Me and Marvin Gardens by Amy Sarig King

Power of Kindness

She was a legend not only in the school and the community, but in my house, because Bernadette had her the same year as Mr. Mustache bullied her, and Ms. G saved her by being nice, because Ms. G is always nice. p32


Bad dad jokes

"Your generation ruined the planet," Bernadette said to Dad as she landed on St. James Place.

"I didn't personally ruin the planet," Dad said. "I don't know who told you I did, but whoever it is, is lying." p32

Irony

Now there were so many houses I couldn't count them all. During Phase One, they erected a huge sign with a map of numbered building lots and the name of the development, THE ORCHARDS. Of course they had to tear down the actual orchards to build the houses. p48

100 years ago-- p51 prejudice

Dreams

Discussing what he wants to be when he grows up

Something where I could help nature and be cool and nerdy at the same time. Something Ms. G would approve of. Something where I could be Creek Boy forever.  p56


Expectations

He said boys should be fearless, daring, and brave. I thought I already was, but Dad wanted me to change all the time. p71


The second thing I thought was how fun it was to swing and how not fun it was to walk around acting cool. p78

There was power. Boys needed power over girls as far as kids like Tommy and Mike were concerned. I didn't think that way at all. I didn't know if I was normal or if they were, but I knew I was right. Calling a girl names like Putrid or kissing her out of the blue like that-- it all just showed how dumb we boys were, not how powerful. p102

really, just a lot of chapter 22 about how a boy kissed a girl without her permission is great

Bernadette said, "I can't believe you two think kissing people without permission is okay. You're parents. What's wrong with you?"p106 and the rest of this page, really

Maybe my dad made it more complicated by telling me I wasn't supposed to have feelings because I was a boy. Maybe he didn't have a personality because he was messed up too. p108

"I have to look for a new job, and what do I have? I don't have a big list of degrees or education on my resume. I don't have any skills, really, outside the jobs I already worked. Today of all days I want you to do better at school. I want you to understand, even though you're only in sixth grade, that this stuff actually matters." p17-180

Bullying

bus behavior p 118

Being called names by the new kids could be a type of noise pollution. p120

Description

That is what made Ms. G a legend. She was a real human being. She's saved Bernadette from her horrible math teacher year by actually caring-- the same as this. It's what made me think I might one day want to be a teacher. p201

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