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Today is Ann M. Martin’s birthday. That might not mean much to you if you’re a male, especially if you don’t have sisters, but she is the author (at least, at first) of The Baby-sitters Club series. You’d be pretty hard-pressed to find a girl in my general age bracket who didn’t own a couple of these growing up. To celebrate such a monumental occasion, here are a few facts about the good old BSC.
1. There are 131 Baby-sitters Club books and 122 Little Sister books in print, plus all of the super specials and mysteries. I loved the Super Special when they went to Disney World and Karen freaked out at the Magic Kingdom because she really believed it when the disembodied voice in the Haunted Mansion told her that a ghost would follow her home. Oh, that Karen. She was always such a drama queen.
2. The character of Mary Anne is based on Ann M. Martin herself. Do you think Ann M. Martin also underwent an extreme makeover and went from dressing mousy to dressing cool (meaning: leggings and hats)? Despite this fact, Martin says Kristy is her favorite character and was based on her childhood best friend.
3. The idea to write about a group of girls who just looooove to babysit wasn’t Martin’s idea. It was her editor’s idea, and Martin ran with it.
4. The characters didn’t age in real time, obviously, since they were perpetually stuck in middle school. If Martin had allowed them to age in real time, they would have been 28 when the series finally ended.
5. The books created quite a few spin-offs. There were the Little Sister books, centered on Kristy’s bratty step-sister Karen Brewer; The Kids in Ms. Coleman’s Class, a spin-off of Little Sister about Karen’s classmates at Stoneybrook Academy; and California Diaries, a series about Dawn when she returned to California. This series dealt with some pretty deep issues, including anorexia and and racism. There is also apparently a graphic novel of the first BSC book, which I am rather delighted by. Has anyone seen it?
6. Remember the BSC notebook entries each girl wrote, which is how we know that Stacey dotted her i’s with hearts and that Claudia couldn’t spell to save her life? One single person at Scholastic hand wrote those entries for all of the girls. And I thought I had schizophrenic handwriting!
7. The series officially ended in 2000, but the last book came out in 1999. It was The Fire at Mary Anne’s House. Between the series debut in 1986 and the finale in 2000, the books sold more than 175 million copies.
8. The books came out on a monthly basis for a while, leaving a very short turnaround time for Ms. Martin. She says a lot of the books had very little editing at all… which you can kind of tell if you go back and read some of them today. Not that I have. Not that I still own some, or anything.
9. Ann M. Martin stopped writing the books entirely herself at Stacey’s Choice, #58. After that, she wrote a basic plotline and others filled in the details. You can tell which ones were ghostwritten because there is always a notation in the book that says “The author gratefully acknowledges So-and-So for their help on preparing this manuscript.”
10. Sadly, there are no plans for a BSC reunion. Dang. I can’t be alone in wondering what the girls would look like at 28, can I?
Tiff of “Stoneybook, Connecticut,” blogged her way through a bunch of the old books over at Claudia’s Room. She no longer does it, but there is quite a back log of recaps to read through, and she’s pretty hilarious. I highly recommend it as a way to kill a little time and relive your childhood.
OK. Multiple questions today. What was your favorite book, who was your favorite babysitter, and what do you think the gals would be doing at the age of 28? Mine: I think Stacey was my favorite, for obvious reasons. I liked The Ghost at Dawn’s House, Mary Ann’s Makeover and Stacey’s Emergency. Claudia has gone to art school, obviously, and is now working for Betsey Johnson. Stacey is on her third marriage and still perms her hair. That’s about all I can say without getting unnecessarily mean. But you can be as mean to the teenage sitters as you want, as long as you share with the rest of us in the comments!
Have a Q10 request? I’m on Twitter and I’m all ears! Err… all keys. Something.
Comments (82)
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I always remembered that I thought Claudia was the coolest, though I think I matched with Kristy in personality (minus the sports part). I can’t remember any of the specific titles, but I remember when the group went to Hawaii and Stacey and her boyfriend got into a fight over whether he was flirting with the flight attendant. Looking back, it’s hilarious to think about a couple of eighth graders getting angry over a pretty adult. I can’t remember enough about the individual girls (besides the basics), but I find it amusing to think that Dawn eventually joined up with Corporate America, working with car companies in order to develop “greener” cars.
posted by Fae on 8-12-2009 at 3:37 pm
Surprisingly, I never got big into the BSC; I guess mom didn’t buy them for me! I did, however, read a series that was called “Peanut Butter & Jelly” (I think?!) that was pretty much the same idea. I always wanted to be a girl that read BSC, though! I was never one for being in the loop.
Now that I’m older I’ve kind’ve wanted to pick up a BSC book and see what I missed, but I don’t think it would hold quite as much charm.
posted by Jenny on 8-12-2009 at 3:42 pm
MaryAnn was always my favorite, because of the whole brainy thing. Plus, she had a boyfriend pretty early on and I was quite jealous. The Super Special at Disney World was also my favorite…I know I read it way more than once.
posted by Kacey on 8-12-2009 at 3:47 pm
Dawn and Claudia were my favorite. I loathed Kristy she was too peppy for me. I really liked the one where Mary Anne had to dress up like a Christmas elf in one of them…I’m not sure what it’s called. Dawn is probably some big shot at PETA or works with the more peaceful bunch of environmentalists. Claudia, if she ever got past 7th grade, went to the Savannah School of Art and Design and she’s working with Lady GaGa to come up with bigger and better pants-free looks!
posted by Sarah P on 8-12-2009 at 3:49 pm
I liked all of them, but I think I liked Jessie the best because I danced. I liked Stacey’s style though. My favorite….hmm…I liked the super special where Claudia and Mary Anne got stuck on the island, and I liked the mystery (it might have been part of the regular series, I don’t remember) when Jessie won the lead role in the ballet and someone was terrorizing her. Today?
Kristy- feminist
Mary Anne- journalist
Stacey- hot accountant having an affair with her boss
Dawn- works for Kashi
Claudia- graphic designer
Mallory- retail/waitress/bartender while she “works on her novel”
Jessie- dance teacher
posted by Caitlin on 8-12-2009 at 3:58 pm
I was OBSESSED with the BSC from second-sixth grade. In fact, I met my lifelong best friend in third grade over a BSC board game we made for Language Arts.
My favorite was Claudia, and I actually changed my name to Claudia in third grade (along with all of the other girls in my class who each had BSC counterparts).
