Has it really only been 10 years?

I have always been a lover of books. I love everything about them – the way they feel, the way the pages sound when it’s turned, the way they smell when you first open them. I hate to crease my books, though I know it’s inevitable. I am the person who takes the dust jacket off while reading it so it doesn’t get damaged. Yes, I know I’m weird. Moving on…
When I was a young girl in elementary school and middle school, I lived for the days when we’d get the new issue of Scholastic or Troll book clubs and my parents would allow me to select a book or two. Then I counted down the days until the box appeared and the teacher would go through the orders and call out the names of those who were lucky enough to receive something. After school, I would rush home and lock myself in my bedroom and read for hours. Though, that last part occurred much more often than just on the days when I’d receive a new book from Scholastic. Seriously, I devoured books and way faster than I care to admit. I would read for hours about the adventures of the BSC, Jessica and Elizabeth, The Fabulous Five, Ramona and Beezus, Fudge, Taffy Sinclair , and The Unicorns. I probably read all those books half a dozen times each, at least. I LOVED them.
Am I the only one who is super excited for the all-new Sweet Valley Confidential: 10 years Later book to come out on March 29th?!?! I am one of the geeky fans who read the first chapter and cannot wait to find out what Jessica did that was so bad that Elizabeth stopped talking to her. We all know that no matter what silly or awful thing Jessica did, Elizabeth ALWAYS forgave her. Did she make a pass at Todd Wilkins…again? Or worse, did she sleep with him??? Why is Elizabeth’s only friend Bruce Patman and, most of all, why is Elizabeth talking about orgasms? Isn’t she wholesome and, uh, a virgin? Apparently not anymore…
Are you going to read along with the rest of America? Don’t you want to find out if they are still a perfect size 6 with eyes the color of the Pacific Ocean? Is Elizabeth the level-headed one, while Jessica only parties it up? Do they still wear their matching lavalieres? These are the questions I need the answers to, people!
In honor of this long-awaited comeback, I figured I would share some of my favorite books or series from my favorite days of having nothing else to do BUT read. Those days are long gone by now, but my love for these books and characters are not. God, I really wish I would’ve kept all these beloved books from my childhood. I’d give anything to re-read them all again now. Would they still be as good? My guess is no, but the memories they hold are priceless.

The Fabulous Five I know not a lot of people enjoyed this series, but I loved it! I really liked the rivalry between The Fabulous Five and the Fantastic Foursome and how Funny and Jana crossed enemy lines to become friends. I was in middle school when this series started, so the scandals were all very age-appropriate.

Any of the Ramona books
I was such a fan of this crazy girl! I ate up any and all of the books: Ramona Quimby, Age 8, Beezus and Ramon, Henry Huggins, Ramona and her Father. Such a great series!

Otherwise Known as Sheila The Great (and pretty much anything else by Judy Blume, including Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Superfudge) I thought this series of books was particularly funny, especially with Fudge in the picture! Easy to read, light and fun. I really wish I still had these around for our future kids to read.

Last, but certainly not least: Sweet Dreams!
Does anyone else remember this series? I seriously LOVED it! These were different from SV Twins, SV High and BSC because they were stand alones. The characters were always different from book to book and the stories never overlapped, except for the few sequels from previous stories. I would spend hours at the library, searching the racks for books I hadn't already read.

What are some of your favorite oldies?

P.S. I think it has been much longer then 10 years since I last read a SV High book, but maybe the "10 Years Later" refers to how long it's been since Francine Pascal stopped writing them?