The Baby-Sitters Club Series
Poor Mallory!
on Goodreads (2,130)
What’s inside...
The book revolves around the life of Mallory Pike, who is having a tough time dealing with her large family and financial problems. She feels left out and decides to move out, but soon realizes the importance of family and relationships.
Age
9-12
Length
142 pages
Text complexity
Character compass
Discussion points
How do you think Mallory felt when her friends didn't understand her situation?
What would you do if you were in Mallory's shoes?
Why is it important to listen to our friends when they are upset?
How can we help a friend who is going through a tough time?
What did you learn about handling disagreements after reading this book?
Tip: Role play these questions
While discussing, ensure a comfortable and quiet environment to help your child open up about their feelings.
Encourage your child to relate the situations in the book to their own life experiences, reinforcing empathy and understanding.
Highlight the importance of friendship and support, discussing how Mallory and her friends could have better handled their challenges.
Ask your child to suggest alternative endings to the book, fostering creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Empathy and Understanding
Explanation: In 'Poor Mallory!', Mallory faces various challenges that teach her to understand and empathize with the struggles of others.
Real-World Application: Children can apply empathy by being considerate and supportive of their peers who may be going through tough times.
Example Lesson: Responsibility
Explanation: Throughout the story, Mallory learns the importance of being responsible, both at home and in school.
Real-World Application: Kids can practice responsibility by completing their homework on time and helping out with chores around the house.
Example Lesson: Resilience
Explanation: Mallory encounters several setbacks but learns to overcome them with resilience.
Real-World Application: Children can demonstrate resilience by not giving up easily and trying again after a failure or setback.
Example Lesson: The value of friendship
Explanation: The book showcases the ups and downs of friendships and how valuable true friends are during tough times.
Real-World Application: Kids can cherish and maintain their friendships by being loyal, trustworthy, and supportive companions.
Example Lesson: Dealing with change
Explanation: Mallory has to adapt to changes in her family situation, which teaches her how to handle change positively.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to accept and adapt to changes such as moving to a new school or welcoming a new family member.