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Sweet Valley Kids #45
Elizabeth's Piano Lessons
Identical twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield are taking piano lessons. Jessica loves them. Elizabeth hates them. They can't stop fighting about it. Elizabeth is doubly mad because Jessica bullied her into taking the lessons. Now the twins are supposed to play a duet at a recital. The better Jessica plays, the worse Elizabeth does. Will Elizabeth get her revenge by ruining Jessica's big day--on purpose?
- GenresChildrens
71 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 21, 2021
3 1/2***
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September 11, 2025Elizabeth’s Piano Lesson
Jessica and Liz are late catching the bus. They sit next to Amy and Julie. Amy’s spent the night at Julie’s and says she heard Julie play the piano and she’ll be great at the recital. Julie’s going to play “The Farmer in the Dell” in a couple weeks at the SV Public Library with a bunch of other kids. She admits she’s a little nervous because a lot of people are coming.
Jessica likes the thought of being in a recital and says she wishes she could be in it. But, Julie says she can come watch her but she can’t be in it unless she takes lessons. Jessica says then maybe they’ll start taking lessons but when Liz asks what she means by that she just says wait and see. Amy changes the subject to taking her first horseback lesson after school and Liz points out she took horseback riding lessons on the reservation. Amy invites the twins to come with her. Liz says yes. Jessica says she’ll pass. She will not be doing that again.
The twins argue. Liz says you’d never catch her on a piano bench. Jessica says that’s what you think and smiles mysteriously. When Liz gets home from the stables with Amy, Jessica tells her their Aunt Helen called and said she’d pay for any kind of lessons they wanted to take. Steven choose basketball camp next summer. Jessica told her they both wanted to take piano lessons when she called before school. The twins start to argue again. Liz says she’s not playing the piano and the only reason Jessica wants to is because Julie is. Then their mother comes into the kitchen and Liz doesn’t say anything because her mom says she’s thrilled that they want to play the piano and goes on and on about how much of a lover of music Aunt Helen is.
Alice asks Liz is she excited about the lessons and Jessica waits to see if she’ll tell, but Liz just says it’s fine. When they’re by themselves Jessica tells her she knows she’ll like piano lessons and thanks her. Liz says she tricked her. Jessica says it’s too late to change her mind. She might hurt Aunt Helen’s feelings. The next morning, Liz decides to tell her parents she doesn’t want to play the piano, but they’ve found a teacher already (Julie’s) and they go on and on about Julie’s musical family. They say maybe Liz will be musical and she chickens out.
After this they look for a piano. They pick a wooden upright and have it delivered to rent. Liz is a little more excited. She still doesn’t want to take the lessons but it’ll make Jessica and her Aunt happy so maybe it won’t be so bad. Jessica’s lesson is first. She suggests she and Liz walk over together, but Liz says she’s not coming until the last minute. Jessica doesn’t understand why Liz is being so weird about it but says ok. Their teachers name is Leo Wheeler. He teaches Jessica to play the scales with the right hand. Then the left. Then together. He says she has talent and invites her and Liz to play a duet in the recital in two weeks. He says it’ll be hard work to learn the song in that short a time, but Jessica is excited and says they can do it.
Reluctantly Liz has to leave a game of soccer with Todd and Kisho. When she gets to her piano lesson, Jessica is leaving and tells her about the recital. Liz can’t believe that yet again Jessica made plans for her without asking her. When she gets inside Leo tells her to try next time to be on time. She’s late. She’s a little embarrassed because she’s never late. He tells her to play a note and she bangs on the keys hoping he’ll say she has no talent and send her home but he just says that was nice and loud and they should try something nicer.
Jessica and Liz practice for their next lesson in a couple of days. Jessica has it down. Liz keeps making mistakes and brining up irrelavent things like Eva teaching her how to backstroke. Steven comments they definitely aren’t twins when it comes to the piano. Jessica is much better. Liz has a tantrum, bangs her fist on the piano, and storms off when Jessica says she should practice her curtsy. Amy tells Liz about her horse Venus at the stables and invites her to see her. Only, Liz doesn’t get permission and gets in trouble when she gets home. Jessica says she’s also missed lessons. Her mother says it isn’t like her and asks doesn’t she like playing the piano but Liz lies and says she does and apologizes. Aunt Helen surprises the twins with a visit and says she came to come to their recital. Liz tries everything to distract her from hearing them play (Jessica asks if she’d like to hear them play). Liz continues to mess up “Mary Had A Little Lamb”. So, Aunt Helen encourages them and asks if they’d like to take a walk. Liz says she would. Jessica wants to stay and practice. The recital is tomorrow. After they leave, she starts to think maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to trick Liz isn’t playing and wishes there was a way that she didn’t have to so she won’t embarrass her.
