It’s cold, gloomy, and I’m not feeling 100%.� This is prime book reading weather and I am silently praying that Mikey’s baseball game is canceled tonight.� Mama has a stack of books she wants to read and doesn’t feel like doing anything more complicated than shifting the pillow behind her back so that it rests “just so.”� Who’s with me?
Raise your hand if you are one of the lucky ones with a library who hands out a free issue of BookPage every month. I am, although I didn’t know until today when the boys and I went to a second library for books. Yep, two libraries. The heart wants what the heart wants and my heart wanted a book at a different library from our usual haunt.� Now my heart wants an entire library of other books thanks to this complimentary book lover’s digest.
For example, according to “buzz girl,” David Sedaris will release in October a collection of illustrated fables entitled Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk.� I own everything David Sedaris has ever written, so I won’t wait for this to hit the library.� There are authors you read on loan, and authors you pay for full price.� Sedaris is a pay full price author.� He could author a collection of Campbells Soup Recipes and I would buy it without or without my Border’s rewards card.
I never read any of the Sweet Valley High books from the 70s and 80s (I wasn’t allowed, as if you couldn’t guess) but I know many of you did (including Susannah and Zakary, if memory serves).� Well, guess what?� In early 2011 we will see Sweet Valley Confidential, a look at Elizabeth, Jessica, and their Sweet Valley friends not into their late 20s and 30s.� I don’t even know what this means.� I had to Google and research Sweet Valley High to make sure I got the names right.� They were twins, right?
Wait a minute.
Does my beloved Google deceive me, or are there really 150 books in the series?!� Hmmm.� And here I thought they were resurrecting a treasured childhood series that was over 20 years old.� Turns out the last one was released in 2007.� So much for my plans to read “five or so books” to see what I was missing in the 8th grade.
Wait a minute.
The series had ghostwriters?
I have a sneaking suspicion that today’s obsessed Twilight moms were once obsessed Sweet Valley High fans.
bec says
I totally read Sweet Valley High in middle school and probably part of high school. I remember they tried to do a spin-off series that followed Elizabeth moving to Europe or something but it got kind of skanky so that was the end of SVH for me. I also loved Babysitters Club :) Don’t worry, I read quality books as well (Boxcar Children, anyone?)
Deanna says
I was a latecomer to SVH – late as in I was in my 30’s when I first came across them. I love the quick read – it’s like literary junk food. Only not as fattening and greasy. :)
Fontana supposedly has a great new library – is it wrong I would want to go without my kids?
cathie says
hehe i’m a little embarrassed. i was totally a sweet valley high fan & would read those novels way late into the night. and i confess, i just watched twilight & new moon, and they’ve got me gripped.
Mikki says
The author of Sweet Valley High has written some pretty good other books. But I’m just giddy about the David Sedaris news!
Meredith from Penelope Loves Lists says
I loved the SVH books and was sort of “girl crushy” on Jessica and Elizabeth. Today, though, David Sedaris will win out every time. I looooove him, especially on audio cd.
Susannah says
So help me I kinda’ want to read about Jessica & Elizabeth as adults. Crap. But I swear if I do I will temper it with shots of Faulkner, Joyce, etc.
Andrea Howe says
I feel jipped. No Book Page at my library. Help, my brain is turning to mush! Do a follow up post on what’s on your nightstand pretty please. I seriously need a good suggestion.
Amy says
Shhhh… don’t speak … no, don’t speak. Don’t tell me about any new books. I can’t know these things! The minute I lost my job a couple years ago I went out and purchased new books. I may have gone hungry, but by george I would be well read! I just pre-ordered the new Janet Evanovich novel … and threw in an Everyman’s Library Mansfield Park … so I wouldn’t have to pay shipping. I paid an extra $25.00, to save $8. Sure, makes perfect sense …
Caitlin says
I preferred Sweet Valley Twins to Sweet Valley High – but I was in grade 5/6 myself, so all the high school stuff was a little over my head.
You could kinda tell they were written by various people, though, like the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew – some sounded slightly different.
I’ve only read one Sedaris book (When You Are Engulfed in Flames) but I just loved it!
Stephanie says
I don’t get this BookPage thing of which you speak, but, I work in a library. So, “go me” anyway? I wasn’t allowed to read SVH books either, but speaking of ghost writers — did you know that Laura Lee Hope, author of the Bobbsey Twins series, NEVER EXISTED?! They made her up. The books were written by a whole slew of authors, none of whom were even named Laura. Or Lee. Or Hope. I adored the Bobbsey Twins as a kid (I wanted to be Nan. So calm. so mature. so good-natured, pretty, & a brunette just like me!) and this realisation really shook my world. At least Maud Hart Lovelace actually lived… (Betsy-Tacy anyone?)
Jules says
Susannah–I LOVED Twilight, so I am in no position to judge what anyone reads. :)
I will tell you the books I have loved reading in the last month, but I’m warning you guys right now: Mama doesn’t read fancy anymore.
Piper says
i hate to admit it but count me in as someone who read sweet valley high! what a blast from the past! i can’t believe they’re coming out with something with them now, how funny. oh, and i’m with you – i read anything david sedaris writes…this upcoming book sounds great!!
Briel K. says
I guess I’m in the minority when I say that I am not embarrassed to admit that I read the Sweet Valley books (SV Twins, SV High, SV University, etc.) and I loved them. I STILL own all the books. I was quite the bookworm growing up and all those years reading about Elizabeth and Jessica made them seem more like friends than fictional characters. I doubt SV Confidential will be anything wonderful but it will be interesting to see what they try to do.
Juliette says
I wasn’t allowed to read SVH either, lol. However, I did read a few by sneakily borrowing from friends and going to the school library and reading them during study halls (good thing I’ve always been a speed reader…). Wow, I totally forgot about those! Now the ADD in me wants to read the SV Confidential – but I feel like it’s going to be a tame spin off of SATC, especially if they’ve been relying on ghost writers for SVH!