Standing Out

Sweet Valley Twins #25

by Francine Pascal

Too many changes...

Billie Layton is a real tomboy. She's the only girl on the Little League softball team and the most respected athlete at Sweet Valley Middle School. But suddenly her whole world is turning upside down.

First, Billie's parents are expecting a new baby and don't seem to have any time for her. Then there's her longtime friend, Jim Sturbridge, who's always been Billie's best friend, but now he seems interested only in Sally Holcomb—and Billie is jealous! Could it be that Billie likes Jim as a boyfriend and not just a buddy? Something is happening to Billie and it's very confusing! How can Elizabeth and Jessica convince Billie that she can have everything she wants?

Genres: Young Adult, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Romance, Contemporary

101 pages, Paperback

First published September 28, 1988

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

[Jodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story that set the back drop for my childhood. Reading by flashlight under a blanket late into the night...good times.

[kylajaclyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Synopsis: It has occurred to me that in each of these books not focusing on Jess & Liz, we have a person with a deeply unhappy home life. This clearly serves to underscore how awesome life is for the Wakefields. But it's interesting that nothing else is ever wrong with these people (no addiction, no mental illness, nothing too deep), they are just either a. too fat or b. lonely and miserable with their lives. Billie Layton is no exception. Remember Booster Boycott? She was Belinda, the only girl on the softball team, and one of the signers of Winston's petition. In this book she's lonely and ignored. It's really getting old, I'm telling you. I thought this one would be more of a struggle about her desire to be more of a girly girl, but it doesn't really have anything to do with that. And it's uneventful.

Billie gets her period, so we know she beats the Wakefields on that by about 20 books (I'm surprised). But she's already been having a time of it at home because her mother has a baby on the way, a little boy they will name William... Billy. So this is a problem, because not only is her new sibling taking away quality time with her dad, he's also going to steal her name (which is actually Belinda, and clearly the baby has no say in the matter). So she gets sad and blah blah, tries to tell her librarian mother about her period but never gets the chance. She also has a budding crush on her teammate Jim Sturbridge (I keep thinking Sturgess, the actor), but he's cavorting around school with Sally Halcomb, a terrible flirt. For some reason this bothers Jessica. Julie Porter's birthday is coming up, and the twins convince Billie she should go shopping with them for a dress for the party, in addition to the new tennis shoes she needs. She gets a gorgeous blue number that that they talk her into. There is a big softball game before the party. Billie has a really off time and can't pitch any no-hitters. They get rained out, but her coach talks about benching her the next day and letting someone else start. Billie's crushed, but she has to get get ready for Julie's party with the twins. They transform her into Belinda, goddess, with soft brown curls framing her face. Every boy at the party dances with her except for Jim Sturbridge, who is busy talking with Sally and doesn't recognize Billie. Her dad comes to the party to tell her that her little brother is about to arrive. Billie goes to the hospital and is finally able to tell her mom about getting her period. After the baby is born, her attitude suddenly changes. She doesn't feel left out. She has a great game. Pete Stone asks her out. And Jim Sturbridge finally notices her. Also, she "changes" her name to Belinda, and she gets invited to be a Unicorn. I don't know why she ever thought she had a bad life!

Wakefield subplot: The Unicorns have a bad image. Or, at least, Janet thinks they do. She's right, for once. But she wouldn't care about their image if there wasn't a Service Award or something coming up, and the Unicorns are determined to get it. So Janet asks everyone to do things to be more helpful and change their image. Jessica thinks this means hooking up Jim and Belinda. But she also cleans her room... though I'm not sure how anyone outside of the Unicorns would ever see her room, thus changing their image. Jessica thinks the rest of the Unicorns just aren't ready to be nice. She's probably right. In the end, their act of kindness is inviting Billie to be a Unicorn, so that they have an athlete among them (besides Jessica... though I thought they were all Boosters?).

Alternate Title: "Billie & Billy"


Tagline: "Can a girl really be one of the guys?" (You can watch Lizzie McGuire for the answer to that question).

On a Scale of 1-10, How Annoying is Elizabeth? 0

On a Scale of 1-10, How Sociopathic is Jessica? 0, actually. She's shockingly non-sociopathic in this one.

The Big Deal: Julie Porter's birthday party

Lingering Questions: So is Belinda the first of the Unicorns to get her period?

Cover: Good or Bad? Billie/Belinda is so cute! But the guy on her right looks like he is 7.

Quotes from the Book: "'Just think how simple that makes everything!" Jessica said excitedly. 'You don't even have to worry about whether to buy pink or blue stuff for the baby's room.'" (As a Women's Studies major, I want to take a second to say that we are not born with gender; it is comments like this from Jessica, and the majority of people, that gender us all and teach us "how" to behave).

"'I'm not supposed to repeat this, but since you're my twin, it's almost like telling myself.'" (You just have to admire Jessica's logic).

"'And while we're on the topic of Sally Holcomb, did you SEE the sweater she had on this morning? What gives her the right to wear a purple sweater? She's not a Unicorn!'" (This from Lila. God help the rest of the school if they ever wear anything purple).

Moral of the Story: Getting your period makes you beautiful and more understanding.

Final Rating: Two stars. I'm obviously not reading the ones that are very eventful.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book out of the series. Made me feel OK to be a tomboy.

[Tiffany Spencer]

Standing Out
After gym class, Jessica congratulates Billy Layton on her game. Billie says at least someone appreciates her. Jessica says of course and then asks what’s wrong. She heard the day before Billie threw a tantrum at a baseball game. She says her mother is having a baby in the middle of Little League season. She says iits a boy. (She’s not a bit excited). She starts to confide something to Jessica She starts to say something about she *could* tell Jim Sturbridge but he’d just think she was a crybaby. Jessica realizes she has a Unicorn meeting and apologizes to Billy. She promises to get with Billy later and notices she looks hurt. Jim passes them deep in conversation with a girl (Sally Holcome) and doesn’t hear Billy when she calls out to him.

Janet calls an emergency meeting about the unicorn's image. Because people think their stuck up they won’t get the service award. There’s a prize. It’s an all-day trip to the location of choice in a 50-mile radius. If they want to win they’re going to have to change their image and come across as helpful. Oh and keep that they’re worried about their image on the low.

Later, Jessica talks to Liz about Bily. Liz doesn’t see why having a new sibling would bother Billy Jessica says the problem is Jim and Sally. She thinks Jim means more to Billy than just a “friend” and she thinks they should do something about it. Liz says it’s nice she wants to help, but Jim can be friends with whoever he wants. Jessica tells her not to tell about this conversation and Liz promises not to,

Jim and Billy talk strategy and baseball. She feels good that he’s relying on her to win the game. She also feels good that she and her father have made plans to go fishing (just the two of them). He’ll also be at the big game on Saturday. They won’t get much alone time when the baby comes. She decides to forget she saw Jim with Sally the other day. Meanwhile, Lila and Jessica are making cookies (in class)and talking about Jim and Sally. Lila says they should tell Billy what’s going on with “her boyfriend”. Liz doesn’t think Jessica should tell. She says it's wrong to meddle or be a tattle tale (uh Liz..)Billie wonders who else has it, if she’ll look like Sally Holmes, and how having her period will affect her game.

Jessica tries to talk to Billy in gym class, but she stops her and says things have gone back to normal. Then she discovers she’s started her period. She tells Jessica to put a quarter in the machine by the door but it’s empty. Luckily Jessica comes to the rescue and gets some of Lila’s supplies from their locker. Lila hasn’t started but says you always have to be prepared. All day, Billie thinks about the changes her body will go through and how it’ll affect her game. Mrs. Layton is filling in for Mrs. Wyler in the library. Billy tries to talk to her Julie interrupts and asks if she’s coming to her party. Billy was going to tell her she couldn’t because of the game but forgot. Julie says it’s ok the party is after the game. Then her mother goes to help Julie with the book, Billy is discouraged. The baby isn’t even here and her mother doesn’t even have time for her.

After school on Tuesday, Liz and Jessica have made plans to go to Billy’s to cheer her up. Billy and Liz wait for Jess, but when she does show up Jess tells them she forgot she made plans to go to a Unicorn meeting. Liz reminds her *shes* the one that wanted to do something to cheer Billy up, but she lets Lila lead her away (apologizing to Billy). Liz apologizes to Billy and says Jess makes so many plans it’s hard for her to keep track. Billy says that ok sometimes things happen so fast it’s hard to keep track of. Then she tells Liz about her cycle and how she tried to tell her mom. Liz and Billy go to her house and she shows Liz her room. Billy’s room is decked out in sports stuff. She says sometimes she thinks her dad wishes she would have been a boy. She says he’s taught her everything she knows. They use to do everything together but they don’t do anything together anymore.

At the meeting, Mary suggests they do some tutoring. No one thinks much of this idea. Jessica says maybe they should do errands for sick people. But how would they know who the sick are? Janet tables it for now and then they start to talk about Julie’s party. Until it’s time for Jessica to leave. Billy and Liz finish up their game of Scrabble. Before Liz leaves she invites Billy to go shopping with her and Jess to pick something out for Julie’s party but Billy says UN NO THANKS! But then she thinks maybe she can pick out some new tennis shoes and her *own* dress (instead of having her mom pick one out). Billy overhears her parents saying the doctor’s report was good and it won’t be long. They pick the name William Arthur (after Billy’s father). They know it might upset Billy but they think it’s important to name the baby after his grandfather. Billy thinks wow! They’re taking my name too!

Jessica comes up with an idea later, and she tells Liz that all she has to do is type a letter. Liz can type it and say Jim is hanging around with Sally, but Liz refuses to have anything to do with this or any other scheme. Jessica says they can *show* her. They can find out when Jim and Sally will be together and lure her there. Or she can plant something in the Sixers. Liz says the best thing to do for Billy is go with her shopping. Jessica thinks yes. They can take her shopping and then give her a makeover. Then Billy will see her as more than a tomboy.

Billy’s pitching is off at practice. She wonders if it's her period. Coach suggests some weightlifting. Not only this Jim says he can’t walk home with her today because he has something else to do. Billy sees Jim notice Sally and feels worse. While shopping, Billy does find a blue dress with flowers. Jessica approves and Liz agrees. Jessica even picks out some shoes to go with the dress (along with her sneakers). Jessica invites her to come home with them so they can all get ready for the party. Billy says her father is coming and they might go out for ice cream and he critics her game. But she admits she doesn’t want to walk into the party alone. Plus the twins are turning out to be really good friends. They round a corner and see Jim and Sally coming out of Casey’s. Then she realizes Jim had made plans to walk home with Sally. This was why he couldn’t walk home with her. Jessica tries to apologize, but Billy says it’s ok. Billie is silent all the way home. She asks
On the walk, Billy starts to cry over all the changes. Her mother is suddenly there. She gives her a hug and they walk home together. At the game, Billy is pulled from the game and a relief pitcher is sent in. It starts to pour and all the girls start to leave. Liz says she’s staying. The Unicorns call for Jessica but she (for once) doesn’t follow after them. Amy also stays. Billy doesn’t see her father or her friends (at first) but then she notices they’ve just moved down a seat. The game is shortly after called off and rescheduled for the next day. He says he’ll decide on a star pitcher tomorrow. Billy sees that Sally left and is happy to see that she wasn’t the only one with fairweather friends. Needless to say, she’s not in the mood for a party. But Liz and Jess won’t hear it. They start to work on her hair (rolling it) and dress (ironing it) after she’s had a shower. Jessica even gives her a little lip gloss. Liz lends her a pearl bracelet for luck. Jessica gives her a pair of pearl earrings. They finally let her look in the mirror. The twins say she looks beautiful. Billy can’t help but agree.

At the party, there’s a ping pong tournament. Billy wins three straight games. Then Aaron asks her to dance. By this time she’s forgotten Jim, Then she gets asked by Tom Mckay and Pete Stone. All the Unicorns admire Billy’s transformation. Mary says they should ask Billy to be a Unicorn. Lila thinks they should wait and see how she does at the next game. When she does see Jim and Sally, Billy notices how grat Sally looks. She waves at Jim but he doesn’t wave back. Billy rushes out so fast she doesn’t see that he's holding out his hands (about to ask her to dance?) As she’s about to leave, her father shows up and says he’s come to get her. Her mother is about to have the baby.

While she visits her mom (and they wait for the baby) she finally gets a chance to talk to her mom (about her period). She apologizes for her dad not being there but he’ll be there tomorrow.Billy dozes off a little and thinks she heard a baby in her dreams, but it’s not a dream. Her brother is there. As soon as she lays her eyes on her brother, it’s love at first sight. She gets to hold her brother William Arthur Layton. Her father finally notices she’s a young lady (taking in her curls and dress). Billy decides that she’s too grown up for the nickname Billy. She wants to be called Belinda.

Before the game, Belinda now wears a little lip gloss and some perfume. Pete asks her out after the game but she says she’ll take a rain check. She’s going with her father to see her new little brother. Jim says he didn’t recognize her at the party. He went looking for her but Jessica said she was gone. He wanted to ask her to dance. Belinda tells her thanks for telling her. The Rangers win the game. Jim rushes out to hug her while Jessica cheers for her. But what makes her happiest is her father is there cheering right along with her.

The next day Ellen has an idea for a party service and they can donate the money to SVMS. Janet then invites Billy to be one of the Unicorns. Of course, she answers YES!

