Karen's Grandmothers

Baby-Sitters Little Sister Graphic Novels #9

by DK Yingst (illustrator), Ann M. Martin

Another graphic novel in this fun series spin-off from The Baby-sitters Club, adapted by newcomer DK Yingst!

When Karen adopts a grandmother from Stoneybrook Manor, she has more grandmas than anyone she knows -- five! Karen thinks that is very special. But Karen's new grandmother is so different! Grandma B makes Karen listen to old music, and she teaches Karen funny dances, like the foxtrot.

Are five grandmothers too many for Karen?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens, Graphic Novels Comics, Comics, Juvenile

144 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2024

Reviews

[Penny Geard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just another fun story with Karen being over-the-top and almost insensitive 😅

[Kristen · Rating 1 out of 5]

These graphic novels are so nostalgic for me. I don't remember this one and I didn't like it.

There's no way Karen's grade 2 class spends every single day brainstorming ideas for gifts and baked goods for people in a senior's home, creating crafts for them and having brainstorming sessions, practicing their performances and 2 dress rehearsals (in fancy matching costumes) for 'Grandparents Day' at a nursing home. They had an entire half day where they got to discuss with their friends in class if they wanted to 'adopt a grandparent' (aka visit an elderly person in a retirement home). It's so unrealistic that I just can't. Grade 2 students have a curriculum.

It's absurd that the kids that participate visit the elderly person twice a week outside of school hours - so their parents have to take them. Most families don't even have time to eat supper together let alone visit a stranger regularly.

I found it disappointing that Karen's friend is so upset by the idea of visiting an elderly person because she's afraid of old people. That's so lame. It would have been far more impactful to have Karen's friend not want to visit because she was traumatized by the recent death of her grandparent or great grandparent - which is something that most kids experience.

While I definitely agree that elderly people especially those in nursing homes are often lonely and need some love and attention, This novel was a pretty boring read for an adult.

The ending was poorly handled as well.

The artwork is absolutely gorgeous though!! I'd give that 5 stars but the story is just too lacking.

[The Loco Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet graphic novel about how Karen helps her friend become comfortable around elderly people. She lets one of her own grandmothers "adopt" her friend and they become pen-pals.

[Charlie Jenkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was slow
and it ended on a cliffhanger

[Molly]

Karen's Grandmothers didn't land as well for me as the previous volume in this series, Karen's Sleepover, but this was fun overall. I appreciated the discussion of Nancy's fear of older people and how she was able to overcome it. I didn't love how Karen's dumping Grandma B in favor of gymnastics was handled, but eh. Gorgeous coloring and bold artwork as always!

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karen’s class is adopting grandparents from the local retirement home. Karen is excited because this will give her five grandmas, which she thinks will set a record. Her friend Nancy doesn’t want to participate because she is scared of old people. In her annoying way, Karen tries to help Nancy get over her fear.

New artist this time, but characters look mostly the same. I don’t remember the dialogue being so stilted, but it might just be quoting from the chapter book.

Everything wraps up very quickly at the end with Karen ditching her new “grandma” for gymnastics and Nancy taking over for her. Also a small subplot of Karen helpfully setting Nancy up with one of her grandmas as a pen pal and then getting jealous of the letters and pictures Nancy receives.

[Olive · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good and cute! ☺️

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of me is Nancy, since I still sort of feel uncomfortable when there is a HUGE age gap between me and someone else, haha. Then again, I wasn't ever that close to my grandparents (or anyone else's), since we lived too far apart to connect like Karen has with her grandparents.

Twice a week seems like a lot of visits, anyway. I'm not that surprised she kind of soured on the visits, but I would've expected that they would've tried to better synch up which grands would have been best suited for which kids.

The ending was a bit predictable (this isn't a Little Sister book I've read before), but it's a really good one, so I have to give props where they're due! I really like the stories where everybody's happy in the end!

Recommended even for newcomers, since Karen does a good job (re)introducing everyone to the story thus far to bring everyone up to speed! Granted, this is a good trait of the Baby-Sitters books in general, so I'm not surprised, but I do love this volume!

[Ellon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars (I really liked it)

I feel like this is the first one where Karen isn't completely bratty. She still needs reminders to use her inside voice. She still has lots of energy. She had realistic feelings of jealously or boredom but you don't walk away from the book like "ugh what a brat." I think it was a little weird that her friend was afraid of old people but then again I could see it happening in real life and I think it was dealt with well.

Karen and her friends don't seem like 2nd graders though. They seem younger, like kindergarteners.

Completely ridiculous librarian note: I'm irrationally annoyed that this is a different author than the first 8 because now it either won't be shelved with the rest or I'll have to change all the call numbers like I did with Baby-sitters club...

[Hope Burmeister · Rating 4 out of 5]

As all of the Babysitters Little Sisters graphic novels, they hook me in due to nostalgia. While I enjoyed this one, it didn’t have quite as much substance as previous ones. I spent the entire book wondering if ‘adopt a grandparent’ is something that has ever been done before in real life? Karen is Karen as always in this book. Over the top and mostly likeable. Nancy was a bit frustrating in her unexplained dislike of elderly people and Karen’s jealous of Nancy’s pen pal with her grandmother (which she organised) was odd but makes you realise that these are definitely eight years old, which is probably a good thing?

