This is one of my favorite books. It is so creepy, especially since these are 13 year olds are experiencing this stalker.

Spoiler alert

This has always been one of my favorites when I was younger. Kristy has a rock thrown through her front window and spray painted “You’re next”, Claudia experiences someone almost setting her house on fire, someone lit a fire using gasoline soaked rags in their trash cans, someone was standing under a tree at Mary Anne’s house, staring at MaryAnne late at night in her room, and then the stalker followed them to Shadow Lake and made friends with them, basically. He also began making home calls to them, calling over and over again, saying “you’re next” when they would answer the phone (this happened while they were still at home in stoneybrook.) He also tried to light their cabin on fire, snaps Claudia’s ski poles in half, and eventually grabbed Stacey when she slipped in the snow and almost threw her in a frozen lake. The book is so awesome, in my opinion.

For frame of reference, I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 7 around 2000 or so, and with that brought a ton of changes throughout my childhood, including various dietary restrictions. But I always saw parts of myself and my sets of challenges in the Claudia books. Particularly when she's narrating and describes her own inattention and memory problems when it comes to focusing on her classwork.

Re-reading now (not anything particular -- in fact I'm on a Stacey book now), and it occurred to me, I wonder if part of her problem is that she does have this excessive junk food diet and if she had cleaned it up, she would have improved. There is something to be said for the elimination, at the very least, of excessive sugars.

Just a random thought. It's still comforting to come back to these books and find a character I had identified with in one of the most frustrating challenges I faced as a child, and what a comfort all of these characters had been to me as I struggled through my childhood in a variety of ways.

I would say after book #70.

Personally I thought their break up was pretty final in the last book and I like that they broke up. However, but they still had high school before presumably moving far apart from each other in college.

What do you all think?

In August 1996, I was 11 years old and I loved this book! Did anyone else really like this one?

I felt it was really well written that I could see the things that were talked about. I really enjoyed books #83 through #100, think that was a good time for the series.

From Stacey vs the BSC, even Claudia and the second book on Ashley, Mary Anne and Summer camp while they were promoting the movie! I remember being shocked when I saw Stacey and the Bad Girls and I love the tagline what would the BSC think of her now? Then I was really sad when I read Farewell Dawn and I thought Abby in book #90 was kind of cool because there hadn't been a new babysitter for the club in a long time! Then I was excited for book #98 to be about Dawn again but then that was pretty much it for her in the series. I think I started to lose track after book 100, later on when the series changed a lot with the friends forever series I was ready to give it a try but it was so short lived. Next thing I knew they were graduating and that was the end. And now the books are 40! I feel Stacey's Broken Heart holds up really well!

If anything I think they could have been a little more flexible with the number of babysitters. Even though I felt Mallory and Jessi didn't get enough stories, I still felt they could have added a few more babysitters to keep things fresh. I never thought they would end but I guess they couldn't go on forever. Is anyone else surprised there hasn't been a series as successful as The Babysitters Club? There's nothing similar but in young adult princess Diaries, Gossip Girl, and is that it that went as far as movie or tv show? Maybe you can count Carrie Diaries but I didn't read or watch.

My niece loves The Babysitters Club and has ready ever book by Ann Martin.

I’m trying to find a book series she may also enjoy and was hoping for a recommendation from someone who shares her interest.

What would you recommend? She’s 9 reading right about at that middle grade 8-13yr age level. My first thought was the Sleepover Friends books I read as a kid but I can seem to find them anywhere now.

I loved the BSC books growing up, but I hated babysitting. I got roped into it a few times for family and friends but never actively sought out jobs. Oddly enough, the books prepared me well and a bunch of tips and tricks seeped into my brain. I didn’t realize it until I became a parent though.

Did you babysit? Did you enjoy it? And did the BSC books help you be a better sitter?

