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Entertainment • Book Series

The Baby-Sitters Club

The Baby-Sitters Club is a children's and young adult book series by Ann M.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The Baby-Sitters Club is a children's and young adult book series created by Ann M. Martin, first published in 1986. It follows a group of middle-school friends who run a babysitting business in the fictional town of Stoneybrook, Connecticut. The series became one of the most successful children's series in publishing and later expanded into graphic novels, television adaptations, a film, and other spin-offs.

Premise

The series centres on a group of friends in Stoneybrook, Connecticut, who organize babysitting jobs as a business. The stories combine everyday friendship and school-life plots with family and social issues.

Publication history

The series was created by Ann M. Martin for Scholastic and began publication in 1986. The original run continued until 2000 and later grew into additional formats and related series.

Characters and structure

The original club is built around four main members: Kristy Thomas, Mary Anne Spier, Claudia Kishi, and Stacey McGill. The roster changes across the series. Each novel is usually narrated in first person from the perspective of a different character.

Adaptations and legacy

The franchise was adapted into a 1990 television series, a 1995 film, and a 2020 television reboot. It also inspired graphic novel adaptations and remains a widely recognized children's series.

Key facts

  • The series follows friends who operate a local babysitting service called the Baby-Sitters Club.
  • The original four core members are Kristy Thomas, Mary Anne Spier, Claudia Kishi, and Stacey McGill.
  • The books are told in first person and often address personal and family issues such as illness, divorce, and moving.
  • The series began in 1986 and ended in 2000 in its original novel run.
  • Scholastic later expanded the franchise into graphic novels and multiple screen adaptations.
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Canadian context

The series has been widely read in Canada through Scholastic and is part of the shared North American children's book market, with Canadian readers familiar with both the original novels and later graphic novel and screen adaptations.

Frequently asked questions

Who created The Baby-Sitters Club?
The series was created and written by Ann M. Martin.
When was The Baby-Sitters Club first published?
It was first published in 1986.
Where is the series set?
It is set in the fictional town of Stoneybrook, Connecticut.
Who are the original four club members?
The original four are Kristy Thomas, Mary Anne Spier, Claudia Kishi, and Stacey McGill.
What kind of stories do the books tell?
They are first-person stories about friendship, babysitting, and everyday problems such as illness, divorce, and moving.
Has The Baby-Sitters Club been adapted for screen?
Yes. It has been adapted into a 1990 TV series, a 1995 film, and a 2020 TV series.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Baby-Sitters_Club
    Supports: Premise, setting, original members, first-person narration, publication origin and general series background
  2. Scholastic — https://kids.scholastic.com/kid/books/baby-sitters-club/
    Supports: Creator, publisher, publication history, franchise scale, and adaptations/legacy
  3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_Baby-Sitters_Club_novels
    Supports: Original run dates, series scope, and graphic novel adaptation history
  4. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Baby-Sitters_Club_(1990_TV_series)
    Supports: 1990 television adaptation
  5. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Baby-Sitters_Club_(film)
    Supports: 1995 film adaptation
  6. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Baby-Sitters_Club_(2020_TV_series)
    Supports: 2020 television adaptation