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Sweet Valley Twins #16
Second Best
Preteen reading.
104 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1988
2 people are currently reading
314 people want to read
About the author
Francine Pascal
1,139 books1,850 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 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 9, 2018
The amount of bullying that goes on at Sweet Valley absolutely astonishes me sometimes. Here you have a story of two brothers, one who everyone sees as 'perfect' and the other is just dorking Dylan McKay. Tired of living in his brother's shadow, they get into a fight, which puts the entire school against Dylan, who kind of snapped. There's really no better way to put it.
Dylan is one of those kids you expect to see shooting up a school in a few years. He feels things too deeply, feels always alone, is slighted and ignored and always unfavorably compared to his perfect brother. This is how very bad stories develop. But he's also giving no one a chance, refuses to allow anyone close, and when someone is nice, he snaps at them and runs away.
Of course ELizabeth has to get in the middle of all that. And by the end of the book, one single act of niceness cures everything. Right?
While I like how the Sweet Valley book tries to tackle serious issues, what I hate is that they usually fail. I want to call the setup unrealistic, but having been the brunt of what felt like a school-wide shutout against me in grade school, I'm going to say that this can happen. And does. It's why we have kids that snap and go into schools to hurt people. And while being nice once isn't a cureall, it's a start that needs to be underscored again and again.
But I would also recommend some serious counseling, not just for Dylan but for his entire family. Because they have some serious communication issues.
Dylan is one of those kids you expect to see shooting up a school in a few years. He feels things too deeply, feels always alone, is slighted and ignored and always unfavorably compared to his perfect brother. This is how very bad stories develop. But he's also giving no one a chance, refuses to allow anyone close, and when someone is nice, he snaps at them and runs away.
Of course ELizabeth has to get in the middle of all that. And by the end of the book, one single act of niceness cures everything. Right?
While I like how the Sweet Valley book tries to tackle serious issues, what I hate is that they usually fail. I want to call the setup unrealistic, but having been the brunt of what felt like a school-wide shutout against me in grade school, I'm going to say that this can happen. And does. It's why we have kids that snap and go into schools to hurt people. And while being nice once isn't a cureall, it's a start that needs to be underscored again and again.
But I would also recommend some serious counseling, not just for Dylan but for his entire family. Because they have some serious communication issues.
July 11, 2020
Mixed feelings, here's why:
January 25, 2022
Second Best
Plot: Jessica and Elizabeth arrive home excited. Each with news for Alice. Elizabeth is excited about the essay contest and Jessica is hyped over Kimberly Haver’s party. But at dinner, Alice and Ned drop the bomb that the report cards came and Jessica wasn’t good. So she’ll be grounded another two weeks. Elizabeth says they have a big project coming up, and Ned agrees that if he sees some improvement Jess came go to the party. The next day Elizabeth sees Jessica picking through some clothes that she’s not interested in wearing. She finds out when they get to school, that for her school project she -and the rest of the Unicorns she thinks- will open a boutique and give away the clothes they don’t want to the less fashionable SVH students. They’ll also pick a few cute guys to be in their group like Bruce Patman and the new guy (Tom McKay) but not his brother (Dylan) who they think is nerdy. Jessica invites Elisabeth to be in the group, but she knows that the teachers probably will assign the groups *their way*.
Elizabeth overhears Dylan and Tom having an argument when she goes back to get her notebook. Tom wants Dylan to come to a room Representative meeting, but Dylan isn’t interested. (This doesn’t even make sense since they aren’t in the same grade). But Dylan *is* interested in the essay contest. He likes to write down his thoughts sometimes and the topic (Freedom of Speech) has inspired him. However, when he hears Elizabeth and Amy talking. Amy is telling Elizabeth she thinks she’ll win because she’s a good writer. Elizabeth says there are a lot of good essays and that she heard Tom’s was excellent. Dylan then decides *his* essay probably won’t live up to Tom’s and decides not to enter. At an assembly, the groups are chosen and the project is explained that each student will run their own business and do everything that a company would do (reports, advertising, etc). Elizabeth, Amy, and Dylan are in Mr. Bowman’s group and Jessica, Lila, Ellen, Betsy, Kimberly, and Tom are in Ms. Wyler’s group.