I think my favorite books were the super-specials because they took longer to read. I think the one where they go on a cruise would have to be my favorite.
posted by KerriD on 8-12-2009 at 4:08 pm
Caitlin, the Mallory comment made me think of Stewie giving Brian a hard time about his “novel” in Family Guy. “How you uh, how you comin’ on that novel you’re working on? Huh? Gotta a big, uh, big stack of papers there? Gotta, gotta nice litte story you’re working on there? Your big novel you’ve been working on for 3 years? Huh? Gotta, gotta compelling protaganist? Yeah?”
posted by stacy on 8-12-2009 at 4:09 pm
Haha, the lifelong friendship I have with my friend Amanda got its start due to “Stacey’s Choice”! I was reading it outside one day, and as she walked by she noticed the book, then she mentioned she liked BSC, too. Friendship blossomed from there, and we’re still friends 16 years later; she’ll be a bridesmaid at my wedding in 2 months, actually. :)
I like to think this is where the girls are today:
-Kristy: hot-shot CEO of her own company
-Dawn: Greenpeace activist or vegan lifestyle consultant
-Mallory: SAHM, has been working on a novel for the past 7 years in her spare time
-Mary Anne: librarian
-Stacey: lobbyist for diabetes research
-Claudia: eccentric painter/sculptor with a gallery in Greenwich Village
-Jessie: choreographer/guest judge on “So You Think You Can Dance”
posted by Krie on 8-12-2009 at 4:24 pm
I did love Mallory because I, too, wanted to be a writer, though I did enjoy (and relate to) Kristy’s general bossy-ness.
My very first BSC book was #3, The Truth About Stacey, and the first I ever owned was #21, Mallory and the Trouble with Twins.
I would also be a liar if I didn’t own up to having purchased the last few books that made up their own little series wherein the girls *finally* graduate from eighth grade (was shopping for my little sister at the time and just couldn’t resist).
Thanks for bringing back the memories!
posted by Amy on 8-12-2009 at 4:26 pm
I guess I’m a little too old for the BSC books, but I did read the first gazillion Sweet Valley High books as a kid. Finally gave them to a kid I used to babysit. Judging by the books my mom has her students read (she’s a 6th grade reading/writing/language arts teacher) fiction for kids has come a long way! I wish I’d had some of the terrific books that are out right now. Also wish the American Girls books had been around when I was a kid. I would have been as obsessed as my 9-year-old niece is.
posted by Wendy on 8-12-2009 at 4:36 pm
Loved these books! I had a Kid Kit and even acted out a scene for a book report once. I do remember skipping the second chapter after awhile, because really? How many times do we have reintroduce the girls? I might have to pull out some of my old copies the next time I’m at my parents’.
posted by AmandaStretch on 8-12-2009 at 4:36 pm
I love the BSC! I’m 18 and in college and I still have about 20 of these books stuffed in a desk drawer at home.
I’ve always thought that the concept behind Jessi and Mallory (the \junior members\) was ridiculous. Who lets eleven-year-olds babysit their kids?
posted by Jessica on 8-12-2009 at 4:47 pm
Love this post! But I am also a 29 year old woman.
My favorite character was Stacey because I thought she was brave, dealing with diabetes and all. My favorite book was the special where Dawn and her little brother and some other kids go sailing and get shipwrecked on that island. I always loved survival stories.
posted by Becca on 8-12-2009 at 4:50 pm
I totally found the graphic novel last year, and of course i had to buy it. It’s the first book, just in graphic novel form. The drawings aren’t very good, but it was ridiculous enough for me to really enjoy it.
posted by Anne on 8-12-2009 at 4:58 pm
I haven’t thought of these books in years. Thank you so much for the trip down memory lane!
Claudia was always my favorite, probably because I always wanted to be an artist but have absolutely no talent for it. I was more of a Mary Anne.
And now that I have a 6-year-old of my own, I can say no, I would not let an 11-year-old – or two of them! – watch my kid. Even 13 is kind of pushing it.
posted by MarMar on 8-12-2009 at 5:00 pm
Love! Love! Love!
I was at a friend’s house the other night and her 11-year-old had a box of books for another guest, an charter school principal. Most of the books were BSC and started pulling them out and reminiscing/gushing.
Of course, now I can’t believe the idea of leaving your kids with middle schoolers…
I, too, love the Super Specials. My favorite is probably when they were snowed in with all the kids. I also really liked a couple of Jessie-centric books, including the one with the child star who returns to Stoneybrook and the one with the guy ballet dancer.
My favorite girl was Mary Ann after she hooked up with Logan. Kristy was way too OCD for my tastes and I’m not nearly as cool as Claudia and Stacey.
Today:
Kristy – She franchised the BCS idea and now sells the name/kid kits/does seminars for middle and high schoolers about getting into the baby-sitting biz.
Mary Ann – Married young to Logan after several break ups during high school and college. Has just found out he’s cheating on her and is leaving to go live in the city with their 2-year-old in tow.
Claudia – Managing a gallery in NYC, encouraged Mary Ann to move in with her while she finds a place.
Stacey – Catalog model.
Dawn – Lobbyist working for greener standards for cars, plant emissions, etc.
Mallory – Stayed in Stoneybrook, engaged to a nice guy who does something blue collar, works as a receptionist for the mayor.
Jessie – Stayed in Stoneybrook, is a dance instructor who will take over the studio when the current owner retires.
And for the heck of it:
Karen – Was sent to boarding school and kicked out several of them for drinking and drugs, but is now settling in at NYU and finally getting her head on straight. Majoring in Drama, of course.
posted by Lindsey on 8-12-2009 at 5:03 pm
Looks like everyone loves the Super Specials. My favorite was the one where everyone gets snowed in at random places (mall, house, dance school, etc). I read that one so often the cover fell off.
My favorite character was Mary Ann, since we were so much alike, although I always thought Mallory was cool too with her book nerdiness. They were all really rad in my book. I did dress up like Kristy for Halloween one year and my best friend was Mary Ann.
Mary Ann – married, 2.5 kids, picket fence
Kristy – living vicariously through her children’s sports lives
Dawn – a peaceful activist of some sort
Claudia – fashion designer
Jesse – a great career in ballet, now a choreographer for NYC theatre
Mallory – 2 novels under her belt, working on her third while touring
Stacey – editor of a fashion magazine
And now I want to go reread a few BSC books . . .
posted by nutmeag on 8-12-2009 at 5:04 pm
I was a huge BSC fan and can still remember my first book. It was Jessi Ramsey, Pet-Sitter and my mom bought it for me at a garage sale. After that, I was hooked! I always wanted to start up a club similar, but only for the meetings, not to actually babysit. Only later when I thought back to when I was 11 & 13 how unlikely it would be for the girls to have responsibilities like that.
