Paperback crush : the totally radical history of '80s and '90s teen fiction

A nostalgic tour of the teen books of previous decades, reminiscing on }The Babysitters Club{, }Sweet Valley High{ and }The Fabulous Five{ (amongst many others). For fans of vintage YA, a humorous and in-depth history of beloved teen literature from the 1980s and 1990s, full of trivia and pop culture fun. Those pink covers. That flimsy paper. The nonstop series installments that hooked readers throughout their entire adolescence. These were not the serious-issue novels of the 1970s, nor the blockbuster YA trilogies that arrived in the 2000s. Nestled in between were the girl-centric teen books of the '80s and '90s-short, cheap, and utterly adored. In Paperback Crush, author Gabrielle Moss explores the history of this genre with affection and humor, highlighting the best-known series along with their many diverse knockoffs. From friendship clubs and school newspapers to pesky siblings and glamorous beauty queens, these stories feature girl protagonists in all their glory. Journey back to your younger days, a time of girl power nourished by sustained silent reading. Let Paperback Crush lead you on a visual tour of nostalgia-inducing book covers from the library stacks of the past A hilarious and nostalgic trip through the history of paperback pre-teen series of the '80s and '90s. Every twenty- or thirty-something woman knows these books. The pink covers, the flimsy paper, the zillion volumes in the series that kept you reading for your entire adolescence. Spurred by the commercial success of Sweet Valley High and The Babysitters Club, these were not the serious-issue YA novels of the 1970s, nor were they the blockbuster books of the Harry Potter and Twilight ilk. They were cheap, short, and utterly beloved. PAPERBACK CRUSH dives in deep to this golden age with affection, history, and a little bit of snark. Readers will discover (and fondly remember) girl-centric series on everything from correspondence (Pen Pals and Dear Diary) to sports (The Pink Parrots, Cheerleaders, and The Gymnasts) to a newspaper at an all-girls Orthodox Jewish middle school (The B.Y. Times) to a literal teen angel (Teen Angels: Heaven Can Wait, where an enterprising guardian angel named Cisco has to earn her wings by helping the worlds sexist rock star.) Some were blatant ripoffs of the successful series (looking at you, Sleepover Friends and The Girls of Canby Hall), some were sick-lit tearjerkers la Love Story (Abby, My Love) and some were just plain perplexing (Uncle Vampire??) But all of them represent that time gone by of girl-power and endless sessions of sustained silent reading. In six hilarious chapters (Friendship, Love, School, Family, Jobs, Terror, and Tragedy), Bustle Features Editor Gabrielle Moss takes the reader on a nostalgic tour of teen book covers of yore, digging deep into the history of the genre as well as the stories behind the best-known series. Every Twenty- Or Thirty-something Woman Knows These Books. The Pink Covers, The Flimsy Paper, The Zillion Volumes In The Series That Kept You Reading For Your Entire Adolescence. Spurred By The Commercial Success Of Sweet Valley High And The Babysitters Club, These Were Not The Serious-issue Ya Novels Of The 1970s, Nor Were They The Blockbuster Books Of The Harry Potter And Twilight Ilk. They Were Cheap, Short, And Utterly Beloved. Paperback Crush Dives In Deep To This Golden Age With Affection, History, And A Little Bit Of Snark-- Love: First Kisses, First Base, And Goin' All The Way -- Friends: Bffs, Frenemies, And Tweenage Social Clubs -- Family: Kid Brothers, Snotty Sisters, And Good Ol' Mom And Dad -- School: Classmates, Cafeterias, And Group Projects Gone Bad -- Jobs: Babysitters, Camp Counselors, And Teen Sleuths -- Danger: Tragedy, Taboo Topics, And Other Tough Stuff -- Terror: Stalkers, Slashers, And Freaky Child Ghosts. By Gabrielle Moss. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.