Jessica’s group elects her president and Tom comes up with the name for the boutique “Sweet Valley Vogue”. Then she picks Lila as vice president. Already we can see she’s not interested in taking votes or advice from her others in the group. Elizabeth comes up with the idea her group will run a publishing company and they’ll put together a book using the other student's poems and stories. They all seem to like her idea, except for Dylan whose frowning. Elizabeth wonders again what’s up with him. (She previously tried to include him but he doesn’t make it easy saying he can’t draw and he isn’t good at construction). Tom comes up to Dillion at lunch and asks about his project, but Dylan starts a fight with him over Tom ACCIDENTLY grabbing his book bag. Dylan keeps trying to get Tom to fight, but Tom keeps trying to talk to him rationally. Dylan ends up punching Tom in the nose. Jerry and Charlie break the fight up before Mr. Bowman comes over. Tom says he slipped and hit his nose on the table. Mr.Bowman sends him to get cleaned up. The girls all think Dylan is a pycho, but Elizabeth reminds them of Brooke Dennis and how they misjudged her. The girls still aren’t convinced.
Jessica’s group is disorganized. Everyone wants to be a VP so she appoints half the group, but then they use it as an excuse not to do the work. At the end of the period, nothing gets done. She’s let them take a “break” and they talked all period. At dinner, Elizabeth’s group has gotten half the essay’s typed for the book, Jessica’s father tells her it’s HER responsibility as president to make sure everyone does the work AND to set an example by doing a lot of herself. She follows his advice and the next meeting goes a little better. Elizabeth and Jessica receive their invitations for Kimberly’s party.
Dylan hears everyone talking about Kimberly’s party and at first, he isn’t phased by it. Then he hears Tamera say all the seventh graders were invited and a select few sixth graders. Dylan looks in his locker-no invite-. He shrugs it off. When he gets home he finds out Tom *did* get an invite. Not only that his mother is singing his praises. So Dylan decides to run away. When he finally saves up the money go get a bus ticket, he sees Jessica there getting a transportation schedule – I’m scratching my head what in the world this has to do with starting a school business since they aren’t transporting anything from or to anywhere-. Surprisingly she speaks to Dylan and asks why he’s there. He tells her he’s going to visit an aunt in San Francisco. Everyone buys Elizabeth’s book (I kinda find this hard to believe that these kids wanna buy a book of poems and essays). Then Elizabeth goes to Jessica’s booth. Because Jessica has been TRADING clothes instead of SELLING them she hasn’t made any money. Luckily she has some clothes saved and puts the best ones out front. Then she marks down the last items. Her boutique sells out after that. Elizabeth hears that Dylan won the contest from Julie and Amy and then realizes she hasn’t told him what she did so she rushes off to find him.
After school, Elizabeth assigns tasks and the mood is light, but then Dylan shows up and it turns to an awkward silence. Elizabeth asks Dylan can he type and he says a little. But when everyone leaves she see’s that he really can’t. And he’s got his papers mixed in with the student’s essays and poems. Later after dinner, Elizabeth finds an essay that’s so good she wonders who wrote it and thinks it must be from the contest. The writing looks familiar and she recognizes it as Dylan’s. She calls Dylan and tells him he has to hurry up and mail the essay by tonight, but he tells her to just throw it away. It doesn’t take Elizabeth five seconds to head to the post office to mail it. Eventually, she sees Dylan headed to class, but she gets stopped by Mrs. Arnett who asks her to help her carry some folders. After school, she can’t find Dylan anywhere. She runs into Kimberly and Jessica and asks if Dylan is headed to Kimberly’s party. But Kimberly is embarrassed and admits she didn’t invite him. Jessica said he probably wouldn’t want to have come anyway. Elizabeth makes her realize how she (Jessica) felt when her parents went on and on about Steven’s sports banquet accomplishments. THEN Jessica gets it! She then tells Elizabeth she saw Dylan at the bus stop saying he was going to visit his aunt. Only they find Tom and he says they don’t have an aunt in San Francisco. Kimberly gives them Dylan’s invitation and they all decide to just tell him she “forgot” to give it to him.