Stacy was my favorite and my favorite books were always the super specials because they were longer.
posted by lcgrant03 on 8-12-2009 at 5:04 pm
YAY BSC! Thank you so much for this awesome post.
My favorite character was always Stacey, and it was a big comfort remembering her when I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.
Perhaps she is also part of my deep love for NYC. And why I date older men. I’m obviously basically Stacey.
My fave book is the super special where SMS puts on Peter Pan… and Stacy is horrible and sings Mack the Knife for her audition. I still have it and read it ever few years.
At Age 28
Stacey and Claudia move to NYC together and run a boutique in SoHo.
Kristy teaches gym at SMS.
Mary Anne is a paralegal and owns 7 cats.
Mallory is the librarian at Stoneybrook Elementary.
Dawn is a blogger in Orange County and works at whole foods.
Jessie is a resident at a hospital in Stanford.
posted by Elizabeth on 8-12-2009 at 5:11 pm
My favourite was definitely Stacey. I don’t think I really related with her, although I also LOVED Math. I think I wanted to BE her.
Hard to say what my favourite book was as it’s been years since I read one. I think Snowbound was my favourite super special. And I loved the gold super special that came with the necklace!
What do I think they’re up to? Hmmm…
Kristy – honestly, I think she would be out of the closet :) Probably running a politicians career!
Mary Anne – Exec. Assistant to a CEO or something.
Claudia – Freelance artist, works as a waitress
Stacey – Accountant
Dawn – Environmental Lawyer
Mallory – Web developer
Jessi – Occupational therapist
posted by Lyndsay on 8-12-2009 at 5:19 pm
OB-SESSED. I loved Stacey so much that I told everyone in my 3rd grade class I had diabetes. I thought it was so cool. Then, I realized that sweets were not a part of a good diabetics diet, and quickly told my class the “doctor read the test wrong and I don’t have it anymore!”
OH GAH.
Mary Ann – probably some sort of Weeds syndrome. Normal looking suburban mom that actually sells pot or something.
Kristy – grew up to be Sarah Palin.
Dawn – Ken Paves hair model and PETA spokesperson
Claudia – tragically missed acceptance to art school based on terrible spelling on application. Does cariatures at Disney World.
Jessie – back up dancer for all three High School musical movies.
Stacey – has a successful diabetic cooking show on the Food Network, dating Bruce Willis.
Mallory – ugh. Mallory. Who cares?
posted by mojomable on 8-12-2009 at 5:21 pm
I remember bragging to all of my friends that in the summer between third and fourth grades I had read #1-#50 of the BSC! (The summer before that it was all of the Little House On The Prairie books so my reading skills must have improved.) Yet I haven’t thought of these books in years. I do remember really wanting to make kid kits when I first started babysitting, but I think I was too shy to explain arriving at the house with a big box.
I, like everyone else it seems, loved Claudia. She was so artsy and eclectic. Mary Anne was my second favorite. My favorite was the super special where they all visit New York City, with the cruise super special coming in second.
posted by Jaime on 8-12-2009 at 5:39 pm
Why hasn’t anyone mentioned the movie! I loved the books but I think I watched the movie about 60 times a day!
posted by Georgia on 8-12-2009 at 5:46 pm
Wow, does this bring back memories!
I was interning at Scholastic when the BSC graphic novel came out. I might have gotten a free copy of it, but I’m not sure…my room is a mess of books, so it’s possible it’s in there somewhere. And it’s not only the first book that’s been made into a graphic novel, but so have “Mary-Ann Saves the Day,” “Claudia and Mean Janine,” and “The Truth About Stacey.”
My favorite BSC-er was Kristy. I even had her official BSC doll (in fact, I still do!). My favorite book has to be the Super Special “Sea City, Here We Come.” As for the girls…they’re probably all hiring each other as baby sitters for their children. Sorry, couldn’t come up with anything better than that.
One other point –
What about the BSC movie? Anyone out there like it? (I confess, I own it and watch it from time to time when I’m feeling nostalgic.) “The Brain, the Brain, the center of the chain…”
“Sweet Valley High” post next, y/y? :D
posted by Rebecca on 8-12-2009 at 5:48 pm
Oh my gosh! I read every book! I defintely can’t pick a favorite, but I do remember the one where everyone was snowed in somewhere different. Stacey needed food because of her diabetes. My boyfriend in high school was diabetic and I always kept food in my glove compartment for him, just in case. The first time I saw him eating a brownie, I said ” you can’t do that.” I then had to explain how Stacey never ate sweets. Everything I knew about diabetes I learned from BSC, how sad.
Kristy-College lacrosse coach
Mary Anne-Stay at home mom with Logan’s kids :)
Stacey-Attorney in NY, single
Dawn-Works for PETA or Toyota, helping design the Prius, married.
Claudia-Fashion designer in NY, lives with Stacey, single, but dates a lot
Mallory-I’m not sure about her. Maybe writing for something like Mental Floss or Playboy
Jessie-Owns a dance studio, married, two daughters are dancers
posted by Kim on 8-12-2009 at 5:56 pm
I was so into to Karen that I lied about needing glasses in second grade. I had a pair of blue glasses and a pair of pink glasses just like her, and severely damaged vision now. Thanks, Karen.
posted by Lilly on 8-12-2009 at 6:00 pm
I read BSC like it was MY JOB growing up. I remember thinking how grown up they all were at THIRTEEN. I’m 23 now and still have very fond memories, lol. Claudia was my favorite and The Ghost at Dawn’s House was also a favorite book of mine! As well as the one where Claudie hooks up with that pretentious art chick and the special one where Mary Ann and Stacey go to the beach with that family with a thousand children. Ha!
posted by Ashley on 8-12-2009 at 6:01 pm
Loved Claudia. Can’t remember specifically why, but I always felt like she was pretty laid back and fun.
I definitely saw the movie in the theater. I remember where and even who with.
I even did a mail-in Babysitters Fan Club. They sent me books, stickers, etc, and even little journal entries (written by the babysitters) that only the fan club members knew about. Sure thought I was super cool :)
posted by Kendra on 8-12-2009 at 6:06 pm
Wow . . . thank you! I hadn’t thought about BSC in years. Did anyone else have the board game? I’m going to visit my parents this weekend – now I must check to see if the game and/or books are lurking around somewhere.
