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Sweet Valley Twins #2
Si Anak Emas
Elizabeth dan Jessica Wakefield adalah penari terbaik di kelas balet mereka. Keduanya berhasrat utk menari solo dalam resital yg akan datang. Elizabeth enggan bersaing dengan kembarannya, namun Jessica tak peduli. Ia yakin dirinya lebih baik dari kembarannya. Masalahnya adalah guru balet mereka. Apapun usaha Jessica, Bu Andre tak pernah memperhatikannya, bahkan ia selalu memuji Elizabeth.
Ini tidak adil - dan Jessica tak mau mengalah, hanya karena kembarannya itu kesayangan guru.
Ini tidak adil - dan Jessica tak mau mengalah, hanya karena kembarannya itu kesayangan guru.
99 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
24 people are currently reading
1004 people want to read
About the author
Francine Pascal
1,139 books1,844 followersFrancine Paula Pascal was an American author best known for her Sweet Valley series of young adult novels. Sweet Valley High, the backbone of the collection, was made into a television series, which led to several spin-offs, including The Unicorn Club and Sweet Valley University. Although most of these books were published in the 1980s and 1990s, they remained so popular that several titles were re-released decades later.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
August 4, 2013
Synopsis: Triple ugh.
The annual ballet recital is coming up, and it seems to be some kind of rip-off of Swan Lake, as the main solo part is named Swanilda. It also involves a weird doll named Copellia sitting in the center. Whatever. Jessica is a better dancer than any dancer you've ever heard of, and she wants the lead in the recital more than Elizabeth could possibly ever want it. She falls back on her usual "Liz is a WRITER and should never be allowed to do anything else" justification. She knows that Liz is their ballet teacher, Madame Andre's, prized pupil. Teacher's pet, Jessica says. Elizabeth is nothing but a stupid teacher's pet, because how on God's fucking green earth could the teacher fail to notice how darling and splendidly well Jessica dances? It's a conspiracy.
Liz suggests Madame Andre doesn't notice Jess because she stands beside Amy, a notoriously bad dancer. The girls agree to help Amy improve so that M. Andre will start noticing Jessica instead of criticizing Amy, but Jess blows off Liz and Amy for a Unicorn meeting the next day. The Unicorns all want a chance to kiss Jessica's lily-white ass, so convinced are they that Jess will earn the part of Swanilda.
Well, the day of tryouts Jessica decides to practice while Liz goes to help her mom with shopping. While they are out, M. Andre calls and tells Jess the tryouts have been moved to 11 am, much sooner than before. Since Jess has never come by anything honestly in her life, she is positively tickled that Liz will have to miss the auditions. She scrawls a hasty note to let Liz know of the change, but she's confident Liz won't show up.
Jess shits on Liz at the tryouts, telling M. Andre her twin must not have cared enough. Amy eventually relays this to Liz. But, lo and behold, as soon as Jess is finished dancing Liz runs in, breathless. Jessica kicks her moral compass for actually writing the note. Liz dances, M. Andre fawns, and it is announced the following Tuesday that Liz is now Swanilda. Copellia also goes missing, and Jessica is a clear target for this. It ends up being Amy as the culprit, however, because she wants to play the doll since she hates dancing.
What follows is quite appalling. Immediately upon hearing that Liz has secured the lead, Jess goes on to hold the biggest one-woman pity party in all of history. Her parents try several interventions, and Steven even ends up saying quite cutting things to Jessica. This is how you absolutely KNOW she is a sociopath, because she won't budge. Everyone says the truth: that Jessica just hates not being fucking number one for once in her stupid, pathetic, pitiful life. Jessica just continues on with the "teacher's pet" and "it's so unfair" nonsense ad nauseam.
Obviously this was all meant as a form of manipulation. It was also another ploy devised by Francine to get us to see just how fantastic Jessica Wakefield really is (because Liz honestly has to be wrong, right?). Turns out that Liz's turns really aren't that great. Jess watches her one night and offers to correct her so she doesn't embarrass the family. Through this Elizabeth sees that her sister really IS the better dancer and that M. Andre was wrong all along. The day of the recital Liz fakes a sprained ankle so that Jessica can take her place and no one will be any the wiser (twin switch). Amy offers to let Liz play the doll, and Liz fawns all over Jess as she dances oh-so-incredibly across the stage. That's pretty much that. If you expected an apology from Jessica, you came to the wrong book.
Ugh. Fuck you, Wakefields. You're so sickening.
Alternate Title : "The Other Maddie" (Get the Dance Moms reference?)
Tagline: "Will Jessica steal the lead in the ballet recital from Elizabeth?" (No shit, Sherlock.)
On a Scale of 1-10, How Annoying is Elizabeth? 10.
On a Scale of 1-10, How Sociopathic is Jessica? 10.
The Big Deal: The upcoming ballet recital.
Lingering Questions: Why did any of us, myself especially included, EVER think Jessica's behavior was in any way acceptable?
