#111 Stacey's Secret Friend Part 3.
Dear Reader,
In Stacey’s Secret Friend, Tess Swinhart is the new kid at school and has trouble fitting in. At one time or another, you have probably felt that you don’t fit in, whether it’s in school, in your neighborhood, or even in your family. It’s a common feeling. However, when Stacey realizes what Tess is going through, she goes overboard trying to change Tess to make her fit in, which ultimately is a disaster.
When I was in seventh grade, I felt much more like Tess than like Stacey. I wanted very much to be a part of the group of “cool” kids in my grade. But as I got older, I realized that they weren’t the right friends for me. We had little in common. I soon became close friends with kids who were more like me. If I had tried to change myself - to force myself to be like the other kids - it probably would have been a disaster, just like Stacey’s efforts with Tess were. The “real you” (whoever that might be!) is always more interesting and likable than an “artificial you.”
Happy reading,
Ann M Martin
Um, no, Ann, you Puritanical-except-for-the-religion-part weirdo, that's NOT what this book was about. It's not about 'having trouble fitting in," it's about being forced to fit in on the one hand and being bullied for not fitting in on the other. It would be sad if Tess had voluntarily tried to change herself to fit in, but it wouldn't have been monstrous as it was when Stacey was trying to make her fit in. Here's a hot tip: no one deserves to be bullied, ever. Everyone gets to decide what they like and how they dress. As long as they're not hurting anyone, it's fine. What is not fine is bullying and cruel jokes, even if you only make them inside of your self-righteous little permed head.
Okay folks, I made it to the end of that one. Now I'm going to go re-read The Canterbury Tales and maybe draw tattoos on myself with my daughter's markers. I would suggest you do the same, but I'd rather everyone did their own thing, okay?
In Stacey’s Secret Friend, Tess Swinhart is the new kid at school and has trouble fitting in. At one time or another, you have probably felt that you don’t fit in, whether it’s in school, in your neighborhood, or even in your family. It’s a common feeling. However, when Stacey realizes what Tess is going through, she goes overboard trying to change Tess to make her fit in, which ultimately is a disaster.
When I was in seventh grade, I felt much more like Tess than like Stacey. I wanted very much to be a part of the group of “cool” kids in my grade. But as I got older, I realized that they weren’t the right friends for me. We had little in common. I soon became close friends with kids who were more like me. If I had tried to change myself - to force myself to be like the other kids - it probably would have been a disaster, just like Stacey’s efforts with Tess were. The “real you” (whoever that might be!) is always more interesting and likable than an “artificial you.”
Happy reading,
Ann M Martin
Um, no, Ann, you Puritanical-except-for-the-religion-part weirdo, that's NOT what this book was about. It's not about 'having trouble fitting in," it's about being forced to fit in on the one hand and being bullied for not fitting in on the other. It would be sad if Tess had voluntarily tried to change herself to fit in, but it wouldn't have been monstrous as it was when Stacey was trying to make her fit in. Here's a hot tip: no one deserves to be bullied, ever. Everyone gets to decide what they like and how they dress. As long as they're not hurting anyone, it's fine. What is not fine is bullying and cruel jokes, even if you only make them inside of your self-righteous little permed head.
Okay folks, I made it to the end of that one. Now I'm going to go re-read The Canterbury Tales and maybe draw tattoos on myself with my daughter's markers. I would suggest you do the same, but I'd rather everyone did their own thing, okay?