I can remember my first babysitting job in (yikes!) middle school. I put together a “Kid Kit” with things from around the house . . . I wanted to be in BSC!
posted by Amanda on 8-12-2009 at 6:14 pm
i was totally in the bsc book of the month club through scholastic! i got the start up kit and soooo wanted to start my own babysitting biz. i can’t remember the specific characters too well though, guess i’ll have to dig out some old copies. wasn’t there a brief tv show or special or something on for awhile? like on the disney channel? i can’t wait to pass those books down to my kids!
posted by tiffany on 8-12-2009 at 6:41 pm
My favorite were the super specials, especially the camp one, the blizzard one (I’m from ND, so I could relate!) and the vacation-at-the-lake one. Oh man, I want to check these out from the library now! I can’t say I had a favorite character, though. Thank you soo much for this post-I needed to smile today!
posted by Roxie on 8-12-2009 at 6:47 pm
I used to get the Little Sister set on a monthly basis, Id finnish the book by the end of the day, and hate having to wait a whole month for the next one. I read alot of the BSC books too, they were way better…Karen was sooper annoying sometimes!
Does anyone remember the show? I think it had to have been on Disney or something … I only remember the Christmas episode, where Stacey keeps eating junk like Christmas cookies because she doesnt want to be left out or something, but ends up sick in the hospital becuase of her diabetes.
I havn’t thought of BSC, Sweet Valley High or the American Girl books in years! I was such a book worm, I loved them All!!!
posted by Ashley on 8-12-2009 at 6:48 pm
There are graphic novels of books 1, 3, 4, and 5. They are pretty awesome!
Despite the fact that I was never a Stacey fan, my fav was always Boy Crazy Stacey. Sea City seemed like an awesome place.
posted by baseballchica03 on 8-12-2009 at 7:02 pm
I love those books growing up! I owned so many of them (we had an awesome used bookstore nearby that sold paper backs for a DOLLAR!). I loved the super-specials, and the mysteries. I am a little sad people keep forgetting Abby… I thought she was awesome!
where are the Girls now:
Kristy – married a sports guy, got a desk job somewhere but has 4 kids, who all play sports
Mary-Anne: Married, kids, in some sort of human service field
Claudia- Fashion Designer, in Tokyo
Stacy- Somehow involved w/ Claudia’s fashion stuff
Mallory- Waitress/Novelist
Jessie- was a famous ballerina. Now retired and owns a dance studio
Abby- Police dective.
I feel like digging out all my books now, they’re piled in the back of my bookshelf. (I should point out that I’m 21 years old)
posted by Stephie on 8-12-2009 at 7:16 pm
I love this topic! These came out while I was in middle school. I got the first book simply because of the title and because I was earning money by babysitting. Fate! I kept up with the books pretty regularly and still have them. (Yes, I know how that sounds, but in my defense I still have the Laura Ingalls books and the Trixie Belden books). Great post!! Thanks for the memories!
posted by Kristy - no really! on 8-12-2009 at 7:23 pm
I was a huge Babysitter’s Little Sister fan and then graduated into my sister’s Babysitters Club books later on – I read them cover to cover (although I have to admit, I would usually skip the chapter which introduced all the babysitters’ back stories). I just remember thinking they seemed so much older than me (even though I was the same age) with their boyfriends, teen angst and JOBS.
I really do think that series went a long way to foster my love for reading, much the same way Harry Potter has done for the new generation of readers.
And when I was 22, I nannied for a year in Europe. I met a bunch of great girls who were also nannies and we ended up calling ourselves the Babysitter’s Club. We each assigned ourselves a character, and surprisingly, we all really fit the character descriptions quite neatly! There was the born leader, the brain with the boyfriend, the dancer, the writer, the vegetarian, and the fashionista originally from New York. I was Claudia, with my natural artistic ability. It was loads of fun – we even made t-shirts and held ‘meetings’ – in my (Claudia’s) room, naturally.
posted by dangermouse on 8-12-2009 at 7:43 pm
Oh jeez, the BSC. The Disney World book was one of my faves because of Karen’s adventure on the ship. When I first read that all I wanted to do was get a manicure by myself.
I thiiink my favorite book was probably the one where Stacey and Mary-Anne go to the beach with Mallory’s family and Stacey gets all crazy over a lifeguard there. I don’t know why, but that was always my favorite.
I had two favorites: Claudia, because she always dressed really cool and she loved junk food; and Mary-Anne because she loved reading.
Kristy is probably the head of some major nannying business, Mary-Anne is working at a publishing company (hopefully married to Logan), Claudia either has her own fashion line or is trying out for Project Runway, Stacey works for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation as a spokesperson, Mallory is a hipster living in Williamsburg working on her writing (come to think of it, Claudia is also a hipster), Jessi is a famous ballerina or a choreographer for the next big video, and Dawn either works for GP or PETA, or owns her own line of Vegan something or other.
recaptcha: Montreal emerges. What a great band name.
posted by ptalim on 8-12-2009 at 8:11 pm
KarriD, I had a BSC of my own on my bus and I was the Claudia of our group.
So she was obviously my favorite, but I kind of identified with Mallory more (y’know, bookish and awkward with braces and glasses). I loved how the 13-year-old girls were routinely mistaken for being like 18 or something. Stacey’s handwriting is why I make my a’s the way I do to this day. My whole neighborhood got the dolls and that added a whole new level of fun. The one drawback for us was that we were all about the same age and there wasn’t anyone around for us to babysit.
My favorites were the individual books. I can’t remember what they were called, but there was one for each of them and it was about just them and didn’t include narration from other people’s baby-sitting jobs. Stacey’s was good and so was Dawn’s.
Ptalim, I think you’re right and Claudia has become a hipster. If she hasn’t and she’s still wearing the sorts of things she did in the book, fashion would be a very scary place.
posted by Fruppi on 8-12-2009 at 8:25 pm
kristy came out of the closet and is coaching sports, mary anne is happily married and wearing mom jeans with a minivan and several kids, claudia is an independent woman with a designer clothing line, stacey is happily unemployed and loves spending her sugar daddy’s money on claudia’s line, dawn has hairy legs and dreads and is working for greenpeace, mallory is a crazy writer with eight million cats and a few successul novels, and jessi’s dancing dreams turned into stripping when ballet didn’t work out for her.
posted by katie on 8-12-2009 at 9:29 pm
Okay. So I looked at the 38 comments and noticed that there were no male comments at this stage (I may be wrong, but the names of the posts seemed female).
