When Urban Librarians Unite was sorting books for Hurricane Sandy Relief, we came across several boxes of well-preserved Baby-Sitters Club books. I immediately wanted the books for myself, but stealing books from children is apparently low-class for a library advocate.
I hit the interwebs for some used copies (original covers, please!) and ordered them right away. I was especially after the Super Specials (so good), books centered around Claudia (best character of all time. Junk food and weird clothes? She speaks to my soul), and books that I never got around to reading, presumably because I was a jerk and decided I was too cool for them. I never got around to characters like Sharon and Abby, so I’m curious to see what they’re all about.
You are never too cool for Baby-Sitters Club. I want you to remember this.
I’ve already received some copies and I couldn’t be happier. I was afraid that, in my old, old age, the books would lose their appeal. I WAS SO WRONG. They are awesome. I read them (somewhat) unabashedly on the subway recently. I thought this girl on the N train was shooting me nasty looks, but she was so excited that I was reading Baby-Sitters Club books. I had met a fellow BSC fan. We are everywhere.
I want to share how great these books still are, so I’m live tweeting my current installment on Twitter:
Always a Mallory, never a Claudia.
You can see my quotes and insights and maybe pictures under the hashtag #BSC78 (Baby-Sitters Club #78). This one’s called Claudia and Crazy Peaches. Claudia’s Aunt Peaches shows up and she’s (spoiler alert) CRAZY.
I’m so happy I’m reading these again. I love you Ann M. Martin!
What was your favorite childhood book series? I also enjoyed Sleepover Friends. Anyone ever read that? It was rad.
~Love and Libraries, Ingrid
Didn’t Sleepover Friends have an ~*~*artsy*~*~ character too? Stephanie? Whose favorite color combo was red/white/black? Why do I remember this?
I had a lot of series books but my faves were Pen Pals by Sharon Wyeth (at one point I was obsessed with anything to do with boarding schools, which in hindsight is kind of creepy) and, of course, Fear Street.
I don’t remember her name (though I bet I could look it up), but I do remember the girl who only dressed in white, black, and red. She had such tremendous restraint! I remember thinking how sophisticated she was.
My major beef w/that book is that the characters never looked the same on the covers. Made me nuts.
I haven’t thought about the Sleepover Friends in years. I wonder if I still have my old copies of those… Thank you for reminding me about this series!
If you have them you MUST read them!
I’ll be at my parents’ place this weekend, I’ll see if I can find them. (and if I can get my hands on Mom’s camera, I’ll try to post a pic!)
Yay!
oh my goddd I loved sleepover friends, and bsc of course. when I wear red, white and black I still think of stephanie green. My favorite parts were always the descriptions of their SLUMBER PARTY SNACKS! I look forward to readin your tweets.
I need to get my hands on some of those Sleepover Friends books!
I LOVE the Baby-Sitters Club Books!!! I think my parents had to hide them from me, at times, in order for me to get my homework done… *Grins* And I, too, wished I could be Claudia, or even Stacy, though I was definitely more of a Maryanne. Have you read the prequal yet? If so, what do you think about it? Also, thoughts on the few graphic novel versions that were released? I’m not too keen about them, but if they introduce a whole new generation to the wonders of the BSC, then I guess they aren’t all bad.
YAY Ingrid! BSC really is pure genius. I read the books in older age and was shocked to find out, like you, the magic feeling is still there. I have a LOT to say about BSC… and it sounds pathetic when it all comes out but… “BSC IS WHAT SHAPED US INTO GOOD CARING PEOPLE!” PS. I still hide junk food.
Baby-sitters Club taught me about autism and diabetes! Ann Martin should be sainted.