Sweet Valley Twins #29 Jessica and the Brat Attack
Short Summary: Jessica takes up babysitting.
Cover:
I used to wear my hair in a side-pony tail like that. And Jessica has the same little fly-aways I had too. We are twins!
Long Summary:
The sixth grade is holding a fair to raise money for future class trips. Students are going to be picked randomly to man the booths, and Jessica hopes for the Wheel of Fortune booth. (not the Wheel of Fish booth, sadly) The only booth no one wants is the Water-Balloon Toss booth-where they apparently throw water balloons at you. Elizabeth joins the group and says that she won’t be manning a booth because she’ll be designing posters. Next we learn how similar and yet how different the twins are. Lila hopes to raise enough money to take a class trip to Paris.
At lunch, Elizabeth runs into Amy who is a gloomy-gus. Turns out Amy promised to babysit for Mrs. Sampson on the day of the fair. This means Amy can’t run a booth and probably can’t even attend. Saint Elizabeth decides to step in for Amy. Amy is thrilled! She also says that Elizabeth is lucky only the youngest two will be there. The older two once tied Amy up in a chair and tried to cut off her hair. Elizabeth is brave though and doesn’t renege. At the booth-picking after school, Caroline Pierce gets the Wheel of Fortune booth, and Jessica is stuck with the Water-Balloon booth. Jess is furious and is determined to get out of manning the booth.
Jessica is not having a good day. Everyone is teasing her about her booth. At home, it isn’t any better as Steven ate all the ice cream. Mrs. Sampson calls, but Liz isn’t home. Jess takes notes for her. Turns out Liz’ll be making $10/hour which for a sixth grader is awesome. I made barely that in college, and I had the best job on campus. The wheels start clicking in Jess’ brain and she realized that a 7 hour job at 10/hour is seventy dollars. And it would mean she couldn’t do the booth at the fair. She tells Mrs. Sampson that Liz actually can’t do it, but she, Jessica can. The kids are 3 and 5 and how hard can it be? You play with them and then plop them down in front of the TV. Oh, this’ll be good.
Liz comes home and Jess tells her that she did her a favor. She knew how much Liz wanted to go to the fair, so Jess told Mrs. Sampson she’d do the babysitting! Don’t thank me, Liz, I’m just looking out for you. ;) Jess plays it all smooth, and Liz simply tells her that she hopes Jess knows what she is getting in to.
At school, Jess breaks the news that she won’t be able to man her booth. She is really disappointed and all, really. Julie who is running the whole thing is upset because she doesn’t know who to get to take Jess’ place. Why are they having a water balloon booth if it is such a shiat job? Just cut it out and make it a different lame booth. But Jess happens to know that Elizabeth is free… Julie is so happy to have someone to take the spot, she runs right off to find Elizabeth. Liz is upset, but since she is such a doormat, she agrees to man the booth. Liz is so mad! She is going to find Jessica right away and not let her get away with it! Liz doesn’t find Jess til after school, and she totally pushes Jessica into the pool. I wish. She does a bit of forceful talking but in the end rolls over and takes it. What else did you expect? She says that she has heard that the kids Jess is sitting are monsters and she hopes they are. And Jess had better not come crying to Liz for help because Liz will be busy! So there!
Liz is actually still angry come Saturday. She heads off to the fair with some towels and Jess heads off to the sitting job. She thinks she’ll have time to do some magazine reading and homework. I’ll bet. Then for the unintentional funny: Mrs. Sampson asks Jessica, “Do you have a microwave at home?” Which really dates this book because I don’t think there is a person in the country who doesn’t have a microwave. All Jess has to do is reheat some spaghetti for lunch. Oh, and the Sampsons have a forbidden room. The living room. It is apparently decorated in whites and grays which is so smart for a family with four kids. Mrs. Sampson says that no one is allowed in the room and then locks it up. Methinks I sense some foreshadowing.
Mrs. Sampson leaves and Jess is faced with the kids. The phone rings. It is Lila. She is calling from the fair on her brand new cordless phone! Oh, those were the days. She’ll call Jess periodically to give her fair updates. Liz has collected a lot of money at her booth already and hasn’t even been hit.
