Posted on by TracyC

Triple Trouble in Hollywood

TripleTroubleHollywoodTriple Trouble in Hollywood by Michael J. Pellowski, 1989.

This time, Randi and Sandi to go Hollywood to visit their cousin Mandy. Mandy is no longer the same snobbish girl that she was the last time they were together, but she still has ambitions. Right now, she’s trying out for a part in a commercial, but she’s up against some stiff competition.

The commercial requires the girl to sing a jingle and do a back flip. Although Mandy has an excellent speaking voice, the other girls know that she’s terrible at singing, and Mandy doesn’t think she can do the back flip, either. Her main competitor, Tara, can do both of those things. Tara is a wealthy girl whose parents hired coaches to teach her singing and gymnastics especially for this role.

The three girls don’t think it’s fair that Tara has such advantages, and she’s an even bigger snob than Mandy ever was. Then, Randi suggests that they use their similar appearances once again to turn the situation around. Randi is athletic enough to do a back flip, and Sandi is an excellent singer. With all three of them working together, the try-outs for the commercial would be a snap!

TripleTroubleHollywoodPicSandi doesn’t want to do it because it would be dishonest, but Randi and Mandy talk her into it. It’s partly to help Mandy, partly to get back at Tara for her rotten attitude, and partly for the chance to meet the heartthrob Judd Morrison who will also be in the commercial. Of course, as is always the case when the girls switch places, nothing goes as planned.  But, to the girls’ surprise, their younger brother Teddy helps to make things better in the end.

This is part of the Double Trouble Series.

The book is currently available through Internet Archive.

Posted on by TracyC

Triple Trouble

TripleTroubleTriple Trouble by Michael J. Pellowski, 1988.

Randi and Sandi Daniels have a cousin named Mandy who is only slightly older than they are and who looks very much like the two of them.  Their two fathers were brothers, and their two mothers were sisters, which is why they look so much alike. When the three of them were young, they used to get along well and they were almost like triplets. However, when Mandy comes from California for a visit, it becomes apparent that she’s changed a lot.

The three of them still look a lot alike, but Mandy has become stuck up and snobbish. More than anything, she wants to be a big Hollywood star. Because she’s an only child, her parents have indulged her, but now they’ve become concerned that she’s become too wrapped up in her ambitions. She doesn’t really have any friends and isn’t interested in anything besides acting. They think that if Mandy spends some time with her cousins, it will encourage her to slow down and act her age more.

TripleTroublePicBut, Mandy’s snobbish attitude rubs Randi and Sandi the wrong way. Mandy doesn’t want to do anything because she might get dirty or break a nail, and she keeps bragging about how grown up she is compared with her not-much-younger cousins. The twins argue with their cousin, and they play tricks on each other. When Mandy takes advantage of acting skills and her similar appearance to the other girls to try spending time with a boy they like by pretending to be them, Randi and Sandi decide it’s the last straw! They decide to show Mandy that playacting is a game that three can play at.

Like the first book in this series, this one is also filled with black-and-white drawings.

This book is currently available through Internet Archive.

Posted on by TracyC

Double Trouble

DoubleTrouble

Double Trouble by Michael J. Pellowski, 1986.

Sandi and Randi Daniels are identical twins with a younger brother, Teddy, who is in his Terrible Twos. Although Sandi and Randi look alike, they are still very different people. Sandi loves to read and is a good student, and Randi is loves sports, especially soccer. The problem is that Randi’s place on the soccer team is in danger because of her poor grades. Their father has told her that if she doesn’t improve her spelling, she won’t be able to play soccer anymore, and the championship game is coming up!

The two girls come up with a possible solution to the problem when Teddy accidentally mistakes Sandi for Randi one day because Sandi is wearing her sister’s favorite shirt. Since Sandi is much better at spelling than Randi is, Sandi will dress as Randi and meet her teacher for her special tutoring in spelling while Randi goes to play soccer with her sports team.

DoubleTroublePicBut, everything goes wrong when Randi’s coach talks to her teacher about the championship game, and it turns out that her teacher is secretly a soccer fan. When Sandi arrives for the tutoring session and the teacher and coach tell her the happy news that “Randi” can play in the championship game, Sandi has no time to tell Randi about it and switch places with her again. Will their hoax be exposed? Will the girls be able to switch places again in time to save the championship?

There are black-and-white drawings throughout the book.  This is the first book in a series.

It is currently available through Internet Archive.