Sweet Valley Twins #25: Standing Out
The Moral of the Story: Babies solve everything!
The Big Deal: Party at Julie’s, big baseball game
Classmate with a Problem: Billie Layton, crappy life in general
Synopsis:
Billie Layton is pissed. Her mom is having a baby – right in the middle of Little League season! Billie would love to talk to her best friend, Jim Sturbridge, about how neglected she feels, but he’s always hanging around that damned Sally Holcomb, the biggest flirt in school. When Billie gets her first period, she assumes her life is over.
Billie’s mom is the school librarian and Billie goes to the library to share her womanly news. Mrs. Layton is too busy helping other kids find books (you know, doing her job) and Billie gets mad. So Billie is already feeling pretty down about things when her parents tell her they’ve decided to name the new baby William. That’s right, they’d like Billie to start going by her real name, Belinda, so they can call the new baby Billy without feeling weird about both their kids having the same name. On top of all that, Billie has found out Jim and Sally are now dating.
To recap Billie’s week:
- Got her first period
- Lost her name
- Guy she liked hooked up with someone else
Meanwhile, the Unicorns have finally figured out that people think they’re snobs (nobody ever accused them of being smart). They simply must fix this image problem so they can win some service award and a trip to wherever they want to go within fifty miles.
There’s a big baseball game on Saturday, but Billie is so distracted by her terrible life that she plays like crap and the coach ends up taking her out. Whatevs, Billie’s dad couldn’t be bothered to show up anyway, so who cares, right? There’s a big party at Julie Porter’s house after the game and the twins take it upon themselves to get Billie ready. You know what that means, don’t you? Fakeover! I love a good fakeover. So Billie goes to the party and all the boys ask her to dance because she’s suddenly so beautiful. Jessica does her best to get Jim to talk to Billie because she figures it’ll be some kind of good deed if she gets them together, but Mr. Layton shows up to take Billie to the hospital because her mom is in labor.
Once the baby arrives, Billie decides everything else is unimportant. She gladly gives her up her name and insists on being called Belinda. There’s another baseball game and her dad comes to this one, which is great because Billie Belinda wins it for the team. Afterward, Jim says he was totally going to ask Billie Belinda to dance at the party. And then Billie Belinda is asked to join the Unicorns because having an athlete in the club will surely make everyone forget how snobby they are.
Setup for the next book: Patrick Morris has strict parents.
Quotes:
“It’s wrong to meddle or be a tattletale.”
I just had to relate this hilarious Elizabeth quote.
“I got my period today in gym class,” she confided, staring at her feet.
“You did?” Elizabeth exclaimed. “Wow, that’s great!”
I can’t remember a time when I ever thought getting my period was good news. Unless it was late. Am I right, ladies?
“Secca Lake is the perfect setting for a concert. Everybody will be there.”
“Everybody but me,” a gloomy voice said behind them.
Meet Patrick Morris, subject of the next book. Clearly, he’s full of rainbows and sunshine.
The Cover: I hate when the tagline doesn’t match the book. This isn’t about Billie trying to fit in with the guys. It’s about this one lousy week in her life.
Tags: Daddy Issues, Fakeover, Party: Other
Haha, this was one of the first SVT books I ever read. At the time I thought Billie’s parents were both jerks for asking her to change her name. Then again, I still think that now …
[Reply]
Okay, giving up her NAME? Billie’s parents suck. There are *three* variations of Bill/Billy in my family and will likely be more, and somehow we manage. I mean, Will? Liam? Bite me, terrible parents.
[Reply]
YES on your note about the period quote! I was always confused by books like this which made it seem like such a great thing to get your first period. I just thought it would get in the way and never wanted it! I was annoyed when I got mine, lol.
[Reply]
Anybody else ever wonder what is going on with that boy on the far right on the cover (Jim S, maybe?) Why does it look like he has a perm with a little Elvis type swirl in the front? He also looks vaguely like someone famous, although I can’t really place it. Alfred E. Neuman comes to mind, but there’s someone else. AND WHERE IS THE BLOND BOY’S HAND???? The only place it could be is on Billie’s butt unless he is missing an arm. Anyway, that illustration has always kind of messed with me–hope I’m not the only one! (Great recap by the way)
[Reply]
In a future book don’t the twins have a freakin period party with their mum? My mum taught me that the world stops when you get your period and I’ve lived that way ever since the 8th grade!
[Reply]
Yeah, I’m with you, I never thought my period was something great. I haven’t had it for years now and quite frankly do not miss it! Great recap. Love that Elizabeth quote too! Like she would ever meddle or tattle. Not Elizabeth!
[Reply]
That’s funny about the period thing. I actually remember being on my period when I was reading this book and being disgusted with that line. But if you think about it, the twins are so perfect they probably don’t get bloated, have cramps, no pms and wear all white with no problem…so lucky!!
[Reply]
Wow! Sweet Vallians get periods? This book is the ultimate alternate universe! I was a late bloomer, so I was happy when I got my period up until about 5 minutes later, when I realized what a period and all of the “fun” stuff about it really meant. Never had a period party or knew anyone that did. That’s just really bizarre. What do you do at those (in the ’80′s), eat ho-hos and talk about how much cramps suck?
[Reply]
I assumed my life was over when I got my period, too, Billie.
Billie’s parents are assholes
[Reply]
Busty St. Clair Reply:
May 12th, 2012 at 2:49 pm
can I also just admit here when I was a kid, I always read Secca Lake and Seneca Lake and Lila’s Fowler and Lila Flower? And I was all sort of messed up when the Ciao, Sweet Valley book came out and I have no idea how to say the cover so I could tell my mom I wanted it.
[Reply]
Pbellyup Reply:
May 30th, 2012 at 2:09 am
Ciao, Sweet Valley? That book sounds so familiar, I just can’t remember now which one. I only remember that I liked it. That’s sad in my 30s and a Sweet Valley book title jumps at me!
[Reply]
Hey, Shannon! Do you think you could pretty please do Sweet Valley Junior High next? :] It is my favorite series out of all of them.
[Reply]
i loved this book. billie seemed like more normal as opposed to liz’s passive agressive goody two shoes-ness, jessica’s ridiculousness, and both twins’ usual hypocrisy. and i loved all the clothes description.
[Reply]
It’s really a nice and helpful piece of info. I am glad that you simply shared this useful info with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
[Reply]
Jessica was nowhere NEAR as unpleasant in this book as she normally is. In fact, she was almost likable. Too bad it doesn’t last.
[Reply]
This was one of my all-time favorite SVT books. I must have read this one 100 times. Something was just so likeable about Billie, and I totally related to her about getting her period. Too bad more books didn’t focus on her!
[Reply]