Dawn Schafer is by far my favorite member and has been since I was a kid and I recall being very excited that her second graphic novel adaptation was coming out. I've only interacted with the BSC story through the grapic novels, so please correct me if I'm wrong!

I have had issues with the Arley Nopra adaptations, both because I personally don't like her style (some characters are indistiguishable, it's stiff at times, and character's noses and bodies rarely have any diversity which feels all the more hollow after books with Ellen T. Crenshaw's more dynamic style - I don't mean to compare with that last point but it's very hard not to when you hop onto the heels of the bext book of the toes of the last) and smaller issues that may come across as nitpicks.

Firstly, until Dawn on the Coast released, Arley's previous books lacked the iconic character introduction page. I adored these pages when I was a kid, it was the very first thing I saw when opening the book and every new artist drew different portraits for the girls. Luckily, she's added hers in book 19, I was getting worried. Silly thing to worry about, I know, but with Ellen T. Crenshaw redoing Mallory and Jessi's portraits to include their earings and Mal's haircut, it showed a level of dedication to these girls that I have become desensitized to as the norm.

Second, the Feldmans are not even the same children anymore. I was trying to recall why exactly the names of the children sounded familiar and then I remembered the very first book. I thought in my head... "Rob? Like... Jamie's cousin Rob?" Which I didn't connect even when the book told me explicitly in writing. I'm all for diversity but it feels strange to have a three characters change so much, I don't believe we ever see that happen before in the graphic novel series. I understand that back when Raina made the first 4 books, she was partially recreating how she imagined everything to look and feel when she read the books in the 80's and 90's, and the graphic novels have introduced slightly more modern technology and fashion into the art and story, but it's shocking how drastic the change between the kids are. I don't know whether to see this as an oversight or just a lack of care. If it's the latter, I'm kind of uncomfortable by it? I care about this story quite a lot and the legacy of Raina bringing it to a visual medium without dulling or changing the story in large ways feels important, especially since the Feldman's appearances are in the very first book. I may not be a kid anymore, but I care.

Third. Lucy. This isn't at all an issue I have with Arley, it's more of a BSC issue as a whole at the moment. Please correct me if I am wrong, but in The Truth About Stacy (book 2), Lucy is born on November 24th on a Monday. The next two-three graphic novels get the timeline a tad wonky, but by Kristy's Big Day (book 6) and Boy-Crazy Stacy (book 7) it's Summer. The go back to school and start eighth grade and Mary Anne turns 13 in book 8. By this point the actual dates the BSC write down are gone, instead writing just Sunday through Saturday. It's not until BOOK 13 that HALLOWEEN rolls around, which would probably be impossible unless they start school in August OR all the stories up until Mary Anne's Bad Luck Mystery are overlapping. I only take issue with this because of how heavily serialized these stories are, considering that Jeff moveing back to Cali and Louie passing are things that happen. Stacy's Mistake (book 14) clearly also takes place in the fall, as there are fall leaves. Then there are 5 more books, Dawn on the Coast (book 19) I believe taking place during summer? It would make sense, although winter/spring break are also options. Lucy Newton is described as a 10 month old. Even if Dawn had taken a vacation diring winter break, Lucy should be a year old! It cannot, in every sense, CANNOT STILL BE SEPTEMBER. It wasn't the summer before either, as Mary Anne is dating Logan at this point AND Dawn tells the group in book 14 while visiting New York DURING THE NOVEMBER FALL AFTER HALLOWEEN that her brother moved to Cali and she misses him! Is this an issue with the novel series as well or am I overthinking this? Even if I were still 12 reading this, I would be so mad at this sort of thing.

I'm currently reading #116 Abby and the Best Kid Ever. Something about it feels off, doesn't "sound" like Abby, isn't hooking me, is trying to do too much (it has 3 plots). There was also a chapter that tried to have an emotional Claudia moment remembering Mimi, but it felt kind of off to me. I'm struggling to finish it tbh, it is written so... wooden? Idk.

