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Sweet Valley High #50
Out of Reach
Although Jade Wu wants to be All-American, her traditional Chinese father will not let her, so when she wins the lead in a dance contest, she is worried about what will happen when her father finds out
151 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
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378 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 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 28, 2022
I might be the only Chinese-American woman to be reviewing this book, so here goes...
I wish that I had read this book as a tween. It would have made me feel a little less alone in being a minority and a bit of an outlier in school, and to see another Asian-American on the cover of my books (along with the inimitable Claudia Kishi from The Babysitter's Club, of course). Just like the fictional Jade Wu, I had a traditional, ultra-conservative dad growing up, who had immigrated here from China. He was also super strict, and forbade me from, well, from doing much. Also being a first generation Chinese-American, I empathized with Jade who longed for the freedoms her American friends had, as well as the ability to effortlessly be accepted amongst her peers without being singled out for being "different" or a "foreigner".
Ultimately, Jade stands up to her father so that she can perform a dance solo in a talent show, and also has a reckoning with who she is and where she comes from. Jade's journey resonated deeply for me. As a kid, all you want is to belong, to fit in. As an adult, you learn that your differences are your strengths.
Random thoughts and observations:
-Confirmation that Amy Sutton is the ABSOLUTE WORST is when she is vying for the solo dance role in the talent show, but Jessica tells her Jade is a better dancer. Amy exclaims, "She's Chinese! The soloist should be blonde and All-American--like me!" If there's anyone in Sweet Valley that deserves a brutal smack to the mouth a lá Will Smith to Chris Rock, my vote's on this bitch.
- The only other time I cringed was when Jade is called "the epitome of Oriental beauty". EEESH. But I get it, this is 1988, I lived through this shit. Nowadays, the term "Oriental" is an outdated identifier that carries the weight of historical racism and contempt for East Asian cultures, and we use the term "Asian" now. Ok let's move it along....
-At the end, Jade introduces her love interest David to her parents, and he asks Mr. Wu if it would be alright to take Jade out to dinner and a movie. Mr. Wu is very impressed at David's manners and allows the date which LMAOO would never have happened with my dad back in the day. But dude, good on Jade!
- The sub-plot involves the twins' dad Mr. Wakefield having a mid-life crisis and Jessica devising a ploy to get him to appreciate being "his old age" instead of a youth of the 80's. They drag him to the Beach Disco where the band The Razors are playing their new hit-"Cut Me Babe, Why Don't You Cut Me" BAHAHAHA!! Excuse me while I go look for the 45 on Ebay!!
- Lastly, I just had to recreate this cover as a heartfelt homage. You can check it on my IG, here: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbp_YSbpR...
4 out of 5 reprimands from your overbearing, super strict immigrant dad...NO, you can't dance in the recital. NO, you can't go on dates. NO, you can't have sleepovers with friends. NO, you shouldn't have close friendships with non-Chinese-Americans. Hang in there, Jade. Wait til you're a little older and you can revolt and sneak your dad's car out in the middle of the night to go talk to boys, like I did.
I wish that I had read this book as a tween. It would have made me feel a little less alone in being a minority and a bit of an outlier in school, and to see another Asian-American on the cover of my books (along with the inimitable Claudia Kishi from The Babysitter's Club, of course). Just like the fictional Jade Wu, I had a traditional, ultra-conservative dad growing up, who had immigrated here from China. He was also super strict, and forbade me from, well, from doing much. Also being a first generation Chinese-American, I empathized with Jade who longed for the freedoms her American friends had, as well as the ability to effortlessly be accepted amongst her peers without being singled out for being "different" or a "foreigner".
Ultimately, Jade stands up to her father so that she can perform a dance solo in a talent show, and also has a reckoning with who she is and where she comes from. Jade's journey resonated deeply for me. As a kid, all you want is to belong, to fit in. As an adult, you learn that your differences are your strengths.
Random thoughts and observations:
-Confirmation that Amy Sutton is the ABSOLUTE WORST is when she is vying for the solo dance role in the talent show, but Jessica tells her Jade is a better dancer. Amy exclaims, "She's Chinese! The soloist should be blonde and All-American--like me!" If there's anyone in Sweet Valley that deserves a brutal smack to the mouth a lá Will Smith to Chris Rock, my vote's on this bitch.