Jess gets back to not-baby-sitting. The kids are bored. They want to play. Jess is lost and in totally over her head. No magazine for her!
At the fair, Lila tries to con Caroline out of the Wheel of Fortune booth. It doesn’t work. Lila takes a break and heads over to the water balloon booth, which is across the park. There are only 10 booths, how much space can they need? Liz is actually having fun at her booth and both she and Amy wonder how Jess is doing.
Turns out that Jess isn’t doing so well. Raise your hand if you are surprised. Everyone else, point and laugh at whoever has their hand up. Jess tries to think of something for the kids to do and settles on TV. That works out for about five seconds because the kids can’t agree on what to watch. The boy has a stomach ache and needs medicine. The kid of course spits the medicine out at Jess. The girl is tearing up Jess’ magazine to make a collage. Well, good thing Jess will have some money to buy another one.
At the fair, Liz finally gets hit by a balloon thrown by Bruce Patman. To be fair, it was only because Ken Matthews yelled and distracted her. But she didn’t feel upset because the weather was hot and the water felt good. Jess calls on Lila’s cordless phone (the park has a telephone jack? Mmmkay) and begs Liz for a favor. Liz isn’t very sympathetic and leaves Jess on her own for once. Bravo, Liz!
Jess is really having a tough time. The boy ate a bunch of ice cream and then throws up. Luckily Jess gets him to the toilet in time. I know you were worried and wanted to know that. The girl is looking for the key to the living room. The phone rings-it is the older daughter and her brownie leader sprained her ankle so there isn’t going to be a hike. The kids find the key and just then the doorbell rings. It is the older boy who had a fight with his friend and so came home. Jess calls Liz in a panic but Liz is not listening because she has been hit with a couple more water balloons. Jess returns to the kids and they have gotten into the living room. They are of course tearing it up because they are idiots and apparently their parents don’t discipline them. The older kids decide to give the younger one a tattoo. I am guessing it is a paint-on kind but the fact that one of the kids has a tattoo set is somehow disturbing to me. Jessica can’t do anything-she is powerless. The doorbell rings and it is, you guessed it, the older girl. Now all four are home. My powers of math tell me that this job should now be worth at least $20/hour or more.
Jessica has a good idea and tells them all to get into their swimsuits so they can go play under the sprinkler. That way, she can clean that tattoos of the little kids at the same time. Pretty smart, Jess. Then the kids get hungry. But there is only food for two and Jessica not four and Jessica. Jess ruins the food by her microwave-ineptitude. She then makes the kids sandwiches. After that, she calls Liz again to cry. Even though Liz is starting to get really wet (and it seems to be only boys who are hitting her-is she wearing a white t-shirt or something?) she realizes that Jess really is in over her head with four kids. Liz tells her to make the kids fear her, but Jess says that is a joke. Liz then figures out a plan. She’ll dress like Jess and they’ll double-team them. But she has to find someone to take her spot at the booth first.
Jess is still going crazy at the Sampson’s house. The phone rings-it is Mrs. Sampson calling from the cell phone on the boat. The little girl picks it up and before Jessica can get to it, has hung up. Mrs. Sampson has no idea her older two kids have come home. Jess hears someone at the door. It is Liz dressed exactly like Jess. Elizabeth has a plan. Oh goody. Oh, and Liz found a replacement for the water balloon booth-Lila who lost the straw draw. And now Lila is out for Jess’ blood also.
Jess gets the kids outside by saying they’ll play Kick the Can. I have heard of Kick the Can, but I have no idea about the rules. I am guessing it involves a can and some kicking but after that, I am fuzzy. But can a 3 year-old play it? Well, turns out the Sampson kids love Kick the Can. But they go outside and of course start arguing. Jess, following Liz’s directions, tells them that she is fed up and is going inside and they had better not follow her. They decide they’ll beat her there and so run into the house. Next think Jess hears is a shriek. Somehow, Jessica got there ahead of them! They are freaked out. Liz-as-Jess says that she told them not to follow her and that she is going out to the tree house and they can’t follow her there. Jess knows a cue when she hears it and takes off for the tree house.