My sister had all of the BSC books through the late eighties and early nineties. I grew up in a very small Australian town (think less than 1000), had only 1 television channel, and not to many girls of the same age.
I would read these books at first to kill time, but then after a while, as a dedicated past time. I was fascinated with these girls that were my age, that were much more sophisticated and interesting than anyone around my town.
I am now married to an American woman living in the US…. I wonder if the BSC memories subconsciously pushed me towards the States and the American women…. Hmmmmm.
posted by Mark on 8-12-2009 at 9:30 pm
@Lyndsay – I am so with you on the Kristy thing.
posted by Amy on 8-12-2009 at 10:06 pm
@Lyndsay thank you for saying that about Kristy.
I’ve only read a few of the books, but I’ve seen every episode of the TV show that aired on the Disney channel in the ’90s. I had the strongest fascination with Kristy…and figured out why later on when I came out.
posted by holly on 8-12-2009 at 10:48 pm
I liked the BSC series I won’t go a far to say I loved them I remember I had the Super Mystery 1 and 2 and I also had the book that was based on the movie BSC that was not a bad movie.
posted by Kari on 8-12-2009 at 11:17 pm
As a young Asian-American girl growing up in the mid-west, Claudia was my Asian-American role model! So obviously, she is my favorite.
I don’t remember my favorite book because they all seemed to have blended together in my head but I was such a BSC fanatic I had the computer game and always tried to copy Stacy’s handwriting because I thought it was so pretty . . .I can’t be the only one who did that. . .can I?
On a side note, I loved the BSC spin-off about Dawn in California . .. I think they were called Diary or something. It fueled my love affair for men named \Ducky\
posted by Melanie on 8-12-2009 at 11:44 pm
Love the BSC, still read them I’m not embarassed to say, at 25… and blog about the series.
The Fire At Mary Anne’s House wasn’t really the last BSC book, the series continued in another form as Friends Forever when the club whittled back down to the original four members. The very last book is Graduation Day where the girls finally graduate from middle school.
There are actually four graphic novels. Kristy’s Great Idea, The Truth about Stacey and Claudia and Mean Janine. I love them. The drawings are cartoonish, but that’s because it’s… a graphic novel.. and cartoon form.
The writer/illustrator of them is a huge fan of the BSC herself.
posted by Donica on 8-12-2009 at 11:46 pm
The BSC was a mainstay of my life for about 2 years. I also read the Little Sister books, and later I moved right into the Sweet Valley High series. That naturally turned into Nancy Drew. My bookshelves in middle school were very full.
Anyway, I loved Claudia with her keen fashion sense. I can’t recall the name of my favorite book, buy Claudia’s art was featured at a local art show and she wore her grandmother’s kimono. Very classy.
Nostalgia seems to bring out the optimism in people. I have less faith that our entrepreneurial middle schoolers have found such great success.
Kristy – Gay, estranged from her parents. She works for DCFS, her partner owns a sports bar. Karen lives on their sofa.
Mary-Anne – remedial reading teacher at SMS. Married to a nice boy she met at church.
Dawn – hippie living in Berkeley. Vegan, works at an animal shelter, smokes a lot of pot.
Stacey – Had to leave Stoneybrook after having an affair with her high school trigonometry teacher. Now works the service counter at a Lexus dealership (a la Romy & Michele) where she meets a lot of eligible men.
Claudia – Moved to New York after art school. Works at a boutique to pay the bills, yet to sell or show much of her art. Lives with her struggling musician boyfriend in a tiny loft that is even messier than her room was back in the BSC days.
Mallory – Grew into her looks, studied English at State and minored in women’s studies. Writing for a local newspaper, playing the field. Hangs out at the sports bar.
Jessie – Broke a toe ending her dancing career. Became a nurse at a physical rehab clinic, engaged to one of Mallory’s brothers.
posted by abby_wan_kenobi on 8-13-2009 at 12:40 am
Wow Katie,that’s scarily close to what I was imagining.Darn us cynics ;)
posted by Nikky on 8-13-2009 at 5:05 am
So many memories! I LOVE IT! =)
I started off with the Karen Little Sister books and graduated to the BSC books when I was about 8 years old. I thought they were so cool, except for Mallory. I guess every clique needs its loser.
I remember liking Kristy because she was bossy, Mary Ann because she had neat handwriting and Claudia because she was the black sheep of her family and her homemade jewellery always made me envious!
I grew up in a really tight knit family friend situation. All the kids were born within 5 years of each other and there was quite a few of us. When the older girls started reading BSC, the boys did too and we used to make-believe we were the BSC.
To say we were obsessed is an understatement I’m pretty sure that if all of us girls pooled our BSC and Little Sister Books we would have had every title up until about 1997.
RECAPTCHA – slight readable. suitable, no?
posted by liz on 8-13-2009 at 5:46 am
@Katie
That’s just about the exact thing I was thinking! Jessi totally became a stripper and Kristy teaches high school phy ed.
Maybe I’m just so jaded that I figure even the BSC ended up like me.
I always loved Mary Ann, but sometimes she was just too much of a pushover. My favorite book was the super special when they go to New York.
posted by Erin on 8-13-2009 at 7:02 am
Tiff’s blog was indeed fantastic. But there are a ton of other blogs out there focusing on the BSC and other old YA books.
Also, there’s a plethora of fan fiction out there, much of it focused on the future of these girls. My own thoughts?
Kristy – Gay (obviously). Living with a partner and about five dogs. Breeds collies.
Claudia – Starving artist in New York or San Francisco. Finally realized her sister is cool and they have a close relationship. Never learned to spell.
Mary Anne – Married by 21 to her college sweetheart. Became a teacher, but took a break from that to raise 2.5 kids in Stoneybrook.
Dawn – Still lives in California. Smokes too much pot. Dropped out of college, and takes a series of meaningless jobs. Constantly depressed because her Disneyland Daddy won’t give her anymore money.
Stacey – On her second marriage, this husband will be even richer than the first. But she’ll never be happy, and will always blame it on the diabeetus.
Mallory – Went to a Liberal Arts College. Majored in English, minored in Women’s Studies. Uses her mad writing skillz to write speeches for political candidiates.
Jessi – Never became a professional ballerina. Moved back to NJ, where people are less racist. Graduated college and took some kind of bland office job.
Logan – Finally realized he’s gay and harboring an unrequited love for Alan Gray.
