I never lose things, I merely forget them, or FTFO Madison Finn #6: Lost and Found

This was the first Madison Finn book I ever read. This is also probably the best book Madison Finn I have ever read.



Plot: Life is crazy, as usual. Egg has a day of skating and icecapades planned, but Madison doesn't want to go; she can't skate!
Thankfully, a huge blizzard hits Far Hills and there's no school that day.
Instead of a day of relaxation, though, Fran forces Madison to clean out the attic while she does nothing. Madison finds some stuff from third or fourth grade when she was still friends with Ivy. Among that stuff is a letter she and Ivy wrote that they had saved for seventh grade. She contemplates giving it to Ivy so they can open it together.
Back to school. Madison has to go skating. Her friends try to help her, but she pretty much sucks, and Hart is being ubernice to Ivy??? Whaaat?
During a game of Truth or Dare at Fiona's house, Madison picks Truth and Ivy forces her to tell everyone who she likes. Madison doesn't want to say the real answer, and tells everyone she likes Egg. Grooooss. The Truth or Dare game wasn't exactly detrimental to the plot, but Egg kisses Fiona on the knee and Hart reveals that he saw his neighbor Susie naked. Whoa...too much information.
Madison, still seething at Ivy's trick, opens the letter and cries for like three days.
The next day in science class, Hart passes her a note asking what her e-mail address is. Ivy tattles on Madison and Mr. Danehy holds them both after class. Ivy REALLY wants to see the note, so she grabs it out of Madison's backpack...only it's not the note; it's the 4th grade letter. Ivy takes the letter and ends up crying in the bathroom. And that's it. ? What kind of ending was that? Oh well.

More notes:
"The worst part was the dreaded gym uniform. Its ugly blue polyester gym shorts made Madison's legs itch, and a too tight, white T-shirt with a blue Far Hills Junior High Logo was not exactly the most flattering fashion statement. And wearing the shirt meant wearing a bra, even though Madison didn't have much to fill out."
A TIGHT WHITE T-shirt isn't a flattering fashion statement, Madison? The boys disagree. Btw, she's in 7th grade: aren't most people wearing bras by that time?

Lol, they talk about changing in the locker rooms and awkwardness. Whatever.

Oh no, there was a uniform change and the new shorts are baggy...but Madison forgot to give her mom the permission slip!!

I love running. Fiona passes out. And she's supposed to be athletic. It's because she's sick, though. Lol, and she's all, "I feel hot, Coach." Oh my....

Madison and Ivy race...and tie.

I still can't get over the name "Nurse Shim".

In this book, the lake is called Lake Wannalotta. Forever after, it's called Lake Dora. Is there more than one?

Way to be super obvious about Hart, Maddie.

Oh dear, Maddie can't skate!

Aimee starts complaining about ballet class. What? I thought our little anorexic was a ballet freak!

More reasons why I hate Fran: Jeff is in Denver, but can't come home to take Madison out to dinner because he has to work. Fran freaks out at him, so Madison starts defending him, and Fran's like, "WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?" What is YOUR problem? He has a job.

There's a snowstorm headed for Far Hills! Lucky.

She gets to miss school, but her mom is a morning person.

You get a day off from school and you're making your daughter clean out the attic, Fran? You suck.

Fran plays flute, too. I'll bet she sucks, just like her daughter.

WHOA, Madison's grandpa was not named Joe!!!

I love Dan Ginsburg. Sort of.

If you really don't want to go skating, DON'T GO! But no, Maddie decides to go because Egg told her to. Peer pressure much?

"Madison realized she had been out of school for a day and a half and she hadn't done any homework yet."
Ha ha. Same here.

Aww, Bigwheels' dad moved out. This really depressed me.

I hate spacey people. Aimee invites Madison over to play in the snow, it takes Madison half an hour to put on her stuff (and she considers that "fast), and when she gets there, Aimee berates her for "being late...even though she's not dressed. Lame.

Jeff and Stephanie are sleeping together? How scandalous.

Fran always yells at Jeff for being late, and yet being late is a habit of hers, too. Hypocrite.

