Super-Special 15 - Baby-sitters European Vacation - Snark of Jessi's plot

[miri_me]

Is a one-theme-within-a-book snark an acceptable snark? I've just read Super-Special 15 - Baby-sitters European Vacation, and while a lot of it was worthy of snarking (Kristy "acting a character" and snuggling up to a boy (and deciding that, if you can't work out how to say "I kinda like you", kissing him is a pretty good way of cluing him in - and

Comments

[miri_me]

OK, in fairness, a model house with working solar panel-powered lights is way cooler (and likely to show a better understanding of several things) than a seashell display. Yes, they're exotic; yes, some work has presumably gone into identifying them (unless they were purchased pre-identified)... I know research projects are still projects, but it's so one-dimensional compared to the house project. (Though campaigning to get the results overthrown does seem a bit l sour grapes-y.)

I am quite amused by the concept of Jessi thinking a paperweight was this super-special trophy he gave her because she's so unbelievably fantastic though :-D

If this weren't a book aimed at kids, the second theory would be the most likely option. It does bother me a little that older male characters in the BSC world seem to inadvertently fall into creeper territory far more frequently than should be possible (Kristy's pedobear dad and Dawn's mutual stalk-target Travis come to mind... I *think* Stacey's student-teacher-crush Wes was just incredibly naive and inadvertently fuelled her crush, probably breaking a few rules in the process, but didn't quite cross into creeper territory, but it's been a while since I've read that) - how do they think this is normal or acceptable???

[fairest1]

*nodnod* No question there; my best guess is that the school went "Well, the winner gets their photo in the paper . . . let's choose a really photogenic project" and the shells were prettier than a model house that probably focused on function over form.

If it wasn't even engraved, no question it was just a paperweight Jessi got.

I'm not saying this was deliberate -- I'm just positing it as a theory that makes the book make more sense (see a snark I have planned that expands on my theory that Mr Pike is actually a drug dealer).

[miri_me]

Especially as the kid had made the house all on his own *agrees*

In fairness, there are places you can buy trophies from... (I took part in a chess tournament when I was about 8. I'd not been playing all that long, and wasn't particularly good, but I'd tried and had a good time, and my dad offered to get me a little trophy. I chose one of a horse (not a knight - a horse). It's still on my parents' mantelpiece... I have great parents!) I think it might have a little plaque bit with my name and the date.

No, I know, but it's really disturbing that these theories make so much more sense than taking the books at face value would! I look forward to reading that snark!

[fairest1]

Oh, yeah -- and those places in malls where you can get random things engraved. But I'm saying, since it's so easy to get something engraved, then if Jessi's isn't, it's just a paperweight.

It's fun to speculate along these lines -- imagine the dramatic theoretical book where Jessi learns that, having gone to a school that started her en pointe so early, her feet are now irreparably damaged and she will never dance professionally. Then during the class action suit against the school, further investigation informs her that even if her feet had been fine, her only chance would have been if she'd overcome years of improper training.

[miri_me]

Can't really argue with that! :-D

And also learnt that you're supposed to do moves as they're set. You stand out by being brilliant at expressing the scene through your body, having impeccable timing, strength, grace, and stage presence. NOT by adding your "own little touches" - aka deviating from the choreography. (I think that was the Peter Pan book?) Doing what she does is arrogant, potentially distracting, attention-seeking, and really not the right way to get noticed.

[fairest1]

Improvisational dance is one thing -- I remember another book I read about a girl who took ballet whose teacher asked her to dance to a new piece of music without specific instruction, and that seemed reasonable -- see how a person moves with only the music to guide them. But in a real performance, with actual choreography, you're supposed to stick with the actual moves.