Revisiting Popular Fiction Series for Preteens in the Late 80s and Early 90s

The nostalgia of the late 80s and early 90s reading culture is incomplete without revisiting popular fiction series for preteens. Many of these series were adapted into television shows or movies. The following were among the most popular:

• The American Girl series offered glimpses of American history through the eyes of young girls including Samantha, Kirsten, Molly, Felicity, and Addy.
• The Babysitters Club series portrayed a diverse group of friends who came together to run a babysitting club, inspiring many entrepreneurial young girls to start their own businesses.
• The Choose Your Own Adventure series provided a fantastic way to pass time for readers with a sense of curiosity and adventure, allowing them to make decisions and control the plot and ending.
• The Goosebumps series was perfect for readers with an appetite for something spooky, featuring mummies, ghosts, monsters, and other scary creatures that kept readers entertained and awake at night.
• The Redwall series, containing talking animals like mice and otters, transfixed young readers with endless stories within the fantasy universe.
• The Sweet Valley High series offered a glimpse into high school life from afar, centering around twin sisters, Jessica and Elizabeth, and their endless drama with friends and boyfriends.
• The Wayside School series was wacky, weird, and fun for young readers, featuring kooky characters and bizarre plotlines.

Other notable series for preteens during this period include the Animorphs, Boxcar Children, Hardy Boys, Chronicles of Narnia, Nancy Drew, and Magic Tree House series.

What were your favorite series to read, and which series do you think should have been included in this list?