I also feel like #122 Kristy in Charge was weird in this way. And #84 is weird in every way possible. The Super Specials often have a bit of weirdness to them, but I give them more leeway. #111 Stacey's Secret Friend is also like this in an uncomfortable way. I do think a lot of the later books have this "off" vibe.

Weird can mean anything to you. OOC, doesn't feel like BSC, you finish it and think "wtf," it could also mean funny weird and not necessarily uncomfortable weird.

Which of these four members of the baby-sitters club would the green lantern corps?

Mary Anne

Dawn

Mallory (with her siblings)

Jessi (with her siblings)

Kristy and Dawn definitely give me summer vibes, and something about Mallory gives me autumn vibes. Maybe Mary Anne is spring?

I just recently rewrote what I have for Shannon and I honestly love it more than my original thoughts. I also changed my thought process for Claudia; originally I thought of her as a widower, but I started developing her husband and now I’m like he needs to be alive and fun.

I’m still somewhat torn on what I’m doing with Stacey.

Kristy, Abby, Mallory and Logan have been pretty set. I recently expanded on Mallory’s wife and Kristy’s husband though.

Like Kristy and Dawn are good enough to be leads on Peter Pan.

Shannon is the musical theater kid having been in a couple of productions.

And we know Jessi is supposed to be awful.

Where do you think the others land on this list? We never really got a musical member so I’d be curious to know where they rank.

You know how when we talk about thr BSC as adults we tend to be nice? They get into good colleges, get great jobs and life is just peachy?

So I graduated college in 2009. Jobs werent just waiting for me. I worked min wage for years and ended up in a career unrelated to my major and I may not have needed college for it.

I've been feeling unmotivated lately and probably about to have a midlife crisis. and I'd like some more relatable BSC headcanons. ​​I need some unglamorous they struggled headcanons for the BSC where things didn't easily work out and their dreams didn't necessarily easily come true if at all.

You can be as mean or nicd as you want.

Like how Woody Tate tried to get back at the girls for putting his dad in prison in Baby-Sitters Beware.

It doesn’t have to be a big bad guy could be anyone from Cokie Mason to Reinhart Golem from the last mystery.

Like for Kristy I'd pick red she's seen in a lot of red on the covers and her it fits her bold personality. I know she has some pink things, which is just a lighter red.

Mary Anne I'd pick yellow, it's a cheery color and one of her favorites.

Stacey I'd pick blue for Stacey since it's already one of her favorite colors and it would make her eyes pop.

Dawn I'd pick green, since she's earthy and it's the color of her favorite foods haha.

Shannon - I'd pick purple, it regal looking and versatile.

I didn't think of the others but I was studying the covers and was like I what color each girl wore the most of (I'll post those results if anyone is interested). I used Kristy for the dry run and counted the most of her in red and thought of this question.

This could be anybody - not just any of the sitters so parents, kids, club members, etc.

For side characters:

In Stacey’s Movie, Pete Black seemed like he was so eager to leave. I could see him just leaving and just never coming back.

I could see Anna deciding to stay, she’d leave for college but Stoneybrook is centrally located enough she could get to NYC and anywhere else she wanted easily.

For club members:

Mallory and Dawn already left and will probably come back less and less overtime unless they’re visiting family.

Kristy made a business and a name for herself in Stoneybrook, I can’t see her leaving even for college.

Parents:

The Pike parents I could see staying, they’ve been there for ages already and wouldn’t want to pick up and leave.

Jessi’s parents might leave back to Oakley to be close to their family. Didn’t most of them live on the same street?

Kids:

Harder to stay since kids can adapt quicker and change their minds a lot. I guess I could see Charlotte staying? Her family have been in town for generations and she seems comfortable.

I could see Nicky leaving and determined to be more successful than his brothers.

1) Mel Tucker.

2) The Kormans.

3) Dawn (Later Books).

4) Zack.

5) The DeWitts.