They all head to the bus station and catch him as he’s about to board the bus. Tom chastises him for trying to run away and Elizabeth tells about the essay and invites him to Kimberly’s party. Because he won the contest he’s the man of the hour and everyone is now all on him (rolling my eyes).
My Thoughts: I actually know this guy (Dylan). He’s been in my life for thirty-odd-something years. Yes this is the story of my best friend who was tall, gangly, and had a chip the size of the Great Wall, because his brother was very good-looking, popular, good at sports, and all the girls were sweating him. And did I mention my best friend was also a writer as well? I teasingly asked him did he ever try to run away and he said he wanted to. It was just strange to me that SO much emphasis was put on Tom being better at SPORTS. I find it hard to believe that there isn’t a group in SVMS for Dylan. They can’t all be perfect and social and beautiful. Dylan strikes me as the comic book Dungeons and Dragons-sci-fi-type geek. And *today* that’s been turned into a COOL THING! The sexiest man I know (whose a celebrity is an anime geek. Why aren’t there groups like this at this school? What I also found *odd* is that Dylan didn’t even CONSIDER what he was gonna I felt do when he got to LA with NO MONEY. His skin doesn’t even produce pearls (Constellation of Scars). Just from scrolling alone apartments in LA can range anywhere from 270-800 and up. Dylan would have gotten off the bus and WHAT? He’d had to probably find a homeless shelter and slept there night after night until or IF he even COULD find a job. And he’s in middle school and not even 16 so his chances don’t look good. On the cover he’s tall so maybe that could work in his favor to make him look a little older. But like most people who try to run away when they’re teenagers, they don’t THINK. I remember trying to run away, but I remember walking up the street, and when I got back home (cause where else COULD I go) all my stuff had been moved out my room. So the most I could do was go over my aunt’s house and stay there. Then SVMS is so FAKE! One minute they won’t come near Dylan with a ten-foot pole. The next they find out he won the contest and they’re treating him like he’s Barack Obama. REALLY? Number one I would NOT have gone to that party and number two you can’t pay me to believe these kids (that includes the Unicorns who probably haven’t read anything other than magazines a day in their life) are all that hyped over an essay contest. Just like you can’t pay me to believe either that all these kids bought that essay and poetry book Elizabeth’s group sold. If it sounds boring to me and I live breath and sleep books, then YEAH it was probably not even worth a dollar. I don’t know maybe if the students would have made something like a memory book or a yearbook. Jessica’s idea though had something to it. Lila’s leftovers alone would have racked up. But then I thought about it though, I hope they WASHED these clothes first. Sometimes I know it’s ok to buy second-hand clothes in a thrift store on one hand but on the other, I don’t know if you’d want to buy something of someone else's. It’s one thing to buy electronics second-hand (it just depends) but clothes are another thing. Jewelry is ok though. I still can’t believe they TRADED the clothes with each other. I didn’t remember there being backups but then I shouldn’t be surprised because just like the Jessica in my family, things seem to always work out for *THIS* Jessica also
Rating: 5 I can see why everybody liked Tom! *(* liked Tom! HE put up with Dylan and took ALL his bs and never even got angry. Not ONCE does he even bad mouth, Dylan. Now, who all else do you know would put up with someone punching them in the nose and then take up for them so they don’t get in trouble just because. Brother or not? Tom was extremely likable and easy-going.
Plot: Jessica and Elizabeth arrive home excited. Each with news for Alice. Elizabeth is excited about the essay contest and Jessica is hyped over Kimberly Haver’s party. But at dinner, Alice and Ned drop the bomb that the report cards came and Jessica wasn’t good. So she’ll be grounded another two weeks. Elizabeth says they have a big project coming up, and Ned agrees that if he sees some improvement Jess came go to the party. The next day Elizabeth sees Jessica picking through some clothes that she’s not interested in wearing. She finds out when they get to school, that for her school project she -and the rest of the Unicorns she thinks- will open a boutique and give away the clothes they don’t want to the less fashionable SVH students. They’ll also pick a few cute guys to be in their group like Bruce Patman and the new guy (Tom McKay) but not his brother (Dylan) who they think is nerdy. Jessica invites Elisabeth to be in the group, but she knows that the teachers probably will assign the groups *their way*.
