Rosa's Lie

Sweet Valley High #81

by Francine Pascal (Creator), Kate William

Family secrets.

Rosa Jameson, daughter of immigrant parents, decides to start a new life at Sweet Valley High as Rose. When Jessica Wakefield and Lila Fowler ask her to pledge their exclusive sorority, Pi Beta Alpha, Rose believes her scheme is working. She's sure they would never have asked her if they knew she was Mexican. Rose's secret is safe-until her grandmother from rural Mexico pays an unexpected visit.

Rose is determined to hide Nana from her friends during sorority pledge week. But as Nana teaches her to be proud of her heritage, Rose becomes ashamed of her deception. Will being true to her heritage mean losing her friends' trust and friendship forever?

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Teen, Romance, Childrens

155 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 1, 1991

About the author

Francine 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.

Reviews

[Nell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This SVH book delved into the tricky question of do you be who you are or who you think you should be, and should you accept your ethnic identity? A big battle for Rose / Rosa but it never really felt like, aside from Lila, there was anyone that was going to be that judgemental about it so why did she make the assumption that she should hide who she is?

Aside from that I quite enjoyed the book and liked how Rosa came into her own towards the end. And I was kinda glad this wasn’t all about just impressing a boy – this was about herself and that was cool.

[Tiffany Spencer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rosa’s Lie
Jessica, Liz, Amy, Lila, Todd and Winston are t talking about their Sorrority and fraternity ignitions’ coming up. Winston and Todd want to do something to change the fraternity because Bruce has had a negative influence on getting in. Amy, Lila, and Jessica have their eye on a new girl-Rosa—. They see her and call her over. Rosa expresses her interest in joining the Oracle Lila and Jessica invite her to come to the Beach Disco later that night. After she leaves them, she’s approached and asked out by Eddie Strong. She thinks he’s cute but she plays it cool and says maybe she’ll see him there. Rosa thinks about not wanting to show him where she lives and the lie, she told the twins about leaving in Massachutes when she really lived in Texas and how much the twins take their popularity for granted. As she reaches her home, she vows that now that she’s in California she can put the past behind her and be who she wants to be.

The Phi Beta’s have a meeting. Liz couldn’t make it. She’s sitting Teddy. Frist, they vote on a pledge chairwoman. Amy nominates Lila and they all vote in her favor. Then they discuss pledges. Among them are Lisa Waldon (who’s on the student council). She’s sweet and has a lot energy. They pick a girl named Stacey and a girl named Eileen. Liz made a suggestion for Lynn Jacobs. The last is a nomination for Rose. Then they talk about the activities that go along with pledging (the taks, the picnic, the initiation, etc). Jessica says she’ll hold the interviews at her house. There’s a debate whether they should have them at all, but Lila wants to go by the rules and says they really don’t know anything about Rose.

Rose comes back from a bike ride and receives a call from Lila inviting her to a swim party at her place because their considering her for membership. Rose is over the moon and says she’ll be there. But then she thinks about the interview and looks around her house at all the Mexican décor and we find out that she’s Chicana (and thinks the Pi Beta’s won’t want her because she’s Mexican) (rolls eyesAND THIS IS THE SECRET?!) That’s why she changed her name from Rosa to Rose. She’s been able to pass because she’s a light-skinned Mexican and her family changed their last name to Jamison. It’s been Rose’s experience that the Mexican kids were some of the least popular. So, she’s kept her background a secret. She knows the Pi-Betas can be discriminating and she knows they won’t accept her as Rosa.

After a basketball victory, the SV crew meet at the Dairi Burge, (Jessica grips about one of the teachers and some pop quizzes she failed. Rose comes in with three guys from the team. Jessica thinks how this is a good trait for a future sorra. They decide to all out and have a dance and co-chair it with the Pi Epson brothers. Bruce overhears and doesn’t seem to agree they need new members but Todd and Winston don’t agree and say they need to make changes. Just to get underneath Bruce’s skin, Todd picks two guys to nominate right then (Jim and Tom). Wouldn’t Tom rather be a Phi Beta tho? Bruce then nominates two boys (Ron and Paul). Bruce doesn’t give either boy a chance to turn it down. Bruce says he’ll call a meeting. Winston says he’ll help plan the dance. Then he changes his mind (Bruce) and says it might not be such a bad idea after all to change the frat. At the party, there’s an uncomfortable moment when Lila speaks harshly to a Mexican servant because she brought them fruit with seeds. Lila says it’s because she’s Mexican and can’t understand English well. When the PB’s ask her about her history, Rose makes up this story about her ancestor’s being English and coming over on the May Flower. She even tells them how she and her family took a trip to trace their roots and how she mingled with British royalty. Then they talk about her family’s business (tools). They eat it up! After Sandy leaves, Rose hears Lila talking down to Amy about Manuel. As she leaves Lila’s she vows they’ll never find out the truth about her.

