The Baby-Sitter's Club: Kristy's Great Idea

Martin, A. & Telgemeier, R. (2006). The Baby-Sitter's Club: Kristy's Great Idea. New York, NY: Graphix.

Plot Summary:
After seeing her mom struggle to find a babysitter for her little brother one night, Kristy had an idea. Why not only have one number people can call to reach many baby-sitters? It was this idea that formed the Baby-sitter’s Club. Kristy invited her friends Mary Ann and Claudia to join the club and Claudia recommended a new girl in town, Stacy to join as well. They decided that they would meet once a week at Claudia’s, because she had her own phone line in her room. Each girl decided to take a position in the club: Kristy as president, Claudia as vice president, Mary Ann as secretary, and Stacy as treasurer. The girls went out on their first jobs as part of the club and made notes about their experiences in the club notebook. In the meantime, Kristy’s mom has become very close with her boyfriend, Watson. This infuriates Kristy so much that she refuses to be civil to Watson and will not babysit his kids. In an emergency situation though, Kristy is forced to babysit Watson’s kids and grows to like them and Watson very much. The girls don’t know very much about Stacy and get concerned when they catch her in a lie, but it turns out that Stacy was embarrassed to tell them about her having diabetes. The girls embrace Stacy’s secret, which makes them all closer as friends and as members of the baby-sitter’s club.

Review:
I read so many of these books as a tween. It had been awhile since I’d read this one, so I was happy to re-read it in graphic novel format. My curiosity has me tempted to re-read the actual book to see what, if any, changes were made. I think these books transfer to graphic novel format really well. Kristy’s tween dramatics are great as illustrations, Telgemeier did a wonderful job with her many facial expressions. It was also great to see all of Claudia’s interesting clothing combinations. I’ve been spoiled by all the full color graphic novels I’ve been reading lately, so I was a little disappointed to learn that this one was only in black and white. But, that was quickly forgotten as I got swept up into the story and illustrations.

Genre:
graphic novel

Reading Level:
Ages 9 - 12

Subjects/Themes:
divorce, diabetes, friendships, babysitting

Series Information:
First book in the Baby-Sitter's Club graphic series.

Character Names/Descriptions:
Kristy Thomas: seventh grader; comes up with the idea for the Baby-sitter's Club; is president of the Babysitter's Club; is upset her mom is dating Watson
Mary Anne Spier: seventh grader; secretary of the Baby-sitter's Club; lives with her father, her mother is deceased; her father is overprotective
Claudia Kishi: seventh grader; vice president of the Baby-sitter's Club; the club meets at her house; has a book smart younger sister; her grandma Mimi lives with her family; funky dresser
Stacey McGill: seventh grader, treasurer of the Baby-sitter's Club; is new to town, just moved there from New York; has diabetes
Watson: Kristy's mom's boyfriend; has two young children

Annotation:
After seeing her mom struggle to find a sitter, Kristy comes up with an idea for her friends to start a baby--sitter's club.

Smile

Telgemeier, R. (2010). Smile. New York, NY: Graphix.

Plot Summary:

Due to her overbite, Raina was told by her orthodontist she’s going to have to get braces. The very same night Raina was racing some friends in the street and falls, busting her two front teeth. She was immediately rushed to the dentist who attempted to replace her teeth and build a cast around them to keep them in place. After a week the cast was removed and (oh no!) the jawbone had sustained more damage than her dentist thought and her two front teeth were higher up in her gums than the rest of her teeth. She looked like a vampire! These teeth had to go. Raina was given a temporary retainer with two fake teeth attached to fill the large gap left by her missing teeth. Then, the dentist decided to put braces on Reina, as planned, but try to bring all of her teeth closer together, thereby replacing her missing teeth with the teeth she already had. This was a lengthy and painful process filled with fake front teeth that were continuously shaved down as Raina’s teeth moved closer together through the constant tightening of her braces. After years of this, the gap between Raina’s teeth finally closed and her existing teeth were reshaped to look normal. Throughout this entire ordeal, Raina finished elementary school, middle school, and entered into high school; she also grew apart from her friends and found new ones who were much more accepting and fun to be with.

