her, sitting outside on a nice day with Mimi and Louie, sharing maybe not in a lot of words but just in being together.

[Amalia]

I remember how Janine used to walk Kristy, Claudia & Mary Anne to school with her nose in a book. Man, she would not have a good BSC member.

[ashley868]

I actually really enjoyed Claudia's book. I thought the story about the tooth fairy was cute. I was the opposite of Claudia, I wanted to lose my teeth so I would find ways to purposely make them loose. I regret that now, I kept doing it so much that my bottom teeth grew in weird and crooked. My mom couldn't afford braces to fix them. My top teeth are okay, but I feel embarrassed by just how bad my bottom teeth look. I found out the truth of Santa Claus from Super Fudge, a Judy Blume book. The main character Peter discusses with his mother about whether or not it's a good idea to let his brother believe in Santa. Like Claudia, once I figured out about Santa, I realized that the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy weren't real either.

I did find her not adjusting to her new school hard to believe. I was very shy when I was younger, and we moved a lot when I was kid. We moved almost every two years. I went to five different Elementary schools. I was never depressed over the moves though, and I always adjusted extremely well. Also, as a kid with a learning disability I know I would have loved Claudia's new school. From the way Claudia described it, it sounded like a really nice and friendly environment. It was always so frustrating to me as a kid (it still is, because I am still a slow learner.)when I couldn't catch on to things right away. So as a little girl, I would have been perfectly fine. Claudia is an out-going girl.

I also found the birthday party a little hard to believe as well. I can understand some kids not opening their invitations, or misplacing them but not all. I remember as a little girl, I loved getting cards or anything. The moment I got one of those cards, I would have opened it and saw that it was a circus party. As soon as I got home from school, I would have asked my mother right away if I could go.

[mallorypike]

Claudia's Portrait had be one of my favorite portraits. I really enjoyed it except for the chapter Boo to the Fourth Grade. I found it hard to believe that Claudia would be so depressed about changing schools. When I was in third grade, I changed schools and I adjusted very quickly. The school sounds like a really nice and friendly environment. I would have liked it if I needed help. Plus, Claudia seemed extremely anti-social. On the first day, a little girl approaches Claudia with a smile on her face. Claudia refused to interact with the students. Now, I was very shy growing up (and I still am), but I wasn't anti-social at all. If somebody came up to me to talk, I would have gladly hang out with her. I wish that Claudia would have at least TRIED to adjust to the school.

I thought the tooth fairy episode was cute. It was funny that Claudia, Rick, and Emily all believed the "truth" about the tooth fairy. When I was little, I hated loosing teeth since it hurt so bad. But I did love the tooth fairy. I was never once scared of the tooth fairy. I feel like they shouldn't have mentioned the truth about the tooth fairy, Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus. The age range for the Babysitters Club is for eight year olds. A lot of eight year olds still believe in the tooth fairy, Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus. I remember my mom told me the truth about the tooth fairy when I was eight years old. By then, I didn't really care. I lost most of my baby teeth by then anyway so it didn't really matter. I suddenly stopped believing the Easter Bunny in fourth grade because I thought Easter bunnies were too babyish. It wasn't until I was twelve when I stopped believing in Santa Claus. Nobody told me. It's just that I all of a sudden knew that there wasn't a Santa Claus.

It was funny when in the very beginning of the book Claudia asked Janine if she remembered when she was born. Even though Janine was only three at the time, she remembered all the tiny details such as what she had for lunch, LOL. I have a very vivid memory and I'm able to remember a lot of things, even small and unimportant details.

I wish that Claudia had gotten a better grade. It seemed like she worked the hardest on her portrait than the other BSC members did.

[booboobrewer]

I don't think I can recall stuff from when I was three! I'd say I have a vivid memory, too.

[mallorypike]

^ I recall some things from when I was three. Like when I went to the daycare center I hated so much.

[sparklymouse]

I never moved in school, so I can't say if I would have adjusted quickly or not. I would guess not. I don't think you can judge Claudia's lack of adjustment on your own successes though. She may have adjusted better (or at least put more effort in) in a situation where the family relocated. It would suck to have your life altered against your will while having to watch your family and friends do their same old routine every day.

[ashley868]

I have a memory, I don't remember if I was 2 or 3 though but I remember it really well. We lived in a small apartment, and then we moved into a house. Well, I remember that move really really well. I remember I had a baby-sitter who gave me a little ball that I thought was a gum ball at first, and I put it in my mouth and she scolded me for doing it. And I also remember being really excited to see my dads truck. I don't know why that memory is so significant either. Sometimes I wonder if it's my first memory because I don't remember much about that apartment.

[mallorypike]

I think my very first memory was when I was roughly two years old, I fell down the basement stairs but I landed safely in a basket of clothes. I don't know why I remember it is so vividly but I do.

There's one significant memory I have. For my fourth birthday, my grandmother gave me a picture book called The Velveteen Rabbit as a gift. My mother would read it to me each night. I loved the book so much and I knew the book by heart. To this day, I still have my original copy of The Velveteen Rabbit and I still read it from time to time.

[booboobrewer]

^That's sweet. I love that book.