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Kobie Roberts #2
Going on Twelve
" 'Trust me,' Kobie said. Kobie, as the class artist, stands by her right to draw the class mural for the school contest her way. The teacher replaces Kobie with John, the nerdy new kid. Then the class blames Kobie when its mural loses!..."
Paperback
First published August 1, 1988
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67 people want to read
About the author
Candice F. Ransom
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Candice Ransom
Ransom has published more than 150 books for children, and she is amazed every day that she's able to do this as her life's work. It's no small thing to discover at an early age (ten!) what one is meant to do, and then pursue that dream. For her, the best part of writing for children is that she can move between writing board books, picture books, easy readers, chapter books, middle grade novels, nonfiction, and biography. She is excited to move into picture book nonfiction with BONES IN THE WHITE HOUSE: THOMAS JEFFERSON'S MAMMOTH (Doubleday, 2020).
AMANDA PANDA QUITS KINDERGARTEN and the sequel AMANDA PANDA AND THE BIGGER, BETTER BIRTHDAY (Doubleday) are her first picture books with animal characters! She is proud of her easy readers featuring a brother and sister having fun throughout the year: PUMPKIN DAY, APPLE PICKING DAY, SNOW DAY, and GARDEN DAY. Look for more titles in this Level 1 series written in bouncy rhyme, plus the popular TOOTH FAIRY'S NIGHT (all Random House).
Ransom has published more than 150 books for children, and she is amazed every day that she's able to do this as her life's work. It's no small thing to discover at an early age (ten!) what one is meant to do, and then pursue that dream. For her, the best part of writing for children is that she can move between writing board books, picture books, easy readers, chapter books, middle grade novels, nonfiction, and biography. She is excited to move into picture book nonfiction with BONES IN THE WHITE HOUSE: THOMAS JEFFERSON'S MAMMOTH (Doubleday, 2020).
AMANDA PANDA QUITS KINDERGARTEN and the sequel AMANDA PANDA AND THE BIGGER, BETTER BIRTHDAY (Doubleday) are her first picture books with animal characters! She is proud of her easy readers featuring a brother and sister having fun throughout the year: PUMPKIN DAY, APPLE PICKING DAY, SNOW DAY, and GARDEN DAY. Look for more titles in this Level 1 series written in bouncy rhyme, plus the popular TOOTH FAIRY'S NIGHT (all Random House).
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 10, 2018
As a kid, I absolutely loved Candice F. Ransom's Thirteen and I was shocked to find out that there was a whole series of books featuring Kobie and Gretchen. I found a few of them at a library sale a few years ago and since I am having a "nostalgia while I am sick" party, I decided to try one. Going on Twelve naturally occurs before Thirteen and in this novel, Kobie is brattier than ever. She is just awful to everyone around her, including her mom, Gretchen, her teachers and a new boy from a poor family. Her treatment of this boy is really awful. It was also sad to read how kids on free lunch were discriminated against and how their status was made obvious to other students. I think my perspective on this novel was different because I am an adult, but I just wanted to shake Kobie for being so mean. Overall, this was still a good read and of course Kobie wises up by the end.
May 11, 2015
I reread this a good 15 or so years after I lost my original copy. I love the ease with which Ransom tells a story, making us remember how monumental every event seemed when we were on the verge of puberty and of those complicated teenage years that followed. This time around I felt I disliked the main character, Kobie, but perhaps that's because I can see the situation afresh through the eyes of her teacher, her parents and even her kind-hearted friend Gretchen.
Still, it's a fun read that ages well and highlights the awkward transition from child to young adult.
Still, it's a fun read that ages well and highlights the awkward transition from child to young adult.
February 1, 2023
Setelah Kobie agak lucu di umur 10,5 tahun, ya ampun di sini Kobie bikin sakit kepala. Kobie menjadi sangat menyebalkan, keras kepala too judging, ya pokoknya bikin pusing, deh. Mungkin penulis ingin bercerita bahwa ga bagus, loh jadi anak menyebalkan.
May 11, 2015
Kobie Roberts, who is going on twelve, lives in Willow Springs, VA, near Centreville where she is a sixth grader in Mrs. Harmon’s class at Centreville Elementary School. Her father works for the grounds department of Fairfax County schools, and her mother has just gotten a new job in the cafeteria of Kobie’s school. Her best friend since second grade is Gretchen Farris. Sixth grade gets off to a bad start. First Kobie hates the fact that her mother now works in her school. Next, although Kobie is the class’s greatest artist and is voted to draw the class mural for the school contest, because of Kobie’s bad behavior, the teacher replaces her with John Orrin, the nerdy new kid.