Meanwhile, Lila is suffering in the water balloon booth. She is worried about her new, expensive jumpsuit. I personally would be worried if anyone caught me wearing a jumpsuit. Lila gets hit by her first water balloon and is worried that her outfit is stained. By water. Oh noes!
Back at the Sampson’s house, the kids are shocked to find Jess-as-Jess out at the tree house. They are all, No Wai! And she says that they are just slow. They then beat them to the basement and then the garage. The kids are now awed. For the next twenty minutes, Jess and Liz mess with the kids’ minds. The kids think Jess has magic and are worried that she might turn her magic on them. She gets them to march into the living room and put it back into order as Liz sneaks off. Jess then gets them to straighten up the rest of the house before they go outside to play.
Mr. and Mrs. Sampson return at five and are surprised to find all of their children at home. They are extremely impressed that Jessica managed to handle all of them. (though, really, Jess is 12 right? A 12 year-old in charge of four other kids? Okay, if you are one of the Duggars, fine, but a 12 year-old without little brothers and sisters?) The Sampson’s give her a bonus-10 dollars. Oh, how generous for watching two extra kids. The kids want Jessica back next time because she is awesome and magic.
Jess gets home and impresses her family by bragging about how great a babysitter she was. Of course Liz comes home and is dressed exactly the same as Jessica is and spills the beans. Oh, Jess, won’t you learn that tooting your own horn usually fails? Liz blows it out of proportion and stomps off. Because Jess didn’t give you any credit? And you were surprised? Well, Jess knows what to do to make it up to Liz. She heads upstairs and offers Liz half of the money. Liz only takes 30 and lets Jess keep her 10 dollar tip. But the thing is, Liz had been on the phone before Jess came in and said, “Yeah, I think it’ll be really funny. What a great idea” which is kinda ominous, wouldn’t you say? Jess apologizes for stealing the job and sticking Liz with the water balloon booth.
The next day, Amy tells Jess that she really impressed the Sampsons. Jess tells her that she isn’t cut out to be a babysitter, but she is willing to try-once in a while. Amy also tells her that everyone is sorry she had to miss the fair so they are setting up a mini-fair after school on Monday in the park. Jess says they didn’t have to do that and is suspicious, but Liz tells her to go and have fun. That reassures Jess because Jess is pretty simple I’m afraid. Well, Monday comes and what do we find at the park but the water balloon booth. They shove Jess into it and she agrees because she is outnumbered. Lila throws first but misses. Amy throws next and misses too. Liz throws third and hits Jess on the shoulder. She gets really mad but then laughs. They all agree that she has paid her dues and they’ll go off to the beach.
Later that day, Jess realizes how lucky she was. She only got hit by one water balloon rather than a day full of them and came out fifty dollars richer. Mrs. Sampson calls and wants Jess to babysit. She says that she’ll let Liz do it. Liz says that Jess can do it. They both agree that Amy can do it. Besides, Jess will be at the mall spending her newly earned money. Which is just another symptom of what is wrong with America, but that is a discussion for another forum. ;)
Finally, in a completely ham-handed segue, we learn that the Sweet Valley students will be studying the principality of Santa Dora for the next few weeks. They’ll learn about the culture and all that stuff. Jess is bored by the idea, but Caroline comes up and says that she heard they’ll be getting an exchange student from Santa Dora. And it is a boy exchange student! Suddenly Jess is a lot more interested! What on earth could happen next?
I got this at the used bookstore today. I also got:
SVT 24: Jumping to Conclusions
SVT 39: Jessica and the Money Mix-Up
SVH 119: Jessica's Older Guy
SVH 120: In Love With the Enemy
SVU 2: Love, Lies, and Jessica Wakefield
SVU 17: Deadly Attraction
SVU Secret Love Diaries: Sam (book 62?)
SVU Secret Love Diaries: Chloe (book 63?)