Abby – Who cares? She came too late in the series for anyone to really care about her.
Shannon – Again, who cares?
posted by nikki on 8-13-2009 at 9:28 am
After reading the comments I realized that everyone named all of the original members and left off the two members from the later books, Abby and Shannon. I had to include Abby because she was my favorite. She was a not as bossy version of Kristy and she had a twin sister named Ann I think. Shannon lived in the new neighborhood Kristy moved to after her mom remarried.
I loved all of the books and especially the Super Series books. I may be 25 but I think I might pull out the old books the next time I’m at my parents’ house.
posted by Ashley on 8-13-2009 at 9:50 am
I devoured these books when I was a kid and thought that absolutely, this was the way both babysitting and one’s tweenage to teenage years should be conducted. Stacey and Claudia were my favorite and I agree with everyone who says that Dawn, bless her heart, now probably works at Whole Foods or doesn’t shave her armpits or has dreads or markets are own line of healthy trail mix or whatever. Hippie.
posted by Linda on 8-13-2009 at 10:02 am
Oh, how I loved BSC! I think I owned 60 of the books. I remember the day I gave them in to a yard sale, and saw a GARBAGE BAG full of them being sold for $2. I cried.
I’m glad someone else said it first, but I totally got the Kristy being a lesbian vibe. She had weird boy problems (remember Bart?).. I think she was just confused.
I loved Dawn. She was such a free spirit. I continued to read the California Diaries even after I felt as though I outgrew BSC. They dealt with more “real” material (so I thought at 13).
And I love, love, LOVED Super Specials! I had forgotten about the blizzard one, that was great. And I loved the road trip across the USA – I think I re-read that dozens of time.
Love the reminiscing, thanks Stace!
posted by Reese on 8-13-2009 at 10:04 am
Stacy dear, you know they’re all vampires, we talked about this. The evidence is inescapable . . .
posted by AuntieEm on 8-13-2009 at 10:42 am
Thanks so much for this post! I loved the BSC books as a child and will freely admit that, even as a 24 year old, I do still occasionally pull them out and reread my favorites. And I may still possibly buy them off Ebay to complete my collection….
Stacey was probably my favorite because she was so urban and glamorous in ways I’ll never be. And she still managed to be so nice, at least in the earlier books. I have to say that the BSC series \jumped the shark\ after book #88 when Dawn returned to California and then Abby was introduced. My favorite books were the ones where Dawn and Mary Anne’s parents got married and then books 80 through 88. My favorite SuperSpecial was when they went to California for Dawn’s dad’s wedding.
My thoughts on where they are today:
Kristy: coach and middle school teacher
Claudia: art instructor and artist
Mary Anne: married to Logan, stay at home mom
Stacey: buyer at Bloomingdales
Dawn: works for PETA
Mallory: award winning writer, married to Ben Hobart, refuses to have children of her own
Jessie: professional ballerina
posted by Charlotte on 8-13-2009 at 11:53 am
Oh, my gosh, I LOVED these. I want to go back and find them and read them back to back. Would it be weird if I sat in the children’s section and did that?
Anyway, I didn’t really have a favorite (if I had to choose, probably Stacey since she was so cool) but I loved that Claudia was Asian. And I distinctly remember the super special where they road trip and Karen wants to be in all 4 states of the 4 corners at once but also wants to wave… so she stands ON the spot that marks the corners. I think that constitutes being on the border, though, and not IN the actual state.
posted by Jackie on 8-13-2009 at 12:37 pm
Oh, and I had the BSC movie — which was actually REALLY good. Watched it a few years ago and loved it.
posted by Jackie on 8-13-2009 at 12:37 pm
My favorite was the Super Special Blizzard – Stacey got stuck w/ her mom in the car after getting a perm at the mall – and they went back to this random couples house that came up to them on the highway…. I was so worried that Stacey wouldn’t be able to get her insulin in time or the couple would be mass murderers.
posted by Liz on 8-13-2009 at 12:49 pm
Wonderful post! I loved these books! Is anyone familiar with Kim Hutt’s fabulous blog, What Claudia Wore? It is the best – so funny! I spent a whole afternoon reading all the archived entries!
The first BSC book I read was Maryanne’s Bad Luck Mystery. My favorite members were Claudia and Dawn, though Mary Anne and Mallory were more like me personally. My favorite books were The Ghost at Dawn’s House, Boy Crazy Stacey, Kristy’s Big Day and the Super Special about the blizzard (Snowbound?). I used to dump all of my books on the floor and sort them by which girl was the narrator…hints of my future as a cataloger??
posted by vegebrarian on 8-13-2009 at 1:35 pm
Used to watch the TV show, too! Can’t even see the word “Babysitters Club” without hearing the theme song in my head!
You can always count on me,
and I can count on you.
Good times, bad times, in between,
my friends will see me through.
We’ll be sharing wonderful times everyday.
All together, singing our song,
growing in every way.
Say ‘hello’ to your friends,
(Babysitters Club!)
Say ‘hello’ to the people who care.
Nothing’s better than friends,
(Babysitters Club!)
‘Cause you know that your friends are always there!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4GMIg6NVcg
posted by Lynnie on 8-13-2009 at 1:47 pm
I loved these books as a kid, and still have a ton in my parent’s basement. My wonderful great-aunt tried to buy me a few one time, but got the name wrong. She went to the bookstore asking for the Baby Boomer’s Club. I didn’t understand it at the time, but now I think it’s hilarious.
Unfortunately I don’t remember enough to contribute to the convos above!
posted by Kate on 8-13-2009 at 1:49 pm
I LOVED the BSC! I owned probably about 25 of the books, and read the rest from the library, though I admit I probably stopped reading them around the time Dawn and Mary Anne became stepsisters, because I was about 15 and it was sadly no longer cool to take a literary visit to Stoneybrook by then.
My very favorite one was the Super Special about the Bahamas cruise and the trip to Disney World, although, in retrospect, I now find it extremely hard to believe that a babysitter’s stepfather, no matter how rich, would pay for the whole club to come along, not to mention several entire families (what about that family with 8 kids??) But still, it’s fun to imagine. I acutally loved that book so much that I used to act it out with my Barbies- true story.
I never was into the actual act of babysitting myself, but the BSC did inspire me to create my own club- a 90210 fan club in which we called ourselves by “code names” after the show’s characters- but that’s a story for another time.
