The Babysitter's Club 1-26

by Ann M. Martin

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Young Adult, Middle Grade

paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Ann Matthews Martin was born on August 12, 1955. She grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, with her parents and her younger sister, Jane. After graduating from Smith College, Ann became a teacher and then an editor of children's books. She's now a full-time writer.

Ann gets the ideas for her books from many different places. Some are based on personal experiences, while others are based on childhood memories and feelings. Many are written about contemporary problems or events. All of Ann's characters, even the members of the Baby-sitters Club, are made up. But many of her characters are based on real people. Sometimes Ann names her characters after people she knows, and other times she simply chooses names that she likes.

Ann has always enjoyed writing. Even before she was old enough to write, she would dictate stories to her mother to write down for her. Some of her favorite authors at that time were Lewis Carroll, P. L. Travers, Hugh Lofting, Astrid Lindgren, and Roald Dahl. They inspired her to become a writer herself.

Since ending the BSC series in 2000, Ann’s writing has concentrated on single novels, many of which are set in the 1960s.

After living in New York City for many years, Ann moved to the Hudson Valley in upstate New York where she now lives with her dog, Sadie, and her cats, Gussie, Willy and Woody. Her hobbies are reading, sewing, and needlework. Her favorite thing to do is to make clothes for children.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/annmma...

Reviews

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I actually started reading around age 3 (thank you, my Granny's Dick and Jane books!), this series is what I remember most about loving to read during my childhood. My sister and I drank these books up like they were oxygen. I truly think we owned just about every single one from every one of the series. We even got the privilege of meeting Ann M. Martin at a book signing, but of course little starstruck me froze and could not speak a word to my biggest hero at that time. Once in awhile if I come across these at a yard sale, I will pick them up for a couple hour trip down memory lane, and I declare nearly nothing centers and relaxes me more!

[Jerusha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up on of these books by chance in Primary 6 - I was ten years old - it was 2003 and I had been in Scotland for 2 years, my English was improving but reading was still not coming naturally. However as soon as I picked up one of these books it all changed. I couldn't stop, and I've not looked back since. These books taught me so much about friendship, caring for children and more. I am indebted to them for making me the book lover I am today.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and collected EVERY SINGLE ONE of these when I was in middle school... These were my favorite.... I hope my daughter ends up reading, so I can share these

[MaKenzie Parish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story in the book does seem very relate-able to me. This story is about a group of ten girls that decried to make a club and the club is for babysitters looking for a job or a group. The girls are put to the biggest text by seeing if they can have all the skills for being able to become a babysitter and run the club for the babysitter and keep up with school all at the same time.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

3-5th grade

[Amber Summers-snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t wouldn’t put this down as a child

[⭐️ raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

guys i had a chokehold on this series when i was little you don’t understand

[LOL_BOOKS]

THE EARLY BSC BOOKS ALL SOUND LESS EXCITING THAN THE LATER ONES BUT I AM TAKING MEMERS' WORD THAT IT MATTERS.

THE EARLY ONES ARE WAY BETTER. THEY'RE NOT GHOSTWRITTEN AND THEM BEING FRANDS IS THE WHOLE DOINT, NOT WHETHER A GHOST IS STALKING COKIE MASON OR SOMETHING.

I PROMISE THE LOLZ WILL BE MORE SATISFYING IF YOU WITNESS THEIR SLOW DESCENT INTO CRAZY. BESIDES, SOME OF THE BEST AND MOST CLASSIC PLOTLINES DO SHOW UP EARLY. YOU CAN'T MISS DISCOVERING THAT STACY HAS DIABETES OR KRISTY'S LOL ANGY CLASS ISSUES WITH HER STEPDAD OR MARY-ANN'S ATTEMPT AT BFF LOL POLY.

OKAY IVE DOWNLOADED THE FIRST FIVE (ASSUMING NO SUPER SPECIALS BELONG IN THERE).

N, THE FIRST SUPERSPECIAL FALLS AROUND 9 OR 10.

NO, AND THE OTHER MEMER WAS CORRECT ABOUT THESE BEING THE BEST ONES. DD YOUR FEELS AS THEY PROGRESS!

MY MEMORIES OF THE BSC BOOKS FROM WHEN I WAS A KID HAS THEM ALL BLURRING TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY WERE VERY SIMILAR. I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THEM.

MEANWHILE, I COULD PROBABLY GIVE YOU PLOT SYNOPSES OF THE FIRST TWENTY BOOKS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. N, 21, ACTUALLY, SINCE THAT'S MY FAVORITE MALLORY BOOK.

I NEVER LIKED THE MALLORY BOOKS.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this one because it had numbers 1-26... but I read EVERY SINGLE BOOK in the original Baby Sitters Club series. These girls were such good friends to each other. When I was a kid, surrounded by typical pre-teen brattiness (is that a word?) I thought it would be great to have the characters as friends. My favorite was Dawn, a cool California girl, but I identified most with Mary Anne, the sensitive one. I recommend a chapter-book series for teen girls- particularly this series. The values these books teach are nice, and Martin doesn't "write down" to children. Great books!

[Sammie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the celebrated books of my youth, The Babysitter's Club taught me everything I needed to know about first aid, being a girl, raising a family and the ever-elusive what that certain guy thinks! It was *the* series to grow up with, I have to say.

[dukes05 · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books were my childhood. I hated reading, especially for school, until the 4th grade. Then, my mom bought me a 4-book set of the Babysitter's Club books. I was hooked from the start, and I fell deeply and utterly in love with reading. Thank you Ann M. Martin!

[Rebecca Harkness · Rating 5 out of 5]

These were the books of my youth. I LOVED The Babysitter's Club books when I was a kid. I thought those girls were the coolest girls ever. lol. Such an awesome read for young girls, I may just have to go back and reread them myself.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read these books for years!

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

These books were so good for me at the time when I read them.

[Valerie Roller · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was in middle school, I was absolutely obsessed with this books. I bet they would seem silly to me now. Ah, well. They were a staple of my youth.

[Trulie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm pretty sure I read every single Babysitter's Club book, including all of the Super Specials. LOVED them when I was a pre-teen.

[Christi · Rating 3 out of 5]

great easy reading for kids and have a whole series, mysteries, and a "little kid" series too.

[Teena · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite book series to read when I was a kid. :)

[Shélah · Rating 2 out of 5]

These books are an insult to children's intelligence. I'm rather mortified to have read any of them.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Dawn and her Babysitting crew when I was a young adult

[Ashlee Draper Galyean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bet these would be horrible to re-read but I can't deny that I loved them when I was like eleven.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cool

[Clarissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember these were short easy reads when I was young and I owned all of them I think. They would probably be terrible re-reads but I loved them when I was younger.

[Ashley Lowing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved these books because I babysat for my brother and cousins while growing up, they made me feel like I could relate.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books were my childhood. I hope to read them to my kids as well.

[Kylie Abecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series with loads of interesting situations and scenarios that teach youngsters problem solving skills and how to treat others.

[Kalista Cardenas]

good

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved these books when I was a preteen. Read all of them. Funny, mysterious, creative, and smart.

[Heather McC]

Loved this series as a young elementary kiddo - this book series was my jam!