Cover: Good or Bad?: I prefer the old one. I have the updated cover with the twins with the white-blond hair from the later SVT books. Still done by Mathewuse, but there is clearly something missing.
Quotes from the Book: "'Madame likes you three hundred thirty seven times more than she likes me.'"
I see Jessica is keeping up with her weird numbers obsession here from the early days of SVH. It was weird then, too.
"Besides, dancing the part of Swanilda wouldn't mean nearly as much to Elizabeth."
Jessica is always so definite on the subject of what is and is not important to Elizabeth.
"If only she hadn't gone to that Unicorn meeting! No, she thought quickly. It was all Elizabeth's fault. Elizabeth had betrayed her!"
"'But Madame Andre's unfair,' she sobbed into her pillow. 'And YOU'RE unfair. And ELIZABETH'S unfair. And EVERYBODY'S unfair.'"
"'You're just mad because you're not number one for once in your life and you can't stand it.'"
If only Elizabeth would stick by what she says and knows to be true.
"'I know how much you love your sister, and so do your dad and I, but we can't always give in to her just because she can't get what she wants every single time. It would be wrong, and it would be bad for Jessica.'"
Oh, really? Tell me more.
"'You're staying home just because you can't stand to hear Elizabeth get all the applause,' Steven bullied her."
I love you, Steven Wakefield.
Moral of the Story: If you pout for days ceaselessly and without remorse, everything will ALWAYS work out for you in the end.
Final Rating: One star, though it doesn't really deserve any for Francine endorsing Jessica's whiny fucking brat behavior. Shame on her. Little kids read these things!
The annual ballet recital is coming up, and it seems to be some kind of rip-off of Swan Lake, as the main solo part is named Swanilda. It also involves a weird doll named Copellia sitting in the center. Whatever. Jessica is a better dancer than any dancer you've ever heard of, and she wants the lead in the recital more than Elizabeth could possibly ever want it. She falls back on her usual "Liz is a WRITER and should never be allowed to do anything else" justification. She knows that Liz is their ballet teacher, Madame Andre's, prized pupil. Teacher's pet, Jessica says. Elizabeth is nothing but a stupid teacher's pet, because how on God's fucking green earth could the teacher fail to notice how darling and splendidly well Jessica dances? It's a conspiracy.
Liz suggests Madame Andre doesn't notice Jess because she stands beside Amy, a notoriously bad dancer. The girls agree to help Amy improve so that M. Andre will start noticing Jessica instead of criticizing Amy, but Jess blows off Liz and Amy for a Unicorn meeting the next day. The Unicorns all want a chance to kiss Jessica's lily-white ass, so convinced are they that Jess will earn the part of Swanilda.
Well, the day of tryouts Jessica decides to practice while Liz goes to help her mom with shopping. While they are out, M. Andre calls and tells Jess the tryouts have been moved to 11 am, much sooner than before. Since Jess has never come by anything honestly in her life, she is positively tickled that Liz will have to miss the auditions. She scrawls a hasty note to let Liz know of the change, but she's confident Liz won't show up.
Jess shits on Liz at the tryouts, telling M. Andre her twin must not have cared enough. Amy eventually relays this to Liz. But, lo and behold, as soon as Jess is finished dancing Liz runs in, breathless. Jessica kicks her moral compass for actually writing the note. Liz dances, M. Andre fawns, and it is announced the following Tuesday that Liz is now Swanilda. Copellia also goes missing, and Jessica is a clear target for this. It ends up being Amy as the culprit, however, because she wants to play the doll since she hates dancing.
What follows is quite appalling. Immediately upon hearing that Liz has secured the lead, Jess goes on to hold the biggest one-woman pity party in all of history. Her parents try several interventions, and Steven even ends up saying quite cutting things to Jessica. This is how you absolutely KNOW she is a sociopath, because she won't budge. Everyone says the truth: that Jessica just hates not being fucking number one for once in her stupid, pathetic, pitiful life. Jessica just continues on with the "teacher's pet" and "it's so unfair" nonsense ad nauseam.
Obviously this was all meant as a form of manipulation. It was also another ploy devised by Francine to get us to see just how fantastic Jessica Wakefield really is (because Liz honestly has to be wrong, right?). Turns out that Liz's turns really aren't that great. Jess watches her one night and offers to correct her so she doesn't embarrass the family. Through this Elizabeth sees that her sister really IS the better dancer and that M. Andre was wrong all along. The day of the recital Liz fakes a sprained ankle so that Jessica can take her place and no one will be any the wiser (twin switch). Amy offers to let Liz play the doll, and Liz fawns all over Jess as she dances oh-so-incredibly across the stage. That's pretty much that. If you expected an apology from Jessica, you came to the wrong book.
Ugh. Fuck you, Wakefields. You're so sickening.
Alternate Title : "The Other Maddie" (Get the Dance Moms reference?)
Tagline: "Will Jessica steal the lead in the ballet recital from Elizabeth?" (No shit, Sherlock.)
On a Scale of 1-10, How Annoying is Elizabeth? 10.
On a Scale of 1-10, How Sociopathic is Jessica? 10.
