Comments on: Main Street: A Success? http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/ the best friends you'll never have Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:47:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: wanderingfrog http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-13000 wanderingfrog Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:51:35 +0000 http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-13000 I didn't think they seemed like the kind of things to appeal to today's preteens, either, so I was surprised to see how well the circulate at the library, but they do circulate well around here. I think that when I was a kid, I wouldn't have thought the series sounded interesting from reading the back covers, but if I <em>did</em> actually read the books, I would have liked them. I didn’t think they seemed like the kind of things to appeal to today’s preteens, either, so I was surprised to see how well the circulate at the library, but they do circulate well around here. I think that when I was a kid, I wouldn’t have thought the series sounded interesting from reading the back covers, but if I did actually read the books, I would have liked them.

]]> By: Sadako http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-12515 Sadako Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:45:26 +0000 http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-12515 Nikki, you're so right. I mean, you can totally tell from her BSC books (the emphasis on sewing that you see from Mary Anne in a lot of books) that that's what she's really into. And that wild teenagers are a little scary and threatening and I don't think she ever really "got" Stacey or Claudia. That's why, IMO, they tend to be a bit like caricatures of what she thinks teens who wear make up and dress wild would be like. And why Stacey is such a bitch. Nikki, you’re so right. I mean, you can totally tell from her BSC books (the emphasis on sewing that you see from Mary Anne in a lot of books) that that’s what she’s really into. And that wild teenagers are a little scary and threatening and I don’t think she ever really “got” Stacey or Claudia. That’s why, IMO, they tend to be a bit like caricatures of what she thinks teens who wear make up and dress wild would be like. And why Stacey is such a bitch.

]]> By: ali http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-12505 ali Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:24:18 +0000 http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-12505 I was actually just thinking about this issue. I've read all the Main Street books (just read the most recent this week) and while I do think it's a "nice" series, it really isn't so innocent. Although I do tend to forget that it's set in the present day. And really, I agree with Greer that it probably wouldn't go over well with the religious crowd. One example: in the most recent book, there's a mention of Aunt Allie living with her boyfriend. Old as she is (and Flora at least certainly thinks she's old) I can't imagine the "super-religious" being cool with the idea of, um, an intimate relationship between unmarried people even subtly entering their kids' heads. I could be wrong about that though. These books remind me a little of the Boxcar Children books: very wholesome, very into domestic type things, and so on. For the first 19 BC books, the kids did age and I don't know that doing that really hurt the books or alienated the audience. Not that they could've kept that up for hundreds of books. Just a thought. And I don't know how different the target audiences are. I was actually just thinking about this issue. I’ve read all the Main Street books (just read the most recent this week) and while I do think it’s a “nice” series, it really isn’t so innocent. Although I do tend to forget that it’s set in the present day. And really, I agree with Greer that it probably wouldn’t go over well with the religious crowd. One example: in the most recent book, there’s a mention of Aunt Allie living with her boyfriend. Old as she is (and Flora at least certainly thinks she’s old) I can’t imagine the “super-religious” being cool with the idea of, um, an intimate relationship between unmarried people even subtly entering their kids’ heads. I could be wrong about that though.

These books remind me a little of the Boxcar Children books: very wholesome, very into domestic type things, and so on. For the first 19 BC books, the kids did age and I don’t know that doing that really hurt the books or alienated the audience. Not that they could’ve kept that up for hundreds of books. Just a thought. And I don’t know how different the target audiences are.

]]> By: greer http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-12504 greer Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:19:01 +0000 http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-12504 @Gabrielle: I feel they actually do deal with some real issues, like Nikki's family situation, that super-religious home schoolerd wouldn't be into. Plus they don't go to church! @Gabrielle: I feel they actually do deal with some real issues, like Nikki’s family situation, that super-religious home schoolerd wouldn’t be into. Plus they don’t go to church!

]]> By: Gabrielle http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-12498 Gabrielle Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:05:35 +0000 http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-12498 Myu, I have read the Main Street books and I think you are right. They are gentle cozy stories and I do think that they very much reflect AMM's interests rather than the interests of your average pre-teen. I am not an expert on today's middle schooler but I am fairly confident that most of them don't sew their own jumpers. I'm guessing also that Main Street is going to end because Flora and Ruby actually do age. The population I could see who might like the books are people who homeschool for religious reasons. Myu, I have read the Main Street books and I think you are right. They are gentle cozy stories and I do think that they very much reflect AMM’s interests rather than the interests of your average pre-teen. I am not an expert on today’s middle schooler but I am fairly confident that most of them don’t sew their own jumpers. I’m guessing also that Main Street is going to end because Flora and Ruby actually do age.

The population I could see who might like the books are people who homeschool for religious reasons.

]]> By: nikki http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-12492 nikki Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:35:06 +0000 http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-12492 I agree with all the above comments. Ann M. made a ridiculous amount of money for Scholastic. As such, she got to write exactly what she wants...a completely unobjectionable little series about girls who want to hang out at their Grandmothers' sewing store. I agree with all the above comments. Ann M. made a ridiculous amount of money for Scholastic. As such, she got to write exactly what she wants…a completely unobjectionable little series about girls who want to hang out at their Grandmothers’ sewing store.

]]> By: Myu http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-12491 Myu Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:50:26 +0000 http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-12491 Forthcoming comment is obviously pure speculation - I haven't even read the books. Without meaning to sound cynical, I think Main Street is basically just AMM writing what she wants to write, or what she would have liked to read as a child. Maybe it's how she'd have liked the BSC to be. I think I'd have liked the books when I was younger. They sound quite safe and simple in an Enid Blyton way. Forthcoming comment is obviously pure speculation - I haven’t even read the books.
Without meaning to sound cynical, I think Main Street is basically just AMM writing what she wants to write, or what she would have liked to read as a child. Maybe it’s how she’d have liked the BSC to be.
I think I’d have liked the books when I was younger. They sound quite safe and simple in an Enid Blyton way.

]]> By: andrea jean http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-12490 andrea jean Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:37:40 +0000 http://blog.stoneybrookite.org/2009/11/15/main-street-a-success/#comment-12490 I don't think anything Ann does will ever be as "big" as the BSC. And I don't know anything about, like, sales figures for Main Street. But Ann gets to write a cozy little series related to her biggest passion, sewing! She's a good writer, and I think Main Street is respectable whether or not it makes a ton of money. So ... as long as she's not "selling out" with books that aren't true to who she is, I think it's a success. I don’t think anything Ann does will ever be as “big” as the BSC. And I don’t know anything about, like, sales figures for Main Street. But Ann gets to write a cozy little series related to her biggest passion, sewing! She’s a good writer, and I think Main Street is respectable whether or not it makes a ton of money. So … as long as she’s not “selling out” with books that aren’t true to who she is, I think it’s a success.

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