Sweet Valley Kids 6: Lila's Secret
I had to take pictures of the cover and illustrations in this thing. It made me laugh so hard.
First of all, the cover. Where is the awesome Lila I know and love? It appears she is cowering and being comforted by Jessica. Which is...scary.
Chapter 1: The Hideout
Jess, Liz, and Amy are all playing in their backyard. They are making a fort out of boxes but Jess doesn't want to get dirty and crawl on the ground with the bugs. All of a sudden Liz has a brilliant idea...let's camp out in our fort!! Or, in a tent. But there will be a cookout! Once they run it by their parents (who, lets be honest, never say 'no') they will invite Lila, Eva, and Ellen. And this is the twins first sleepover! How exciting. But let me just say that whoever drew that illustration (wait, it was Ying-Hwa Hu, according to the title page) totally made Jessica/Amy/whoever is sitting there look like they're checking out Liz's ass.
Chapter 2: A Secret Meeting
Jess and Liz hurry to get to class so they can give Lila, Ellen, and Eva the good news. They run into some poor kid named Andy Franklin and knock his glasses off, then giggle and help him pick up stuff and keep running. I'm going to be honest, I hated bitches like this when I was seven. Or whatever age they're supposed to be. They have a "secret meeting" in the middle of class and try to make sure people like Caroline Pearce and the boys don't hear...but they're in class. So that worked well. But when they tell Lila about it, for some reason she doesn't want to come! *gasp* She makes a bunch of lame excuses like it might rain, and that her parents are strict, and then Todd and Winston hear about the campout and it could mean they might try to sabotage it!
...I don't care if Lila is young, she would never wear that weird vest thing.
Chapter 3: Lila's Idea
The twins and friends go to dance class and when they get there, Lila has a great idea! Even at a young age, Liz knows this could be bad..."When Lila said that, it usually meant a really good idea for Lila but not for anyone else." Well, what's wrong with that Liz? She kicks all of your asses, so suck it up. Lila wants to have the campout at her house, because they have a pool. The Wakefields counter with the fact that they, too, have a pool. Lila says hers in a real pool since its inground and theirs is above ground. She also says they could stay in the poolhouse and watch TV and movies all night long, which would make it so awesome! Liz says that you're not supposed to watch TV when camping. Jess says they are most definitely camping at their house, and Lila gets all emotional and leaves the dressing area. Liz senses something must be wrong with Lila, but Jess thinks she just wants everything her way. Way to be a sensitive friend, Jess.
Chapter 4: Lila's Secret
The twins are at lunch and the boys and girls talk about "Tuna Squish" sandwiches and bologna for awhile. I kid you not. Todd announces that if people happen to be camping, they might get raided. The girls freak out and Lila vows not to come if that is the case. The boys tease Lila and say she must be afraid of the dark or snore or wet the bed or something if she is so scared to camp out.
This Lila looks more normal and haughty. But seriously, I never ate with the boys when I was this young. We sat at separate sections of the table and launched food at each other. Maybe I had an abnormal childhood.
Chapter 5: Backyard Fun
The twins set up the tent with their father and Steven gives them a hard time about snakes in the sleeping bags and spiders in the tent. Jess is all "EW FORREAL" and boring Liz is like "no." Eva comes with her brand new, still got the tags on it sleeping bag and brings a stuffed animal horse. Lila brings her "sleeping bag, clothes for tomorrow, a pillow, an extra blanket, bug spray, a raincoat, and a few other things" as well as a mysterious paper bag that she won't talk about. Way to be prepared. They eat their hotdogs and drink juice but Lila isn't thirsty. Amy chugs it down and asks for more, and basically everyone superhydrates except for Lila. They play some games and spit watermelon seeds at each other until it gets dark and its time to sleep.
Chapter 6: Lights Out!
Everyone gets into their PJs in the tent and pulls out their stuffed animals. Lila is the only one that doesn't have one and says she is too old for them. They turn off the flashlight and instantly start to get scared and wish they were in their own beds. There could be ghosts or wild animals or boys or something. Then they hear a loud noise!
Chapter 7: Who's Out There?
They hear rain and freak out, but oddly enough it is only on one side of the tent. So they all try to rush out and there are Steven and Todd with a hose. The two laugh hysterically that the girls thought it was raining...because, you know, water was falling. From above. Outside.
The worst parents ever come out and walk Todd home. Liz goes over and whispers in his ear that she's not mad at him. What an idiot. Ellen is completely soaked and wants to go home, so Mrs. Wakefield takes her inside to comfort her and let her call her mom and change so that hopefully she'll stay.
Chapter 8: Lila's Paper Bag
The other girls crawl in and hug their stuffed animals. Lila calls them silly, and Ellen comes back and they finally all turn off the lights to go to bed. Then Jess hears a crumpling noise and hurriedly flicks on the light to see what it could be. *gasp* Lila had a blankie in her bag! She only has to have it when she isn't sleeping at home. Jess guesses that is the reason Lila didn't want to sleep over, and Lila hesitates before agreeing. Everyone goes back to bed except for Lila.
Chapter 9: Lila's Big Secret
Liz wakes up in the middle of the night but can't figure out what woke her up. Then she hears Lila crying and sees her rubbing her sleeping bag. They go outside and Liz realizes what is going on. Lila wet the bed! She is all upset and says it only happens when she's not at home, and the twins assure her that Steven wet the bed but grew out of it after second grade. They promise not to tell anyone, and then Lila goes back to sleep in her wet sleeping bag, which is kind of gross. And definitely not something I could imagine Lila doing.
Chapter 10: A Pancake Breakfast
The girls all wake up, Lila's secret is safe, and the setup for the next book is introduced...Angela Daley, famed author of "Rabbit's Strange Visitor" and other such tales, might come to Sweet Valley Elementary!
All in all, the fact that they gave the bedwetting problem to Lila kind of irks me. But oh well.
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