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Sweet Valley Kids #43
Jessica Gets Spooked
Stories about a goblin who haunts the local amusement park don't scare Jessica Wakefield! She can't wait to go. It will sure prove to Charlie Cashman that she's no chicken. Will the goblin get Jessica? Or will she get the goblin first?
- GenresMiddle GradeChildrens
75 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1993
2 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Francine Pascal
1,145 books1,851 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 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 14, 2022
Charlie harasses Jessica during a field trip to an amusement park, but she gets him back in the end. It's a SVK, it's all very juvenile.
The most surprising part of this book is that Elizabeth dresses up as *The Penguin* from Batman for Halloween.
The most surprising part of this book is that Elizabeth dresses up as *The Penguin* from Batman for Halloween.
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January 31, 2026Jessica Gets Spooked
Jessica tells Liz she doesn’t think its anything but a rumour. Liz says she hopes not but it would be great if the haunted house at Enchanted Forest really *was* haunted. The twins class is spending the day at the Enchanted Forest amusement park-one of the biggest in California-. The trip was planned as a pre- Halloween treat. Jessica tells her just pretend that it is.
Liz says everyone’s heard about the goblin in the haunted house that has hair on his teeth and big yellow eyes that pop out of his head. Jessica says there’s no such thing and reminds Liz of what she said when she was having nightmares. Liz says she knows but and then they’re interrupted by the arrival of Lila and Ellen. Eva also joins them and says she heard the goblin attacks someone every year before Halloween.
Lila says its true. Billy Cooper went inside the haunted house on his second grade trip and never came out two years ago. Jessica says she thought the Coopers moved away. Lila says they did because of what happened to Billy. Todd and Kisho join them, ask if they’re talking aout the goblin, and then start to whisper. Liz asks what’s so funny. They tell her she wouldn’t get it because she’s a girl. Liz ignores them and starts to get on the bus with the others.
Charlie brags to Jessica that he’s going into the haunted house first. Jessica says she’s going in the haunted house last. Charlie says she’s just scared cause she’s a girl. Liz tells her don’t let Charlie bait her. Jessica says she wishes he’d just leave her alone.
When they’re on the bus, Charlie pulls Jessica’s ponytail, but when she tells her to stop, he promises he won’t pull it anymore. They continue to talk about the goblin. Eva says he bites off your toes to make toe soup. Amy says if he looks at you your hair will stand on end forever. Liz teases maybe that’s what happened to Winston’s hair. (Thought she was supposed to be “the nice” one). Todd says nah. That was just a bad barber.
Charlie puts slime in Jessica’s hair and she tells him she hates him. Mrs. Otis makes Jessica sit in the front with her-while she tries to get it out- and tells Charlie they’ll have words when they get back to school and stay away from Jessica.
When they get there, Mrs. Otis gives them a packet of tickets and tells them they can go wherever they want as long as its with their partner (Jessica and Elizabeth are partners). They’ll meet back at the picnic area at 12 for lunch.
A woman wearing a cat suit and a man dressed as a werewolf give Liz and Jessica glow in the dark stickers of witch and a full moon. While they’re trying to decide what to do, Charlie and Jerry try to stick them up (with a water gun). Jessica tells him to go away and he squirts her in the face. Charlie then heads off down Main Street saying he’s got stuff to do and Kisho and Todd follow them. Liz asks why they’re acting so mysterious and Charlie says its none of her business.
Liz and Jessica decide to go to King Abelard’s Castle. The other girls don’t follow. Lila says Charlie always wants to be where Jessica is and she doesn’t want to be around him. (Tho Jessica says that’s not her fault). Lila and Ellen say they’re going on the Super Coaster. Amy and Eva say they’ll try the Super Coaster too. Liz follows Jessica and has a feeling something big is going to happen.
Charlie and Jerry are behind them in a boat and they keep splashing the twins so by the time the ride is over, they’re soaked. Liz asks them where they came from. There was no one behind them when they got on. They say they might have just snuck up on them and if they aren’t careful, they’ll do it again.
They run into Winston and Andy who have just come out of the haunted house. Liz asks if they’ve seen the goblin and they say no but maybe it’s waiting on them. Jessica wants to go to the haunted house right away, but Liz doesn’t want to go until she finds out what the boys are up to. So, she convinces Jessica to go on the bumper cars by telling her she’ll be good at this because she was good at the derby. Only Charlie gets in a car and keeps bumping Jessica until she stops trying to bump him,
Jessica and Liz check out the shops. In one is a horse and a unicorn. I bet you can tell who liked which. In a prank shop, Charlie and Jerry come again and throw a rubber rock at the twins head. Liz says she hopes they get to laugh at them soon. Jessica says boys are stupid. They walk past them as the boys fall all over themselves laughing.
