Books with author Elizabeth Weiss Vollstadt

Jamie’s coach believes that Jamie, twelve, has a better chance of achieving her Olympic dream as a pairs skater than as a single. So Jamie agrees to skate with Matt, even though they clash the first time they meet. If Matt weren’t enough to deal with, Jamie’s divorced father tells her he is getting married again. A new stepmother and six-year-old brother are just what she doesn’t need. Will her life ever be smooth skating again? Pairs on Ice is more than a book about skating. Tweens will identify with the many conflicts Jamie faces on and off the ice in this fast-paced novel.

Jamie’s coach was thinking that Jamie, twelve, had a better chance of achieving her Olympic dream as a pairs skater than as a single. So Jamie agrees to skate with Matt, even if she has to grit her teeth every time they practice. If Matt weren’t enough to deal with, Jamie’s divorced father tells her he is getting married again. A new stepmother and six-year-old brother are just what she doesn’t need. Will her life ever be smooth skating again? Pairs on Ice is more than a book about skating. Tweens will identify with the many conflicts Jamie faces on and off the ice in this fast-paced novel.

“You’re in the big leagues here, where it’s every skater for herself. Don’t think you’re gonna get any help from me . . . And don’t try to wheedle yourself onto Jessica’s good side. She’s my coach and I come first!”Pairs skater Jamie Bartlett flinches at the hostile words coming from Emily Lin, her new roommate. What has she gotten herself into?Not that she had a choice. After winning the gold medal at Sectionals, she and her partner Matt were psyched to get gold at the National Championships. But then an accident left their coach in a coma, and everything changed.Now they are training far from home with a new coach, and Jamie finds herself the victim of insults and pranks from Emily and her friends. Even worse, their coach is clearly not interested in their success.Can Jamie take the pressure—or will she give up her dream of gold?

"You're in the big leagues here, where it's every skater for herself. Don't think you're gonna get any help from me . . . And don't try to wheedle yourself onto Jessica's good side. She's my coach and I come first!"Pairs skater Jamie Bartlett flinches at the hostile words coming from Emily Lin, her new roommate. What has she gotten herself into?Not that she had a choice. After winning the gold medal at Sectionals, she and her partner Matt were psyched to get gold at the National Championships. But then an accident left their coach in a coma, and everything changed.Now they are training far from home with a new coach, and Jamie finds herself the victim of insults and pranks from Emily and her friends. Even worse, their coach is clearly not interested in their success.Can Jamie take the pressure--or will she give up her dream of gold?

Competition is getting tougher for Jamie Bartlett, 12, as she advances in figure skating. She won a bronze medal at the Novice National Championships, but it wasn’t gold, and others are pulling ahead. Will her Olympic dream fade away? Her coach suggests a new path, skating pairs with Matt O’Connor, who’s looking for a new partner. With pairs lifts and fewer triple jumps, Jamie would have a better chance of making it to the top. There’s just one problem: Jamie and Matt have already met–and clashed–on the ice. They join forces anyway and their skating is smooth and polished. But their constant battles keep them from becoming a winning team. Adding to Jamie’s problems, her divorced father tells her he is getting married again. A new stepmother and brother are just what she doesn’t need, especially since she still hasn’t sorted out her up-and-down relationship with her mother. Will her life ever be smooth skating again? “Everything in Jamie’s life comes to a head the night before sectionals, and she will be forced to grow up or quit skating. . . . This is a book that tweens will really enjoy especially those that are interested in ice skating and just discovering boys." ––CompulsionReads

Pairs skater Jamie Bartlett, 13, and her partner Matt O’Connor, 15, have just won a gold medal at the sectional competition. Now they are psyched to win gold at the National Championships. But then an accident leaves their coach in a coma—and everything changes. Jamie and Matt are forced to train at a rink far from home, where Jamie stays with Emily Lin and her family. Emily competes in the same event as Jamie and greets her with these words: “You’re in the big leagues here, where it’s every skater for herself. Don’t think you’re gonna get any help from me . . . And don’t try to wheedle yourself onto Jessica’s good side. She’s my coach and I come first!" Jamie becomes the victim of insults and pranks from Emily and her friends. Even worse, Jamie and Matt’s new coach is also Emily’s coach and is clearly not interested in their success. When they have trouble with a difficult lift, she offers little help. Can Jamie take the pressure, or will she give up her dream of gold? “Pairs at Nationals is an engaging, fun book for tweens and skating fans of all ages. The story touches on the real struggles, triumphs, and dedication of young athletes.” Skating coach B-J Shue-Chapman