The Big Deal: The upcoming ballet recital.
Lingering Questions: Why did any of us, myself especially included, EVER think Jessica's behavior was in any way acceptable?
Cover: Good or Bad?: I prefer the old one. I have the updated cover with the twins with the white-blond hair from the later SVT books. Still done by Mathewuse, but there is clearly something missing.
Quotes from the Book: "'Madame likes you three hundred thirty seven times more than she likes me.'"
I see Jessica is keeping up with her weird numbers obsession here from the early days of SVH. It was weird then, too.
"Besides, dancing the part of Swanilda wouldn't mean nearly as much to Elizabeth."
Jessica is always so definite on the subject of what is and is not important to Elizabeth.
"If only she hadn't gone to that Unicorn meeting! No, she thought quickly. It was all Elizabeth's fault. Elizabeth had betrayed her!"
"'But Madame Andre's unfair,' she sobbed into her pillow. 'And YOU'RE unfair. And ELIZABETH'S unfair. And EVERYBODY'S unfair.'"
"'You're just mad because you're not number one for once in your life and you can't stand it.'"
If only Elizabeth would stick by what she says and knows to be true.
"'I know how much you love your sister, and so do your dad and I, but we can't always give in to her just because she can't get what she wants every single time. It would be wrong, and it would be bad for Jessica.'"
Oh, really? Tell me more.
"'You're staying home just because you can't stand to hear Elizabeth get all the applause,' Steven bullied her."
I love you, Steven Wakefield.
Moral of the Story: If you pout for days ceaselessly and without remorse, everything will ALWAYS work out for you in the end.
Final Rating: One star, though it doesn't really deserve any for Francine endorsing Jessica's whiny fucking brat behavior. Shame on her. Little kids read these things!
Read
March 18, 2009Simply the first book I remember reading. I might have read ones before that. But this was the first that addicted me. I ended up reading all the books (at that time) in that series. I believe by the time I decided to move-on from them there were around 60 to 70 some odd books including the "Thrillers" etc. They were nice easy quick reads for me. But definately contributed to my love of reading as a child and young adult. So while I don't remember all the books I read when I was that young this one leaves a particular impression even as I am well into my adulthood :)
December 31, 2017
For once I feel sorry for Jessica. Here's she's dancing her heart out, and the teacher never seems to notice her hard work. Instead the instructor puts all of her attention on Elizabeth - the teacher's pet.
Here's where the world turned upside-down, and we see the beginnings of what led to Jessica's truly stellar personality in high school and beyond. She truly is being ignored, talked down to, belittled, and thrown into her sister's shadow and she very rightfully feels that IT'S NOT FAIR.
And you know something? It's not. She really doesn't have anyone on her side at all.
On the other hand, she's still the same out Jessica. Pouty. Cruel sometimes. Very much worried more about herself than anyone else. Ever. Yet I hated seeing how isolated she truly was.
And Elizabeth got to show that wonderful, holier than thou attitude that she pulls out of smug righteousness indignation whenever Jessica's name comes up. For twins, they really aren't a thing alike, are they?
The big question is who shall dance the lead in Coppelia, and the solution actually puts quite a few people in their place. Not that they'll stick. I really do like it best when Jess and Liz are friends, and start co-operating with each other to accomplish something.
This is probably one of the better books in the series though, as these first books really were. If you're going to read these, you really can't go wrong on the first five books. They're fluffy as all get out, and seriously are nothing more than middle school soap opera, but there's a nice innocence to them that's lacking in middle school fiction today. What I like is that we don't always have to have such deep issues in kids books (like the current trend). Sometimes kids are just...brats. There, I've said it. They're both brats.
And that's ok. We need this kind of book too sometimes.
Here's where the world turned upside-down, and we see the beginnings of what led to Jessica's truly stellar personality in high school and beyond. She truly is being ignored, talked down to, belittled, and thrown into her sister's shadow and she very rightfully feels that IT'S NOT FAIR.
And you know something? It's not. She really doesn't have anyone on her side at all.
On the other hand, she's still the same out Jessica. Pouty. Cruel sometimes. Very much worried more about herself than anyone else. Ever. Yet I hated seeing how isolated she truly was.
And Elizabeth got to show that wonderful, holier than thou attitude that she pulls out of smug righteousness indignation whenever Jessica's name comes up. For twins, they really aren't a thing alike, are they?
The big question is who shall dance the lead in Coppelia, and the solution actually puts quite a few people in their place. Not that they'll stick. I really do like it best when Jess and Liz are friends, and start co-operating with each other to accomplish something.
This is probably one of the better books in the series though, as these first books really were. If you're going to read these, you really can't go wrong on the first five books. They're fluffy as all get out, and seriously are nothing more than middle school soap opera, but there's a nice innocence to them that's lacking in middle school fiction today. What I like is that we don't always have to have such deep issues in kids books (like the current trend). Sometimes kids are just...brats. There, I've said it. They're both brats.
And that's ok. We need this kind of book too sometimes.