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised when my social media started saying this was coming out, because I was positive I had already read it. I suppose that's what happens when you read the the source material fairly recently haha. I also want to note that this was the first Little Sister graphic novel not adapted by Katy Farina, which originally bummed me out - I loved what she brought to the series, and wanted her to adapt every book. But, as usual with the graphic novels changing hands, the change wasn't jarring at all (to be honest, I barely noticed it!)

As for this book, I think the graphic novel is an improvement on the original ("This is one of the more boring Little Sister books, tbh." - my review) because the visual format helps make a low-key boring story a little more exciting. I'm happy that this series seems to be going strong!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable addition to the series and can definitely be read as a stand alone. I think that Karen learned some important lessons in this one that were different from in prior books, but I also think that she came across as more selfish and spoiled compared to a few of the previous books. Nothing as bad as some of the earlier ones, but definitely hard to make her a likeable or relatable character. And maybe being OTT with her negative traits is how these books aim to teach given the target audience. But man, I dislike her sometimes. A lot.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karen is going to participate in a program where she gets a fifth grandma. Her class is going to a local senior Home where she gets the chance to adopt an older lady without family. Meanwhile her friend is very scared of older peoples so Karen reaches out to her grandma in Nebraska and asks if she can be pen pals with her friend. But Karen becomes jealous. This was a cute book that was super short.

[Jowie Lam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read this book before, but I really liked these books since yesterday at the bookstore yesterday, I read Karen's Witch and Karen's sleepover. I really hope I can get the other books!

[Jourdy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good for Nancy overcoming her fear!

[Mary T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always fun to pick up a new Karen book! I read this one to my 6yo and 5yo sons.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these adaptations!

[Arya Joshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Th plot, like all the other graphic novels in this series, was a simple one and I liked the short read.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read about greed and overcoming fears. Divorce is almost over-emphasized again, but it is key to explain why Karen starts with four grandmothers.

[Anna McNeill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this with my daughter, Millie. The ending was surprisingly sweet and made me cry so I gave it 4 stars.

[Jaclyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute adaptation

[B Maestas · Rating 4 out of 5]

To me this was a good book but babyish to me because I’m older than Karen but overall it was a good book😇😍😌😙😋🤪😝😎😏😏😒😕🥸😋🙂😂😄🚍🥇🛁😊🩼🤗🫡🫠🤔🤫🫠🫣😰🫣🫠🫠🤫😐😹😿

[Joss · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like this series, I’m now waiting for the new ones to come out:)

[Mara K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty good! i would have liked more depth into the new characters. but very immersive and enjoyable!

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karen is kind of greedy. Which is fine but I wish someone was working with her on it.

[Svetlana · Rating 2 out of 5]

kinda boring

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story! It made me miss my grandma though. I'd love to spend more time with her!

[Sakura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do have to say, this one was a decent amount better than the last one, ‘Karen’s Sleepover’, but it still wasn’t all that strong. Although it did have cute art, and a light and cozy story, it was a bit awkward because it didn’t really make sense. Nancy is ‘scared of old people’?? Now, I’m sure there are some kids like this, but I wish at the very least, she had a reason? Maybe she used to have a mean and strict grandfather or there used to be a rude worker at a store she went to often… but nothing. She’s just scared of them because they’re old…? And gets over it quite easily, other than randomly bursting into tears sometimes. Besides how strange Nancy is, Karen behaves kind of rudely. I know, at this point, I should just accept the fact that Karen is a brat, but for some reason I keep hoping she’ll improve. The way she gets bored of Grandma B. and starts avoiding visits is so pointless and mean. Why does her mom let her act that way…? Besides that, she also just ditches her at the end, and I don’t like that, either. It also ends strangely, almost open-ended for some reason. I think I’ve complained enough though, *laughs* and since I did give it three stars, I should mention what I DID like, besides the artwork. I liked Nancy becoming a pen-pal with one of Karen’s grandmothers. Although I don’t understand why she was afraid of elderly people to begin with, I at least like how she begins to face her fear. It’s cute, and I think the way Karen gets jealous actually feels very human. She loves her grandma, and feels like she’s beginning to treat Nancy with just as much kindness as she does her… but wasn’t she special? It reminds me a bit of the whole ‘My Mary-Anne’ situation in ‘Mary-Anne Saves The Day’. More then one person can be special to someone, and I liked this concept. I also liked the talk about Jewish holidays. Overall, it wasn’t terrible, and I don’t *really* feel like it’s likely to teach your kid bad lessons, although I don’t love how she behaves here. In the end, it’s still a okay read.

(This book contains some people who are sick and ill, although it is very mild, which could still possibly trigger some younger kids, as well as Karen behaving poorly. I would give it an age rating of all-ages)

[🌻 Sunita 🦋✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karen has matured so much.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations were so cute and captured Karen, Nancy, and her family's adventures and emotions beautifully. Even though this illustrator was different from the previous books in the series, I still liked the cartoon style and found it very similar.