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Parents' Guide to

Sweet Valley High Series

By Kate Pavao, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Classic series about twin teens is shallow but satisfying.

Sweet Valley High Series Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

age 2+

Based on 1 parent review

age 2+

Sweet Valley High promotes Christian values!

Sweet Valley High is a heartwarming book series that promotes Christian values. Both of the twins featured in the series are active in their local Baptist Church and are leaders in their youth group. Both girls live according to Jesus and the gospel and are very positive role models for young children. I am a strict parent when it comes to media for my children, but I believe Sweet Valley High is a wonderful book that instills faith in children from all backgrounds.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (2 ):

This is pretty much junk food, which we all know can be satisifying at times. While the SWEET VALLEY HIGH plots read like soap opera fare (Elizabeth recovers from an amnemesia-like state by bumping her head again; Jessica wakes a girl up out of a coma by promising her she can be on the cheerleading squad, thus giving her a reason to live), these melodramatic episodes make for fast, fun reads with gentle messages about being kind -- and ending with a cliffhanger leading to the next of the in the 140+ book series.

Random House rereleased some of the series' books in 2008, with "updates to the text includ[ing] the addition of cellular phones, e-mails and blogs," but teen readers might have fun taking a glimpse at what life was like 30 years ago when kids had to use a telephone with a cord, adults smoked in public (even in a hospital!), and there were inflexible attitutes about girls and sexuality. There's certainly plenty for families to talk about, if they're so inclined -- especially moms who remember their own time at a Sweet Valley High.

Book Details

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