Just like any awkward teen in the '90s, I was obsessed with the Sweet Valley series--so much that I still keep my old copies stashed somewhere in my room. It was an important part of growing up, and until college I would reach for one of them whenever I got tired of some heavy-duty reading. As much as I hated how Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield were always described as beautiful, golden girls with perfect size six figures, there was still something about the Sweet Valley universe that’s as comforting as, say, a feel-good film.
So, I didn't know exactly how to react when I read the news that Random House will be releasing reprints of Sweet Valley High today--yup, new cover art and all. Not only that, they will be revising Sweet Valley High to keep up with the times. Think text messaging, the Internet, new fads and even new waistlines for the Wakefield twins!
Check out the updates in the new books that Random House revealed in a press release last week:
- Back in 1983, the Wakefield twins were "a perfect size six." Now, the writers have reduced it to "a perfect size four"!
- If Jess and Liz used to drive a red Fiat in the '80s, now they're cruisin' town with a red Jeep Wrangler.
- Forget imagining Elizabeth proofreading "The Oracle," SVH’s old school paper. Now she’s editing the school website, "The Oracle," and even writing at an anonymous blog, "The Insider"!
You can also see the actual press release from Random House here.
It's cool to have the twins back, but a part of me is a bit turned off by the changes, especially with the weight obsession and the techie stuff. Sure it's nice to upgrade, but I was hoping for a new series, maybe, just like the facelift that Nancy Drew got, without doing any other tweaks to the old hardbound stories. After all, newspapers and landline phones still exist, and it's not fair to underestimate teenagers who would read these today and assume that they can't imagine Sweet Valley without e-mails and instant messaging.
Then again, there's no stopping me watching out for this in the stores just to see what the Wakefield twins will be wearing now. And I happen to be a fan of Bruce's Porsche, 1bruce1, so I sure hope they won't replace this...well, maybe at least not the vanity plate, ha ha!
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