I think it's really stupid why Ivy and Madison stopped being friends.

Ha. I remember back in the day when I thought seventh grade would be the best year of my life. It wasn't bad, actually. Besides raging hormones and lame teachers.

It turns out Ivy is really insecure. That's really sad.

Fiona thinks Hart is cute!!! I'm surprised Madison hasn't strangled her yet.

Power outage. Hate those.

Mmm, tofu lasagna!

"She held up one of Madison's newest sweaters, a Christmas present from Mom. It was orange angora, fuzzy all over like a tabby cat."
Sounds...nice. In the earlier books, they make a huge deal about Madison's favorite color being orange.

Omg, this is so sad. Madison thinks that if she shows Ivy the letter, they'll become friends again. *tear*

Madison: And then there's this boy...
Fran: Boy? You mean Egg?
AARGH! All moms do this! Whenever I'm like, "There's this boy..." they always jump to conclusions about your best guy friend!

Green gloves, an orange sweater, and an orange parka. Plus a rainbow cap. Hm. That matches.

Dan is so stalkery, almost as much as Drew. Oh, and he makes a joke about Hart and Ivy going out. Laaame.

Susie is Hart's next-door-neighbor. She goes to a boarding school, likes ice skating professionally, and thinks Hart is "wicked nice". This girl sounds amazing.

Argh. I hate picking teams. ALWAYS. PICKED. LAST.

Aw, Egg picks her because he's her BGF. Lol, if I were captain, I would probably not pick my friends first. Sorry, guys.

Ivy shoves Madison, causing her to fall on her butt, so Aimee and Susie skate into her and humiliate her. Noyce.

"But then the laughter began - Ivy and Hart laughing. They were lying on top of each other on the ice, laughing like little kids."
That is so dirty!! It makes Madison cry. And Drew-Creepy-Pants is all taking pictures of them. Sooo nasty.

Ivy gets nailed with a snowball.

Omg, Ivy is such a freak. Rose is laughing and she's like, "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON MY SIDE, ROSIE!"

Phinnie ran away! He's never coming back.

What? Roseanne Snyder, Ivy's BFF, offers to help Maddie look for him? Carazy.

HE WAS IN THE HOUSE!! I bet he was hiding under the bed the whole time. Like in "Because of Winn-Dixie".

Hm, the Hot Chocolate party at Fiona's house sounds pretty fantabulous. Not. "We'll be doing something fun like playing videos or games." How do you play videos? And why can't you play video games?

Maddie calls Chet a Chucklehead. Hee.

Wow, the Waters' are totally into this hot chocolate party.

Ivy and Hart arrive together? Hart is such a loser.

Madison tries to go to the bathroom and Ivy takes a flying leap into it and is all, "I got here first!" You might want to use another toilet, Madison. Ivy's busy puking in that one.

Dan? Full? Is that even possible?

I hate Truth or Dare. I hate Spin the Bottle. But they decide to play "Truth or Dare Spin the Bottle". Whoaaaaaaa, carazy.

Oh no, not a kissing game! At least it's not 7 Minutes in Heaven, which slutty junior high kids are usually playing these days.

Drew thinks up way lame questions for "Truth".

Drew: What's the most embarassing thing that has ever happened to you?
Susie: *smiling*
Hart: I know that one, Susie. Don't lie!
Susie: Hart, be quiet! Let me see.... Well, I guess you're right, Hart. That was the most embarassing thing ever. Well, this summer...Hart saw me naked.
WHAT? QUESTIONABLE CONTENT IN A CHILDREN'S BOOK!!!

The other kids make fun of Dan for being "fat", but he does it to himself. Does that make it okay to call him "Pork-O"?

Madison calls Ivy out for lying on a TRUTH!! Go Maddie! Way to have a spine!

Don't pick truth, Maddie, don't pick Truth. Because if you pick Truth, someone's ALWAYS going to ask you "who you like".

She says Egg. Yeah. Right.

Hart picks Truth and admits he likes someone in this room. Madison thinks he likes her. Wishful thinking.

