Weekend Writing: Remembering "The Baby-Sitters Club" Books

"We're a great group. I'm not bragging, I'm just being honest. We're all different, but our differences work together to bring out the best in each of us...which, of course, helps make us good baby sitters." - Ann M. Martin, "The Baby-Sitters Club #74: Kristy and the Copycat" 

In 1986, a pop culture phenomenon was born: Ann M. Martin's The Baby-Sitters Club books. The series was geared towards preteens and it focused on a group of friends--Kristy, Mary Ann, Claudia, Stacey, and Dawn--who formed a babysitting business in Stoneybrook, Connecticut. Published between 1986 and 2000, the books taught young girls valuable lessons about friendship, relationships, community, and female entrepreneurship. I mean, they were business owners while they were in middle school. Who does that? The Baby-Sitters Club girls, that's who. 

The series was originated by Scholastic editor Jean Feiwel, who pitched the idea to Martin. Feiwel thought there would be an audience for the books, but she couldn't have anticipated what she had created. The book series was originally planned as just four books, but the success allowed for more books to follow. And then more books. And then even more books until there were over 250 books in the complete series. 

Everyone had their favorite character. Tomboys and leaders probably gravitated towards Kristy Thomas, the president of the club. Kristy founded the club and she always seemed to save the day. In her free time, she loved sports and coached a softball team for small children called Kristy's Krushers. What couldn't Kristy accomplish? 

Kristy Thomas, the president of the Baby-Sitters Club.

Shy introverts preferred Mary Ann Spier, the secretary who liked to keep the peace in the group. She's exceptionally organized and she loved to read. I identified with Mary Ann the most out of all the characters. I wanted to be the secretary of my school's student council because of Mary Ann. 

Mary Ann Spier, the secretary of the Baby-Sitters Club.

Artists loved Claudia Kishi, the vice president who was always creative with her artwork and wardrobe. She loved to draw, paint, sculpt, make jewelry, and sketch. She's incredibly talented, quirky, trendy, and sophisticated. Everyone wants a friend like Claudia. 

Claudia Kishi, the vice president of the Baby-Sitters Club.

Fashionistas were fans of Stacey McGill, the club's treasurer who was a girly fashion lover. She was considered the best-dressed girl at Stoneybrook Middle School. But unlike a lot of popular girls, Stacey was compassionate, caring, and thoughtful with her friends. She took care of her health due to her diabetes, which is one of the most memorable storylines I remember from the books. Stacey also seemed to always have a date with boys, making her a girl we all wanted to be like. 

Stacey McGill, the treasurer of the Baby-Sitters Club.

Finally, fans loved Dawn Schafer, an alternate officer who was Mary Ann's stepsister. She was a vegetarian and she loved healthy food. She detested sugary foods, which probably helped Stacey maintain her diet. Dawn was a very compassionate girl, and we all appreciated her generosity. 

Dawn Schafer, an alternate officer of the Baby-Sitters Club.

The series later added two additional club members, Mallory Pike (a passionate writer), and Jessi Ramsey (a dancer). 

Even if you had a favorite character, you loved all of the girls in the books. They were your friends. It was exciting to read about their babysitting adventures, as well as the girls' relationships with their families, friends, and boys. There was always something exciting going on for the club members, and readers couldn't get enough. 

Because there are so many books in the series, it was challenging to make sure every specific detail (including the girls' appearances, hobbies and interests, and family situations) was consistent in every book. Scholastic hired a 19-year-old intern, David Levithan (who is now the publishing company's editorial director), to be tasked with keeping a "bible" of the books. He fact-checked every manuscript to make sure nothing was mixed up or forgotten. 

A collection of The Baby-Sitters Club books.

"The first rule was making sure everything stayed faithful to that world," Levithan shared with The Atlantic Wire. "I was the guy on the subway not only reading the BSC, I was reading it with a highlighter to keep track of who spoke French, who had green eyes, and so on." 

I think I would LOVE this job! 

The series inspired many spin-off series, graphic novels, a 1990's television series on HBO and Nickelodeon, a 1995 feature film (a great adaptation, by the way), and a recent Netflix TV series. Fans still can't get enough of the babysitters. They teach readers about empowerment, entrepreneurialism, and individualism. You're immersed in their own little world in Stoneybrook, and they teach young girls that they can accomplish anything as long as you put your mind to it. 

The 1995 film, The Baby-Sitters Club (photo/Glamour).

The girls are all different, but they come together so powerfully. They work through their problems together, and they're a family. They were stronger when they were together, and I think each of us will be thankful we learned the value of friendship from these books. 

"My friends and I, by the way, are more than just friends." - Ann M. Martin, "The Baby-Sitters Club #19: Claudia and the Bad Joke" 

In fact, Kristy probably summarized the goal of The Baby-Sitters Club in the first book better than I could ever describe it: "I hoped that Mary Ann, Claudia, Stacey, and I -- the Baby-Sitters Club -- would stay together for a long time." It was a way for them to make money, support their community, but also stay close as friends. As long as they had the Baby-Sitters Club, they would always be friends. 

Always. 

-KJL-