Karen's Prize

Baby-Sitters Little Sister Graphic Novels #10

by Shauna J. Grant (Illustrator), Ann M. Martin

Another graphic novel in this fun series spin-off of The Baby-sitters Club, adapted by Mimi series creator Shauna J. Grant!

Karen loves to spell words. She is very good at it, too. First, she wins the spelling bee in her class. Then Karen wins another spelling contest. And another... and another! Soon Karen might be the best junior speller in the state of Connecticut. She's even going to be on TV!

Karen thinks that is so great. But her friends don't. They think Karen is a show-off!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens, Graphic Novels Comics, Comics, Ebooks

144 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2025

Reviews

[Ahmed Ridha · Rating 5 out of 5]

More like Karen's ROBBERY. Karen was on a generational run here, sweeping through every spelling bee competition like she was prime Messi. None of the other kids could come close and it shows. They love Karen when she's down but the second she starts piling up the prizes they can't handle her. They're trying to bring a great down to their level and Karen won't take it. She's locked in. Crying sister, exhaustion, no friends. It doesn't matter. She put up a better underdog preformance then flu game MJ. Karen's final opponent even has to start mind games, trying to get into Karen's head by explaining how much she needs the win and how important it will be to her friends back home. Karen, rightfully, does not care. Karen's streak is only broken by the absurdly unfair rules of the spelling bee. They get down to two people and Karen finally misspells a word and they give the same word to her opponent. ARE YOU JOKING?? The absolute unfair advantage this gives to go second here, the absolute bonkers balance at display, the absole asinine competitive standards here. Karen doesn't even end up with her friends again, they've all conspired to bring down the best to ever do it.

[Layla · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book I think it very repetitive. For example Karen’s a show off, She asks her friends to play, their mad at her, and she wins a round of the spelling bee.

When Kristy and Karen’s mom tell her that she being a sore loser don’t think it sank in. To learn a lesson you have to listen. Knowing that a second grader may not listen it’s still important for a lesson to be learned. Even at the ending she still did never apologize (Even though she said she was gonna) Overall there was not a lesson (besides your gonna lose sometimes)

Grant ended the book so quickly it’s almost hard for in to sink in. It ended on a cliffhanger which is interesting and new to a Baby - Sitters Club book (that I’ve read) I’m not sure I like it.

Lastly, Karen never realizes what she’s done and how she’s effected anyone. (Also how does a 2nd Grader get into a spelling bee and learn all these words!) Overall this book was good. There would have been some changes I would had made but a 3.5 In the end.

[Yusra ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i read the entire thing out loud in one sitting to two of my sisters and brother to keep them from bothering my grandma on the phone #eldestsistercore

[🌻 Sunita 🦋✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took Karen a while, but she learned a lesson on humility.

[Penny Geard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another nostalgic edition of these graphic adaptations.
I still get occasional dislikes on my previous review of a book in this series where I called Karen an unlikeable character - so I guess dislike this too, because I still feel the same lol.
I get that the whole point is this book is for Karen to make mistakes and learn lessons, but that doesn't mean her lack of awareness of how she makes other people feel isn't frustrating as an adult reading this. But no, I am not the target market!
I think this would be a great place to start a conversation with a child about being kind regardless of whether you win or lose.

[Sakura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay. I don't think it made a whole lot of sense- mostly how her friends turned on her. One minute they approve of her bragging and are even bragging for her, and the next, they are angry and abandoning her. She wasn't acting gracious about the spelling bees at all, but really-- why do her friends change their minds so suddenly?? It could've been done much better. The book ends with a good lesson, (l-e-s-s-o-n) but overall, it was... just a book. Fun to read just once, but not really a winner.

(This book contains mild bullying. I would give it an age rating of all-ages)

[Mackenzie Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boy was Karen on a role! It was win, win, win! This book really shows how to be a good sport and why. Even though Karen was sad that she lost, she learned an important lesson. The pictures also were adorable!

