The Once and Future Sweet Valley High
Mar 31
2008
I would like to think that this is an April Fools' joke, but, sadly, it's still March.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dbuJ0Y623s4/R_EPNlWDhVI/AAAAAAAAAt8/VV7-GNhPQoc/s320/sweetvalley.jpg)
With typical elegance and restraint, Gawker is reporting that the Sweet Valley High books have been updated. (See: "Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders".) According to the linked memo, Random House has given the blonde, beautiful, unlucky-in-love Wakefield twins a full 21st century makeover. Elizabeth is now a blogger and the editor of her school's website, the twins drive a Jeep Wranger (wouldn't socially responsible Elizabeth drive something a little more fuel-efficient?), and both girls are now thinner: they've been updated from a grotesquely fat "perfect size 6" to a much more reasonable "perfect size 4".
While the size four thing is totally gross, I think the Gawker headline is unfair. Random House is trying to promote a series that was actually pretty wholesome: the original Sweet Valley High books were like a PG-rated soap opera. They were plenty stupid, but they didn't have the meaningless sex, rampant brand-whoring, or extreme social backstabbing so prevalent in today's Gossip Girl-influenced publishing industry. I'm not saying I approve of the choices Random House has made, but I'm reserving judgment... at least until Jessica (now a full-blown alcoholic) gets drunk and sleeps with Elizabeth's boyfriend, and Elizabeth gets her revenge by publishing X-rated pictures of Jessica on her blog. If that happens, Gawker can write whatever they want with my full support.
[Via BuzzSugar]
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dbuJ0Y623s4/R_EPNlWDhVI/AAAAAAAAAt8/VV7-GNhPQoc/s320/sweetvalley.jpg)
With typical elegance and restraint, Gawker is reporting that the Sweet Valley High books have been updated. (See: "Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders".) According to the linked memo, Random House has given the blonde, beautiful, unlucky-in-love Wakefield twins a full 21st century makeover. Elizabeth is now a blogger and the editor of her school's website, the twins drive a Jeep Wranger (wouldn't socially responsible Elizabeth drive something a little more fuel-efficient?), and both girls are now thinner: they've been updated from a grotesquely fat "perfect size 6" to a much more reasonable "perfect size 4".
While the size four thing is totally gross, I think the Gawker headline is unfair. Random House is trying to promote a series that was actually pretty wholesome: the original Sweet Valley High books were like a PG-rated soap opera. They were plenty stupid, but they didn't have the meaningless sex, rampant brand-whoring, or extreme social backstabbing so prevalent in today's Gossip Girl-influenced publishing industry. I'm not saying I approve of the choices Random House has made, but I'm reserving judgment... at least until Jessica (now a full-blown alcoholic) gets drunk and sleeps with Elizabeth's boyfriend, and Elizabeth gets her revenge by publishing X-rated pictures of Jessica on her blog. If that happens, Gawker can write whatever they want with my full support.
[Via BuzzSugar]
Posted by: Julianka
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