July 11, 2021

Series Sunday: We Are the Baby-Sitters Club

(Baby-Sitters Club Series) 


Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
  • Read an installment of a series.
  • Share your review/recommendation below.
  • Include the title, author and series name.

"Where else could you possibly want to be on a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday at 5:30?" ~ 29%

My Series Sunday pick is We Are the Baby-Sitters Club, essays and artwork from grown-up readers of the series edited by Marisa Crawford and Megan Milks. Author Ann M. Martin created a legacy series that lasted thirteen years with five core characters and 352 titles. Let's take it back to the 80s with landlines, giggling girls and hair scrunchies.

"Handwriting is socially learned and culturally transmitted." ~ 32%

What I remember most about the BSC, is the handwriting and penmanship. I was very particular—and still am—about unique yet legible penmanship. I remember in some of the books there were examples and I would compare the girls' handwriting. It was nice to see it mentioned in one of the essays. 

By the time I reached around 80% through, I realized maybe I wasn't as big of a BSC reader as I thought. A lot of emphasis was made on storylines I simply did not remember. Perhaps I should revisit the series like some of the contributors did. I'm sure plots that I didn't pay much attention to as a middle schooler will hit different as an adult. 

"The BSC earned this lasting legacy, in part, by making inclusive values and progressive beliefs part of the series' core—values like honoring diverse voices and experiences, promoting empathy, and suggesting that girls make great leaders." ~ 82%

I appreciate the homage paid to author Ann M. Martin and her addressing such heavy issues back in the day: divorce, adoption, illness, friendship, fashion, loyalty, racism, culture, social class and entrepreneurship. It helped shape our ideas today and motivates girl bosses.

Is it worth reading? Yes, if you are a BSC superfan. If you are craving a touch of nostalgia, it may be worth picking up too. If you are familiar with Kristy, Claudia, Stacey, Mary Anne, Dawn, Jessi and Mallory, then you will like the trip down memory lane. However, it left me with a "that was okay" final feeling. I suggest borrowing from the library instead of paying $10 - $20 depending on the edition.

Happy Belated Pub Day! We Are the Baby-Sitters Club is now available.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Authors: Marisa Crawford and Megan Milks 
Published: July 2021
Pages: 240
Edition: Galley
Rating: 🖤 🖤

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