Elizabeth overhears Dylan and Tom having an argument when she goes back to get her notebook. Tom wants Dylan to come to a room Representative meeting, but Dylan isn’t interested. (This doesn’t even make sense since they aren’t in the same grade). But Dylan *is* interested in the essay contest. He likes to write down his thoughts sometimes and the topic (Freedom of Speech) has inspired him. However, when he hears Elizabeth and Amy talking. Amy is telling Elizabeth she thinks she’ll win because she’s a good writer. Elizabeth says there are a lot of good essays and that she heard Tom’s was excellent. Dylan then decides *his* essay probably won’t live up to Tom’s and decides not to enter. At an assembly, the groups are chosen and the project is explained that each student will run their own business and do everything that a company would do (reports, advertising, etc). Elizabeth, Amy, and Dylan are in Mr. Bowman’s group and Jessica, Lila, Ellen, Betsy, Kimberly, and Tom are in Ms. Wyler’s group.
Jessica’s group elects her president and Tom comes up with the name for the boutique “Sweet Valley Vogue”. Then she picks Lila as vice president. Already we can see she’s not interested in taking votes or advice from her others in the group. Elizabeth comes up with the idea her group will run a publishing company and they’ll put together a book using the other student's poems and stories. They all seem to like her idea, except for Dylan whose frowning. Elizabeth wonders again what’s up with him. (She previously tried to include him but he doesn’t make it easy saying he can’t draw and he isn’t good at construction). Tom comes up to Dillion at lunch and asks about his project, but Dylan starts a fight with him over Tom ACCIDENTLY grabbing his book bag. Dylan keeps trying to get Tom to fight, but Tom keeps trying to talk to him rationally. Dylan ends up punching Tom in the nose. Jerry and Charlie break the fight up before Mr. Bowman comes over. Tom says he slipped and hit his nose on the table. Mr.Bowman sends him to get cleaned up. The girls all think Dylan is a pycho, but Elizabeth reminds them of Brooke Dennis and how they misjudged her. The girls still aren’t convinced.
Jessica’s group is disorganized. Everyone wants to be a VP so she appoints half the group, but then they use it as an excuse not to do the work. At the end of the period, nothing gets done. She’s let them take a “break” and they talked all period. At dinner, Elizabeth’s group has gotten half the essay’s typed for the book, Jessica’s father tells her it’s HER responsibility as president to make sure everyone does the work AND to set an example by doing a lot of herself. She follows his advice and the next meeting goes a little better. Elizabeth and Jessica receive their invitations for Kimberly’s party.
Dylan hears everyone talking about Kimberly’s party and at first, he isn’t phased by it. Then he hears Tamera say all the seventh graders were invited and a select few sixth graders. Dylan looks in his locker-no invite-. He shrugs it off. When he gets home he finds out Tom *did* get an invite. Not only that his mother is singing his praises. So Dylan decides to run away. When he finally saves up the money go get a bus ticket, he sees Jessica there getting a transportation schedule – I’m scratching my head what in the world this has to do with starting a school business since they aren’t transporting anything from or to anywhere-. Surprisingly she speaks to Dylan and asks why he’s there. He tells her he’s going to visit an aunt in San Francisco. Everyone buys Elizabeth’s book (I kinda find this hard to believe that these kids wanna buy a book of poems and essays). Then Elizabeth goes to Jessica’s booth. Because Jessica has been TRADING clothes instead of SELLING them she hasn’t made any money. Luckily she has some clothes saved and puts the best ones out front. Then she marks down the last items. Her boutique sells out after that. Elizabeth hears that Dylan won the contest from Julie and Amy and then realizes she hasn’t told him what she did so she rushes off to find him.