On their walk, Aunt Helen keeps bringing up the piano and Liz keeps changing the subject. So, Aunt Helen confides in Liz that she took piano for 4 years and she hated every minute of it. But she didn’t tell her mother because she thought she’d be disappointed. Only her mother didn’t mind. She thought it made her happy. Liz admits that playing the piano was Jessica’s idea. So, Aunt Helen and Liz then start to talk about what fun she had at the stables.
Jessica doesn’t miss a note at the recital. Julie asks why Liz why she didn’t play and she says her parents said she didn’t take to play anymore. Leo comes up and tells her not to feel bad for quitting. If it wasn’t her thing then she should have just said so. Afterward, they surprise Liz by taking her to the stable and signing her up for riding lessons. Jessica asks her mom if she’s sure because she said she thought playing the piano was safer. Besides Liz might fall off her horse. Her mother says she’s sure Liz will be extra careful and Liz says she will.
Mrs. Otis surprises Jessica and Julie by having them play their songs for the class. Jessica thanks Liz for telling Mrs. Otis and says she’s the nicest sister in the world. They agree that Miss Otis is the nicest teacher and Jessica says she wishes she could have her as a teacher forever. I think we all know that means she’ll be leaving soon.
Rating: 5 I don’t know what it is about the piano. Whoever I ask doesn’t seem to like it. My aunt and my mom were talking recently. My aunt said she didn’t like it. My mom said she’d not practice and her teacher wouldn’t let her get out of it and say that’s ok. You can practice while I eat my dinner. I took lessons and I don’t remember *hating it*. I just didn’t like feeling forced into the recitals by the teacher. But that didn’t have as much to do with me not liking the piano. It had to do with me being in introvert and not wanting to play it in front of a bunch of people. I also remember having a big Casio keyboard that I remember enjoying fooling around with.
Jessica and Liz are late catching the bus. They sit next to Amy and Julie. Amy’s spent the night at Julie’s and says she heard Julie play the piano and she’ll be great at the recital. Julie’s going to play “The Farmer in the Dell” in a couple weeks at the SV Public Library with a bunch of other kids. She admits she’s a little nervous because a lot of people are coming.
Jessica likes the thought of being in a recital and says she wishes she could be in it. But, Julie says she can come watch her but she can’t be in it unless she takes lessons. Jessica says then maybe they’ll start taking lessons but when Liz asks what she means by that she just says wait and see. Amy changes the subject to taking her first horseback lesson after school and Liz points out she took horseback riding lessons on the reservation. Amy invites the twins to come with her. Liz says yes. Jessica says she’ll pass. She will not be doing that again.
The twins argue. Liz says you’d never catch her on a piano bench. Jessica says that’s what you think and smiles mysteriously. When Liz gets home from the stables with Amy, Jessica tells her their Aunt Helen called and said she’d pay for any kind of lessons they wanted to take. Steven choose basketball camp next summer. Jessica told her they both wanted to take piano lessons when she called before school. The twins start to argue again. Liz says she’s not playing the piano and the only reason Jessica wants to is because Julie is. Then their mother comes into the kitchen and Liz doesn’t say anything because her mom says she’s thrilled that they want to play the piano and goes on and on about how much of a lover of music Aunt Helen is.
Alice asks Liz is she excited about the lessons and Jessica waits to see if she’ll tell, but Liz just says it’s fine. When they’re by themselves Jessica tells her she knows she’ll like piano lessons and thanks her. Liz says she tricked her. Jessica says it’s too late to change her mind. She might hurt Aunt Helen’s feelings. The next morning, Liz decides to tell her parents she doesn’t want to play the piano, but they’ve found a teacher already (Julie’s) and they go on and on about Julie’s musical family. They say maybe Liz will be musical and she chickens out.
After this they look for a piano. They pick a wooden upright and have it delivered to rent. Liz is a little more excited. She still doesn’t want to take the lessons but it’ll make Jessica and her Aunt happy so maybe it won’t be so bad. Jessica’s lesson is first. She suggests she and Liz walk over together, but Liz says she’s not coming until the last minute. Jessica doesn’t understand why Liz is being so weird about it but says ok. Their teachers name is Leo Wheeler. He teaches Jessica to play the scales with the right hand. Then the left. Then together. He says she has talent and invites her and Liz to play a duet in the recital in two weeks. He says it’ll be hard work to learn the song in that short a time, but Jessica is excited and says they can do it.
Reluctantly Liz has to leave a game of soccer with Todd and Kisho. When she gets to her piano lesson, Jessica is leaving and tells her about the recital. Liz can’t believe that yet again Jessica made plans for her without asking her. When she gets inside Leo tells her to try next time to be on time. She’s late. She’s a little embarrassed because she’s never late. He tells her to play a note and she bangs on the keys hoping he’ll say she has no talent and send her home but he just says that was nice and loud and they should try something nicer.