Review:

A graphic novel was the perfect format for Raina Telgemeier to tell the story of the long horrible process of fixing her front teeth. The illustrations provided funny and truthful portrayals of the discomfort and pain associated with dentist and orthodontist visits. The subject matter would have not been as entertaining or easy to read about without the illustrations. Not only did the author succeed in telling us about her horrific ordeal with dentists, orthodontists, endodentists, and peridontists, she also was able to show the changes that she was going through in addition to her teeth; those of her friendships and school life. Reina made a transition common to many children who move from elementary to middle school, she realized she had less in common with her friends than she had when they were younger, so she parted ways and found some new ones. This is a transition I went through at that time, as I’m sure many have. It’s nice that this graphic novel shows that this is just something that happens and can turn out to be a really good thing.

Genre:
graphic novel, nonfiction

Reading Level:
Ages 9-12

Subjects/Themes:
dental care, self-identity, friendships

Awards:
2010 Boston Glob-Horn Book Award Honor
2010 New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice

Character Names/Descriptions:
Raina Telgemeier: begins her story in the sixth grade and finishes as a sophomore in high school; sustains a serious mouth injury which causes her to spend many years trying to get her front teeth fixed

Annotation:
After knocking out her two front teeth, Raina spends her tween years filled with visits to dentists, orthodontists, endodentists, and peridontists. Throughout these years, Raina learns about life, friendships, and most of all herself.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

Blume, J. (1970). Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. New York, NY: Random House, Inc.

Plot Summary:
Margaret just moved with her parents from her apartment in New York City, her friends and grandmother, to the suburbs of New Jersey. She immediately becomes friends with Nancy, a neighbor her age, who fills Margaret in school gossip and informs her on what is and is not cool at their school. Once the school year begins, Margaret meets the rest of Nancy's crew and becomes a part of their secret club. As part of this club Margaret must wear a bra, which, much to her chagrin, is not something she yet requires. As the school year passes Margaret keeps in touch with her grandmother, who still lives in New York City, continues to hang out with her friends, and begins to explore different religions as part of a year long project for her class. Margaret's father was raised Jewish and her mom, Christian. After her paternal grandmother became upset her son was marrying someone not Jewish and her materal grandparents decided to have nothing to do with their daughter for marrying a Jew, Margaret’s parents decided to raise her without religion. Margaret has always kept the fact that she talks to God a secret from her parents and they get upset when she tells them she has begun exploring different religions, stating she is too young for such a big decision. Margaret navigates through her sixth grade year learning about boys, dealing with her feuding family and lying friends, and anticipating changes in her body that are reluctant to come.

Review:
This is a great book for tweenaged girls. I read it at as a tween and remember it making me feel so NORMAL, which was something I didn't often feel at that age. Margaret is dealing with friends who are more developed than her, friends with insecurities, and her own questions about what she wants and who she is. That is every girl in their tween years. Because this book is especially important for girls about to get their period, I think it’s excellent they revised it to include maxipads with adhesive. I remember loving the book until I read about having to get a belt when I get my period. I had NO idea what Ms. Blume was talking about. I worried about it for a couple of days and then finally asked my mom, who explained that’s how pads used to be. For nostalgic reasons, I was really looking forward to that part, but I am glad they updated it to avoid panic in tween girls the world over.

Genre:
realistic fiction

Reading Level:
Ages 9 - 12

Subjects/Themes:
self-identity, moving, religion, periods, friendships

Character Names/Descriptions:
Margaret Ann Simon: narrates the book; just moved from New York to New Jersey; is in the sixth grade; struggling with her religious beliefs; wants to be normal and get her period
Nancy Wheeler: Margaret's first friend in New Jersey; introduces her to Janie and Gretchen; heads up their secret club; lies to Margaret about a few things
Janie Loomis and Gretchen Potter: friends of Nancy's who become Margaret's friends; together the four girls form the Four PTS's (The Pre-Teen Sensations)
Laura Danker: girl in Margaret's class who is very developed; Nancy has told Margaret lies about Laura
Grandmother (Sylvia): Margaret's paternal grandmother' lives in New York; is Jewish and would like Margaret to also be Jewish; loves Margaret very much, but doesn't get along with Margaret's parents very well
Moose Freed: fourteen year-old friend of Nancy's brother; mows Margaret's lawn; Margaret has a crush on him

Annotation:
Margaret navigates through her sixth grade year learning about boys, religion, dealing with her feuding family and lying friends, and anticipating changes in her body that are reluctant to come.