July 26, 2023
Very entertaining and filled with drama! Jessica doesn’t hold back in this one!
Read
June 9, 2011Love this series and I have a huge collection of it that one day I hope to display on a beautiful shelf instead of keeping them all in a box. Been reading them since a long time ago and I remember buying them at those cramped second-hand bookshops, three for $5. Good times. Now I still look out for those old-books sale just to buy some more. I'll never get sick of the Wakefield twins:)
Read
January 25, 2011Yes I may be a little erm old for this but I own pratically the whole series of Sweet Valley twins and Sweet Valley high so I thought I'd reminisce and read the series all over again...
November 8, 2021
I'm not twins but I have a sister.
I understand that lot of problems have between sisters.
Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield are going to a ballet class. Both girls want to dance the solo in the upcoming recital. Elizabeth hates to compete with her sister, but Jessica doesn't mind at all.
She knows she's a better dancer than her twin. I agree with it too. The problem is their ballet teacher. No matter what Jessica does, Madame Andre never notices her. But she's always praising Elizabeth. Cuz Elizabeth the teacher's pet. I hate when there is a teacher's pet too. But when the teacher's pet is your sister?
I understand that lot of problems have between sisters.
Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield are going to a ballet class. Both girls want to dance the solo in the upcoming recital. Elizabeth hates to compete with her sister, but Jessica doesn't mind at all.
She knows she's a better dancer than her twin. I agree with it too. The problem is their ballet teacher. No matter what Jessica does, Madame Andre never notices her. But she's always praising Elizabeth. Cuz Elizabeth the teacher's pet. I hate when there is a teacher's pet too. But when the teacher's pet is your sister?
July 28, 2025
Nostalgia read
December 31, 2020
OK! One of my favorites of the series that I actually remembered pretty accurately. The nostalgia is great with this one. And it holds up. This teacher is such a Jack a**, as we see in the previous book. But our tenacious, and perhaps slightly deranged, Jessica knows how to get her way. But in this case she truly deserved the part.
This showcases how close the girls still are, and how they work together to help each other out. Twin love to the umpth.
This showcases how close the girls still are, and how they work together to help each other out. Twin love to the umpth.
November 3, 2023
I thought it was a good read. The twins are taking a ballet class, and Elizabeth is getting attention though Jessica is a better dancer. Jessica is super bitter in this and rubbing non everywhere that she’s the better dancer, to the point where Elizabeth faked an injury on the day of the performance so Jessica could dance the lead.
July 11, 2016
OK, I just hate, (and I mean HATE) Jessica. she is such a spoiled brat! I don't understand why anyone should like her! she tried (on purpose) to make Liz late! What a rude thing to do! Liz should not have given up swanilda! OK, that's all I have to say for this review.
April 11, 2011
I think that I would have liked this book more if elizabeth hadnt given in. In this book Jessica was like the evil twin and elizabeth was too soft. :0(
August 7, 2015
The thought of ever having a child like Jessica Wakefield makes my ovaries shrivel straight up
March 27, 2015
One of my all time favorites as a child!!!
July 5, 2016
This one was my favorite!
September 25, 2022
Teacher’s Pet (Sweet Valley Twins)
Jessica is whining about the nerve of Madame Andre (her dance teacher) who just does not want to acknowledge that she’s the real star of that class. All Madame wants to do is kiss Elizabeth’s butt. (Get use to it Jess this will be a theme throughout this whole series and you might as well learn young). Madame Andre has just called them to the studio. Madame takes them through some warm ups and Jess decides to stand by Amy Sutton thinking that because Amy dances so bad, Madame is sure to see how well she dances in comparison. But it backfires because Madame is so frustrated with Amy that’s *all* she notices.
After the warmup, Madame gets down to the *real* reason she called them there. In three weeks there’s going to be a recital and there will be auditions held for each of the main roles. The dance they will be performing is called Coppelia. The lead role is for Swanilda, and there are four additional solos. Everyone else gets to be in the chorus. Jess is already envisioning herself dancing the lead. But then Madame makes eye contact with Elizabeth and smiles (she might as well wink). And this drives Jessica CRAZY!
When Mrs. Wakefield picks them up, Elizabeth is all excited. But Jessica starts complaining that Madame doesn’t like her. This turns into a fight and Mrs. Wakefield tells them they’re both amazing dancers and she’s lucky to have them both in her class. Jess storms out of the car and heads up to her room. She wonders if Madame Andre is still pissed because she showed up at her first lesson in a purple uniform and makeup. Jessica continues to sulk.
Elizabeth tells her that made if she’d help Amy to be a better dancer, Madame would see her in a different light. She agrees and thinks it’s a good idea. So the twins invite her over to their house, but Jessica tells the Unicorns about the recital and her getting the lead part and they feed her ego and say there’s no way she won’t get the lead role. She’s a Unicorn after all. Then they discuss a a special Unicorn meeting after school and she forgets she’s supposed to help Amy after school. She does think momentarily wasn’t there something I was supposed to do, but then she dismisses it.
