ROSA'S LIE (Sweet Valley High, No. 81)

Rating:
Summary: "Will Rose ever be proud to be Rosa?"
Review: "Rosa's Lie" is one of the more memorable Sweet Valley High books I remember reading as a kid. It's about a new chicana student named Rosa Jameson (though she goes by Rose to "Americanize" herself--and she even goes so far as to make up a fake past). She's excited to be invited to pledge Pi Beta Alpha, a popular SVH sorority; but she's also nervous because she fears her new friends will discriminate against her for being Mexican--and some would if they found out (like Lila Fowler, the pledge chairwoman). To further complicate things, Rose's Mexican grandmother comes to Sweet Valley for a two week visit, and Rose is a wreck trying to make sure her friends don't meet her or else they'll realize she's been lying this entire time.

Overall, this was a good read if you're a SVH fan. Rose learns to feel comfortable in her own skin, so to speak (though the reader can guess as much by the front cover). Along with the sorority storyline, there's a secondary one involving the fraternity Phi Epsilon, with Todd Wilkins and Bruce Patman fighting over who exactly gets to join their elite group. And then there's Jessica Wakefield, who is failing math and having relationship trouble (yet again) with her steady boyfriend, Sam Woodruff, which should continue in the next book: "Kidnapped By the Cult!"

Rating:
Summary: Conveys wrong attitudes...
Review: Rosa Jiminez, a new arrival to SVH wants to feel a part of the 'crowd' and in doing so, attempts to disguise her Mexican origin by renaming herself as Rose Jameson. In doing so, she is accepted into the 'usual' SV crowd but, is witness to certain prejudiced comments from the group concerning Mexicans. The final straw comes when Rosa holds a party for her friends and all seems well until snobby and pretentious Lila Fowler walks in on Rosa talking to her grandmother in Spanish. Quickly muttering an excuse, Rosa tells Lila that she was talking to the cleaner and Lila makes a snobby and prejudiced comment (when doesn't she)? Will Rosa be able to face up to and be proud of her past? Or will she become a victim of prejudice?

Rating:
Summary: Rosa's Boring
Review: Rosa's lie is a boring book about this boring girl who wants to hide that she is Mexican!Would people really go wonky over someone being Mexican?I dunno.