Trapped in Toyland

Sweet Valley Kids Super Specials #1

by Francine Pascal

The twins cannot resist the wonderful and enticing toy store when they are out Christmas shopping, but they are accidentally locked in for the night and when strange things start to happen, they realize they are not alone. Original.

Genres: Childrens, Young Adult, Juvenile

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Francine Paula Pascal was an American author best known for her Sweet Valley series of young adult novels. Sweet Valley High, the backbone of the collection, was made into a television series, which led to several spin-offs, including The Unicorn Club and Sweet Valley University. Although most of these books were published in the 1980s and 1990s, they remained so popular that several titles were re-released decades later.

Reviews

[Pastel Paperback · Rating 3 out of 5]

A weird take on Home Alone where the Wakefield twins fall asleep in a toy store overnight on Christmas Eve and have to apprehend the WEIRDEST burglar ever with booby traps ala Kevin.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this as a little girl. The thought of getting trapped in a toy store? HEAVEN. The thought of getting trapped in a toy store with another person? SCARY. I read this over and over again.

[Liralen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been rereading a few of the Sweet Valley books, and the description of this one triggered something in my memory, so I thought I'd add it to the pile. In Trapped in Toyland, Elizabeth and Jessica go to the fancy new department store with their parents, eager to spend their collected $15.63 on a Christmas gift for their mother. (Their father and brother get a construction-paper photo frame and a handwritten story, respectively.) Now, if this were one of the SV Twins or SV High books, it seems likely that Jessica would end up spending all the money before they could buy a gift...but instead, because this is a SV Kids book* and Jessica still has some feelings for other people, she's eager and (mostly) focused on finding a gift for their mother. But shenanigans happen, and the girls find themselves locked in the department store overnight...without their purse full of money, but with everything else at their disposal—and with a rather aggressive burglar.

On the whole, this is just adorable. It makes for great wish fulfillment (who hasn't wanted to be locked in somewhere overnight? A toy store, a bookstore, a furniture store with huge floofy beds...), and I love Elizabeth and Jessica's blend of responsibility and kid-ness: when they eat ice cream from the food court (because, naturally, all they have to do is walk behind the counter and open a freezer to access all the junk food they could ever want), they make sure to clean up after themselves...but Elizabeth is readily talked into trying on fancy dresses and makeup (I remember being jealous of the sequined dress Elizabeth tries on), and it's goody-two-shoes Elizabeth who suggests a race in the toy cars. (Older Elizabeth would never.) They create a fair amount of gleeful, well-intentioned kid chaos, and the book is better for it.

There are many, many, many things about the plot that make no sense, or at least make no sense in the 2020s—the Wakefields let their seven-year-old twins wander the eight-story department store with only their brother (who is roughly nine) to provide any kind of supervision; there's no search of the mall when the Wakefields can't find their daughters; there's no accountability from the Wakefields for letting their small children wander around unsupervised; the girls are able to access everything in the department store without minor concerns like keys; they make all sorts of noise without the burglar noticing; they call 911 multiple times and are laughed at; the burglar bothers to steal a second-grader's purse while preparing for his much bigger heist; literally almost everything about the burglar; and on and on it goes. But it's a book for kids and written in the 90s, and what can you do?

*Note that even in the SV Kids books Jessica is not above spending money that isn't hers or cheating to win.

[Tara Calaby]

This is one where it just doesn't work to read it as an adult, because everything is so very unbelievable. The idea that they'd just lock up a department store with two small children lost inside it and that emergency operators would dismiss calls as hoaxes the moment they heard a child's voice at the other end of the line was just too ridiculous for this adult reader—not to mention dangerous, as it's basically telling kids not to bother calling 911 if they need help. The thief trapping stuff is basically Home Alone set in a department store, and I can imagine young readers enjoying this part.

[Ruvi Perera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twins have gone Christmas shopping and Steven was supposed to keep an eye on them. A man steals Jessica's purse and while they go out looking for it, they miss Steven. The twins fall asleep on a display bed and eventually they get stuck inside the department store which leads to them catching a thief.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually remember reading this one as a kid and it’s still fun as a reread. Who wouldn’t love being trapped in a mall department store?

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super cute!

[Kylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s Christmas Eve and the Wakefield’s are visiting Evelyns, a massive department store near LA. The manager is grumpy but the toys are to die for! The twins want to shop for Alice, but their parents insist Steven accompany him, much to his chagrin. They have to meet their parents at 430, and they check out every single level, until they find a beautiful heart shaped jewellery box - but it’s $30 which is double what their budget is. Steven wonders off and Jess gets knocked into by a guy… only to realise her wallet is missing. Instead of putting that together and reporting it, they decide to retrace their whole afternoon. The details get a little weird here… somehow they end up falling asleep and when they wake up the store is closed. They try calling the police (who think it’s a crank call) and their parents (answering machine), before giving up and living out every kids fantasy - ice cream sundaes, dressing up, racing in giant toy cars, the works. They also find an unread letter to the Manager from his daughter, and realise why he’s grumpy. But then they hear stereos turning on and off and realise they’re not alone. It’s the purse stealer, and he’s stealing a lot more this time. Through a scene reminiscent of Home Alone, they trick him and tie him up with liquorice… call the police again (no dice) before pulling the fire alarm. But the sprinklers wet the liquorice and he’s getting free! Suddenly Santa distracts him with a bell ringing, and then the police, the manager and the rest of the Wakefield show up in time. The twins saved the store but the manager is angry about the mess - until they show him his daughters letter. He gives them Alice’s present as a thank you.
My rating - 6/10 - my highest rating yet! I love Christmas, I love super specials and I love malls. The plot was a little weak but oh well 🤷🏼‍♀️🎅🏻.

[☠☼Serena☼☠ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Childish.

[Sheila Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read so many of these books I can't remember all of them.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this one a hundred times as a kid. Being locked in a toy store would be so AWESOME

[Crazy cat lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

In love with this book when i was a kid.