At school, they (the older members) discuss how the process will work. Lynn and Stacey are given the task to raid the boy’s locker room and then return with a “Trophy”. They hand them a “shopping list”. It contains Todd’s deodorant, Ken’s Matthew’s picture of Terri, and Aaron’s (jock strap?). They says it has to be completed by the end of lunch period and there have to be others in the hall to witness it. Lisa is tasked to deliver “Chrome Dome” a black their piece and Eileen will capture it on camera. Rose starts to worry that she doesn’t have a task and got cut, but they’ve saved the best for last. She has to write a drippy guy named Elliot a love letter. That’s it. She doesn’t even have to sign in. She catches on. It’s just a formality.

All the pledges successfully complete their tasks. Jessica knows she needs to study but Sam wants her to meet him at the Dairi Burger. The choice is a no brainer. At school, Liz sees Todd with his other frat brothers. They discuss the 4 pledges There’s a Romanesque clock Bruce has proposed they move the clock hand by one hour. This is Tom and Jim Todd wants Bruce’s pledges to take a school bus and go to Guido’s and bring back pizzas in half an hour. Liz and Enid (who have listened) are still outside and Liz lets it be known she disapproves. She accuses him (Todd) as being just as much of an elitist as Bruce. All the guys complete their tasks. The bus driver gets one of the pizzas for taking them to town. Enid notice Todd and Bruce don’t look too happy.

(By climbing up to the roof Todd’s guys were able to reach the clock from the inside of the school). The PB’s next task is to start a food fight. But Jessica thinks the task is dumb (even though she chose it). She’s unhappy because Sam stood her up at the Dairi Burger. He called and apologized. He had to take his bike to the shop and it took longer than expected. She’s still a lil miffed and wonders if the “honeymoon” is over. The girls tho pass their second tasks. Meanwhile, the male pledges are outside and they get told their next task. Ron and Paul have until the end of the day to check out 100 books and they all have to have “challenge” or “pressure” in the title. Jim and Tom have to move the content of Mrs. Green’s office unto the school lawn by the end of the day. She’s the guidance counselor.

Rose comments to her future sisters she’s glad the PB’s task are more reasonable. They tell her one more task at the picnic. Rose gets the message they already consider her as one of them. Jessica is supposed to again be studying for a math test, but Sam calls and pleads with her that he needs to see her. Jessica thinks of Bruce telling his pledges where there’s a will there’s away. Because of this the ones who had the task of finding the 100 books used the catalog system and some help from some tenis players and got the task done. Jessica does what she does best and manipulates Liz into helping her. It’s her fault anyway for blabbing to their parents. (Sam did tell her to bring her book and he’d help her “study”).

Rose is paid a visit by the PBs. They’re impressed that she has a tennis court. She’s successfully able to hide the home-made salsa in the fridge, her Nana’s pictures, and make up an excuse that the cleaning lady left the radio on a Spanish station. They put her in charge of the pledge picnic She asks Jessica about the test and she says she’s failed but she and Sam had a romantic drive that she wouldn’t trade for all the A’s in the world. After this, Rose gets to work planning the picnic. Later Rose’s parents tell her grandmother will be paying them a visit because it’s the anniversary of her husband’s death and they thought it might be a good idea to send for her. Rose doesn’t think it’s a good idea at all.

