No book is easy to write—not even one about how rad Sweet Valley High was. And so I would like to thank the small, dedicated group of individuals who kept me from being kidnapped by a cult, lost at sea, or menaced by my secret evil third twin over the course of writing this book. Your efforts are deeply appreciated.

This book would not exist without genius literary agent Yfat Reiss Gendell, who offers me endless insight and support, despite the fact that she is way too cool to be hanging out with me. Thanks to everyone at Foundry, and special thanks to Jessica Felleman.

This book would also not exist without Blair Thornburgh at Quirk Books, the visionary who realized that my hideous compulsion to buy teen novels on eBay could be harnessed for good. Blair offered immeasurable encouragement, constantly came up with ways to improve this book, and indulged me every time I had a new “insight” into the Sleepover Friends. Who could ask for anything more in an editor?

Thanks to Andie Reid, Jane Morley, and Mary Ellen Wilson for making this a real, live book, and to Nicole De Jackmo, Ivy Weir, and Kelsey Hoffman, who are publicity and marketing masterminds. Thanks to Ricky Mujica for painting a gorgeous cover I’d like to hang in my bedroom (yes, I am 35).

Thanks to everyone who gave me insight into ’80s and ’90s middle grade and YA, whether through their professional expertise or their real-life experience: Rhys Bowen, Michael Cart, Caroline Cooney, Richie Tankersley Cusick, Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson, Terry Hung, Mallory Kass, Lindsay Katai, Marie Myung-Ok Lee, Caren Lissner, Jessie Male, Dr. Cathryn Mercier, Constance Myers, Kelly Nugent, Nichole O’Connor, Christopher Pike, Kathryn Quealy, Candice Ransom, Emi Soekawa, Hodges Soileau, Broeck Steadman, and Deborah Stevenson.

Blogs like the singular Cliquey Pizza, Robin Hardwick’s The Dairi Burger, and Kim Hutt’s What Claudia Wore, as well as podcasts like Kelly Nugent and Lindsay Katai’s Teen Creeps, work tirelessly to document this era in American literature (and examine why we grown-ups cannot stop obsessively going back to them). Check them out.

Thanks to my own personal Unicorn Club: Emma Lord, Erin Mayer, Simone Meltesen, Anna Parsons, Jennifer Williams, and Lady Sea Pickle Meltesen-Williams. Extra special thanks to Theresa Molter for being the first person to teach me that adults could love YA novels, even if they had questionable literary value.

Jesse Rifkin, I dumped Todd Wilkins to be with you and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.