So after school they wait for Jessica but she doesn’t show. So, they head home, change, and Elizabeth gives Amy some pointers. Jessica wants to leave the meeting because it’s just about some boy growing a mustache, but Lila starts talking about her Halloween party. By the time she gets home, Elizabeth is pissed that she forgot and Amy has already left. They argue and Jessica tells her well maybe Madame *would* notice me if you weren’t such a teacher’s pet. Elizabeth cries.
The next day, not only is Madame still all up Elizabeth’s backside. But she gives Amy a little praise. Amy tells her she couldn’t have done it without Elizabeth which makes Madame love Elizabeth more. So Jessica decides not to speak to her twin and this goes on a few days with both the twins not speaking to each other.
The day of the audition Liz and her mom go to the mall while Jessica stays home to practice. Madame calls and changes the audition to 3 in the afternoon to 11. Jessica thinks no way will Elizabeth make it back in time, So she rushes out, but out of guilt leaves Liz a note. But surprise surprise Liz sees the note because Mrs. Wakefield left something at home and she makes the audition. Madame practically orgasms that her *star* has arrived. She says she’ll announce the cast on Tuesday.
At home Jessica goes to her room knowing there’s no way in hell she made it. Amy calls Elizabeth and tells her Jessica didn’t tell everyone she went shopping and that instead, she said she just wasn’t interested in showing up. Now the twins are avoiding each other again.
In class, Elizabeth gets the lead and Jess gets a chorus role. She and Jessica start yelling at each other back and forth. While the other girls come in and start congratulating Liz, Jess slips out. Madame then rushes in and announces Coppelia has been stolen. Jessica smiles a Grinchy smile while they all rush around looking for her.
The twins don’t speak. Even tho Jessica one day sees Elizabeth practicing and messing a step up and helps her perfect it. It then hits Elizabeth could it be that Jess is the better dancer and she really IS a teacher’s pet. She decides then and there that she’ll help Jessica get the lead.
The night of the recital she’ll get a twisted ankle but Jess pulls a fast one and she’s not going. The day of the recital Elizabeth puts her plan in motion. She pretends to sprain her ankle getting out the car and asks Jessica to dance for her. Jessica doesn’t hesitate and rushes off with Elizabeth’s costume. Amy who volunteered to be Coppelia (so she could just sit still on stage) gives the part to Elizabeth so she can be on stage with her sister. They rush off backstage to get into costume. Elizabeth watches her sister dance and then she brings the house down! Afterward, Madame rushes over and starts to gush over Elizabeth. But they correct her and Madame is STUNNED! She apologizes to Jess, but then Amy interrupts and confesses that she is the one that stole the doll. She tells her she’s not mad and not everyone can be like Jessica (born to dance).
My Thoughts: I really do feel for Jessica here. This is why. I have this aunt whose A LOT like Madame Andre. She seems to LOVE to be up my sister’s (although I NEVER refer to her as that because we’re definitely NOT the Wakefield twins on a good day) backside ALL the time. And it is INFURIATING! It’s like OH GAWD WELL YOU BE QUIET ALREADY ABOUT HER. Like Elizabeth, she’s really not all that great! Although this aunt *thinks* the sun rises on her. So yeah I GET IT! DO I? I think that in Teacher’s Pet, I liked Jessica a little more than I normally like her in the SVH books. She *does* agree to help Amy (even though it is for selfish reasons). And then she also when she sees her sister struggling to help her out, which honestly is more than I would have done. I probably would have just sat back and let mine look like an idiot on stage to show Madame Andre well that IS your star. I know! I know! That’s probably not right. But Madame Andre wasn’t right. So, it does show character to love your sister that much that you don’t want her to look bad even though you *know* that the role should have been yours. I also do remember taking ballet when I was even younger than the twins. I know we had to wear those plain black unitards, but I honestly don’t see anything wrong with a purple one and trying to put a little color into it. You have to give it to Jess for trying to bring a little creativity into it.
Rating: 7 I could easily relate to this in a lot of ways and it was one of the first SVT books I ever read!
Jessica is whining about the nerve of Madame Andre (her dance teacher) who just does not want to acknowledge that she’s the real star of that class. All Madame wants to do is kiss Elizabeth’s butt. (Get use to it Jess this will be a theme throughout this whole series and you might as well learn young). Madame Andre has just called them to the studio. Madame takes them through some warm ups and Jess decides to stand by Amy Sutton thinking that because Amy dances so bad, Madame is sure to see how well she dances in comparison. But it backfires because Madame is so frustrated with Amy that’s *all* she notices.
After the warmup, Madame gets down to the *real* reason she called them there. In three weeks there’s going to be a recital and there will be auditions held for each of the main roles. The dance they will be performing is called Coppelia. The lead role is for Swanilda, and there are four additional solos. Everyone else gets to be in the chorus. Jess is already envisioning herself dancing the lead. But then Madame makes eye contact with Elizabeth and smiles (she might as well wink). And this drives Jessica CRAZY!