Her Grandmother comes and is slightly disappointed because Rose’s hair isn’t long and her skirts are short and that she’s no longer going by Rosa. Rose has to do some fast talking to get the other girls not to come to her house to plan the picnic and have a slumber party at her house. Now Rose is starting to feel resent for Nana where before she was happy, she’d come. Sam is over when Jessica sees the warning letter to her parents about the failed math test. She rips it up and says there’s no need for them to see it. She’ll make an A on the next test, Sam will help her study, and she’ll get a C average. She hopes her parents will forget but they bring up the math test at dinner. Jessica lies and says she got a B. Liz looks at her knowing she’s lying. When she confronts her later, she tells her she’ll get herself out of this bind and not to worry about it. She’ll make a better grade next time.

The resent continues. For three days Rose has to come home and watch Nana While spending time with her grandmother, Rose leans somethings. She leans that her grandmother is a talented dressmaker. She designed her mother’s wedding dress. She learns about her grandfather and how they started dating (and eventually married). Also t it was because she sold the land of the farm she lived on that there family has their business and that she’s a big stock holder. At Casey’s the PB’s plan for the picnic and a fun pledge task for Rose. Then Sam walks in with a leggy blond -Lana-. Jessica says she’s a friend, a fellow classmate, and bike racer. Sam comes over kisses Jessica and tells her he and Lana were practicing for a race. He says they worked up a thirst and he’s going to take her home. Jessica thinks she sees Lana smirk and Sam talking faster and louder than necessary. Lila makes a comment about Lana just being a friend and Jessica has to tell herself she’s the only one Sam wants but she doesn’t like what she just saw not one bit.

Later, Liz goes over to Todd’s, she hears them (Todd and Bruce) arguing over both pledges’ completion of their second tasks. Neither thinks the others did the tasks honestly. Then each accuses the other of getting their boys in trouble. Lila tells Rose they need a picture of her for a printed banner and she can come by her house to get it but Rose says she’ll bring it to her. Lila also tries to suggest they come by and play tennis but Rose drives off. Lila isn’t happy that that she’s not embracing PB togetherness and she has an idea how to make that happen. After this Lila calls and tells Rose she’s going to throw a party at her house if she doesn’t, she won’t get into PB. While Jessica vents about her problems with Sam -her wondering where she stands but not wanting to seem like she doesn’t rust him- Rose sees a solution to her problem. Nana’s favorite singer is coming to town.

Nana leaves for the concert, but then as luck would have it, she comes back to give Rose a cake she made for her and her new friends. Rose has her chance to come clean when the PS’s ask her who it is but she says the cleaning lady. Aftrerwards she does feel guilty as she cries and throws away the cake, but she also thinks how she’s so close. Nana doesn’t have to know what she did. She’ll be leaving the next day. Rosa’s grandmother goes back and before she does she gives her a beautiful red dress with the same pattern as her motehr’s wedding dress. Rosa thinks it’s beautiful but puts it under the bed thinking it’s too Mexican. She’ll never ewear it. For the last task, Bruce wants Todd’s guys to steal four of the cheerleaders pom poms. Todd wants Bruce’s guys to steal some tennis covers. Both know that if there guys do this they’ll get a severe punishment. Liz waits for Todd to call it off and walk himself. He doesn’t. So, she doesn’t buy tickets to the dance. Jessica says later that none of the guys complerted their last tests because the coaches wouldn’t let them out of their sight. Sam calls and asks Jessica to Lisa’s party. She has another math test but again doesn’t want to lose Sam (to Lisa) so she says she’ll tell her parents she’s going over to someone else’s house to stydy. At the pincnic, a little girl falls into a well and helplessly the PBs hear her talking in Spanish but none of them know Spanish. Meanwhile, Bruce’s and Todd’s guys come through with the last items. They helped each other and Bruce and Todd suddenly understand. Rose is able to keep the little girl calm and the rangers get her out. She tries to explain to the PBS but they don’t give her a response so she runs off. The PB’s come by and tell her basically they don’t care who she is, but then after they leave Rosa is confused because they won’t enourage her to be Mexican.
Alice finds out about Jessica failing math, grounds her, and calls off the ceremony, and dance. R ose gets all the way to the induction ceremony and turns down PB because she’s Rosa not Rose.



My Thouoghts
I KNEW when I found out what “the secret” was I wasn’t gonna like this book. I thought BIG DEAL she’s Mexican. Why would they even care about that? “Mexican” women are some of *the* most beautiful women. For example, look at J-Lo.. Look at Adriene Bailon. Look at Selena (when she was alive). Christina Augilera. And ths was *before* Lila was rude to the cleaning lady.

