Module 13: Graphic Novels and Series Books

The Baby-sitter's Club: Kristy's Great Idea by Raina Telgemeier and Ann M. Martin

Telgemeier, R. and Ann M. Martin. (2006). The baby-sitter's club: Kristy's great idea. New York: Graphix.

Summary

This graphic novel is the first in the babysitter's club series and introduces Kristy, the president of the club and how she came to found it with her three friends. Kristy and her friends are always getting asked to babysit and decide to start a club that will provide excellent child care services through one easy phone call to several girls. As Kristy takes on the responsibility of this new club she also learns a lot about what it means to be a good friend and also must come to terms with her mom's new boyfriend.

My Thoughts

The simplicity of the black and white illustrations are a great counterpart to the straightforward look at Kristy and her friends' lives. As Kristy makes new friends and starts this business she must learn a lot about herself. The graphic novel does a great job developing each of the four girls' personalities, especially Kristy's, through dialogue and simple text. The graphic novel format of the Babysitter's Club series is just as worthy as the original and does not lose any of its appeal. Since graphic novels can be such a great way to encourage reading, I think this book could be used to help struggling or reluctant elementary readers and get them interested in a fun series. I think elementary students, mainly girls, will be able to enjoy this series sooner than they could the original, lengthier version.

Review

Grades 4-7. Raina Telgemeier, who is adapting the Baby-Sitters Club stories into graphic novels, first earned a reputation by self-publishing her own comics. Those little books about her life and memories of her childhood already featured crisp inking and confident lines that made every panel hum. The vibrancy of her early work continues in the tales of Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey. The strengths of the original stories remain in their new graphic life. Each of the girls has her own insecurities and goofy quirks, but those never run to cliché. In fact, each girl's problems and strengths blend in a refreshing way. Stacey, for example, is the thin, pretty, mildly boy-crazy new girl at school, and her initial shyness and refusal to eat the other girls' sweet snacks make it possible to write her off at first as a stereotype of girly femininity. But as the second volume reveals, Stacey is doing her best to overcome an illness that she has been told she must keep secret. Furthermore, she has learned from harsh experience that her secret can cost her friends, and trusting these new friends will take time. As the series continues, all the characters deepen, and Telgemeier's style portrays their growth lovingly. Sanders, J.S. Teacher Librarian, 2008.