When Mrs. Wakefield picks them up, Elizabeth is all excited. But Jessica starts complaining that Madame doesn’t like her. This turns into a fight and Mrs. Wakefield tells them they’re both amazing dancers and she’s lucky to have them both in her class. Jess storms out of the car and heads up to her room. She wonders if Madame Andre is still pissed because she showed up at her first lesson in a purple uniform and makeup. Jessica continues to sulk.
Elizabeth tells her that made if she’d help Amy to be a better dancer, Madame would see her in a different light. She agrees and thinks it’s a good idea. So the twins invite her over to their house, but Jessica tells the Unicorns about the recital and her getting the lead part and they feed her ego and say there’s no way she won’t get the lead role. She’s a Unicorn after all. Then they discuss a a special Unicorn meeting after school and she forgets she’s supposed to help Amy after school. She does think momentarily wasn’t there something I was supposed to do, but then she dismisses it.
So after school they wait for Jessica but she doesn’t show. So, they head home, change, and Elizabeth gives Amy some pointers. Jessica wants to leave the meeting because it’s just about some boy growing a mustache, but Lila starts talking about her Halloween party. By the time she gets home, Elizabeth is pissed that she forgot and Amy has already left. They argue and Jessica tells her well maybe Madame *would* notice me if you weren’t such a teacher’s pet. Elizabeth cries.
The next day, not only is Madame still all up Elizabeth’s backside. But she gives Amy a little praise. Amy tells her she couldn’t have done it without Elizabeth which makes Madame love Elizabeth more. So Jessica decides not to speak to her twin and this goes on a few days with both the twins not speaking to each other.
The day of the audition Liz and her mom go to the mall while Jessica stays home to practice. Madame calls and changes the audition to 3 in the afternoon to 11. Jessica thinks no way will Elizabeth make it back in time, So she rushes out, but out of guilt leaves Liz a note. But surprise surprise Liz sees the note because Mrs. Wakefield left something at home and she makes the audition. Madame practically orgasms that her *star* has arrived. She says she’ll announce the cast on Tuesday.
At home Jessica goes to her room knowing there’s no way in hell she made it. Amy calls Elizabeth and tells her Jessica didn’t tell everyone she went shopping and that instead, she said she just wasn’t interested in showing up. Now the twins are avoiding each other again.
In class, Elizabeth gets the lead and Jess gets a chorus role. She and Jessica start yelling at each other back and forth. While the other girls come in and start congratulating Liz, Jess slips out. Madame then rushes in and announces Coppelia has been stolen. Jessica smiles a Grinchy smile while they all rush around looking for her.
The twins don’t speak. Even tho Jessica one day sees Elizabeth practicing and messing a step up and helps her perfect it. It then hits Elizabeth could it be that Jess is the better dancer and she really IS a teacher’s pet. She decides then and there that she’ll help Jessica get the lead.
The night of the recital she’ll get a twisted ankle but Jess pulls a fast one and she’s not going. The day of the recital Elizabeth puts her plan in motion. She pretends to sprain her ankle getting out the car and asks Jessica to dance for her. Jessica doesn’t hesitate and rushes off with Elizabeth’s costume. Amy who volunteered to be Coppelia (so she could just sit still on stage) gives the part to Elizabeth so she can be on stage with her sister. They rush off backstage to get into costume. Elizabeth watches her sister dance and then she brings the house down! Afterward, Madame rushes over and starts to gush over Elizabeth. But they correct her and Madame is STUNNED! She apologizes to Jess, but then Amy interrupts and confesses that she is the one that stole the doll. She tells her she’s not mad and not everyone can be like Jessica (born to dance).
My Thoughts: I really do feel for Jessica here. This is why. I have this aunt whose A LOT like Madame Andre. She seems to LOVE to be up my sister’s (although I NEVER refer to her as that because we’re definitely NOT the Wakefield twins on a good day) backside ALL the time. And it is INFURIATING! It’s like OH GAWD WELL YOU BE QUIET ALREADY ABOUT HER. Like Elizabeth, she’s really not all that great! Although this aunt *thinks* the sun rises on her. So yeah I GET IT! DO I? I think that in Teacher’s Pet, I liked Jessica a little more than I normally like her in the SVH books. She *does* agree to help Amy (even though it is for selfish reasons). And then she also when she sees her sister struggling to help her out, which honestly is more than I would have done. I probably would have just sat back and let mine look like an idiot on stage to show Madame Andre well that IS your star. I know! I know! That’s probably not right. But Madame Andre wasn’t right. So, it does show character to love your sister that much that you don’t want her to look bad even though you *know* that the role should have been yours. I also do remember taking ballet when I was even younger than the twins. I know we had to wear those plain black unitards, but I honestly don’t see anything wrong with a purple one and trying to put a little color into it. You have to give it to Jess for trying to bring a little creativity into it.
Rating: 7 I could easily relate to this in a lot of ways and it was one of the first SVT books I ever read!
