By Ann M. Martin. Published September 1988.
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| Seriously, has Hodges Soileau ever seen an eleven-year-old? |
You guys, I can’t even with Jessi and her dancing. There is
no way an eleven-year-old would be getting lead parts in ballets. She should
just be starting pointe. But of course, she’s in the “advanced” class, in which
the oldest students are only fourteen.
But anyway, she has her first big audition since she’s moved
to Connecticut. And she gets the lead role of Swanhilda in Coppelia. I can’t even begin to explain how ridiculous this is.
Of course, she has to deal with a couple of mean girls in
her class. Hilary and Katie Beth don’t like Jessi, not because she’s black, but
because they were the youngest in the class before she came along. And now
they’re totes jealous of her part.
On the baby-sitting front, Jessi lands a special reoccurring
job. It’s for the Braddocks, Haley and Matt, who’s deaf. Jessi first meets with
Mrs. Braddock a couple of times to get a crash court in American Sign Language.
She also gets to know the kids a little bit. She picks up a weird vibe from
Haley.
The three of them run into Mary Anne sitting for Jenny. They
all get introduced, and Jenny doesn’t quite grasp what the deal is with Matt.
Then he lets out a laugh, which even Jessi admits sounds weird. It scares
Jenny, and she says he’s weird. The girls think this makes Jenny a total brat.
I think it’s more a four-year-old who doesn’t get what’s going on. Haley gets
upset, and Jessi realizes Haley is trying to fit in, but Matt is making it
hard.
Jessi introduces the Braddocks to the Pikes and Barretts.
The kids get along great, and the Pikes and Buddy start picking up the sign
language. They even start making up their own. The boys all bond over sports,
and Haley and Vanessa become friends.
Jessi has an awkward encounter at dance. The mean girls are
starting to be less mean, and then Jessi meets Katie Beth’s little sister,
Adele. Adele is deaf, but her family doesn’t know sign language, and she’s
usually off at a special school in Massachusetts. It’s pretty sad.
Jessi has a heart-to-heart with Haley. She says she resents
Matt, and sometimes wishes he were never born. But she also sticks up for him,
and is proud of him. It really sounds like a lot of sibling relationships, and
Jessi compares it to her own.
During their conversation, Haley tells Jessi that Matt has
never been to the theater or anything, and that makes Jessi sad, but it gives
her an idea.
Jessi works with her ballet teacher, Mrs. Braddock, and
Matt’s teacher to make opening night of Coppelia
extra special. Matt’s entire class is invited. Haley narrates at the beginning
of each act, while Mrs. Braddock signs what she says. The kids sem to love it.
Jessi does awesome, of course, and the whole BSC plus her
parents, Becca, and even her grandparents from Oakley are there to see it. And
she gets a special surprise. Keisha, her cousin and best friend from Oakley is
there as well. It’s a bit awkward with Mal at first, but Mal says the perfect
things, and it’s all good.
Adele is also there, and loved the special show. Katie Beth
tells Jessi she has started taking sign language classes so she can talk to her
sister. Adele and Matt get into a rapid-fire conversation, and Jessi realizes
how much more she has to learn.
o
Jessi doesn’t come off very well at first. For
our first proper introduction to her, she straight-up brags about how good she
is at languages, ballet, and her long, long legs. In the first three pages.
o
Jessi is not taking enough dance classes. To
even begin pointe, you really need at
least three technique classes a week. She’s only taking two. If she were really
in a good advanced class, she probably would be going every day.
o
Oh lord, I’d forgotten about Haley’s hair: cut
very short, with a tail in the back. Jessi assures us this is very in. Whatever, Jessi.
o
I call bullshit on everyone in the cast getting
ten free tickets. How the hell are they supposed to make money?
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