- The only other time I cringed was when Jade is called "the epitome of Oriental beauty". EEESH. But I get it, this is 1988, I lived through this shit. Nowadays, the term "Oriental" is an outdated identifier that carries the weight of historical racism and contempt for East Asian cultures, and we use the term "Asian" now. Ok let's move it along....
-At the end, Jade introduces her love interest David to her parents, and he asks Mr. Wu if it would be alright to take Jade out to dinner and a movie. Mr. Wu is very impressed at David's manners and allows the date which LMAOO would never have happened with my dad back in the day. But dude, good on Jade!
- The sub-plot involves the twins' dad Mr. Wakefield having a mid-life crisis and Jessica devising a ploy to get him to appreciate being "his old age" instead of a youth of the 80's. They drag him to the Beach Disco where the band The Razors are playing their new hit-"Cut Me Babe, Why Don't You Cut Me" BAHAHAHA!! Excuse me while I go look for the 45 on Ebay!!
- Lastly, I just had to recreate this cover as a heartfelt homage. You can check it on my IG, here: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbp_YSbpR...
4 out of 5 reprimands from your overbearing, super strict immigrant dad...NO, you can't dance in the recital. NO, you can't go on dates. NO, you can't have sleepovers with friends. NO, you shouldn't have close friendships with non-Chinese-Americans. Hang in there, Jade. Wait til you're a little older and you can revolt and sneak your dad's car out in the middle of the night to go talk to boys, like I did.
February 1, 2020
Holy crappola, Sweet Valley- for anyone who says Asian-Americans aren't discriminated against didn't live near the Wakefields. This book is filled with pretty much every stereotype about Chinese people the author can cram into the book, with the culmination of the story hinging on Jade's shame that her grandparents ...wait for it... Own a laundromat. I KNOW- I mean at least that's a legitimate business, unlike Alice Wakefield and her phony, bullshit "decorating" firm. Honestly, I remembered this cover and I remembered Jade was a dancer (I read ALL books about ballet back in the 80s!), but at 8 or 9, am guessing I didn't notice the heavy dose of racism and ALL the tine sexism in these SVH books. Was hard to read this particular one because it's so heavy handed (like the one with Sandy Bacon and her parents who hate her Mexican-American boyfriend). Just 1 star. Kind of forgettable on top of being chock full o' cringeworthiness.
June 3, 2020
Title: Out of Reach
Series: Sweet Valley High #50
Author: Francine Pascal/Kate William
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Yes. I'm back on my SVH train and I'm determined to finish it. Then I'll think about the other series when I get there. This story introduced us to Jane Wu, an American-Chinese girl with a passion for dance that was hindered by her parents traditionally Chinese way of life. When she lands the lead role in the schools musical recital over Amy Sutton, she has to deal with how to tell her parents 1) she's got the part, 2) she's fallen in love with a non-Chinese boy and 3) that she's crippling ashamed of their traditions.
In terms of books written in the 80's dealing with ethnicities that aren't white, I'm shocked that it wasn't more problematic to be honest. The only person who displayed Xenophobia was Amy, but it stemmed from her bitterness from being cast as a small role in the play. Overall, we didn't get too much Jess and Liz in this book which I'm not actually mad at. Liz is about as subtle as a brick though, when reassuring Jade about her stage fright, she tells her the crowd is huge and there's an important scholarship opporotunity in the crowd.
Subtle. As. A. Brick.
Series: Sweet Valley High #50
Author: Francine Pascal/Kate William
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Yes. I'm back on my SVH train and I'm determined to finish it. Then I'll think about the other series when I get there. This story introduced us to Jane Wu, an American-Chinese girl with a passion for dance that was hindered by her parents traditionally Chinese way of life. When she lands the lead role in the schools musical recital over Amy Sutton, she has to deal with how to tell her parents 1) she's got the part, 2) she's fallen in love with a non-Chinese boy and 3) that she's crippling ashamed of their traditions.