After school, Elizabeth assigns tasks and the mood is light, but then Dylan shows up and it turns to an awkward silence. Elizabeth asks Dylan can he type and he says a little. But when everyone leaves she see’s that he really can’t. And he’s got his papers mixed in with the student’s essays and poems. Later after dinner, Elizabeth finds an essay that’s so good she wonders who wrote it and thinks it must be from the contest. The writing looks familiar and she recognizes it as Dylan’s. She calls Dylan and tells him he has to hurry up and mail the essay by tonight, but he tells her to just throw it away. It doesn’t take Elizabeth five seconds to head to the post office to mail it. Eventually, she sees Dylan headed to class, but she gets stopped by Mrs. Arnett who asks her to help her carry some folders. After school, she can’t find Dylan anywhere. She runs into Kimberly and Jessica and asks if Dylan is headed to Kimberly’s party. But Kimberly is embarrassed and admits she didn’t invite him. Jessica said he probably wouldn’t want to have come anyway. Elizabeth makes her realize how she (Jessica) felt when her parents went on and on about Steven’s sports banquet accomplishments. THEN Jessica gets it! She then tells Elizabeth she saw Dylan at the bus stop saying he was going to visit his aunt. Only they find Tom and he says they don’t have an aunt in San Francisco. Kimberly gives them Dylan’s invitation and they all decide to just tell him she “forgot” to give it to him.
They all head to the bus station and catch him as he’s about to board the bus. Tom chastises him for trying to run away and Elizabeth tells about the essay and invites him to Kimberly’s party. Because he won the contest he’s the man of the hour and everyone is now all on him (rolling my eyes).
My Thoughts: I actually know this guy (Dylan). He’s been in my life for thirty-odd-something years. Yes this is the story of my best friend who was tall, gangly, and had a chip the size of the Great Wall, because his brother was very good-looking, popular, good at sports, and all the girls were sweating him. And did I mention my best friend was also a writer as well? I teasingly asked him did he ever try to run away and he said he wanted to. It was just strange to me that SO much emphasis was put on Tom being better at SPORTS. I find it hard to believe that there isn’t a group in SVMS for Dylan. They can’t all be perfect and social and beautiful. Dylan strikes me as the comic book Dungeons and Dragons-sci-fi-type geek. And *today* that’s been turned into a COOL THING! The sexiest man I know (whose a celebrity is an anime geek. Why aren’t there groups like this at this school? What I also found *odd* is that Dylan didn’t even CONSIDER what he was gonna I felt do when he got to LA with NO MONEY. His skin doesn’t even produce pearls (Constellation of Scars). Just from scrolling alone apartments in LA can range anywhere from 270-800 and up. Dylan would have gotten off the bus and WHAT? He’d had to probably find a homeless shelter and slept there night after night until or IF he even COULD find a job. And he’s in middle school and not even 16 so his chances don’t look good. On the cover he’s tall so maybe that could work in his favor to make him look a little older. But like most people who try to run away when they’re teenagers, they don’t THINK. I remember trying to run away, but I remember walking up the street, and when I got back home (cause where else COULD I go) all my stuff had been moved out my room. So the most I could do was go over my aunt’s house and stay there. Then SVMS is so FAKE! One minute they won’t come near Dylan with a ten-foot pole. The next they find out he won the contest and they’re treating him like he’s Barack Obama. REALLY? Number one I would NOT have gone to that party and number two you can’t pay me to believe these kids (that includes the Unicorns who probably haven’t read anything other than magazines a day in their life) are all that hyped over an essay contest. Just like you can’t pay me to believe either that all these kids bought that essay and poetry book Elizabeth’s group sold. If it sounds boring to me and I live breath and sleep books, then YEAH it was probably not even worth a dollar. I don’t know maybe if the students would have made something like a memory book or a yearbook. Jessica’s idea though had something to it. Lila’s leftovers alone would have racked up. But then I thought about it though, I hope they WASHED these clothes first. Sometimes I know it’s ok to buy second-hand clothes in a thrift store on one hand but on the other, I don’t know if you’d want to buy something of someone else's. It’s one thing to buy electronics second-hand (it just depends) but clothes are another thing. Jewelry is ok though. I still can’t believe they TRADED the clothes with each other. I didn’t remember there being backups but then I shouldn’t be surprised because just like the Jessica in my family, things seem to always work out for *THIS* Jessica also
Rating: 5 I can see why everybody liked Tom! *(* liked Tom! HE put up with Dylan and took ALL his bs and never even got angry. Not ONCE does he even bad mouth, Dylan. Now, who all else do you know would put up with someone punching them in the nose and then take up for them so they don’t get in trouble just because. Brother or not? Tom was extremely likable and easy-going.