Egg has to kiss Fiona. So he kisses her on the knee. Ooh, hot.

All the boys leave, so it's no fun!

Susie: Let me know what happens with Hart.
Madison: Huh? What are you talking about?
Susie: He totally likes you. Does anyone know you like him?
!!!!!!!!
Omg, flashback to last year. One of my friends said the guy I like liked me, too, but he was wrong!!!!

Madison opens the envelope!!! Without Ivy!!! So much for becoming friends again.

Their list of "things to do in 7th grade" is so lame. They both want to become famous actresses.

PEMDAS does not stand for "Please Eat My Delicious Apples Soon"!!

Ivy asks Madison for her notes. Forget her.

Egg is a suck up.

THERE'S A PICTURE OF HART...WITH HIS HAND ON MADDIE'S SHOULDER! OMG, THEY'RE TOUCHING!

Madison joins band!!! Yay! Band geeks rule!!

Ooh, Hart gives Maddie a note...and Ivy wants it, so she throws a temper tantrum during science.

Ivy blames Madison and Hart...but insists Hart doesn't get in trouble. Way to be obviouser than Madison.

Ha. Mr. Danehy is like, "The note has your name on it, Ms. Daly."

Because it's the letter.

Ivy grabs it and runs away.

Finnster
What is ur e-mail?
Hart
That's it??? That's IT?? That's what the note said? That's what we've all been waiting for?

Ivy was crying!! This is making me really sad!

Omg, it's snowing in Washington! Well, in this book it is. Maybe some of that luck will rub off on the real life WA.

BIFF? Best Internet Friends Forever? No. Doesn't work.

Madison's Computer Tip:
Don't write online messages that contain too much private information.
Lest you be molested and killed by stalkers on Myspace.

Unicorns of Balinor tomorrow, with the lovely Miss Atalanta on the front. Fun.

You can be my movie star for a day, or Pony Pals #26: Movie Star Pony

I really dislike Pony Pals. Just horrible writing, and bad illustrations, and cliches, and LIES LIES LIES. But in this one, my new best friend (Anna) stood up to some loser who was pressuring her and the illustrations were really good.



Okay, the illustrations might be good, but this cover illustrations sucks. Acorn looks like a small bear, and ponies do NOT smile.
Plot: Yay, a movie is being filmed in Wiggins! Better yet, there will be scenes filmed at Ms. Wiggins estate, the Off-Main Diner, and Mrs. Crandall's riding school! Bette Fleming, a famous 11-year-old actress, is starring in it, but doesn't get along with her pony costar. When she meets Acorn, however, she falls in love with him and insists upon starring with him in the film (entitled "Megan's Last Ride"). Anna is reluctant, but the stupid Pony Pals convince her to say yes, because of MONEY. What ever happened to good morals?
Shockingly enough, Bette is a huge brat, and spends all her time with Acorn. The director, bending to the will of Bette, tells Anna she can't see Acorn until they're done filming. By that time, Acorn doesn't seem to like Anna anymore, and Bette wants to BUY Acorn of all things! Anna is heartbroken. She doesn't want to sell her pony, but she doesn't want to keep him if he likes Bette more than her.
The Pony Pals actually give her some good advice and tell her that Acorn still loves her, so Anna, being fed up with Bette, tells off the spoiled brat and refuses to ever sell Acorn. But later, she feels bad for her outburst and invites Bette on one last trail ride. Halfway through the trail ride, Acorn starts acting oddly and keeps nudging Daisy, Anna's replacement pony. Seems he's JEALOUS!! Guess he still loves Anna. Bette is still a brat, but learns that she can't always get her way. Then she stars in several porn videos and dies of an overdose like all child stars. The End.

More notes:
A "movie company"? I'm not sure of the right terminology, but that doesn't seem right.

Bette Fleming is like the B-list version of Dakota Fanning.

Thanks for spoiling the end of "The Rainbow Kid" for us, Anna.

Gee, the movie is called "Megan's Last Ride". I wonder what if could be about... I mean, it can't be about a girl named Megan who's taking a last ride on her pony; that's just out of the question.