In terms of books written in the 80's dealing with ethnicities that aren't white, I'm shocked that it wasn't more problematic to be honest. The only person who displayed Xenophobia was Amy, but it stemmed from her bitterness from being cast as a small role in the play. Overall, we didn't get too much Jess and Liz in this book which I'm not actually mad at. Liz is about as subtle as a brick though, when reassuring Jade about her stage fright, she tells her the crowd is huge and there's an important scholarship opporotunity in the crowd.
Subtle. As. A. Brick.
November 29, 2022
Out of Reach (Sweet Valley High)
Jade Wu -a sophomore- at Sweet Valley High is said to be one of the best dancers in the school, but no one’s ever seen her dance. So, all the students are buzzing whether she’ll try out for the talent show coming up.
Amy Sutton makes it known that *she’ll* be trying out and doesn’t care for Jade. Amy has never danced a day in her life. Jade would love to be in the production-she’s been taking professional dance lessons (gifted to by her Grandmother) and she thinks it’s time. However, her strict Chinese father doesn’t approve of her dancing. He seems to have a stick up his rear about anything that’s not “purely Chinese”.
Her best friend and her dance teacher convince her to go to the audition and she blows them away. (Amy just blows it). And as we all knew she gets the lead role while Amy gets (chorus). This feels more like a play not a talent show. Anyway, she gets the attention of a guy named David who’ll be doing stage sets for the play.
Jade tells her mother and Father and of course her father forbids it. The show will feature modern dance and hes not with that. Her mother tells her privately later to keep going to the rehearsals and she’s “work on” her father.
Jade and David get closer. When he takes interest in her family’s history -after a history class about China- she lies and tells him that don’t practice the traditional ways. David confides in her about his family and that he works to support them. I wanna say his mother is a maid, but if not it’s something that’s considered a low form of employment. But he’s not ashamed of it. Jade feels bad and starts thinking about how ashamed she is that her grandparents own a laundry because it’s cliché.
David is so blown away with Jade that he designs this beautiful backdrop of her and then asks her out. But since she can’t date yet and he’s not Chinese she turns him down. Again, and again.
Amy while with her Mom doing errands does find out that Jade’s grandparents own a laundry matt and the Grandmother says with pride that’s her granddaughter in the poster advertising the show. So of course, Amy spreads it around the school.
Jade has just let David in on her secret -because she hates to have to keep turning him down for dates-about her Grandmother. But he’s like Oh KAAAY! He doesn’t see what her Grandparents owning a laundry matt as a big deal. Nor does he see what it has to do with her turning him down. So now he’s angry at Jade and thinks she’s a snob. He gets so mad at her that he storms into the auditorium and rips the backdrop he made for her to shreds (which was a little EXTRA).
Amy lets on to Jade that she knows her secret and Jade blames David. So now she’s mad at him. She just doesn’t have the heart to want to do the show anymore.
Unfortunately, around this time Mr. Wu gives his not exactly approval but agreeance that she can be in the show. But before this she makes Mrs. Wu upset because she asks her what’s wrong (seeing that she’s not as excited) and she tells her about the kids finding out about her secret. Which disappoints her mother that she’s ashamed of her Grandparents who have supported her dance dreams all these years.
Elizabeth -ever the meddler that she is- talks to Jade and convinces her that she doesn’t think that David would blab and that it was Amy. She also talks to David and tells him that maybe Jade can’t date yet. Which makes him think. He’s still not sure if Jade is who he thought she was.
The night of the show Jade sees a different backdrop than David but then sees the real one. He’s made another one that’s even better that show’s her face.
Filled with his love and seeing her family (including her dad) in the audience she dances better than she ever has. She’s approached after the show by a man that offer’s her a scholarship, but the drawback is the lady over the school is racist and doesn’t like ethnic names. Jade tells him she’s not changing her name for anyone. Mr. Wu is impressed with David’s backdrop and agrees to let him date Jade.