July 29, 2017
I only liked Elizabeth and Amy in this book which why it got a 2 star. I thought Jessica was just acting like a brat. She thought Elizabeth was the teacher's pet just because she got the star role in the recital. Before Elizabeth got the role Jessica was being mean to her. She almost didn't even leave her twin a note telling Elizabeth that the time had been changed to 11 instead of 3.
I hate ballet to start with and think it down right stupid. This book proved even more that it is just insane for that mess. The twins wouldn't even talk to each other and when did was shouting match. Their parents couldn't even get Jessica to see the light.
I did not think Elizabeth should have let Jessica go on at the end pretending to be her. It might have showed the teacher was blind and incompetent in seeing that Jessica was better. She judged Jessica just because she didn't want be there most the time.
I think Amy should have just dropped out after all the teacher thought she was awful dancer and just criticized her relentlessly. I wouldn't have taken that mess at all. You don't criticize that badly of a student. You work with them one on one and help them not tell them everything they do wrong. The teacher should have been fired for her unreasonable teaching for one and second never given a ballet class again.
I wish could have given this a higher rating, but it was just bad. I hope not all of them are like this. I did like the kids series so far.
I hate ballet to start with and think it down right stupid. This book proved even more that it is just insane for that mess. The twins wouldn't even talk to each other and when did was shouting match. Their parents couldn't even get Jessica to see the light.
I did not think Elizabeth should have let Jessica go on at the end pretending to be her. It might have showed the teacher was blind and incompetent in seeing that Jessica was better. She judged Jessica just because she didn't want be there most the time.
I think Amy should have just dropped out after all the teacher thought she was awful dancer and just criticized her relentlessly. I wouldn't have taken that mess at all. You don't criticize that badly of a student. You work with them one on one and help them not tell them everything they do wrong. The teacher should have been fired for her unreasonable teaching for one and second never given a ballet class again.
I wish could have given this a higher rating, but it was just bad. I hope not all of them are like this. I did like the kids series so far.
July 19, 2022
Both of the girls are taking ballet lessons. They are going to do a recital and Elizabeth seems to have the edge on winning the lead role. The teacher praises how Elizabeth is doing which causes Jessica to become angry, labeling her sister as the 'teacher's pet.'
Then we have a logic problem. Jessica avoids practicing as much as she can yet blames others for her own dancing shortcomings. There is even an act of sabotage.
Here's the logic problem. Elizabeth practices often and does well. Jessica does minimal practicing, blames others for not getting praise from the teacher, is mean to Elizabeth and yet it seems that she ends up being a better dancer?
That doesn't make any sense at all. If you want to be good at something you need to practice. You don't need to over do that, of course, and that's what some people do and expect others to do, but you do need to put in at least some practice. If you see that you performance is still not very good then you can seek help from the teacher or from a friend that is good at whatever it is you are trying to learn to do.
The book, then, basically is saying do whatever you want to do whenever you want to do it and things will still turn out fine for you. Be rewarded for being lazy.
Not a good message for young people.
Then we have a logic problem. Jessica avoids practicing as much as she can yet blames others for her own dancing shortcomings. There is even an act of sabotage.
Here's the logic problem. Elizabeth practices often and does well. Jessica does minimal practicing, blames others for not getting praise from the teacher, is mean to Elizabeth and yet it seems that she ends up being a better dancer?
That doesn't make any sense at all. If you want to be good at something you need to practice. You don't need to over do that, of course, and that's what some people do and expect others to do, but you do need to put in at least some practice. If you see that you performance is still not very good then you can seek help from the teacher or from a friend that is good at whatever it is you are trying to learn to do.
The book, then, basically is saying do whatever you want to do whenever you want to do it and things will still turn out fine for you. Be rewarded for being lazy.
Not a good message for young people.
May 7, 2024
Jessica Wakefield would love Katya from RuPaul's Drag Race if you even care!
Jessica is a character from Succession but instead of being in New York boardroom she's in a ballet class in Sweet Valley. She is easily the best dancer in her class, but the teacher is so far up Elizabeth's butt that she can't see Jess is the superior twin. The Wakefield parents are as useless as ever, with Alice Wakefield continually dismissing Jessica's correct claims that their teacher is obsessed with Liz.
This one will be triggering if you ever missed out on something you really wanted and deserved just because an adult liked a less talented kid. I was absolutely one of those kids who missed out because certain teachers had strong opinions about me--like I wasn't smart or worthy because I was raised by a poor single mother and I had a learning disability. I remember telling my friend about one teacher and she went to the teacher and told her! Then she came back and lectured me how the teacher didn't play favourites. Okay, Judas.
Naturally, I am on Jessica's side here. It all works out in the end, but only because Elizabeth does something no kid would ever actually do. But that's Sweet Valley for you. We don't read it for the realism.
Jessica is a character from Succession but instead of being in New York boardroom she's in a ballet class in Sweet Valley. She is easily the best dancer in her class, but the teacher is so far up Elizabeth's butt that she can't see Jess is the superior twin. The Wakefield parents are as useless as ever, with Alice Wakefield continually dismissing Jessica's correct claims that their teacher is obsessed with Liz.