So be prepared for more recaps! w00t!
Cover:
I used to wear my hair in a side-pony tail like that. And Jessica has the same little fly-aways I had too. We are twins!
Long Summary:
The sixth grade is holding a fair to raise money for future class trips. Students are going to be picked randomly to man the booths, and Jessica hopes for the Wheel of Fortune booth. (not the Wheel of Fish booth, sadly) The only booth no one wants is the Water-Balloon Toss booth-where they apparently throw water balloons at you. Elizabeth joins the group and says that she won’t be manning a booth because she’ll be designing posters. Next we learn how similar and yet how different the twins are. Lila hopes to raise enough money to take a class trip to Paris.
At lunch, Elizabeth runs into Amy who is a gloomy-gus. Turns out Amy promised to babysit for Mrs. Sampson on the day of the fair. This means Amy can’t run a booth and probably can’t even attend. Saint Elizabeth decides to step in for Amy. Amy is thrilled! She also says that Elizabeth is lucky only the youngest two will be there. The older two once tied Amy up in a chair and tried to cut off her hair. Elizabeth is brave though and doesn’t renege. At the booth-picking after school, Caroline Pierce gets the Wheel of Fortune booth, and Jessica is stuck with the Water-Balloon booth. Jess is furious and is determined to get out of manning the booth.
Jessica is not having a good day. Everyone is teasing her about her booth. At home, it isn’t any better as Steven ate all the ice cream. Mrs. Sampson calls, but Liz isn’t home. Jess takes notes for her. Turns out Liz’ll be making $10/hour which for a sixth grader is awesome. I made barely that in college, and I had the best job on campus. The wheels start clicking in Jess’ brain and she realized that a 7 hour job at 10/hour is seventy dollars. And it would mean she couldn’t do the booth at the fair. She tells Mrs. Sampson that Liz actually can’t do it, but she, Jessica can. The kids are 3 and 5 and how hard can it be? You play with them and then plop them down in front of the TV. Oh, this’ll be good.
Liz comes home and Jess tells her that she did her a favor. She knew how much Liz wanted to go to the fair, so Jess told Mrs. Sampson she’d do the babysitting! Don’t thank me, Liz, I’m just looking out for you. ;) Jess plays it all smooth, and Liz simply tells her that she hopes Jess knows what she is getting in to.
At school, Jess breaks the news that she won’t be able to man her booth. She is really disappointed and all, really. Julie who is running the whole thing is upset because she doesn’t know who to get to take Jess’ place. Why are they having a water balloon booth if it is such a shiat job? Just cut it out and make it a different lame booth. But Jess happens to know that Elizabeth is free… Julie is so happy to have someone to take the spot, she runs right off to find Elizabeth. Liz is upset, but since she is such a doormat, she agrees to man the booth. Liz is so mad! She is going to find Jessica right away and not let her get away with it! Liz doesn’t find Jess til after school, and she totally pushes Jessica into the pool. I wish. She does a bit of forceful talking but in the end rolls over and takes it. What else did you expect? She says that she has heard that the kids Jess is sitting are monsters and she hopes they are. And Jess had better not come crying to Liz for help because Liz will be busy! So there!
Liz is actually still angry come Saturday. She heads off to the fair with some towels and Jess heads off to the sitting job. She thinks she’ll have time to do some magazine reading and homework. I’ll bet. Then for the unintentional funny: Mrs. Sampson asks Jessica, “Do you have a microwave at home?” Which really dates this book because I don’t think there is a person in the country who doesn’t have a microwave. All Jess has to do is reheat some spaghetti for lunch. Oh, and the Sampsons have a forbidden room. The living room. It is apparently decorated in whites and grays which is so smart for a family with four kids. Mrs. Sampson says that no one is allowed in the room and then locks it up. Methinks I sense some foreshadowing.
Mrs. Sampson leaves and Jess is faced with the kids. The phone rings. It is Lila. She is calling from the fair on her brand new cordless phone! Oh, those were the days. She’ll call Jess periodically to give her fair updates. Liz has collected a lot of money at her booth already and hasn’t even been hit.