When they meet at lunch, the girls are surprised to find out Liz and Jessica haven’t been through the haunted house. They’ve all been atleast once. Liz finds out Todd and Kisho have a secret and gets them to tell after doing a spit shake. When they finish lunch, the twins get ice cream cones. Liz gets chocolate. Jessica gets a swirl cone. Charlie pushes Jessica and makes her drop her cone then taunts her when she says she hates him. Liz ends up sharing hers. They see a couple messing around and making out, and again Jessica decides that boys are stupid.
They’ve finally done all the rides. Liz is still stalling about going into the haunted house. Jessica says she’s going whether Liz goes or not and she’s not scared of the goblin (which Liz brings up as well as Jessica doesn’t have any tickets left-she takes one of Liz’s-). Inside the haunted house, they come face to face with the goblin, but Jessica knows its Charlie and tells him she knows he’s been harassing her because he has a crush on her. Then she asks if he wants a kiss. He says “Gross!” and runs out the door. We find out later that Jessica is a mermaid and Liz is the Penguin from Batman
Rating: 5 I was just glad this wasn’t as ridiculous as when they went to the Enchanted Forest in the Super Special in middle school. That one was A MESS!. I’ll take a rumored goblin that turns out to be annoying crush over *that* one. But shouldn’t the title have been ELIZABETH gets spooked?
Jessica tells Liz she doesn’t think its anything but a rumour. Liz says she hopes not but it would be great if the haunted house at Enchanted Forest really *was* haunted. The twins class is spending the day at the Enchanted Forest amusement park-one of the biggest in California-. The trip was planned as a pre- Halloween treat. Jessica tells her just pretend that it is.
Liz says everyone’s heard about the goblin in the haunted house that has hair on his teeth and big yellow eyes that pop out of his head. Jessica says there’s no such thing and reminds Liz of what she said when she was having nightmares. Liz says she knows but and then they’re interrupted by the arrival of Lila and Ellen. Eva also joins them and says she heard the goblin attacks someone every year before Halloween.
Lila says its true. Billy Cooper went inside the haunted house on his second grade trip and never came out two years ago. Jessica says she thought the Coopers moved away. Lila says they did because of what happened to Billy. Todd and Kisho join them, ask if they’re talking aout the goblin, and then start to whisper. Liz asks what’s so funny. They tell her she wouldn’t get it because she’s a girl. Liz ignores them and starts to get on the bus with the others.
Charlie brags to Jessica that he’s going into the haunted house first. Jessica says she’s going in the haunted house last. Charlie says she’s just scared cause she’s a girl. Liz tells her don’t let Charlie bait her. Jessica says she wishes he’d just leave her alone.
When they’re on the bus, Charlie pulls Jessica’s ponytail, but when she tells her to stop, he promises he won’t pull it anymore. They continue to talk about the goblin. Eva says he bites off your toes to make toe soup. Amy says if he looks at you your hair will stand on end forever. Liz teases maybe that’s what happened to Winston’s hair. (Thought she was supposed to be “the nice” one). Todd says nah. That was just a bad barber.
Charlie puts slime in Jessica’s hair and she tells him she hates him. Mrs. Otis makes Jessica sit in the front with her-while she tries to get it out- and tells Charlie they’ll have words when they get back to school and stay away from Jessica.
When they get there, Mrs. Otis gives them a packet of tickets and tells them they can go wherever they want as long as its with their partner (Jessica and Elizabeth are partners). They’ll meet back at the picnic area at 12 for lunch.
A woman wearing a cat suit and a man dressed as a werewolf give Liz and Jessica glow in the dark stickers of witch and a full moon. While they’re trying to decide what to do, Charlie and Jerry try to stick them up (with a water gun). Jessica tells him to go away and he squirts her in the face. Charlie then heads off down Main Street saying he’s got stuff to do and Kisho and Todd follow them. Liz asks why they’re acting so mysterious and Charlie says its none of her business.
Liz and Jessica decide to go to King Abelard’s Castle. The other girls don’t follow. Lila says Charlie always wants to be where Jessica is and she doesn’t want to be around him. (Tho Jessica says that’s not her fault). Lila and Ellen say they’re going on the Super Coaster. Amy and Eva say they’ll try the Super Coaster too. Liz follows Jessica and has a feeling something big is going to happen.
Charlie and Jerry are behind them in a boat and they keep splashing the twins so by the time the ride is over, they’re soaked. Liz asks them where they came from. There was no one behind them when they got on. They say they might have just snuck up on them and if they aren’t careful, they’ll do it again.