This one will be triggering if you ever missed out on something you really wanted and deserved just because an adult liked a less talented kid. I was absolutely one of those kids who missed out because certain teachers had strong opinions about me--like I wasn't smart or worthy because I was raised by a poor single mother and I had a learning disability. I remember telling my friend about one teacher and she went to the teacher and told her! Then she came back and lectured me how the teacher didn't play favourites. Okay, Judas.
Naturally, I am on Jessica's side here. It all works out in the end, but only because Elizabeth does something no kid would ever actually do. But that's Sweet Valley for you. We don't read it for the realism.
February 6, 2023
Jessica is mad that Elizabeth gets all the attention in ballet class. She accuses Elizabeth of being a teacher's pet. Jessica gets a chance to look better in front of the teacher, but she blows it off in favor of hanging out with her friends. When Jessica does not look better, as a result, she blames it on Elizabeth being a teacher's pet.
Jessica attempts to prevent Elizabeth from getting to a ballet audition, and when that plan fails, she doubles down on yelling at Elizabeth and calling her a teacher's pet. After weeks of Jessica's insults, Elizabeth decides that Jessica must be right. She feels bad, for stealing all the attention that Jessica deserves, so she purposely fakes an injury so Jessica can be the star of the ballet recital.
I don't like the ending, because it rewards Jessica for being a brat, while punishing Elizabeth for doing nothing wrong.
Jessica attempts to prevent Elizabeth from getting to a ballet audition, and when that plan fails, she doubles down on yelling at Elizabeth and calling her a teacher's pet. After weeks of Jessica's insults, Elizabeth decides that Jessica must be right. She feels bad, for stealing all the attention that Jessica deserves, so she purposely fakes an injury so Jessica can be the star of the ballet recital.
I don't like the ending, because it rewards Jessica for being a brat, while punishing Elizabeth for doing nothing wrong.
April 24, 2022
I never liked Jessica as a kid and I still don’t like her as an adult. This book just sort of made me angry. Anyway…yes, unfortunately in life sometimes people who aren’t the best get the roles and the leads and whatever. But pouting and trash talking them never pays off. So I had zero sympathy for Jessica. She was a jerk to her sister the entire time. And as always Elizabeth puts aside her own desires and gives Jessica whatever she wants…constantly reaffirming to her that she can be a horrible person to everyone and still come out on top. Seriously Jessica is the worst….a narcissistic megalomaniac in the making. I’m pretty sure Jessica grew up to be the villain of every thriller I’ve ever read.
January 8, 2023
Novel ini membahas soal persaingan si kembar: Elizabeth dan Jessica, demi jadi penari balet solo di sebuah pertunjukan. Intinya soal iri dengki gitu. Sampai-sampai Jessica ini menjalankan aksi berontak karena menganggap kakak itu dianakemaskan oleh pelatih balet, Bu Andre.
Temanya ringan tapi seru diikuti ceritanya. Saya tidak menyangka akan membaca novel series ini. saking bagus dan sukanya, saya berencana mau pelan-pelan membaca judul lainnya.
Untuk ulasan lengkap bisa dibaca di link ini ya:
https://www.bukuhapudin.com/2023/01/r...
Temanya ringan tapi seru diikuti ceritanya. Saya tidak menyangka akan membaca novel series ini. saking bagus dan sukanya, saya berencana mau pelan-pelan membaca judul lainnya.
Untuk ulasan lengkap bisa dibaca di link ini ya:
https://www.bukuhapudin.com/2023/01/r...
July 8, 2017
Hmm, Jessica's sociopathic tendencies started at the ripe old age of 12, I see.
I also had to roll my eyes at Ned and Alice. "She's a teacher, she has to be fair!" Pffft. Even though Jess went about it in the wrong way, she really WAS being treated unfairly and her parents should have checked it out. But, it's hard to feel too much sympathy for Jess because she's just so awful to Liz here.
I also had to roll my eyes at Ned and Alice. "She's a teacher, she has to be fair!" Pffft. Even though Jess went about it in the wrong way, she really WAS being treated unfairly and her parents should have checked it out. But, it's hard to feel too much sympathy for Jess because she's just so awful to Liz here.
August 30, 2023
Read this back in like 4th grade or something. I always used to like Elizabeth and dislike Jessica, though as an adult I can better see Jessica’s perspective. Also, that was one crappy ballet teacher. An actual good ballet teacher would recognize real talent when she saw it.
June 10, 2019
Damn...girl is a stone cold, evil bee-yotch.
July 12, 2019
Twin shenanigans. Quick read. Didn’t hate.
September 1, 2020
As ridiculous as I remember...I love it!!
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April 15, 2021Good book
July 15, 2021
I like to imagine the Wakefield twin sisters as good and bad. Elizabeth is the angel and Jessica is the evil one. It makes the series more interesting.
January 9, 2022
🎉 🎂 🎁 🎈 https://usapp.fieldagent.net/applinks... Happy Birthday to my secret crush 🙂😻 I miss you more. Were looooong overdue. ‼️😹😹😹
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