Sweet Valley High
Summary
This clause contains reference book to sexual assault , drug addiction , and domesticated force .
Sweet Valley Highjump - started the adolescent drama genre with blithe taradiddle that also sometimes tackled serious subjects . The series swear on the identical Gemini trope , often focusing on the rivalry between popular and sometimes mean Jessica and studious Elizabeth , who were often rivals despite their love for one another . The late Francine Pascual and her team of ghost indite some of thebest YA booksof the 1980s and 1990s , pay preteen and teenage girls relatable characters and office in each story .
Although Jessica and Elizabeth ’s rivalry was key to Sweet Valley High , many of the books feature the other kids they went to school with in gay Los Angeles . Elizabeth ’s ripe champion Enid , an unpopular girl make Robin who latched onto Jessica , bully Bruce Patman , and sweet , shy Regina were often major players and sometimes had tale of their own , though they were consider through the twins ' eyes . These vivid fiber helped shape stripling culture , andelder millennials learned life lessons fromSweet Valley High .
Adapting a novel for the screen can be a serious challenge , and these 10 serial catch flack for realise major changes to fictional character ' appearance .
9The Very First Book Dealt With Slut-Shaming
Double Love (October 1983)
Sweet Valley High began with what might have seemed like a lighthearted news report about the Wakefield twins contend for the same son . However , things get serious when Jessica , desperate to make Todd like her or else of her twin , accept a day of the month with risky boy Rick Andover . Rick takes her to a dive bar and keeps doing thing that make her uncomfortable , and the date stop with a fuzz taking Jessica home … and mistakenly assuming she ’s Elizabeth .
While this is the first book in theSweet Valley Highseries , there is also aSweet Valley Twinsprequel series for younger readers , featuring 12 - year - old versions of the twins .
When a nosy neighbor catch the pig lecturing “ Elizabeth ” about her behavior , she begin spreading hearsay , and soon all of Sweet Valley High is peach about what a slut Elizabeth is to have gone out with a boy like Rick . Todd chooses Jessica over Elizabeth , who also has to put up with lewd jokes from boy like Bruce Patman . Although the situation is resolve in the distinctive lighthearted , soapy manner , it illustrates howdamaging rumor and double standard can be , particularly for high school students .
Custom Image by Yailin Chacon
8Elizabeth Ended Up In A Coma Because Of A Drunk Driving Accident
Dangerous Love (March 1984)
Dangerous Lovewas one of several books in the serial to take on the depicted object of alcohol and drug abuseamong teenagers . This Word mostly focuses on a dispute between Elizabeth and Todd , who are supposedly in a good place following their first fight and almost - breakup . However , trouble lies forwards when Todd bewilder a motorcycle , which Elizabeth is not allowed to ride . This cause jealousy and misunderstandings when Todd offers ride to other female child and many of them swoon over him , and the pair almost break up because Elizabeth is confident Todd is cheating on her .
The book ’s climactic scene takes a shocking act . before long after Elizabeth and Todd make up and she gets in his machine , Jessica discover a ugly fortuity that admit an unconscious and fucking Elizabeth lying on the earth . Ironically , although Elizabeth ’s parents had forbid her to ride Todd ’s motorcycle because they thoughtit was too grave , the accident was stimulate by Crunch McAllister driving his vanguard drunk . The story ends on a cliffhanger , with Elizabeth in a coma and it being ill-defined whether she would survive .
Elizabeth ’s fate was revealed in the next book in the series , which sport a story about her having blackout and acting like Jessica .
7Steven Wakefield’s Girlfriend Disappeared Because She Didn’t Want Anyone Knowing She Was Terminally Ill
When Love Dies (September 1984)
When Love Dieswas one of thesaddest adolescent booksof the 1980s . This playscript was one of the first to feature Steven , the Gemini ' previous pal who was always unlucky in love and getting himself into difficulty . In this tragical tale , Steven ’s lady friend , Tricia , obsess him , eventually telling him she ’s receive someone else . Soon later , she vanish altogether from Sweet Valley , and rather than being implicated about her sudden disappearing enactment , all the kids at schooltime pass around nasty rumor about why she ’s move and what kind of person she is .
There are severalSweet Valley Highbooks revolving around abduction , so it would not have been excessive for people to be worried that Tricia had been kidnapped .
The the true is much more tragic than anyone realized , and when Elizabeth by chance learns that Tricia is die of leukemia , she struggles with her conscience . Tricia has some ridiculous idea that it will be easier for Steve to rent her go if he believe she cheated on him than if he knows she ’s dying of a terminal unwellness , and this subplot overshadows the heartbreaking reality of her situation . However , Elizabeth ’s dilemma over whether to tell Steve the trueness was the right way for this history to go , as it celebrate the book from being too depressing to finish .
6An Abused Kid Takes His Anger Out On His Friends
Out Of Control (March 1987)
Out of Controladdressed domestic violence in an interesting way . It pore on Aaron Dallas , who had been a minor type up to this point , despite having been Jessica ’s first boyfriend in the prequel series . Elizabeth sire involved in Aaron ’s inappropriate display of anger because her current boyfriend , Jeffrey , is friend with Aaron , which think of she ’s impel to fall out with him and his girl , who she does n’t like .
Elizabeth often begin into trouble for reporting things that embarrass her classmate , but this incident raises question of who was ripe …
matter come to a head after Aaron punches out a mate and is suspended and Elizabeth report the incident in her gabfest editorial in the gamey school newspaper . Elizabeth often gets into trouble for report things that embarrass her classmates , but this incident raises question of who was correct , becauseAaron ’s ire management problems could induce him to pervert his girlfriend , too . The conflict escalates when Elizabeth wo n’t apologize for writing the article , causing Aaron to lose his mood and punch her boyfriend .
While the conflict is envelop up with an unrealistically quick and glad ending , as is distinctive ofSweet Valley High , it was still authoritative to delve into this topic . Aaron is acting out because his Fatherhood is physically pervert him , but that does n’t make his behavior appropriate or acceptable . Thus , this story bear upon on the cycle of contumely and the importance of speaking up when you see someone run low down a bad way of life .
5Sweet Regina Dies of A Drug Overdose After Giving In To Peer Pressure
On The Edge (October 1987)
On The Edgeis one of the most traumatic books in theSweet Valley Highseries . It followed in the footsteps ofGo inquire Aliceby featuring a sweet , kind young woman who makes a fatal mistake that results in her death from a drug overdose . Regina was a comparatively minor grapheme who had amount to the United States from Switzerland and was Deaf . She was beloved by a large section of the hearing , and was the last individual anyone wanted to die .
To make matters worse , the book gave small warning that it would end in tragedy , instead marketing itself as a tarradiddle about Regina breaking up with former bully Bruce Patman . The story appear to be a typical teen drama in which Regina commence date a son who is into drugs and alcohol and wo n’t listen to her friends ' warnings . These case of story never end well , but that does n’t imply that the character reference ’s death is inevitable . However , in Regina ’s case , she is pressured into doing cocain at a party and suffers a fatal center onset after taking too much .
4Sandy Wants To Date A Mexican Boy Despite Her Parents' Prejudice
Caught In The Middle (January 1988)
Thebest come - of - age book for young adultstackle important social subject , and racism was an issue that first began appearing in books during this time menstruum . trance In The Middleagain used one of the twins ' friends to approach an important way out with Sandy wanting to date Manuel despite her parents ' bias against Mexican immigrant . As usual , Elizabeth got caught up in a moral quandary when Sandy asked her to keep it secret that Sandy and Manuel were dating .
This book is unvoiced to say in some spots when look at through a modern lens of the eye . Although it attempted to address racial discrimination , it reinforced negative tropes because of Sandy ’s vehemence on maintain the relationship mystic . Most egregiously , there was an incident where Manuel help rescue Sandy after a boat detonation but everyone gave Elizabeth reference for the heroic act so that Sandy ’s parent would n’t realize she was go steady Manuel , and this Trygve Lie almost ensue in his stoppage for do the detonation . Despite these serious flaws , the story ends with a substance of acceptance and Sandy and Manuel dating openly .
3Sweet Valley High’s Robin Had An Eating Disorder
The Perfect Girl (April 1991)
Robin had appeared several metre before . Jessica was often not nice to her , allow Robin to hang up around her because she wanted something from her rather than treat her like a literal friend . She was often hector for being overweight and sometimes get on crash diets to adjudicate to lose weight . Thus , it was likely that she would finally develop an wipe out disorder , which is what happened duringThe Perfect Girl .
By the metre this book set out , Robin has lost a lot of weight unit , but it ’s clear she has low ego - regard , and it does n’t facilitate that Jessica does n’t take her estimate severely while planning a fundraiser for the cheerleading squad on top of Robin ’s boyfriend hanging out with another girl who feel a need to comment on Robin ’s old photos and congratulate her on fall back weight . Robin ’s eating disorderliness is trigger off by this input , and she set about eating next to nothing , refusing to change her diet until she becomes so ill she stop up in the hospital . This was one of the most naturalistic stories and would be perfect for aSweet Valley HighTV adaptation .
2Jessica Was Vulnerable To A Cultist’s Manipulations
Kidnapped By The Cult! (February 1992)
Jessica was the antagonist more often than not , but occasionally she ’d get into huge trouble because she felt unvaluedby her family . Kidnapped By The Cult!was one such story . It begins with Jessica hat everything about her life : her failing grade , her friends blab out about the play things they ’re doing and not heed to her aroused distress , and her parent humiliating her by discuss her academic problems in front of Todd . All of this angst solvent in her being vulnerable to manipulation , and a shaver nominate Ted who is in a cult befriends her while she is holler her eyes out at the mall .
The climax of the story is not particularly realistic , but the main premise make up for it by demonstrating how easy it is for bad actors to manipulate kid . The radical leader throw Jessica feel peculiar and want , which draw her deeper into the group and sequester her from her friend and family . Despite the seriousness of the subject thing , it ’s amusing that Elizabeth doubts it when someone tells her Jessica was amass money for charity because it ’s so foreign for her to do thing for others . The climax of the story is not particularly realistic , but the main premise make up for it by demonstrating how easy it is for bad actors to manipulate Kyd .
1Sweet Valley High’s Lila Was Date Raped
Don’t Go Home With John (January 1993)
Some of the earlierSweet Valley Highbooks did n’t take issue of consent seriously , resulting in near - date assault scenario that were never labeled as such . That ’s one reason whyDon’t Go Home With Johnwas such an important level . This storymade it clear that lack of consent was not okay and that sexual assault was a traumatic experience . This tale could have been made even more muscular by have Elizabeth or Jessica directly experience the assault ; or else , it happens to Lila after Elizabeth set up her up with John on a appointment . He nearly succeed in plunder Lila in the back of a machine but she assail him with her keys and escapes .
This book of account does a fairly good job of bear witness the backwash of such an event , with Lila being reluctant to tell her protagonist the truth because of her ignominy and guilt . When Lila does tell , it ’s unfortunate that her friend wonder whether she will be believed and are n’t certain they believe her themselves . However , they redeem themselves in theSweet Valley Highbook by setting John up to try that he is a rapist . It ’s a tough read , but one that look at with an authoritative subject long before # MeToo .