They run into Winston and Andy who have just come out of the haunted house. Liz asks if they’ve seen the goblin and they say no but maybe it’s waiting on them. Jessica wants to go to the haunted house right away, but Liz doesn’t want to go until she finds out what the boys are up to. So, she convinces Jessica to go on the bumper cars by telling her she’ll be good at this because she was good at the derby. Only Charlie gets in a car and keeps bumping Jessica until she stops trying to bump him,
Jessica and Liz check out the shops. In one is a horse and a unicorn. I bet you can tell who liked which. In a prank shop, Charlie and Jerry come again and throw a rubber rock at the twins head. Liz says she hopes they get to laugh at them soon. Jessica says boys are stupid. They walk past them as the boys fall all over themselves laughing.
When they meet at lunch, the girls are surprised to find out Liz and Jessica haven’t been through the haunted house. They’ve all been atleast once. Liz finds out Todd and Kisho have a secret and gets them to tell after doing a spit shake. When they finish lunch, the twins get ice cream cones. Liz gets chocolate. Jessica gets a swirl cone. Charlie pushes Jessica and makes her drop her cone then taunts her when she says she hates him. Liz ends up sharing hers. They see a couple messing around and making out, and again Jessica decides that boys are stupid.
They’ve finally done all the rides. Liz is still stalling about going into the haunted house. Jessica says she’s going whether Liz goes or not and she’s not scared of the goblin (which Liz brings up as well as Jessica doesn’t have any tickets left-she takes one of Liz’s-). Inside the haunted house, they come face to face with the goblin, but Jessica knows its Charlie and tells him she knows he’s been harassing her because he has a crush on her. Then she asks if he wants a kiss. He says “Gross!” and runs out the door. We find out later that Jessica is a mermaid and Liz is the Penguin from Batman
Rating: 5 I was just glad this wasn’t as ridiculous as when they went to the Enchanted Forest in the Super Special in middle school. That one was A MESS!. I’ll take a rumored goblin that turns out to be annoying crush over *that* one. But shouldn’t the title have been ELIZABETH gets spooked?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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January 9, 2023Not one of the better Kids books. As happens far to often in these, bullying isn't dealt with at all well, made even worse in this one by the inclusion of the terrible concept of boys harassing and assaulting girls because they "like" them. Telling kids that this is a thing—and an acceptable thing, what's more—sets them up for a lifetime of toxic gendered behaviour. Uncool.
November 29, 2019
Watching a 7-year old Todd being mean to Elizabeth because he’s crushing on her just cracks me up.
Also, Charlie Cashman apparently has a crush on Jessica here, which I kind of wish was explored in SVH. He was such a one-note character once they got to high school, and it’s nice to see more of his personality in these books. (Yes, he’s annoying here, but at least it’s a personality!)
Also, Charlie Cashman apparently has a crush on Jessica here, which I kind of wish was explored in SVH. He was such a one-note character once they got to high school, and it’s nice to see more of his personality in these books. (Yes, he’s annoying here, but at least it’s a personality!)
December 5, 2021
Firstly, this title is very misleading. But I’ll get to that. The whole class is going to Enchanted Forest in the lead up to (ANOTHER) Halloween. Everyone is talking about the Halloween Goblin who haunts the haunted house. He has hair that grows out of his eyes… 🤔 Anyway, Charlie Cashman has been picking on Jess a lot lately, and I’m immediately thinking crush. The other girls don’t want to hang with the twins at the amusement park because Charlie is just always doing horrible things to Jess. The other boys are acting mysterious. Anyway the twins get followed by Charlie and Jerry all day who keep ruining their fun - soaking them on rides, Charlie traps Jess on the dodgem cars and pushes her over so she drops her ice cream. When they met up for lunch (oh I forgot to mention, the kids are off on their own in pairs 🤦🏼♀️), Liz forces Todd and Kisho to tell her their secret. We don’t know what it is but suddenly Liz doesn’t want to go to the haunted house… but Jess insists. Surprise, surprise, the Halloween goblin is inside, and he tries to scare Jess, only she is not having it. She knows it’s Charlie and calls him out for having a crush on her and I’m like YES 👏🏻👏🏻 This is the Jessica Wakefield I know and love. He’s humiliated because all the boys are hiding go laugh at Jess, and we’re led to believe he never bothers her again.
My rating - 5/10 - Charlie was awful, but Jess was fantastic 🙌🏻
My rating - 5/10 - Charlie was awful, but Jess was fantastic 🙌🏻
July 26, 2012
I barely remember this story, but I think we find out Charlie has a crush on Jessica, which is why he's trying to scare her.
June 22, 2013
I remember the cover but just not the story.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews