Claudia and Mean Janine [The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novel]

The last of the BSC graphic novels. Raina's art still shines, and her adaptation of this early Baby-Sitters Club novel really captures the highlights of the book. In a lot of ways I'm sad to know Scholastic won't be doing any more of these, but I guess it does free Telgemeier to pursue other projects.

But, oh, this book is sad. This is the one where Claudia's grandmother has a stroke, and I don't know if it's just because I'm an adult now and understand what that means or if it's Raina's presentation of it, but this is just so much sadder to read now than it was when I was 12. Kudos, Raina, even if I do feel like kind of a dope that I'm bawling over the Baby-Sitters Club, of all things.

The Baby-Sitters Club is ready for its newest venture -- a summer day camp where their babysitting charges can socialize with other kids and take part in various activities. Meanwhile, Claudia thought her biggest problem at home was living in the shadow of her over-achieving, brilliant sister. But when their beloved grandmother falls ill, she has a lot more to worry about all of a sudden. Can Claudia and her sister Janine pull it together for their grandmother's sake?

This book is the fourth in a graphic novel series based on the middle-grade novels of the same name. Having read the originals years ago when I was a tween myself, I can no longer remember enough about them to make a point-by-point comparison, so this review will be about show more the graphic novel as a standalone work.

This book picks up right where the last one ended, moving from the spring of the girls' seventh grade year to the summer. Although I suppose you could pick up this book on its own, it certainly stands up better as part of the series. The focus has shifted now to Claudia as narrator, and we see the majority of events from her point of view, with a handful of babysitting exceptions.

What's nice about this series is how it can tackle some heavier issues (e.g., serious illness, academic struggles, etc.) while still remaining light-hearted and full of humor. Everything remains at an appropriate level for young readers. Claudia (and the other girls) continue to show a lot of responsibility and maturity, despite occasional moments of short-sightedness. The sibling rivalry plotlne is one sure to resonant with many children.

The illustrations are in Telegemeier's recognizable style, which allows for a lot of emotion to be conveyed. show less

Claudia and her older sister Janine are completely different: Janine is brainy, always studying and taking extra high-level classes, while Claudia loves art, fashion, and the babysitters club. The BSC's new idea for the summer is to have a playgroup three times a week, and Claudia is excited to help, but then her beloved grandmother Mimi has a stroke. Claudia jumps in to help take care of Mimi, while Janine stays holed up in her room with her computer. Eventually, an interaction with one of the kids she babysits helps Claudia talk to Janine, who, it turns out, feels like the family has shut her out and forced her toward her studies, rather than the other way around.

There's a neat section at the end about the making of the BSC graphic show more novels. show less

I really do love diving into this quicker reads. I read the baby-sitters books so long ago. but i thought this book was very fun and heartwarming and it tackled some harder issues including grandparents getting older and also complicated sisters relationships and it was rather fun read. I always love the graphic style and also the focus on their summer business plan. It was a fun read, will try and tackle them more in the future.

I really do love diving into this quicker reads. I read the baby-sitters books so long ago. but i thought this book was very fun and heartwarming and it tackled some harder issues including grandparents getting older and also complicated sisters relationships and it was rather fun read. I always love the graphic style and also the focus on their summer business plan. It was a fun read, will try and tackle them more in the future.

Ann M. Martin’s popular 1980’s series The Baby-Sitters Club has a new life in the graphic novel adaptations by Raina Telgemeier, as we see in Claudia and Mean Janine. Telgemeier faithfully translates Martin’s books into the new format without compromising the characters and plot that are familiar to readers of the originals. Claudia and Mean Janine presents a summer in the life of the Baby-Sitters Club through the eyes of Claudia Kishi, the artistically-inclined, academically underachieving youngest child in a family of intellectuals. Claudia and her computer-genius sister Janine are at odds because each believes that the other is favored by the rest of the family, and the situation only worsens when their beloved grandmother Mimi show more has a stroke and must be nursed back to health. A subplot about the Baby-Sitters Club’s summer adventure running a playgroup helps to lighten the sometimes grim tale.
Themes of sibling rivalry and loyalty will be familiar to many readers, and the simple but expressive illustrations integrate with the text to tell a unified story. This format will make the books accessible to a wider audience, including reluctant readers and younger children, and will help bring girls into the boy-dominated graphic novel world. Recommended for ages 8+. show less

A pretty good read - sibling rivalries, health problems of an older family member, and just family dynamics in general. Good illustrations and a good story flow. My daughter, aged 9, absolutely loved it and eagerly awaits #5 coming this September! Me? I enjoyed reading it with her, which means the world to me!