My Thoughts:
I didn’t really have a lot of thoughts about this one. I was thinking WHO (Jade Wu)? And to not want to be associated with tradition they couldn’t have given her a more stereotypical Chinese name. Another character that we’ve never heard of that just pops up out of nowhere. At least they didn’t make her a junior and stick her in the twin’s class. Blah Blah Blah Jade is ashamed her grandparents own a laundry matt. BIG DEAL! I’m with David. My Grandfather used to be a janitor and work at a place named Falls as well as cleaning buildings at night, but when I was a teenager you couldn’t have told me that my Grandfather wasn’t the greatest man in the entire world. I didn't care *what* he did for a living. I just couldn’t connect with Jade as a character who spends half this book worrying about what other people think of her. I NEVER care what other people think of me! For example, I’m a very cold-natured person. It might be 120 degrees outside and if I go into an appointment I’ll have on boots and a jacket. Do you think I care if other people look at me like I’m crazy? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Because at the end of the day the way you live your life and your situations and your circumstances are YOURS! And they’re not anyone else’s business. And Jade should have looked Amy in the eye and said: “And exactly what did your grandparents do?” Then we find out Amy’s grandparents were sanitation workers or something. I loved David tho. David is the most impressive SVH guy I’ve read about since Nicholas Morrow. He’s level headed. He supports his family. He drew Jade a freaking poster! He was the real STAR of this book in my opinion. I also kind of knew the Father would come around because not a book ago we saw it with Robin’s aunt Fiona. These books repeat themselves just OVER and OVER and OVER again.
Rating: 5
Jade Wu -a sophomore- at Sweet Valley High is said to be one of the best dancers in the school, but no one’s ever seen her dance. So, all the students are buzzing whether she’ll try out for the talent show coming up.
Amy Sutton makes it known that *she’ll* be trying out and doesn’t care for Jade. Amy has never danced a day in her life. Jade would love to be in the production-she’s been taking professional dance lessons (gifted to by her Grandmother) and she thinks it’s time. However, her strict Chinese father doesn’t approve of her dancing. He seems to have a stick up his rear about anything that’s not “purely Chinese”.
Her best friend and her dance teacher convince her to go to the audition and she blows them away. (Amy just blows it). And as we all knew she gets the lead role while Amy gets (chorus). This feels more like a play not a talent show. Anyway, she gets the attention of a guy named David who’ll be doing stage sets for the play.
Jade tells her mother and Father and of course her father forbids it. The show will feature modern dance and hes not with that. Her mother tells her privately later to keep going to the rehearsals and she’s “work on” her father.
Jade and David get closer. When he takes interest in her family’s history -after a history class about China- she lies and tells him that don’t practice the traditional ways. David confides in her about his family and that he works to support them. I wanna say his mother is a maid, but if not it’s something that’s considered a low form of employment. But he’s not ashamed of it. Jade feels bad and starts thinking about how ashamed she is that her grandparents own a laundry because it’s cliché.
David is so blown away with Jade that he designs this beautiful backdrop of her and then asks her out. But since she can’t date yet and he’s not Chinese she turns him down. Again, and again.
Amy while with her Mom doing errands does find out that Jade’s grandparents own a laundry matt and the Grandmother says with pride that’s her granddaughter in the poster advertising the show. So of course, Amy spreads it around the school.
Jade has just let David in on her secret -because she hates to have to keep turning him down for dates-about her Grandmother. But he’s like Oh KAAAY! He doesn’t see what her Grandparents owning a laundry matt as a big deal. Nor does he see what it has to do with her turning him down. So now he’s angry at Jade and thinks she’s a snob. He gets so mad at her that he storms into the auditorium and rips the backdrop he made for her to shreds (which was a little EXTRA).
Amy lets on to Jade that she knows her secret and Jade blames David. So now she’s mad at him. She just doesn’t have the heart to want to do the show anymore.
Unfortunately, around this time Mr. Wu gives his not exactly approval but agreeance that she can be in the show. But before this she makes Mrs. Wu upset because she asks her what’s wrong (seeing that she’s not as excited) and she tells her about the kids finding out about her secret. Which disappoints her mother that she’s ashamed of her Grandparents who have supported her dance dreams all these years.
Elizabeth -ever the meddler that she is- talks to Jade and convinces her that she doesn’t think that David would blab and that it was Amy. She also talks to David and tells him that maybe Jade can’t date yet. Which makes him think. He’s still not sure if Jade is who he thought she was.
The night of the show Jade sees a different backdrop than David but then sees the real one. He’s made another one that’s even better that show’s her face.