[Rory · Rating 5 out of 5]

that's the last baby-sitters club little sister and I've really liked them I'm really looking forward to the 11th one

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karen is insufferable in this, but this adaptation is adorable.

[Henry Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

great this is so amazing

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though she can be kind of annoying, we should all have the confidence of Karen.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another adaptation of the Baby-Sitters Little Sister!

This is sadly predictable once you get into the story: Karen is good at something and keeps winning and winning... until she loses, and the SINGLE loss is enough to bring her out of her conceited reverie. I kind of dislike that it just ends without having her actually get to make up with her friends, but that's probably in the original (which I haven't gotten to read).

The art is cute and suits the story, and it's a good lesson for younger readers who might get a big head like Karen. Recommended for competitive young readers!

Edit: I forgot to mention the whole "spelling bees are uniquely American" thing that bugs me also in that spelling bees test spelling in a way that's terribly unfair—most people spell visually, since English in particular has a large disconnect between the way a word is spelled and how it's pronounced. (Even worse if you include American AND British English together!)

I'm probably also just mad because I *also* misspelled "handsome" in the last spelling bee I was in. No painful "losing onstage in front of everybody" flashbacks for me, nope!

Actually, I've PROBABLY mentioned this in another review, but I'll be danged if I bother to dig up which one. Anyway, it would be much more fair (and possibly dragged out further) if contestants were given a board to write the word on and given the chance to change what they wrote if it looks wrong before submitting the word by holding it up—suggested by Marilyn vos Savant, but I can't find the source online anymore.

[Bella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read the book yet but the artstyle looks incredibly mid. Kristy is done especially wrong.

*Spoilers*

Edit: Now that I've read the book, I've slightly changed my opinion. The artstyle is still not my cup of tea, yes, but the story and message were both sweet and heartwarming. However, it was the execution that did it all wrong. Karen's friends turned on her so fast, especially for the party in her honor. She wasn't even bragging to them about her win, she was bragging to two other characters, why on earth are they so mad? And, two seconds ago, they were encouraging her to be excited. I can understand Hannie's blowup in the room, but even then, Karen is, rightfully, excited. She's going to be on TV, she won money, that is every kid's dream. Could she have been a little humbler about it? Of course, but Karen also has the right to be happy for her wins. Because of that, it seemed like the other kids were insanely jealous of her instead of annoyed for her bragging.

Ricky was the GOAT of this book, every time he went on the page, he immediately made the book so much better. If I had to rate it off Ricky alone, there would be 4 stars. He deserved more page time.

My final review:

Artstyle: It looks sloppy to me, the heads look like they're melting, Kristy was done especially dirty, the children looked cute, but it was inconsistent. By the way the ending was, I assume that the artist was given a short period of time to adapt this book, but that's me giving the benefit of the doubt. 1 - 2/5

Characters: Hannie and Nancy (especially Nancy) turned on Karen way too quick. I get that kids aren't supposed to be reasonable but come on, they encouraged Karen to keep boasting and when she does, they get mad. 3/5, Ricky carries.

Story itself: It was pretty good. I liked the message, I liked how Karen didn't purposefully lose to be cliche, she actually lost and it was her own fault. That was a piece of good writing. As I said, the other kids in the class besides Ricky were jealous. The story was quickly paced but not too quick you get lost. 3/5, good messaging, ok execution.

Do I recommend? Sure, anyone looking for nostalgia or a quick read will probably like this book, but I want the original artist to come back.

[Nazim Ansari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shuna j. NM adapted by Grant. Karen's Award by Martin (Baby 'is an attractive and reliable story about the other and Gregor Karen Brever, which discovers a hidden talent and a hidden defects about the second and grader Karen Brever.

