A review by currant7
Sweet Valley Twins: Sneaking Out by Nicole Andelfinger, Francine Pascal

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 
Top 5 Reasons to Read Francine Pascal's Sweet Valley Twins: Sneaking Out 
  1. Graphic Novel's relevance. This book's excellent and endearing illustrations will win over any discerning young adult reader. Coming into this novel, I realized how much I miss the comic-esque mode of storytelling. There is a balance of visual and verbal creativity. It's literary art that I have forgotten that I enjoyed so much in the past. Graphic novels for young adults are now an elevated literary art form, giving way to a more mature take on the perspective of the potential of comic books, giving the same vibe as Japanese Manga.

  2. Like a long-lost friend, the story still evokes nostalgia for the beloved characters Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield. Familiar friends from the series surround the quirks and antics of both sisters—but all younger. Even Bruce (Patman) and Lila Fowler appear in the book to help add more "bad decisions" for Jessica in the story. It brought back the young years when readers like myself would sit by our lockers during lunchtime and just had our noses to those pocketbook pages. Never mind what was going on around them. Any break from class and homework was allocated to finishing the Sweet Valley latest series. This book will surely give a sense of homecoming.

  3. A fresh take to the already familiar internal mini-conflicts and problems of the Wakefield twins. Readers will encounter complex story conflicts in true long-form graphic novels than in comic books. It felt that way as each mini-problem turned into an uncontrollable proportion. Jessica finds any/all ways to take advantage of people without realizing the consequences. Elizabeth is the patient and kind sister who is often "gullible" to agree with Jessica's hair brain schemes. It was the traditional formula that any young adult reader would surely enjoy. Even as a seasoned reader, I do enjoy the expected pitfalls and "blow-ups" that will occur with Jessica's brilliant plans. The rest of the characters, like the mom and dad, are also pushovers since they are "conned" by Jessica to "trust her" in the plans she promised. I feel bad for everyone in the story. Jessica always finds a way (even later in their college years) to disrupt Elizabeth's well-planned life, like preparing for the school dance, in spectacular proportions due to Jessica's insensitive, persistent, and selfish pursuit to watch a concert.

  4. Age-appropriate topics, problems, and life choices. This book is a nice change to my usual "heavier" reading options of epic novels and series. I found it fulfilling to read through the simpler life of a teen and navigate through growing pains through Jessica and Elizabeth's POVs. I can relate to and remember how much pressure living in high school was. The Wakefield twins were precious in their small joys—finding the perfect dress, looking forward to a concert, and sleepovers. At the end of the book, my heart broke when Jessica outlined all her faults and lies. It is something that even I would have done if given the right circumstances, to watch a concert at that age. Oh, how it is to be young and carefree. It's too bad these days - it also costs much more than just dreams.

  5. Life experiences and growing pains. All Sweet Valley stories have important lessons. I enjoy the lessons each twin learns about themselves in all the author's books. There is a lot of self-discovery and the meaning of a promise/commitment. One has to keep one's promises or commitments since they are important to the other party you are committing to. This requirement is very YA, but it will also apply to all human beings—to take commitments seriously. 

Overall, Sneaking Out (graphic novel) is an excellent read for young adults. It was a nice and quick read, appropriate for middle-grade readers (8-12 years old) who love a bit of mischief and fun stories. There is an OG (published initially) paperback of the same title on which this graphic novel is based. I cannot fully remember if I read the original paperback book, but I would have hated Jessica if this was purely written work (no pictures/ illustrations). In the entirety of the story, she kept bullying, manipulating, and lying to so many people that it was seriously messy. In this adapted graphic novel, Jessica's actions seem less severe since the illustrator placed some lighthearted emotions into it, which lends more to young teens learning and takes it more like how I see Archie comics or the like.