Then I did not like this charater. She was HORRIBLE a nd reminded me of that other character Jade Wu. Both embarrassed of their grandparents because of what other people think. I was thinking yep. Rose was make a *GREAT* Phi-Beta because she’s self-centered like a lot of them. She even has a inner debate if she should save that little girl because shes so busy thinking of what the PB’s will thimk of her if she starts talkig in Spanish. She shouldn’t have even *had* to hesitate if a CHILD’S LIFE WAS AT STAKE! She doesn’t even care that her grandmother might be feeling down because it’s the anniversary of her husband’s death. All she can think about is her own image.

But then even when she gets what she wants and they accept her and like me don’t give a damn if she’s Mexican or not, she starts to obsess over they don’t care enough that she *is* Mexican and won’t encourage her to be who she is. REALLY? At first yall through this book you wanted them to accept you as American. Then you don’t want to be a part of them because your Mexican -now- and that’s not enough for them. I wouldn’t want this girl in my sorrority -if I had one- because she’s too indecisive. If she can change her mind that quickly and then have lied about who she is, is that really someone you think will make a good member. Who really showed true brotherhood in the story were the pR’s pledges.

Then it may just be me but I don’t think “Chrome Dome” should allow sororities and fraternities at SVH *period*.Becaise they do tend to promote elitism and there’s enough of that in certain groups (or cliques). Clubs are ok because they don’t tend to hold the same limitations. But there’s enough pressure in high school without this added one. Bruce and Todd’s tasks weren’t dangerous but pledge tasks can get dangerous and lives are lost. It’s bad enough when this is done at a college level for hazing. For those reasons, I didn’t really like this book and I was right about how I’d feel about it when I started it.

And then I really don’t think sororities (or fraternities) are meant to teach you pride in your race. Unless of course this *was* a Mexican sorrority. Having pride in your race is something that you either have or you don’t have, So it was really dumb of her to think they would keep encouraging her to be Mexican. SMH,

Rating: 4

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

In case anyone forgot- Sweet Valley is only the best place in the world if you're white, so when Rosa moves there with her Mexican immigrant parents from Texas, she decides to be called Rose and pretend she's a WASP from Boston. She hears how the Pi Betas talk about Lila's Mexican maid and Sandy's Mexican boyfriend, yet decides she still wants in. When her grandmother comes to visit from Mexico, Rose is so embarrassed by her that she goes days being a brat until her Nana has to go home and she realizes that maybe she shouldn't be ashamed of her heritage. Will she tell her classmates that shes not white? Good lord, there are definite reasons why thr Babysitters Club came back and Sweet Valley didn't and the rampant racism is up there on the list of reasons. Subplot of Todd and Bruce having a dong-measuring contest over control of their HIGH SCHOOL fraternity is dull. Jessica deciding to blow off math (just math? As a high school junior? Not even geometry?) to see her boyfriend Sam and winding up flunking two tests in a row seems...redundant, but apparently getting herself in trouble again is just setting up the next book.

[Sheela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rose to Rosa

I think this was a good book!Rose should have just told the truth instead of making up her “blue blood’’ background. But she came clean in the end .However,Something that bothered me is that the sorority kept on saying that Pi betas had to be boy magnets😒.Oh and Jessica…Just Study for those tests!Nobody is against you!Maybe if you had not lied you would not have been in those situations.Otherwise,pretty good book.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another one that I barely remembered, but had a lot of fun reading!

[Doris Ware · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read

[K.L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mexican Rosa pretends to be white bread Bostonian aristocrat Rosa in order to get into Pi Beta Alpha. Naturally this fails, but not after she throws her abuelas lovely homemade cake in the bin😭

[Dr. Aditi Kapoor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique read among Sweet Valley books. I like the way they portray the message thriving in diversity and taking pride in your culture while balancing peer pressure. Other stories also continue in the backdrop but the focus is on Rosa and how she handles new friends vs her traditions. Is she Rose or Rosa? Can she take forward the best of both worlds especially when she is around the likes of Lila?

[Jodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of the drama, no slaps to the face. Truly dynasty for pre-teens... It was a great series to grow up with and I loved every nail biting, cringing, laughing, smiling minute of it.

[Sheila Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read so many of these books I can't remember all of them.