Wow, these illustrations are REALLY GOOD. Better than Vivien Kubbos. Well, the ponies are amazing. And the people are good, but Pam has bangs and Lulu's hair is light brown?

What? Ms. Wiggins gets to eat for free, too???

A very magestic drawing of Lightning, Acorn actually looks the proper size, and Snow White is pretty for a change and not all haggard. Um, Anna is turning around in the saddle to smile at Lulu. BAD RIDING SAFETY! I so remember her lecturing Rosalie about this.

More continuity errors about the death of Mrs. Sanders.

This sounds like the worst movie ever.
"'Bette Fleming plays Megan Ritter,' began Ms. Cross. 'Her family owns a big farm. At the beginning of the story they are having money problems. Then a freak summer hailstorm destroys their apple crop. After that, they know they will have to sell the farm adn move to the city for jobs.'"
Aaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!! Sounds like "Where the Red Fern Grows" gone wrong.
Oh, Megan and Mars understand each other and have a SPECIAL PSYCHIC CONNECTION, to which Anna can relate? WTH???
Oh, they have to sell Mars. Boo hoo. Now they move to the city. BUT SUDDENLY MEGAN GETS SICK!! Mars senses something is wrong and travels 100 miles to find Megan. When he does, her parents decide to buy him again! And board him at a stable near the house! WTH??? WHY DIDN'T THEY DO THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE??? AND AREN'T THEY GOING THROUGH MONEY PROBLEMS??? I swear, this is either a TV movie or a straight-to-DVD release, cuz it sounds low budget and AWFUL. Worse than "The Derby Stallion".

Can't they meet a nice girl who doesn't like ponies and isn't snobby or shy?

Jeanne Betancourt is STILL condoning spying.

"If Bette can't ride, thought Anna, how can she be in a big movie about a girl and her pony?"
Um, duh. Stunt man.

I like how a person's riding abilities determine their personality.

I only found ONE awful picture, and it's of Bette riding. She looks possessed, and her posture is bad, and Acorn looks like a bush.

WHY DO THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO MENTION ACORN'S STUPID STINT IN THE CIRCUS!!??

WHY DOES SHE NEED TO DISCUSS THIS WITH HER PONY PALS? Will they SHUN her if she doesn't run it by them? This DEFINITELY sounds like cult behavior.

NO, ANNA, NO! If your gut says no, DON'T DO IT.

Too late.

So mean. Bette tells Anna that she can't see Acorn for 2 weeks, and the adults are COOL WITH IT. She's 11 FREAKING YEARS OLD! DISCIPLINE HER!!

She hasn't seen Acorn in 9 days. What the heck. I would go insane.

Yay, because watching a scene from a movie being shot through cracks in a wood floor is just as good as being there!

Daisy again! Agh!!

Um, what? Someone sends roses to Anna, and somehow know that she's at the Off-Main Diner. HOW????

Lulu is an IDIOT.

Pam looks like Tempestt Bledsoe.

Pam is so gullible. And she's like, "You shouldn't judge people just from one meeting." Right. Because you NEVER do that, Pam.

Duh. Ponies can't act.

This is definitely a TV movie. "I love you. And I'll never forget you. I don't want to leave you. I want to stay with you forever. You're my best friend." That's like a line from "Your Guardian Angel".

Acorn looks like a donkey.

Mmm, cupcakes.

They finished filming in two weeks????? Definitely TV movie.

Wth, Anna writes Pam and Lulu a note, and she decides to write it using pictures. Wouldn't that take longer? And I can't understand it. One of the pictures looks like a black guy or a piece of broccoli. I can't tell.

Anna does NOT want Bette to ride Acorn. So she lets her ride Acorn. :P

Mrs. Fleming is such a blonde. I would SLAP HER. Listen to her reasoning.
"Bette and Acorn have such a special relationship. So I'll pay a lot of money for him. That way you can buy another pony - a very special pony. Or maybe horse. Wouldn't that be exciting?" Because animals are so easy to replace. B****.

The sentence "Lulu put an arm around Anna's shoulder." appears in this book SO MANY TIMES.