My Thoughts
2 MUCH SPROTS STUFF for me! think Billy’s mom was EXTREMELY nice through this whole book and UNDERSTANDING. She might not have always been there when Billy wanted her to be but when she was she was RIGHT ON TIME! The same for Billy’s dad. You just have to grit your teeth and bear it that YES new little additions to the family are going to get A LOT of attention and try not to take it too personal when you might really want to do something and get turng (or want a family member to do something) and they turn you down because of something tthat has to do with the baby. For some reason tho I thought Billie Layton was Steven’s age. I kept thinking but didn’t they date in SVH? I don’t know if I like Jim for Billy. Maybe as a friend but to date. Nah. If it took her wearing her hair a certain way and wearing a dress for him to *See* her. He wasn’t much better than her father in that way. Hmm. Maybe that’s what she saw in him. They always say girls pick guys that remind them of their fathers. But Jim just *didn’t* impress me. He didn’t even realize sthat it bothered his *friend* that he was seeing Sally (rolling my eyes). Uh DUH. Why do you think she left the party Jim? So I hope she goes with Pete. Not that I know anything about Pete. Hopefuly he’ll be better than Jim but this is SV and my hopes aren’t that high (or expectations)

Rating: 5

[Elena Pousada · Rating 1 out of 5]

Brandon Mejia,

How does this novel provide insight into an issue common to all people?

Esta novela tiene varias similitudes y a la vez diferencias en la vida de las personas. A veces, hay ocasiones en las cuales una persona tiene que ir gracias a las circunstancias de la vida por malas situaciones que cambian la perspectiva de la vida de esta persona. A veces se necesita de ayuda de otras personas para poder superar dicha etapa de la vida, se necesita ayuda para salir de ese pozo en las cuales, algunas personas están hundidas. Lamentablemente en la vida, no siempre hay personas que están ahi para ayudar a esas personas en necesidad de compañía. En el caso de la historia de Cambios Oportunos, Jessica sabía la situación en la cual su amiga Billie tenía que pasar. Había ocupaciones en las cuales Jessica no sabía todo lo que su amiga estaba pasando. Jessica y su hermana Elisabet trataron y a la vez ayudaron a sacar a Billie de situaciones en las cuales la propia Billie no podía seguir, ya que era demasiado para ella. Al final Jessica y Elizabet logran que Billie pueda superar esa etapa de vida en la cual estaba hundida. Claro que no fue fácil para Billie y tampoco para Jessica y Elisabet ya que para las hermanas se les complicaba las situaciones que Billie tenía que pasar. Esto puede conectarse a la vida, ya que uno como humano si sabe lo que otra persona está pasando debería como humano ayudarle ya que se demuestra que uno tiene humanidad y no está vacío por dentro. Las personas de hoy en día deberían seguir el ejemplo de Elizabet y Jessica ya que las dos hermanas demostraron humanidad, ayudando a su amiga en necesidad. Todos como humanos deberíamos seguir el ejemplo de las hermanas.

[Mez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why do most books so far centre around a random character we haven't heard of before, who the twins become BFF with, only to likely never hear from them again? can't we get a story around the regular characters like Lila, Ellen, Julie??
anyway, this one was about Billie, who is very into softball (only girl in a team of boys) and is in the dumps because her parents are expecting their second child. She also gets her period, what a time!
Jessica gets herself involved as Janice (president of the unicorns) wants their image to improve so the unicorns need to be more community minded, I suppose (and of course so they win some kinda prize?)
Jess wasn't too bad in this one though, of course everything ends happily and Billie (sorry now she wants to be called Belinda) becomes a unicorn and gets the attention of her BFF she has been crushing on (Jeremy? no... omg i forget his name haha) (edit its Jim!)

next book seems to be about another rando character the twins decide to help.. sigh! haha

[Joannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hah!!

[Erynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you know Sweet Valley Twins, you know what you're getting. This one was interesting because it dealt a lot with issues girls face growing up with changing feelings and changing bodies.

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

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***

[trace ♡°。 · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this one, Sweet Valley's resident tomboy and star baseball pitcher Billie Layton is going through a lot of changes: her first period, a new lil brother on the way, and her best guy friend ditching her to spend time with that boy-crazy Sally Holcomb smh!!

But don't fret, Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield solve all her problems by giving her a "She's All That" makeover, showing us that a dress + makeup will make everyone love you. Throw those masculine clothes away and change your name back to Belinda and suddenly you're the bees knees wow incredible~~~

[Melenia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved these books as a child

[Sheila Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember the cover but just not the story