Jessica and Liz practice for their next lesson in a couple of days. Jessica has it down. Liz keeps making mistakes and brining up irrelavent things like Eva teaching her how to backstroke. Steven comments they definitely aren’t twins when it comes to the piano. Jessica is much better. Liz has a tantrum, bangs her fist on the piano, and storms off when Jessica says she should practice her curtsy. Amy tells Liz about her horse Venus at the stables and invites her to see her. Only, Liz doesn’t get permission and gets in trouble when she gets home. Jessica says she’s also missed lessons. Her mother says it isn’t like her and asks doesn’t she like playing the piano but Liz lies and says she does and apologizes. Aunt Helen surprises the twins with a visit and says she came to come to their recital. Liz tries everything to distract her from hearing them play (Jessica asks if she’d like to hear them play). Liz continues to mess up “Mary Had A Little Lamb”. So, Aunt Helen encourages them and asks if they’d like to take a walk. Liz says she would. Jessica wants to stay and practice. The recital is tomorrow. After they leave, she starts to think maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to trick Liz isn’t playing and wishes there was a way that she didn’t have to so she won’t embarrass her.
On their walk, Aunt Helen keeps bringing up the piano and Liz keeps changing the subject. So, Aunt Helen confides in Liz that she took piano for 4 years and she hated every minute of it. But she didn’t tell her mother because she thought she’d be disappointed. Only her mother didn’t mind. She thought it made her happy. Liz admits that playing the piano was Jessica’s idea. So, Aunt Helen and Liz then start to talk about what fun she had at the stables.
Jessica doesn’t miss a note at the recital. Julie asks why Liz why she didn’t play and she says her parents said she didn’t take to play anymore. Leo comes up and tells her not to feel bad for quitting. If it wasn’t her thing then she should have just said so. Afterward, they surprise Liz by taking her to the stable and signing her up for riding lessons. Jessica asks her mom if she’s sure because she said she thought playing the piano was safer. Besides Liz might fall off her horse. Her mother says she’s sure Liz will be extra careful and Liz says she will.
Mrs. Otis surprises Jessica and Julie by having them play their songs for the class. Jessica thanks Liz for telling Mrs. Otis and says she’s the nicest sister in the world. They agree that Miss Otis is the nicest teacher and Jessica says she wishes she could have her as a teacher forever. I think we all know that means she’ll be leaving soon.
Rating: 5 I don’t know what it is about the piano. Whoever I ask doesn’t seem to like it. My aunt and my mom were talking recently. My aunt said she didn’t like it. My mom said she’d not practice and her teacher wouldn’t let her get out of it and say that’s ok. You can practice while I eat my dinner. I took lessons and I don’t remember *hating it*. I just didn’t like feeling forced into the recitals by the teacher. But that didn’t have as much to do with me not liking the piano. It had to do with me being in introvert and not wanting to play it in front of a bunch of people. I also remember having a big Casio keyboard that I remember enjoying fooling around with.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2024
Twins aunt is ready to pay for their lessons and to suprise Elizabeth, Jessica enrols them both in piano lessons. But Elizabeth doesn't like the piano lessons and she wants horse riding lessons instead
December 5, 2021
Good old Aunt Helen has come through with the goods and is paying for lessons for the Wakefield kids! Jess thinks piano lessons (and curtseying at the recital) sounds terrific, so she tells her parents and Aunt Helen that’s what she and Liz want. Liz hates the idea - she’s into horses now, but for some reason just goes along with it, mad at the world (I.e. Jess). They go to their separate lessons, and the instructor tells Jess they can play a song together at the recital! Jess accepts and Liz is even angrier, and doesn’t practice, skips lessons (to go see horses without telling anyone 😱) and it’s like bizarro world. And then Aunt Helen shows up and manages to get it out of Liz - she hates piano. Next thing you know, only Jess is performing Mary had a little lamb at the recital (curtsy and all) and afterwards they all swing by the stables to sign Liz up for horses riding lessons.
My rating - 3/10 - neither horses nor piano interest me, plus I never like it when Liz acts like Jess 😂
My rating - 3/10 - neither horses nor piano interest me, plus I never like it when Liz acts like Jess 😂
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November 4, 2022It fascinates me how Liz and Jess often seem reversed in Sweet Valley Kids. In SVH Liz would be far more likely to be the one interested in piano lessons, but here she's horrified by the thought. A fairly typical SVK book - pleasantly entertaining but not a stand-out.
June 22, 2013
I remember the cover but just not the story
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews