Sweet Valley High and James Mathewuse

Sweet Valley High books ... oh the memories!

The memories are really coming back...

How I would make my Dad and my Aunt drive me to Waldenbooks or B. Dalton bookstore to see if the newest SVH book was out on their shelves. Sometimes I would also pick up a Baby-sitter's Club or Nancy Drew book along with my SVH. 

I would finish reading the book in one day or at most 2 because I always wanted to know how the twins were going to handle things or what story to expect in the next book so I can make plans to drag my Dad or Aunt again the following month. 

I hated when the story strayed away from the twins and focused on their dopey friends outside of their regular friends mentioned from #1 edition. Friends I loved to read about only include Lila Fowler (aka ultimate rich *top* bitch and Jessica Wakefield's BFF) and Bruce Patman (aka handsome but arrogant rich guy). They were full of drama which made SVH steamier. Enid Rollins (Liz's boring BFF) bored me to death each and every time the story was about her. I personally thought Liz should have hooked up with Nicholas Morrow because I couldn't stand Todd Wilkins and her story with Bruce Patman (Dear Sister #7) is probably the most memorable of all the SVH.

And the super editions! I absolutely *loved* those because reading the super editions was like being on a vacay with the twins. Seriously, it really felt like that!

During my breaks off from school, I would reread my favorite ones (including super editions) at my Grandma's house curled up somewhere in the house where it was quiet. Come to think of it, the house was always quiet with just them around. Oh, I how I miss my Grandma so much! But that's another story another time. 

I have my books stored somewhere (along with my baby-sitters club and the complete little house on the prairie) and I refuse to give them away. They are a part of my childhood that brings such happiness and I like being reminded if by chance I happen to stumble across a box of those books when I'm cleaning things out. 

Another thing that surfaces to mind is how I would stare so many times at the cover art of SVH. The twins and other characters looked sooo real. There was this depth to the cover art that drove me crazy wondering if those people actually existed and if not, who were those people that inspired the artist? The subtle touches he would include for each twin was just as important as their faces. Like their gold lavalieres, tiny dimples in their left cheek, Liz's barrettes and Jessica's loose 80's wavy hair with feather bangs. 

The realist drawings of the characters always remained the same from cover to cover. It was intoxicating staring at the cover. The interesting thing was that I never forgot the name of the artist who did the covers for SVH because the cover art sometimes played a huge role in me wanting to buy and read the book. When SVH started using real people at one point, it seemed like the magic was gone and I remember I stopped buying the books. 

Anyway, James Mathewuse was the artist who illustrated the covers for Sweet Valley High and Twins series. See his website below.

James Mathewuse

Author of SVH, Francine Pascal has mentioned talks of a SVH musical she hopes to open in L.A. soon. I can't wait! 

BTW, this entry was a direct result of the SVH game board I saw lying around. Yes, I do still own the Milton Bradley SVH board game.