Jess gets back to not-baby-sitting. The kids are bored. They want to play. Jess is lost and in totally over her head. No magazine for her!
At the fair, Lila tries to con Caroline out of the Wheel of Fortune booth. It doesn’t work. Lila takes a break and heads over to the water balloon booth, which is across the park. There are only 10 booths, how much space can they need? Liz is actually having fun at her booth and both she and Amy wonder how Jess is doing.
Turns out that Jess isn’t doing so well. Raise your hand if you are surprised. Everyone else, point and laugh at whoever has their hand up. Jess tries to think of something for the kids to do and settles on TV. That works out for about five seconds because the kids can’t agree on what to watch. The boy has a stomach ache and needs medicine. The kid of course spits the medicine out at Jess. The girl is tearing up Jess’ magazine to make a collage. Well, good thing Jess will have some money to buy another one.
At the fair, Liz finally gets hit by a balloon thrown by Bruce Patman. To be fair, it was only because Ken Matthews yelled and distracted her. But she didn’t feel upset because the weather was hot and the water felt good. Jess calls on Lila’s cordless phone (the park has a telephone jack? Mmmkay) and begs Liz for a favor. Liz isn’t very sympathetic and leaves Jess on her own for once. Bravo, Liz!
Jess is really having a tough time. The boy ate a bunch of ice cream and then throws up. Luckily Jess gets him to the toilet in time. I know you were worried and wanted to know that. The girl is looking for the key to the living room. The phone rings-it is the older daughter and her brownie leader sprained her ankle so there isn’t going to be a hike. The kids find the key and just then the doorbell rings. It is the older boy who had a fight with his friend and so came home. Jess calls Liz in a panic but Liz is not listening because she has been hit with a couple more water balloons. Jess returns to the kids and they have gotten into the living room. They are of course tearing it up because they are idiots and apparently their parents don’t discipline them. The older kids decide to give the younger one a tattoo. I am guessing it is a paint-on kind but the fact that one of the kids has a tattoo set is somehow disturbing to me. Jessica can’t do anything-she is powerless. The doorbell rings and it is, you guessed it, the older girl. Now all four are home. My powers of math tell me that this job should now be worth at least $20/hour or more.
Jessica has a good idea and tells them all to get into their swimsuits so they can go play under the sprinkler. That way, she can clean that tattoos of the little kids at the same time. Pretty smart, Jess. Then the kids get hungry. But there is only food for two and Jessica not four and Jessica. Jess ruins the food by her microwave-ineptitude. She then makes the kids sandwiches. After that, she calls Liz again to cry. Even though Liz is starting to get really wet (and it seems to be only boys who are hitting her-is she wearing a white t-shirt or something?) she realizes that Jess really is in over her head with four kids. Liz tells her to make the kids fear her, but Jess says that is a joke. Liz then figures out a plan. She’ll dress like Jess and they’ll double-team them. But she has to find someone to take her spot at the booth first.
Jess is still going crazy at the Sampson’s house. The phone rings-it is Mrs. Sampson calling from the cell phone on the boat. The little girl picks it up and before Jessica can get to it, has hung up. Mrs. Sampson has no idea her older two kids have come home. Jess hears someone at the door. It is Liz dressed exactly like Jess. Elizabeth has a plan. Oh goody. Oh, and Liz found a replacement for the water balloon booth-Lila who lost the straw draw. And now Lila is out for Jess’ blood also.
Jess gets the kids outside by saying they’ll play Kick the Can. I have heard of Kick the Can, but I have no idea about the rules. I am guessing it involves a can and some kicking but after that, I am fuzzy. But can a 3 year-old play it? Well, turns out the Sampson kids love Kick the Can. But they go outside and of course start arguing. Jess, following Liz’s directions, tells them that she is fed up and is going inside and they had better not follow her. They decide they’ll beat her there and so run into the house. Next think Jess hears is a shriek. Somehow, Jessica got there ahead of them! They are freaked out. Liz-as-Jess says that she told them not to follow her and that she is going out to the tree house and they can’t follow her there. Jess knows a cue when she hears it and takes off for the tree house.