PONIES CAN'T ACT!!

Dang, Rachel Tonkin is the best illustrator yet.

Bette: When Acorn is mine, I'll tell the whole world. His picture would be in the paper with me all the time.
Anna: Acorn is my pony. I won't sell him for any price. That's what I came to tell you.
Bette: But I love Acorn.
Anna: So do I!
Bette: I want Acorn! You HAVE to sell him to me!
Anna: No, I don't!
Bette: Then can I have one last ride on Acorn? Just one.
Anna: NO!

Okay, that was way immature and fourth grade-y, but I'm glad that Anna at least stood up for herself.

I hate it when people say, "It's up to you." What they really mean is, "I want you to choose my idea and I'll guilt you forever if you decide otherwise."

Ha. Anna understands people now. My baby's growing up.

Wth? Lulu is supposed to be riding Snow White, but the pony in the picture is dark. ????

Anna is my new best friend.

Agh, I don't think I'm getting another Pony Pals OR another Madison Finn for a while. I could read #28, or start on the Avalon/Unicorns of Balinor series. I think I'll do the latter. Yay.

Not a tacky Ingrid Bergman line, or FTFO Madson Finn #3: Play it Again

Doesn't Hart look kind of Clark Kent-y? And Fiona's all hitting on him while Madison looks on cheerfully? I don't think so. Maybe she's busy reveling in her position as director or stage manager or whatever. This is seriously one of my favorite Madison Finn books. Don't know why. Cuz I love junior high drama AND real drama - theater, that is. Ha. Aaargh.



Plot: Far Hills is putting on a show! Something about commemorating a staff member, bla bla bla, so they're having three nights of entertainment: the 7th grade will do "The Wiz", the 8th grade will do "Guys and Dolls", and 9th grade will do New York showtunes? WTH??
Everyone wants to try out for "The Wiz" except Madison. She has stage fright. :P Lame. She decides to be stage manager instead.
Yay. Everyone else gets a part. Aimee is Addaperle, Ivy is Glinda, Egg is Tinman, Fiona is Evillene, Hart is the Wiz, and social outcast Lindsay Frost is Dorothy.
Rehearsals are fun, but Ivy is a real witch. Ha ha ha, another pun. But what's this? Amy and Fiona are being nice to Ivy? And hanging out with her? And excluding Madison? Sounds like DRAMA!!!
Lindsay is really nice, but everyone makes fun of her. Madison likes Lindsay, but doesn't want to be a social outcast, so she ditches her.
The play is a success. Mr. and Mrs. Finn start talking again. Hart introduces Madison to his grandma. Excuse, me, ya-ya. He's Greek. And Madison gets Lindsay to wear her hair down (literally) and go to the cast party. And Aimee and Fiona still like Madison.

More notes:
What the heck???? "You'll probably get the part, Walter. I mean, Egg. *giggle blush giggle*" Retarded.

ROFL!!!! Hart comes to talk to Madison AND SHE RUNS AWAY. Then she runs into Drew in the hall. Stalker....

What the heck? Why did Laura Dower feel the need to humanize Drew and give him issues with his half brother?? It was sort of a nice touch and sort of an overkill?

Hey. There's nothing wrong with being in a play. I can see you thinking Aimee superficial, but not Fiona.

Wth, why do they put the dog on the cast list??? Not funny.

Right. Cast the fat guy as the Lion. LOL, Chet is playing a Munchkin.

Lindsay dresses way 80's. She sounds kind of nice, but it's kind of obvious why she's unpopular. She starts explaining the plot of "Ozma of Oz" in elaborate detail and is like way excited about it. But Aimee is so mean about it.

Ha. Fiona tells Aimee that she sounds like Ivy when she calls people names. Which is basically calling her a slut.

I HATE BASEBALL.

Why is having a keypal such a big deal? Madison acts like her friends are going to freak out because she has an online friend from Washington.

Joey O'Neill? Who's he? And since when do they call him "Nose Plucker"? I thought that was Lance's nickname.

PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH BOY. MAJOR TRAUMA. Lol.