Then, when the mural loses the competition, the class actually blames Kobie instead of John. Therefore, Kobie and a very reluctant Gretchen decide to play a mean joke on John to get revenge. What will happen? Does Kobie get her revenge? Or might the tables be turned on her? There are a couple of common euphemisms (darn, gosh), but no cursing or profanity. Some readers may think that this book perfectly depicts the ability, inherent in many children of this age, to hold a grudge and blame someone else for their mistakes despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. That may be, but I found Kobie so completely annoying that I could not enjoy the story. She serves as a poster-child for really horrible attitudes, rampant unkindness, and cynical manipulation.
It is true that along the way Kobie does accidentally stumble into learning, or at least being exposed to, whether she truly learns them or not, some important lessons, a significant one of which is that revenge is NOT sweet. However, the way of getting to these lessons is rather long and dreary, and she is the kind of kid that most parents would prefer their children to stay away from to help them avoid a bad influence. Gretchen, who is constantly doubting Kobie’s actions and warning her of their possible consequences, is a genuinely much better example of what a good friend should be than is Kobie. Kobie was first introduced in Almost Ten and a Half, and there are three more books in the series, Thirteen, Fourteen and Holding, Fifteen at Last. If she continues her irritating ways in the sequels, I’m not sure I could stand reading them.
Then, when the mural loses the competition, the class actually blames Kobie instead of John. Therefore, Kobie and a very reluctant Gretchen decide to play a mean joke on John to get revenge. What will happen? Does Kobie get her revenge? Or might the tables be turned on her? There are a couple of common euphemisms (darn, gosh), but no cursing or profanity. Some readers may think that this book perfectly depicts the ability, inherent in many children of this age, to hold a grudge and blame someone else for their mistakes despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. That may be, but I found Kobie so completely annoying that I could not enjoy the story. She serves as a poster-child for really horrible attitudes, rampant unkindness, and cynical manipulation.
It is true that along the way Kobie does accidentally stumble into learning, or at least being exposed to, whether she truly learns them or not, some important lessons, a significant one of which is that revenge is NOT sweet. However, the way of getting to these lessons is rather long and dreary, and she is the kind of kid that most parents would prefer their children to stay away from to help them avoid a bad influence. Gretchen, who is constantly doubting Kobie’s actions and warning her of their possible consequences, is a genuinely much better example of what a good friend should be than is Kobie. Kobie was first introduced in Almost Ten and a Half, and there are three more books in the series, Thirteen, Fourteen and Holding, Fifteen at Last. If she continues her irritating ways in the sequels, I’m not sure I could stand reading them.
April 13, 2024
I don’t like how bratty Kobie was. I also didn’t like how the mother responded. Kobie said “I’m sorry I am such a brat.� And the mom said � I’m sorry too.� This is my response: ?. I think Kobie needed a pat pat on the butt.😅
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2015
Waktu pertama dibaca, rasanya umur 12 tahun itu jaaauuuuuh sekali di masa depan, super dewasa, super repot.
Waktu dibaca ulang, rasanya umur 12 tahun itu memang jaaauuuuuuuuuuh sekali...
~~~di masa lalu.
hiks.
================
Versi terjemahan dari buku ini adalah Kobie Si Dua Belas Tahun. Terjemahannya sih cukup lumayan. Entah mungkin karena waktu dibaca pertama dulu saya gak gitu peduli sama kualitas terjemahan? Tapi meski penuh dengan 'naturalisasi', yang jelas ceritanya masih bisa dinikmati, bahkan ketika saya baca ulang sekarang.
Saya suka alur ceritanya yang mengalir dengan super apik. Dan walau ini bisa dibilang buku buat anak kecil, si pengarang, Candice (F) Ransom gak memenuhi ceritanya dengan ceramah-ceramah menyebalkan. Tapi, meski tokoh Kobie sendiri gak bisa dibilang 'sempurna' atau panutan; entah bagaimana, dia jadi idola sayawaktu itu.
Untuk orang dewasa, Kobie ini menyebalkan, sombong, egois, selalu mengeluh tentang hal-hal kecil, dan membesar-besarkan masalah.
Tapi, memangnya apa yang harus dilakukan anak umur 12 tahun?
