I read so many Betsy Byars books, but I have no memory at all of this one and I have got to read it. Also, those illustrations are great, and the book covers are not -- who wears tube socks at the beach, even in 1982?? Maybe John D. Jones does. I just really hate tube socks. They are the worst.
At the beginning of the book, John D Jones would ABSOLUTELY wear tube socks JUST BECAUSE he knew you hated them, even if they were uncomfortable. He is such a piece of work. PLEASE tell me if you end up reading it, I don't remember EVER talking to anyone about this one.
You're so right about the tube socks. John D. certainly enjoys making himself and others miserable! Well, Clare does too, just not quite as much. I do love this, that Byars brought out that characteristic of childish self-pity. "SEE how miserable I am and it's ALL YOUR FAULT?"
And wow, that floating out to sea scene is quite scary!
Isn't it?? I was surprised at how scary it still felt! I'm so glad you read it, if only so I'm not alone in being blown away by John D.'s satisfaction at making other people (and YES, himself!—that's such a key part of it) miserable. Love it.
The game he's putting in his suitcase...I think it's a Merlin? My parents' friends' kids had one, and I always wanted to play with it when we went to their house for dinner. They had so many cool games and toys, but that was Top Tier -- I'd put the book I'd brought down to push buttons on the Merlin.
Oh, wow, I just Googled it—the Merlin is *completely* new to me—and I think you're TOTALLY right. The closest thing we had to an electronic game in our house growing up (before we finally got a Nintendo) was a Speak 'n' Spell, hahahaha.
You're right, I hadn't looked at the contents of the suitcase, but that is a Merlin. I had a friend who had one, it was so cool (in 1981). My mom was morally opposed to all video games so we had none of that stuff --not even a Speak 'n' Spell, which my neighbor had and which stumped me with 'rhythm' -- until my brother got a paper route and bought an Atari 2600.
I wish I could remember where our Speak 'n' Spell came from; I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was from a grandparent or was a hand-me-down from a cousin or something. I can STILL hear the computer voice saying: SPELL PEOPLES', PLURAL, POSSESSIVE. I had my apostrophes and homophones DOWN at an early age, hahahaha.
Also, when we finally did get a Nintendo, my father literally tried it ONE time, died immediately, and forevermore—like, STILL—will disparagingly refer to all video games as "beep beep." As in, "So, what did you do over the weekend? Nerd out and play beep beep?" ("Nerding" is used as a verb in our family, meaning "being couch potato-ish."
...this has been Family Memories with Leila, thank you for bearing with me.
AaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! A Byars I haven't read!!!!!
*disappears in a flash of library books*
I read so many Betsy Byars books, but I have no memory at all of this one and I have got to read it. Also, those illustrations are great, and the book covers are not -- who wears tube socks at the beach, even in 1982?? Maybe John D. Jones does. I just really hate tube socks. They are the worst.
At the beginning of the book, John D Jones would ABSOLUTELY wear tube socks JUST BECAUSE he knew you hated them, even if they were uncomfortable. He is such a piece of work. PLEASE tell me if you end up reading it, I don't remember EVER talking to anyone about this one.
I got an ebook copy and read it!!
You're so right about the tube socks. John D. certainly enjoys making himself and others miserable! Well, Clare does too, just not quite as much. I do love this, that Byars brought out that characteristic of childish self-pity. "SEE how miserable I am and it's ALL YOUR FAULT?"
And wow, that floating out to sea scene is quite scary!
Isn't it?? I was surprised at how scary it still felt! I'm so glad you read it, if only so I'm not alone in being blown away by John D.'s satisfaction at making other people (and YES, himself!—that's such a key part of it) miserable. Love it.
SO with you on the covers. The whole 80's suffered from Basically Dreadful Cover Syndrome far too frequently.
The game he's putting in his suitcase...I think it's a Merlin? My parents' friends' kids had one, and I always wanted to play with it when we went to their house for dinner. They had so many cool games and toys, but that was Top Tier -- I'd put the book I'd brought down to push buttons on the Merlin.
Oh, wow, I just Googled it—the Merlin is *completely* new to me—and I think you're TOTALLY right. The closest thing we had to an electronic game in our house growing up (before we finally got a Nintendo) was a Speak 'n' Spell, hahahaha.
You're right, I hadn't looked at the contents of the suitcase, but that is a Merlin. I had a friend who had one, it was so cool (in 1981). My mom was morally opposed to all video games so we had none of that stuff --not even a Speak 'n' Spell, which my neighbor had and which stumped me with 'rhythm' -- until my brother got a paper route and bought an Atari 2600.
I wish I could remember where our Speak 'n' Spell came from; I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was from a grandparent or was a hand-me-down from a cousin or something. I can STILL hear the computer voice saying: SPELL PEOPLES', PLURAL, POSSESSIVE. I had my apostrophes and homophones DOWN at an early age, hahahaha.
Also, when we finally did get a Nintendo, my father literally tried it ONE time, died immediately, and forevermore—like, STILL—will disparagingly refer to all video games as "beep beep." As in, "So, what did you do over the weekend? Nerd out and play beep beep?" ("Nerding" is used as a verb in our family, meaning "being couch potato-ish."
...this has been Family Memories with Leila, thank you for bearing with me.