Filled with his love and seeing her family (including her dad) in the audience she dances better than she ever has. She’s approached after the show by a man that offer’s her a scholarship, but the drawback is the lady over the school is racist and doesn’t like ethnic names. Jade tells him she’s not changing her name for anyone. Mr. Wu is impressed with David’s backdrop and agrees to let him date Jade.
My Thoughts:
I didn’t really have a lot of thoughts about this one. I was thinking WHO (Jade Wu)? And to not want to be associated with tradition they couldn’t have given her a more stereotypical Chinese name. Another character that we’ve never heard of that just pops up out of nowhere. At least they didn’t make her a junior and stick her in the twin’s class. Blah Blah Blah Jade is ashamed her grandparents own a laundry matt. BIG DEAL! I’m with David. My Grandfather used to be a janitor and work at a place named Falls as well as cleaning buildings at night, but when I was a teenager you couldn’t have told me that my Grandfather wasn’t the greatest man in the entire world. I didn't care *what* he did for a living. I just couldn’t connect with Jade as a character who spends half this book worrying about what other people think of her. I NEVER care what other people think of me! For example, I’m a very cold-natured person. It might be 120 degrees outside and if I go into an appointment I’ll have on boots and a jacket. Do you think I care if other people look at me like I’m crazy? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Because at the end of the day the way you live your life and your situations and your circumstances are YOURS! And they’re not anyone else’s business. And Jade should have looked Amy in the eye and said: “And exactly what did your grandparents do?” Then we find out Amy’s grandparents were sanitation workers or something. I loved David tho. David is the most impressive SVH guy I’ve read about since Nicholas Morrow. He’s level headed. He supports his family. He drew Jade a freaking poster! He was the real STAR of this book in my opinion. I also kind of knew the Father would come around because not a book ago we saw it with Robin’s aunt Fiona. These books repeat themselves just OVER and OVER and OVER again.
Rating: 5
November 15, 2025
Good series!
December 15, 2021
Jade Wu is a fabulous dancer who wants to take part in the SVH pageant. Sadly her dad is ultra conservative Chinese and thinks its unseemly, to add to her troubles, she's falling for David, a white American - and very far from her father's strict ideal. It will take St Liz to solve this mess!!
July 30, 2022
Better Than I Thought
I'm doing a reread of this series and when this one came up it seemed standard but it was actually really good. The discussion of race and shame was interesting and well written. Good resolve, but the best part was that Jessica wasn't in the book hahaha.
I'm doing a reread of this series and when this one came up it seemed standard but it was actually really good. The discussion of race and shame was interesting and well written. Good resolve, but the best part was that Jessica wasn't in the book hahaha.
June 13, 2025
Ahhh, Jade Wu…. Here she is a shy and sweet sophomore with traditional Chinese parents, but by SVH Senior Year she’s mysteriously a year older with divorced parents and is kind of terrible. The lack of continuity in these books never fail to make me laugh.
Also, Amy Sutton needs a hobby.
Also, Amy Sutton needs a hobby.
February 4, 2018
This book taught me not to be ashamed of who our family is.
May 22, 2020
My very first book in English. Understood probably half of it at best, but still seemed so good that I wanted to run to the library to borrow the rest.
July 23, 2020
Jade Wu tries to come to terms with her heritage and wanting to be American.
December 19, 2024
I don't know what to say about this other than: it definitely wouldn't have been published today!
December 30, 2024
Amy Sutton is a trash human. That is all.
October 24, 2010
This series never made fun of even the simplest of trivial young adolescent angst. It made every problem exciting and every moment a pure delight to read. I loved and devoured every word.
June 21, 2013
I remember the cover but just not the story.
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August 1, 2013Graded By: Erin
Read the drinking game and review here.
Read the drinking game and review here.
Read
February 28, 2015That could have been worse, by which I mean I was expecting more racism.
December 24, 2020
MVP of each book:
50 Jade
51 Jessica
52 Jessica
53 Kristin
54 AJ
55 Jessica
56 Jessica
57 Jessica
58 Courtney
59 Jessica
50 Jade
51 Jessica
52 Jessica
53 Kristin
54 AJ
55 Jessica
56 Jessica
57 Jessica
58 Courtney
59 Jessica
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews