WHAT IS IT?

A pioneering book series launched in 1986 about a group of friends in middle school who run a business called The Baby-sitters Club. One of the most successful children’s book series in publishing history with more than 190 million copies in print.

WHO'S IT FOR? 

Readers ages 7 and up

VISIT THE SITE 

The Baby-sitters Club Official Facebook Fan Page

Ann M. Martin Official Facebook Fan Page

The Baby-sitters Club® is one of the most successful children’s book series in publishing history with more than 190 million books in print. Ann M. Martin spent the latter part of the 1980s and most of the 1990s working on the series, which was supposed to debut in 1986 and end in 1987, and to consist of only four titles. More than 30 years later, with four additional related spin-offs, approximately 250 titles, the BSC spawned a feature film and more recently a critically-acclaimed original Netflix series, and prompted kids around the world to start their own baby-sitters clubs. The popularity of The Baby-sitters Club and Little Sister books continues with the full-color graphic novel adaptations, all of which have hit national bestseller lists.

The Baby-sitters Club became the first children’s book series to appear on the USA Today bestseller list.

The New York Times Magazine hailed Ann M. Martin as a, “genius in communicating with girls when and after they slip behind the glass curtain of preadolescence…Martin gets children to read.” The Baby-sitters Club also was named one of the “Books of the Century” by the New York Times Book Review in 1998.

“Adventures in baby-sitting…must-read literature for preteen girls.”– Time magazine

“Martin’s message—that you can build something cool with your pals—is timeless.”– People

“Girls can’t get enough of The Baby-sitters Club…aren’t these the kinds of role models we want for our daughters…we all need friends like that.”– Parents magazine

“Ann Martin rules the paperback roost.”– Publishers Weekly

• Amanda Alexander on strengthening summer reading connections with families 

• Dr. Linda C. Mayes digs deeper into the research, including how families and educators can foster mental health through reading

• Judy Newman shares how access to great books led to her becoming a reader, and discusses why we cannot delay in creating a more equitable, literacy-fueled future

Archived Press Coverage

• Mic.com: “Everything I Know About Female Friendship I Learned From The Baby-Sitters Club” 

• Paste Magazine: “The Baby-Sitters Club: A 30-Year-Old Reads a Classic”

• Refinery29: “The Baby-Sitters Club & Sex and the City: My Guides to Adulthood”

• People features The Baby-Sitters Club e-books

• The Baby-Sitters Club E-Book Announcement

• Entertainment Weekly "Shelf Life" exclusively reveals The Baby-Sitters Club e-book news

• Entertainment Weekly "Shelf Life": "Ann M. Martin picks her top 10 'Baby-sitters' books" 

• Glamour.com: "Ann M. Martin, Author of The Baby-Sitters Club Books, Chats With Smitten!"

• Washington Post "Kids Post" features The Summer Before in its 2010 Summer Book Club

• Good Morning America features The Summer Before in their "Best Summer Books for Your Kids" segment

• Forbes.com speaks to Ann M. Martin about the timeless issues in The Baby-sitters Club series

• Oprah.com talks to Ann M. Martin about why kids today still take to the BSC and how the girls in the books are good role models

• Parade asks if there are plans for more BSC books

• Chicago Sun-Times: "Martin turns back clock for 'Summer'"

• The Millions praises The Baby-sitters Club for tackling real-life pre-teen issues

• The Atlantic: “The Baby-sitters Club Grows Up”

• Wall Street Journal “Speakeasy”: “Can a Baby-sitters Club Compete with Gossip Girls, Vampires and our Memories?”

• AOL Lemondrop.com: Interview: “Say Hello to Your Friends: The Baby-sitters Club Books Are Back”

• Washington Post: “Baby-sitters Club is back, in hopes of beguiling a new generation”

• Entertainment Weekly “Shelf-Life”: “A Night with the Creator of The Baby-sitters Club Ann M. Martin 

• Associated Press TV: “The Baby-sitters Club is Back” 

• Wall Street Journal: “The return of the Baby-sitters Club is good news for girls and their parents”

• Wall Street Journal “Speakeasy” Interview

• BookPage: “Ann M. Martin revisits the babysitters"

• Publishers Weekly: “The Baby-sitters Club Reconvene”

• USAToday.com "Were you a fan of 'The Baby-sitters Club'?"

• CNN.com: "The Baby-sitters Club returns"

• Slate.com: "Which Babysitter Were You?"

• New York Times: “Comeback Planned for Girls’ Book Series”