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March 21, 2023The really interesting thing about Sweet Valley books (okay, one of them) is the way that male violence is so normalised. Like, as soon as Dylan , everyone completely forgets about the fact that he attempted to . I dunno. Dylan is such a creep in this.
December 4, 2009
I really don't like this book. It is very boring. But I am still going to read it to find out if it gets any better.
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December 15, 2025Back on my Sweet Valley Twins bullshit for a few books (I'm missing #24, #25 & #26 so until I'm fully stocked, this next series of reviews will be the last of the year).
Second Best focuses on the rivalry between never before mentioned characters, Tom and Dylan McKay. They're not twins. Dylan is in fact one year above Tom at school, but Tom is the more popular of the two. Dylan harbours a massive resentment towards Tom for being more popular than him, which results in him flattening Tom in the school cafeteria at lunchtime, for no reason. As is usual with situations like this, Dylan is secretly angry at the world and doesn't reflect on why and how he himself can affect and change the situation. Until Our Lord and Saviour Elizabeth Wakefield sticks her beak in, entering Dylan's essay into the state competition behind his back. When Dylan wins the competition, everyone realises he's not a tool after all, and Kimberly even invites him to her birthday party, which is super generous of her considering she'd previously invited everybody else in the year group and deliberately left him out. Lois Waller, of course, doesn't feature in the book at all other than a solid fat shaming effort from Jessica, who has set up a boutique for a school project, and comments that nothing will fit Lois.
Second Best focuses on the rivalry between never before mentioned characters, Tom and Dylan McKay. They're not twins. Dylan is in fact one year above Tom at school, but Tom is the more popular of the two. Dylan harbours a massive resentment towards Tom for being more popular than him, which results in him flattening Tom in the school cafeteria at lunchtime, for no reason. As is usual with situations like this, Dylan is secretly angry at the world and doesn't reflect on why and how he himself can affect and change the situation. Until Our Lord and Saviour Elizabeth Wakefield sticks her beak in, entering Dylan's essay into the state competition behind his back. When Dylan wins the competition, everyone realises he's not a tool after all, and Kimberly even invites him to her birthday party, which is super generous of her considering she'd previously invited everybody else in the year group and deliberately left him out. Lois Waller, of course, doesn't feature in the book at all other than a solid fat shaming effort from Jessica, who has set up a boutique for a school project, and comments that nothing will fit Lois.
April 21, 2020
I really enjoy books like these because they are funny and interesting that keeps me wanting to read more. So this book is about multiple characters mostly the twins and Dylan and Tom. Tom is really popular and everyone likes him but his 1 year older brother is the exact opposite! The twins are looking forward to the class project for the 6th and 7th graders. Jessica is in a different group than Lizzy. Lizzy gets put in a group with Dylan and shows sympathy for him. He always feels like he isn't good enough! That's where the twins step in and fix everything... You will have to read the book to find out the rest! I really liked the book because I could relate to some of the characters like always trying to fix the problems like the twins!! I also really loved this book because I loved seeing how differently the twins responded about Dylan. Another reason I liked this book was because I could see how tom hated seeing his brother so sad and mad all the time and he just wanted to help! I really enjoyed this book and recommend it. It is perfect for all ages and it is really funny!
April 9, 2022
Alex Chapa
4/8/2022
Español AP
¿De qué manera este libro proporciona información sobre problemas común en todas las personas?
