Who Was Francine Pascal? All About Sweet Valley High Book Creator As She Passes Away At 92

Francine Pascal, a creator of Sweet Valley High, passed at 92. Known for her young adult series, Pascal influenced generations of readers, leaving behind a significant literary legacy.

By Shovan Roy

Published on Jul 30, 2024 | 07:23 PM IST | 45.1K

Francine Pascal (PC: Facebook)

Trigger warning: This article contains reference to tragic death.

The Sweet Valley High book series, beloved for Francine Pascal’s unique vision, lost its founder at the age of 92. She died from lymphoma on July 28 at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan as confirmed by her daughter Laurie Wenk-Pascal.

Early life and career

Pascal was born on May 13, 1932, in Manhattan and grew up in Jamaica, Queens. After studying journalism at New York University she worked as a freelance writer for numerous magazines including Cosmopolitan and Ladies’ Home Journal.

Her life took a turn when she teamed up with this other guy to do The Young Marrieds, a TV soap opera from the 1960s. This led her to John Pascal, the man who wrote the Young Married's storylines and also died in 1981.

The birth of Sweet Valley High

Sweet Valley High debuted in 1983 as one of Pascal’s most famous works. The series revolved around Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield who were twins living life in Sweet Valley; an imaginary Los Angeles suburb.

The first twelve books were written solely by Pascal but after that, others took over the writing process. With more than a million sales worldwide among teenage girls, it became one of their favorites with over twenty-five million copies out there.

“Sweet valley is the essence of high school”, said Pascal to PEOPLE magazine during an interview back in 1988. According to her, this captures the moment when people are still young not knowing more about how grown-ups live their lives though they remain embodied within them till death comes. The series created other episodes such as Sweet Valley Twins and Sweet Valley Junior High School.

Legacy and impact

Before creating Sweet Valley High, Pascal had written several adult books, including the factual account of The Strange Case of Patty Hearst and fiction stories such as Save Johanna! or If Wishes Were Horses. She also tried her hand at young-adult fiction with titles like Hangin’ Out With Cici and My First Love & Other Disasters.

Pascal’s influence went beyond her writing. She provided outlines for other writers and maintained a detailed bible of her characters and storylines to ensure consistency in the series. The original Sweet Valley series ended in 2003.

However, it was revived in 2011 with Sweet Valley Confidential set ten years after the end of the original series. Francine Pascal leaves behind a lasting legacy in young adult literature. She is survived by two daughters, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

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