The Report Card

“Stephen is my best friend, but I’m not sure he would have admitted it. If any of his buddies had been on the bus, he wouldn’t have been sitting anywhere near me. In fifth grade a guy’s best friend isn’t supposed to be a girl—which is one of the most immature ideas in the universe. Your best friend is the person you care about the most and who cares back just as much. And that’s the way it was with me and Stephen. It wasn’t a girl-boy thing. It was just a fact.”

This introduction to Stephen both demonstrates their peers’ developmental level—old enough to recognize gendered social dynamics, but young enough that those dynamics are uncomfortable—and establishes opportunity for Stephen’s future character development. The quote also introduces Nora’s values; she cares more for Stephen’s quality of character than how others perceive them.

“‘Rats!’ And I kicked the seat in front of us. ‘I knew it! A lousy C—how could I be so stupid!’ Stephen was wishing he hadn’t begged to see my grades, and his face showed it. He gulped and said, ‘Um … Nora? I hate to tell you, but all your other grades are …’ I cut him off. ‘I know what they are.’ Stephen was completely confused. He said, ‘But … but if you know what the others are, then why are you mad about the C in spelling? Because all the others are … Ds! You got a D in everything! All Ds—except for that one C.’ ‘Rats!’ I said again. ‘Spelling!’”

The dialogue both introduces the two primary characters and showcases Clements’s humor. The characterization portrays Nora’s peculiar ways of reasoning, and, the miscommunication lends to the scene’s humor as Nora’s response subverts Stephen and the reader’s expectations.

“My room was ‘a mess.’ I was supposed to ‘get it all straightened up’ before dinner. ‘Or else.’ Mom’s orders.”

The way Nora quotes her mother is humorous for two reasons. First, it demonstrates how Nora doesn’t connect personally with this rule; Nora simply internalizes her mom’s repeated phrases without processing it through her own voice. Second, these quotes sound like words from many mothers’ mouths, connecting young readers to Nora through a shared experience.