El libro “El Auténtico Ganador” muestra muchos problemas en la sociedad actual, cuántos niños en
todo el mundo sufren al estar a la sombra de su hermano/a menor o mayor, en este caso menor con
Dylan McKay siendo mayor. Los niños como Dylan McKay piensan que escapar de los problemas de
muchas maneras diferentes puede resolver los problemas que están viviendo, pero están
equivocados. En el libro, Dylan McKay elige la violencia para enviar un mensaje a su hermano, y no
puedo imaginar cuántos niños están haciendo lo mismo, porque no encuentran otra solución.
Otro ejemplo de cómo los niños pueden estar pasando por lo que Dylan McKay está pasando en el
libro es cómo pueden volverse antisociales, no buscar ayuda y también pensar que nadie se
preocupa por ellos. Pero hay esperanza de que los niños como Dylan McKay puedan cambiar para
mejor y salir de esa sombra de su hermano/a y ser una mejor persona.
4/8/2022
Español AP
¿De qué manera este libro proporciona información sobre problemas común en todas las personas?
El libro “El Auténtico Ganador” muestra muchos problemas en la sociedad actual, cuántos niños en
todo el mundo sufren al estar a la sombra de su hermano/a menor o mayor, en este caso menor con
Dylan McKay siendo mayor. Los niños como Dylan McKay piensan que escapar de los problemas de
muchas maneras diferentes puede resolver los problemas que están viviendo, pero están
equivocados. En el libro, Dylan McKay elige la violencia para enviar un mensaje a su hermano, y no
puedo imaginar cuántos niños están haciendo lo mismo, porque no encuentran otra solución.
Otro ejemplo de cómo los niños pueden estar pasando por lo que Dylan McKay está pasando en el
libro es cómo pueden volverse antisociales, no buscar ayuda y también pensar que nadie se
preocupa por ellos. Pero hay esperanza de que los niños como Dylan McKay puedan cambiar para
mejor y salir de esa sombra de su hermano/a y ser una mejor persona.
December 30, 2017
I didn't feel sorry for Dylan at all. He was pretty much an asshole to everyone all throughout the book, and even beats on his brother for no particular reason. Really classy guy.
August 29, 2024
Adult me was super stressed by Dylan’s troubling behavior and clear need for therapy.
May 7, 2023
Sweet Valley Twins 16 - Second Best
Jess is still grounded for lying about Josh, but Kimberly is having a totally cool party she’s desperate to attend. Unfortunately her grades are not good, and in an effort to compromise, she agrees to work on a special school project Liz is all psyched about to improve her grades. Jess has an idea to set up a shop to donate work unicorn clothing to those less fashionably fortunate, while Liz’s idea apparently involves getting involved with bickering brothers Tom and Dylan McKay… joking (I think - also 90210 reference anyone?). Dylan is incredibly jealous of his younger, athletic and popular brother. Dylan and Liz are in the same project group (with Amy), but he’s even rude to her. Tom is paired with Jess, Lila, Ellen, Kimberly and co, and Jess is in like! They agree to the shop - Sweet Valley Vogue. Liz’s group agree to her idea - publishing and selling a book of student essays from the state wide competition. Liz tries to engage Dylan but he’s too busy hating on himself, and Tom for being his better. Dylan then starts a fight with Tom that turns the school against him. Liz finds an ‘amazing’ essay and realises it’s Dylan’s, and turns it into the contest even though he tells her not to. Dylan is the only 7th grader not invited to Kimberly’s party, and Tom one of few 6th graders who is, so he decides to run away. He wavers, but when he hears ‘that McKay boy’ wins the essay contest, he follows through. Liz and Tom find him just in time at the bus station, and convince him Kimberly ‘forgot’ to invite him and tell him he won the essay competition. Then he boards the bus and moves to Beverly Hills 90210 😉 Oh and both twins do well with their projects, after President Jess brings her team back into line.
My rating - 4/10 - apart from his name, Dylan was fairly unlikable.
