Just the Way You Are

Sweet Dreams

by Janice Boies

When the Cupid's Arrow computer matches her up with super cute Jeremy Griffin, Dee's ecstatic! But then she overhears him saying he'd never date a crazy girl like her. So Dee decides to become as calm and serious as he is-- and sure enough Jeremy asks her out.

But dating Jeremy doesn't make Dee as happy as she thought it would. She truly cares for him, but sometimes she misses clowning around with her friends. And to make matters even more confusing, handsome Ted Connors tells her he liked her the way she was. Can Dee find a way to be true to herself-- and still find happiness in love?

Genres: Young Adult

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1986

About the author

Janice Boies also writes as Carrie Austen, Alison Blair, and Jan Bradford.

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bought a grab bag of 10 vintage YA to benefit a library. Cringed when I saw that several are Sweet Dreams.

One star for the library scavenger hunt where the students have to gather obscure facts using library materials like encyclopedias and almanacs.

Sadly, the premise and plot are really quite awful. Dee wants to date a boy just because her perfect older sister couldn't get dates with his older brothers. So she transforms into Denise, changing her clothes and looks and personality (because Jeremy doesn't want to date a clown).

Another half star for her friend Allison and for Ted who both state the obvious that if she has to change for Jeremy, should she really date him?

It's just really, really not good. Worse than an afterschool special, even.

Why is having the hiccups "causing a scene" and being "a clown," during the library lecture, but joking about finding answers behind the librarian's ear and getting the whole class to join in isn't?

"If I'm not a clown, and I'm not Denise, who will I be?" *groan* SO bad.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this, what a cute and fun book. Dee was great and I absolutely loved Ted and was waiting patiently for when Dee would realize she also loved Ted. Normally when they do this plot it's the sister who is secretly in love with her brother's best friend but this time it's reversed, her brother's best friend is secretly in love with her, I love both outcomes so it's all good to me. As with all these Sweet Dreams books I love the wholesome 80s family and friendships in them and this was no different, I loved Dee's family and her bickering with her brother. I can't believe how long I was sleeping on this one, had it in my library for years and only getting to read it now. It was too cute, and it also had the being fine "just the way you are" message without being preachy or annoying which is another bonus.

[Glenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet Dreams

[Reading with Cats · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
There *was* a lot of "Jeremy's girl"/"Ted's girl" nonsense. But, in large part, it was also about Dee learning to be comfortable with who she is.