Here is what I hope became of all the BSC members by age 28:
Kristy-CEO of major corporation/amateur softball team captain/in a loving lesbian partnership with two adopted Malawian kids
Claudia- Fashion designer-turned-reality TV star (kind of like Kimora Lee Simmons) whose lack of common sense trumps her considerable art skills.
Stacey- Stay-at-home mom to a twin girls and a 2-year-old boy, drives minivan and has a husband who is an accountant.
Mary Anne- 8th grade English teacher- has a cute but dorky husband and 7 cats.
Dawn- Personal trainer at well-known L.A. wellness center, frequent Whole Foods shopper, meditation enthusiast- maintains a blog about vegan living.
Mallory- Reclusive novelist with OCD, much like Jack Nicholson’s character in As Good as it Gets.
posted by Alana on 8-13-2009 at 2:31 pm
The BSC was HUGE when I was in elementary school. I read all the books, watched the TV show, had the board game, and I think I was in Scholastic’s fan club. I even wrote Ann M. Martin a letter, telling her I was going to write my own Super Special where the girls went to D.C. (because I lived near there). This was when Clinton was in office, and a couple of the girls were going to follow Socks down a hall and into some secret wing.
Stacey was my favorite, since she seemed so much more mature than the others. But after Abby showed up, I liked her, too. I thought she was funny.
At 28 (everyone’s lists are cracking me up):
Kristy – definitely gay; she and her partner adopt like Brad and Angelina so she can have her own softball team.
Claudia – hosts a reality show for aspiring fashion designers (wackier than Project Runway)
Stacey – a Real Housewife of New York City
Dawn – works for PETA and lives in a hippie commune. Has two children named Buy Local and Let Freedom Ring
Mary Anne – stay-at-home mom married to Logan. Secretly spends one weekend a month helping to organize PETA protests with Dawn
Mallory – cut off from her family after writing a scathing tell-all. Now writes romance novels under the name Esmerelda Scaffle.
Jessi – dances on Broadway
Abby – stand-up comedian back in Long Island
posted by Jenn on 8-13-2009 at 4:22 pm
What They’re Doing Now:
Kristy ~ she’s a lesbian who’s made a fortune playing sports
Mary Anne ~ school librarian in a middle school. has lots of cats and a cool but dorky hubby
Claudia ~ designs funky clothes for her own clothing line and paints and sculpts on the side
Stacy ~ gave up her high powered accountant career when she got knocked up with twins… twice. now has 2 twin boys and 2 twin girls. girls are younger. drives a minivan and finally realizes looks aren’t everything. her hubby supports them all.
Dawn ~ created her own huge and far reaching organization to help save the environment. also decided PETA sucks and made a better organization for animals than them.
Jessi ~ ended up not able to really dance because of a bad knee injury. became a model. the only model with self esteem and no eating disorders or mental issues.
Mallory ~ ended up writing and illustrating childrens novels. also had a series of highly successful short stories, also for kids.
I always had a soft spot for Mallory. And I owned somewhere around 80 of the books and all the super specials and a few of the mysteries. And about 20 of the Little Sister ones. (I couldn’t take Karen for long. In my dream world she got killed in a horrible car crash and Andrew was finally allowed to blossom.)
posted by Noelle on 8-13-2009 at 4:48 pm
Am I the only who doesn’t think Kristy was gay, just OCD?
posted by Lindsey on 8-13-2009 at 5:42 pm
Wow! I love this thread so much! It makes me smile!
I remember that #2, Claudia and the Mysterious Phone Calls was the first one I read, and it scared me out of my ever lovin’ mind. I was something like 7.
I got to meet Ann M. Martin, and her cat, when I was 9.
I remember realizing that she wasn’t writing all the books, at some point in my childhood and feeling betrayed, that, and generally growing out of ‘em.
finding out they’ve finally ended the series gives me a pang of sadness. alas.
I identified a little with all the girls. could spell better than Claudia, not as good as Kristy at sports, bookish like Mary Anne and Mallory
Where are they now:
Kristy- assistant coach for the Seattle Storm. (WNBA team)
Mary Anne- working in publishing in NYC
Claudia- licensed a line for Target
Stacy- Diabetic Cooking Blogger, who just landed a show on the Food Network.
Jessi- med school
Dawn- Green tech consultant
Mallory- married young, writes children’s books and is a mommyblogger.
posted by Elizabeth W on 8-13-2009 at 5:43 pm
Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls totally freaked my friends and I out too! Have you found my yellow ribbon?
love this reCaptcha: they corroded
posted by vegebrarian on 8-13-2009 at 5:58 pm
I loved these books! The one that stuck with me all these years is the one that dealt with racism. I don’t remember what it was called.
I also remember wishing that my best friend lived in the house across from me so we could communicate with flashlights!
posted by Jenna on 8-13-2009 at 6:50 pm
Stacey was my favorite, because she had my name. I wanted her doll so badly!
As for the graphic novels, they’re done in manga style by Raina Telgemeier, and I believe they’re up to book 5 now.
posted by Day on 8-13-2009 at 9:36 pm
I somehow got signed up to receive the Little Sister books in the mail and I read them all. Every issue there was a full paragraph about how Karen’s parents were divorced so she had two of everything. That got old. Fast.
I read a few Sweet Valley High books but I focused most of my third through fifth grade on the Bailey School Kids books. That series had mythological beings as teachers and school staff. One was “Gargoyles Don’t Drive School Buses” and “Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots.” Now that would be a fun school.
posted by natalie on 8-14-2009 at 7:50 pm
I “discovered” BSC the day my family got back from vacation when I was 8 years old. I remember running to the door to check the mail and there in the mailbox was the BSC #1 as a free gift (a promotion to sign up for the BSC monthy club). After this “free gift” was investigated by my mother (she did not want to get roped into paying for the book or signing up for the monthy books) it was determined that I could keep the “free gift”. I remember reading it all in one day and feeling disappointed because the book came on Saturday and the library was closed on Sunday so I had to wait until Monday to get my hands on BSC #2 at the library.
posted by RuthieR on 8-15-2009 at 10:45 pm
Kristy didn’t strike me as gay I always thought she was bit obsessive with being the president of the BSC.
posted by Kari on 8-16-2009 at 1:51 pm
i still read those books
Kristy- fighting for gay and lesbian rights. Is going out with cokie
Mary anne- recently divorced from logan, is depressed and living with dawn because she was feeling suicudal
Dawn- owns the biggest compost heap in stonybrook and regularly shaves her head to eat it because it has lots of nutrients. has twin boys who dont wear clothes
Claudia- spent all her money on art supplies and junk food and became homeless when no one would buy her work and her friends wouldnt let her live with them because she was an alcoholic. Never passed the 7th grade
Stacey- has been in rehab 3 times and is a very succesful porn star
Mallory- moved to australia with ben after having a fight with jessi. Writes a childrens book every week, and has 12 children. She does not let 11 year olds babysit them
Jessi- started an all black ballet school. Lost touch with mallory when she tried to steal ben from her. Ben refused to sleep with her because she was black
Abbey- Married bart after kirsty dumped him for another woman. Lost both legs when anna pushed her under a train
(why does no one include abbey?)