Meanwhile, Lila is suffering in the water balloon booth. She is worried about her new, expensive jumpsuit. I personally would be worried if anyone caught me wearing a jumpsuit. Lila gets hit by her first water balloon and is worried that her outfit is stained. By water. Oh noes!
Back at the Sampson’s house, the kids are shocked to find Jess-as-Jess out at the tree house. They are all, No Wai! And she says that they are just slow. They then beat them to the basement and then the garage. The kids are now awed. For the next twenty minutes, Jess and Liz mess with the kids’ minds. The kids think Jess has magic and are worried that she might turn her magic on them. She gets them to march into the living room and put it back into order as Liz sneaks off. Jess then gets them to straighten up the rest of the house before they go outside to play.
Mr. and Mrs. Sampson return at five and are surprised to find all of their children at home. They are extremely impressed that Jessica managed to handle all of them. (though, really, Jess is 12 right? A 12 year-old in charge of four other kids? Okay, if you are one of the Duggars, fine, but a 12 year-old without little brothers and sisters?) The Sampson’s give her a bonus-10 dollars. Oh, how generous for watching two extra kids. The kids want Jessica back next time because she is awesome and magic.
Jess gets home and impresses her family by bragging about how great a babysitter she was. Of course Liz comes home and is dressed exactly the same as Jessica is and spills the beans. Oh, Jess, won’t you learn that tooting your own horn usually fails? Liz blows it out of proportion and stomps off. Because Jess didn’t give you any credit? And you were surprised? Well, Jess knows what to do to make it up to Liz. She heads upstairs and offers Liz half of the money. Liz only takes 30 and lets Jess keep her 10 dollar tip. But the thing is, Liz had been on the phone before Jess came in and said, “Yeah, I think it’ll be really funny. What a great idea” which is kinda ominous, wouldn’t you say? Jess apologizes for stealing the job and sticking Liz with the water balloon booth.
The next day, Amy tells Jess that she really impressed the Sampsons. Jess tells her that she isn’t cut out to be a babysitter, but she is willing to try-once in a while. Amy also tells her that everyone is sorry she had to miss the fair so they are setting up a mini-fair after school on Monday in the park. Jess says they didn’t have to do that and is suspicious, but Liz tells her to go and have fun. That reassures Jess because Jess is pretty simple I’m afraid. Well, Monday comes and what do we find at the park but the water balloon booth. They shove Jess into it and she agrees because she is outnumbered. Lila throws first but misses. Amy throws next and misses too. Liz throws third and hits Jess on the shoulder. She gets really mad but then laughs. They all agree that she has paid her dues and they’ll go off to the beach.
Later that day, Jess realizes how lucky she was. She only got hit by one water balloon rather than a day full of them and came out fifty dollars richer. Mrs. Sampson calls and wants Jess to babysit. She says that she’ll let Liz do it. Liz says that Jess can do it. They both agree that Amy can do it. Besides, Jess will be at the mall spending her newly earned money. Which is just another symptom of what is wrong with America, but that is a discussion for another forum. ;)
Finally, in a completely ham-handed segue, we learn that the Sweet Valley students will be studying the principality of Santa Dora for the next few weeks. They’ll learn about the culture and all that stuff. Jess is bored by the idea, but Caroline comes up and says that she heard they’ll be getting an exchange student from Santa Dora. And it is a boy exchange student! Suddenly Jess is a lot more interested! What on earth could happen next?
I got this at the used bookstore today. I also got:
SVT 24: Jumping to Conclusions
SVT 39: Jessica and the Money Mix-Up
SVH 119: Jessica's Older Guy
SVH 120: In Love With the Enemy
SVU 2: Love, Lies, and Jessica Wakefield
SVU 17: Deadly Attraction
SVU Secret Love Diaries: Sam (book 62?)
SVU Secret Love Diaries: Chloe (book 63?)
So be prepared for more recaps! w00t!