Raina Telgemeier’s Baby-Sitter’s Club Graphic Novels are Dibbly Fresh!

The Baby-Sitter’s Club (or BSC as the cool kids called them) books were my LIFE when I when I was a kid. The club members (especially the original fab four, Kristy Thomas, Mary Anne Spier, Claudia Kishi, and Stacey McGill) went through the same ups and downs that I did as a pre-teen; navigating friendships, learning to be responsible, and experiencing the fear and excitement of first crushes. Martin has an exceptional talent for channeling the chaotic emotions of girlhood, and the series’ enormous and enduring popularity (in the early 90’s it sold over 176 million copies) is a testament to that.
Fast forward to 2006: BSC fans were rewarded with gorgeous black & white graphic novel versions of the first four books, illustrated by artist Raina Telgemeier, the acclaimed author of Smile and Sisters. These adaptations were so popular that they are being re-released in full color! The third full-color version, Mary Anne Saves the Day, hit stores in late September.

Longtime fans may remember that Mary Anne Saves the Day kicks off with the four friends getting into a huge fight during a club meeting. Kristy is offended that everyone thinks she’s too bossy (she is), Claudia is upset because everyone thinks she hogs all the good jobs (she does), Stacey can’t believe that they think she conceited (definitely), and poor Mary Anne? She doesn’t take it too well when her friends call her a big baby (who would?). For Mary Anne, the quietest, shyest girl in the bunch, fighting with her best friends is her worst fear. Without them, she is forced to strike out on her own, learn how to stand up for herself, and start taking chances. The fight becomes the driving force behind a lot of changes in Mary Anne’s life, both negative and positive.

To be honest, as a longtime BSC fan, I had my reservations about reviewing the full-color graphic novel version of Mary Anne Saves the Day. Mary Anne was never my favorite babysitter; with her neat hair and good grades, I could just never identify. AND she was the first babysitter to get a boyfriend, the gorgeous Logan, so on top of that she inspired my jealousy. I was also worried because I have such fond memories of this series. Could a graphic novel convey the essence of what made the Baby-Sitter’s Club so good? Could the new series capture the messiness of pre-teen life, and the lessons that come from navigating all these new experiences with your friends? But I shouldn’t have worried; the book was everything I could have hoped for.

Martin and Telgemeier work so well together, I can’t help but think that Telgemeier must have been a BSC fan long before she adapted the series. Her sharp, bold, drawings lovingly capture all the feelings and emotions that have made the Baby-Sitter’s Club books such enduring classics. In this version, really felt for Mary Anne. I can still remember what it felt like when you fought with your best friends as a kid and how anxious the idea of a future without them can make you feel. So, I rooted for her as I read, cheering for her during the lows (having to co-babysit with a friend who is not talking to you seems like it would be a legitimately terrible experience), and celebrating the highs (meeting a new friend and standing up for herself). Even though I knew it would be all right in the end—it always is—I breathed a huge sigh of relief when Mary Anne and the girls made up again. Mary Anne learns that she is a lot stronger than she realized, and that learning to believe in yourself can help you survive anything—a truth that holds up no matter your age.
Ultimately, all I can say is that after reading Mary Anne Saves the Day, I really can’t wait for the next full-color installment, Claudia and Mean Janine!