Karen- became a porn star with stacey
posted by amyk on 8-18-2009 at 4:45 pm
I still remember picking up my first BSC book at the local Venture when I was 8 years old – Mallory and the Trouble With Twins. By the time I sold my collection to the local used bookstore for store credit, I had something like 40 out of 60ish of them!
Stacey was my favorite when I was growing up – she was just so COOL! Claudia was a close second, and I always empathized with Mary Anne some, as I was the shy girl growing up.
Anyway… the way I envision them now…
Kristy: Elementary school phys-ed teacher. Has issues with men, but would never admit it.
Mary Anne: Failed out of college after “experimenting”. Eventually got her life back on track, married a sweet and understanding guy, and is currently studying to become a medical technician.
Claudia: Discovered anime while in high school, which inspired her to get in touch with her roots. She learned Japanese, moved to Tokyo, and became an manga artist. Her parents are oddly thrilled… especially after Janine (finally) cracked in grad school.
Stacey: Became a med student in hopes to someday help to cure diabetes. She’s crushing over her McDreamy while doing her internship. :P
Dawn: Working for Al Gore. Need I say more? :D
Mallory: Pregnant at 15, had a rough few years after her daughter’s birth… then made it big by writing the next big teen vampire/witch series.
Jessi: Dropped ballet for modern dance sometime in high school; became an Alvin Ailey dancer. Married one of her co-dancers.
posted by Lyriel on 8-22-2009 at 1:25 am
I used to love these books my favorite i remember trying to decide it changed depending on the book. My favorite book was claudia and the sad goodbye i read that book right after my grandmother died. where the girls are today:
Kristy: baseball coach divorced with 2 kids who live with her
Mary Anne: Married to Logan with a baby boy. Now a social worker
Stacey: A math teacher for first graders adopted a little boy
Mallory: A writer of amazing books and married to Ben after re-finding him after college. They have twins 1 boy 1 girl they are 5
Jessie: Dances with the new york ballet company and is married with a 8 year old
Dawn: a nutritionist with a 2 boys and a girl
Claudia: desinger of her own fashion line. She sets all the trends.
posted by belle on 8-28-2009 at 5:12 pm
Stacey is my favorite . Now karen is a major @^#$*. Sorry but i just had to do that.
Kristy: living with her life partner Patricia.(I do not like kristy much)
Stacey:works in an office building
Claudia: An art teacher
Jessi: A dance teacher (duh)
Dawn: owns a vegan restraunt
Mallory: lives on the street trying to sell her bad novels
(sorry again but I despise mallory)
posted by mary on 8-29-2009 at 2:39 pm
I forgot mary anne . yeah’ she’s in a bad relationship with logan an their 5 kids. All girls. oh and they are married.but they got marrried in a dinky little marriage ceremony thing in vegas.
posted by mary on 8-29-2009 at 2:47 pm
Hi friends,
Do you know where could i get the complete original series of “The Baby-sitters Club” books from #1 to #131?
Thank you so much.
posted by Ferlach Gunawan on 9-4-2009 at 4:39 am
Oh yes!!! I loved the BSC!!! I started reading them when I was 8 and kept reading until about 14 when I felt I was too old to keep reading them. Last summer I came across my old collection and have been reading them again. I liked all the girls except for Mallory. Remember in the Super Special where they went to California and Mallory spent all her money on makeup and hair dye so she could be a “California Girl”. My favorite book was Boy Crazy Stacey because Sea City seemed like an awesome place to visit and also, I thought it was cool that MaryAnn and Stacey got boyfriends at the end. As for where they are now:
Kristy- Still lives in Stoneybrook working as a special-ed teacher and coaches on the side.
Mary Anne- Works as a librarian and married to Logan with 2 kids.
Stacey- Living in New York and works as a fashion consultant. Divorced for the 2nd time. No kids.
Claudia- Has an art studio in both New York and Tokyo. Married to a Japanese man and one kid.
Jessie- Lives in New York and works on Broadway as a dancer. Married to Derek Masters.
Mallory- Yawn… Who cares
Abby- Who’s that? I never got to that point in the series
posted by Kristin on 9-20-2009 at 11:13 pm
Kristie – is the softball coach at Stoneybrook High. She still lives in the mansion with her mother and Mason, and is in therapy to sort out her feelings about…
Dawn – is the third wife of Kristy’s father. They have three children and Dawn works part-time as a producer of earth-friendly PSA’s for Nickelodeon.
Claudia – lives in New York with her husband, Alan Gray. Claudia has a small boutique where she sells her own designs and is working on a performance art piece about Nancy Drew finding hidden candy. Alan is a writer for SNL. They have no children, but Claudia’s cousin Lynn lives with them.
posted by Lulu on 10-24-2009 at 1:06 pm
Stacey just won a Daytime Emmy for her role on “All My Children.”
Mary Ann is married to Cam Geary and pregnant with twins.
Mallory and her brother Byron are gay rights activists in Boston.
Jessi can be seen as a dancer in Rihanna’s latest video.
posted by Lulu on 10-24-2009 at 1:36 pm
What was your favorite book?
Probably the one where they discovered the secret passage in Dawn’s house. I thought that was so cool!
Who was your favorite babysitter?
Definitely Mary-Anne. While I wasn’t mousy, i related to her bookishness, and the fact that we were both only children with a parent that died early.
What do you think the gals would be doing at the age of 28?
Kristy: Someone up top mentioned feminist, and, while that’s not a job, per se, she totally reminds me of Jessica Valenti, of Feministing.com
Mary-Anne: School Counselor
Claudia: duh! fashion designer!
Stacy: fashion buyer, thereby helping Claudia out
Dawn: yoga instructor and entrepreneur
Mallory: writer
Jessie: at 26, she’d be at the end of a professional dance career and probably transitioning to an instructor or choreographer
posted by InfamousQBert on 10-26-2009 at 5:05 pm