Merubah sejarah? seperti Mahatma Gandhi?
Toh, Kobie juga berusaha membangun dunianya sendiri, dan (terkadang) tidak menuntut dari orang lain. Dengan cara yang keras, terkadang menyakitkan, memalukan bahkan, dia berusaha mengerti apa yang sebenarnya dia inginkan dari dunia ini, dan yang dunia inginkan dari dia.
Heh, dan gak usah sotoy deh orang dewasa, toh proses ini juga gak pernah berhenti, meski udah tua.
Waktu dibaca ulang, rasanya umur 12 tahun itu memang jaaauuuuuuuuuuh sekali...
~~~di masa lalu.
hiks.
================
Versi terjemahan dari buku ini adalah Kobie Si Dua Belas Tahun. Terjemahannya sih cukup lumayan. Entah mungkin karena waktu dibaca pertama dulu saya gak gitu peduli sama kualitas terjemahan? Tapi meski penuh dengan 'naturalisasi', yang jelas ceritanya masih bisa dinikmati, bahkan ketika saya baca ulang sekarang.
Saya suka alur ceritanya yang mengalir dengan super apik. Dan walau ini bisa dibilang buku buat anak kecil, si pengarang, Candice (F) Ransom gak memenuhi ceritanya dengan ceramah-ceramah menyebalkan. Tapi, meski tokoh Kobie sendiri gak bisa dibilang 'sempurna' atau panutan; entah bagaimana, dia jadi idola saya
Untuk orang dewasa, Kobie ini menyebalkan, sombong, egois, selalu mengeluh tentang hal-hal kecil, dan membesar-besarkan masalah.
Tapi, memangnya apa yang harus dilakukan anak umur 12 tahun?
Merubah sejarah? seperti Mahatma Gandhi?
Toh, Kobie juga berusaha membangun dunianya sendiri, dan (terkadang) tidak menuntut dari orang lain. Dengan cara yang keras, terkadang menyakitkan, memalukan bahkan, dia berusaha mengerti apa yang sebenarnya dia inginkan dari dunia ini, dan yang dunia inginkan dari dia.
Heh, dan gak usah sotoy deh orang dewasa, toh proses ini juga gak pernah berhenti, meski udah tua.
April 11, 2023
Kobie is nearly 12 in this book and in the 6th grade. She's convinced the elderly man who lives next to the school playground is a serial killer called The Hammer Man and decides she's going to catch him. She's also still really into art and is chosen to draw a mural of scenes from the Middle Ages. Because of her pride, she quits the art project when her teacher assigns a new student named John to help her finish the mural. Kobie then spends the rest of the book bullying John. Even after getting in trouble with the principal for embarrassing John in the cafeteria (she loudly makes a big deal that he gets free lunches), she amps up her bullying in an attempt to get John expelled. What she does get is John falling into a well.
Kobie is an repentant brat. She bullies John, she bullies & manipulates her (alleged!) best friend Gretchen. She's rude, self-centered and a bit of a narcissist. In the first book, she learned some lessons by the end (how to get along with Lynnette, how much she needs her mother), but in this one she's back to the same old stuff. Literally. It's annoying that none of her personal growth in the first book carried over to this one. Kobie is not a "fun brat" like Ramona Quimby or Fudge Hatcher...she is just a nasty, unlikable character. This makes me nervous to re-read "Thirteen". I LOOOOVED "Thirteen" and hunted high & low for it for DECADES, but now I'm afraid I'm going to hate it since I've read the other Kobie books.
Kobie is an repentant brat. She bullies John, she bullies & manipulates her (alleged!) best friend Gretchen. She's rude, self-centered and a bit of a narcissist. In the first book, she learned some lessons by the end (how to get along with Lynnette, how much she needs her mother), but in this one she's back to the same old stuff. Literally. It's annoying that none of her personal growth in the first book carried over to this one. Kobie is not a "fun brat" like Ramona Quimby or Fudge Hatcher...she is just a nasty, unlikable character. This makes me nervous to re-read "Thirteen". I LOOOOVED "Thirteen" and hunted high & low for it for DECADES, but now I'm afraid I'm going to hate it since I've read the other Kobie books.
July 2, 2016
loved it
March 2, 2018
Loved it and very bitter I never had a treehouse
February 11, 2021
Kobie is a nasty piece of work � a selfish, self-centered bully who thinks she’s so much better than everyone else. For me, her redemption was far too little, far too late.
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