#sweetvalley #sweetvalleykids #sweetvalleytwins #unicornclub #sweetvalleyjnrhigh #sweetvalleyhigh #sweetvalleysenioryear #sweetvalleyuniversity #sweetvalleyseries #bookreview
Jess is still grounded for lying about Josh, but Kimberly is having a totally cool party she’s desperate to attend. Unfortunately her grades are not good, and in an effort to compromise, she agrees to work on a special school project Liz is all psyched about to improve her grades. Jess has an idea to set up a shop to donate work unicorn clothing to those less fashionably fortunate, while Liz’s idea apparently involves getting involved with bickering brothers Tom and Dylan McKay… joking (I think - also 90210 reference anyone?). Dylan is incredibly jealous of his younger, athletic and popular brother. Dylan and Liz are in the same project group (with Amy), but he’s even rude to her. Tom is paired with Jess, Lila, Ellen, Kimberly and co, and Jess is in like! They agree to the shop - Sweet Valley Vogue. Liz’s group agree to her idea - publishing and selling a book of student essays from the state wide competition. Liz tries to engage Dylan but he’s too busy hating on himself, and Tom for being his better. Dylan then starts a fight with Tom that turns the school against him. Liz finds an ‘amazing’ essay and realises it’s Dylan’s, and turns it into the contest even though he tells her not to. Dylan is the only 7th grader not invited to Kimberly’s party, and Tom one of few 6th graders who is, so he decides to run away. He wavers, but when he hears ‘that McKay boy’ wins the essay contest, he follows through. Liz and Tom find him just in time at the bus station, and convince him Kimberly ‘forgot’ to invite him and tell him he won the essay competition. Then he boards the bus and moves to Beverly Hills 90210 😉 Oh and both twins do well with their projects, after President Jess brings her team back into line.
My rating - 4/10 - apart from his name, Dylan was fairly unlikable.
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This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2019
RATING: 4 STARS
(Review Not on Blog)
I picked up one of the Sweet Valley Twins novel at the library (before my strict read in order only rule) and fell in love with the California twins and their friends and family. I had just started reading thicker chapter books, and joining the library summer reading club, I went through these books pretty quick. I was excited that I could read and really fell in love with books and reading. I believe I was about 7-9 when I read these books so it was exciting to read about 12 year old popular preteens. I could relate to both Elizabeth and Jessica, and really could not pick which twin I liked better. I would not finish this series as I would quickly move on to Sweet Valley High (Double Love). These are very tame books, and any age could read them. First crushes and bullying were the big issues that I can remember. This is very Full House (TV series) kind of books.
***This is a series review***
(Review Not on Blog)
I picked up one of the Sweet Valley Twins novel at the library (before my strict read in order only rule) and fell in love with the California twins and their friends and family. I had just started reading thicker chapter books, and joining the library summer reading club, I went through these books pretty quick. I was excited that I could read and really fell in love with books and reading. I believe I was about 7-9 when I read these books so it was exciting to read about 12 year old popular preteens. I could relate to both Elizabeth and Jessica, and really could not pick which twin I liked better. I would not finish this series as I would quickly move on to Sweet Valley High (Double Love). These are very tame books, and any age could read them. First crushes and bullying were the big issues that I can remember. This is very Full House (TV series) kind of books.
***This is a series review***
January 17, 2016
This is the 16th book in the series and centers around two brothers, one of whom is slightly older than the other. The younger one seems to get all the praise and is skilled at many things, while the older one considers himself basically a failure living in his brother's shadow.
It takes the twins to show him that he is actually good as he is and things then work out well.
It takes the twins to show him that he is actually good as he is and things then work out well.
April 29, 2009
Yet another one where Elizabeth puts on her do-good outfit. It's funny looking back how I so much preferred bookish Liz to snobby Jessica, but now I can just see how much Liz stuck her nose in everywhere and Jessica was way more fun!
October 24, 2010
I can not say enough about how much I love this series. Francine Pascal was my very first author addiction.
Read
August 29, 2011From "Books I have read this summer" list that I found at home in NJ.
May 6, 2021
Loved these books as a child
August 6, 2015
In this one, a kid that feels inferior to his popular lil brother clearly has social anxiety and everyone in Sweet Valley outcasts him for it
I mean, what else
I mean, what else
December 31, 2024
my honest review
June 22, 2013
I remember the cover just not the story.
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