Does Egg have a crush on anything that moves? "Rose is a babe."

Laura Dower admits that boys like naked girls. Or at least half naked girls.

Hart is such a nerd, but it's way adorable. He's all, "Aw man, they're cutting out like half the songs!!!" Because he knows them all by heart.... ANOTHER PUN!!!

"The Finnster has a Phin?" I was really tired or something when I read this because I started laughing way hard.

Whoa, Fiona implies that Madison hates Aimee?? That's the first mean thing she's ever said. Besides the Ivy thing. But that was funny and Aimee deserved it.

Wth, in the first book Madison answers the queston, "A/S/L?" all the time, but now she's like, "TOO UNCOMFORTABLE CUZ OF ONLINE STRANGERZZZ!"

"Sucka" is not a bad word. Lighten up, moderators.

Aww, sad. Bigwheels' parents are splitting up and they chose NOT to tell her younger brother and sister.

Sorry, Lindsay, but everyone is NOT being nice to you.

Madison is ashamed of Aimee? HA!!!

Wth? Ivy and Aimee's banter is way annoying.

HAAAAATE HAAAATE HAAAAAAAAAATE Aimee.

Lol. They make costumes in "junior high sizes".

ANOTHER HARRY POTTER REFERENCE!!!!

I'm soooo glad we dont' have to read "The Diary of Anne Frank" in school. Unless we do and they've postponed it till high school. CRAP.

Ha. Egg calls Aimee "wicked bossy".

Mariah is so emo. She starts talking about how people don't understand the way she dresses, the way she lives, the way she expresses herself....

Didn't Aimee say in #1 that Rose was a crappy dancer? And now she's telling her TO HER FACE that she's really great? You lie through your teeth, blondie.

AAAAAH, SHE GETS SLOPPY JOE ON HER SHIRT. That's so awful.

QUIT DEFENDING IVY!!!

Lame. Madison ditches Lindsay because Aimee tells her to. STAND UP FOR YOURSELF.

OOOOOOH, Madison tells Ivy to stop wasting her time.

Wow. An awkward bonding moment between Madison and Aimee. Aimee is in the bathroom having her period. Awkward.

Lol. Reminds me of Radio Disney. "I want to give a shout out to Hart Jones, my true love!!!"

Drew is way making me laugh. Fiona forgets to invite Maddie to the "Wizard of Oz" nite at his house and he calls her up and is freaking out. "I'M SORRY. I swear I thought one of the girls was gonna ask you. Fiona said she would. I SWEAR."

Waaaaah, I miss Oggy. Phin reminds me so much of him.

No duh. Cheaters get expelled.

Chocolate = worst dog name ever.

"Do we come out for standing ovations? How do we line up for our curtain call?"
"That's assuming people are clapping." LOL!!!

SOOOO mean.
Ivy: Gee, I hope fatso doesn't eat all the Liver Snaps for herself.

Oh no. IVY TOUCHED HART'S ARM!!

Lol. Ivy wanted to be the program's centerfold.

They call Aimee the "Dancing Queen". ABBA much?

Madison tells Ivy to break her leg. Lol.

HART TOUCHED MADISON'S ARM!!

Aww, touching moment with Madison observing Lindsay, a great singer, in the spotlight.

"Hey Finnster. This is my ya ya." Heh.

Awww. It turns out Lindsay was just being positive; she knows that no one really likes her. It's so depressing.

Ew, Madison has a "runner-up" crush on creepy Roger Gillespie.

Lol. Drew came over and said hello to the three girls. "Hey, Madison!"

I don't think Aimee has a chance with Mr. 9th grader.

OH NO, IVY GIVES HART HER NUMBER!!

Lol. "Guess they weren't sleeping..."

Madison's Computer Tip: (they have these at the end of every book but I've been forgetting to post them) TIME FLIES WHEN YOU'RE ONLINE. KEEP AN EYE ON THE CLOCK AND DON'T FORGET YOUR FRIENDS.

Lol. OMG, I MADE A MADDIE FINN COLLAGE! LOOKIT!