✏ What about the story
Karen conquered the spelling bee of his class ... and then another… and another. She is stocking with trophy and pride, even going on TV. But as his victory is heap, he is proud. Soon, Karen is spelling every random word in conversation - worrying his friends and family, who accuses him of showing him. Eventually she loses and learns about being a good game (kind)
scholastic.ca
+8
scholastic.ca
+8
Goodreads.com
+8
,

कर Breath of graphic version
Bright, expressive artwork makes the story perfect for young readers attractive and fast and fast and hot
scholastic.ca
+3
scholastic.ca
+3
Bookstorehouse.com
+3
,

Sharana J. Grant's adaptation catch Karen's voice well, a familiar Stonybrook mixes humor and accident in settings
anovelescapefranklin.com
+8
Barnesandnoble.com
+8
scholastic.ca
+8
,

Great Entry Points: Kirkus and School Library Journal described it as "a great jump for young readers".
Shop.schlastic.com.au
+13
scholastic.ca
+13
anovelescapefranklin.com
+13
,

🤔 criticism and what readers say
Karen may be inadequate: many Goodrade Critics say "Karen is a huge bawa ... and an egoistic bawa" - at first, but when taken too far when taken away
reddit.com
+5
Goodreads.com
+5
Goodreads.com
+5
,

Suddenly ending: Some feel that the resolution is very sudden and I wish was more deeply traveling towards humility.

📊 Re reception at a glance
Goodrade rating 4-5 ★ (about 30–33%), hover between 3 ★ (3737–38%), with a small percentage of 1-2 ★ (%10%)-with mixed feelings.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know what more I can say as this is now the 10th in the series. It can definitely be read as a stand along, so for anyone new to the graphic novels or the whole BSC collection, you don't need to have read any of the books or graphic novels prior for either of the series. In fact, I sometimes think that the Karen stories are better than the original series for their ability to bridge not only the gap in times but also the genre format. Karen is, as always, a little girl learning big girl lessons as she grows up and into herself. This book focuses in on on the fact that she becomes obsessed with winning to the point of becoming a sore winner and alienating her friends. She learns the lesson in the end but not without it costing her quite a bit. The ending is a bit less satisfying for a young reader who may not be able to predict what is to come, but overall a well drawn and well executed graphic novel adaptation. It builds well on the books before, but it doesn't rely on them to tell us who Karen is and to create a compelling narrative.

[Molly]

I am happy to report that Karen Brewer is back to being The Worst™ in the latest BSLS graphic novel. The way she wiped the floor with the elementary spellers of the entire state of Connecticut was iconic. But also, reel it in a little bit and be nice to your friends? Idk. Her self-confidence is inspiring, but also somewhat grating? But also, she's a literal (fictional) child so why am I analyzing her like this?

In summation, Karen Brewer is very much The Worst™ but also very much The Best™. It's complicated.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was going to comment that this is a cute and faithful adaptation, and that I felt Shauna J Grant did a bang-up job showing Karen's classmates' annoyance, but then I read this review and there's nothing I can say that this user hasn't already eloquently put into words.

[Marian · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a reason the fandom (well, the oldtimers, anyway) dislike Karen. A lot. Annnnnnnd this book is pretty much a perfect example of why. It's the same reason Karen's best friends frequently ditch her and that reason is because she's a terrible winner and a sore loser, so you can never win except in those very small pockets of time when she's learned her lesson. Which is about two seconds out of this book and even then, that feels like a stretch.

[Marissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t like how Karen was rubbing it in that she won the spelling bee to all her friends. She could have been a better friend instead of focusing on spelling.

I did however like that her parents and family was there to support her when she win. But not how all she could do was focusing on being the winner.

I feel like she could have been better off learning to not focus on herself and focus on her friendship. That is why I gave it a 3 star.

[Madison K. Farrer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book I recommend it for kids that are eight

This was a awesome book I loved reading it. I highly recommend it for anyone that is eight or seven because it is a very good book. I read it in 50 minutes. It was a great book. It was spectacular. I think a ton of people would love it and my friend would love it. I think everyone will love it. It is a great book and I love the Kindle app it’s great and it’s good for kids and adults so I’m very happy to be reading this book.

[Adalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was so good I loved it. It will make me really surprised in the end but yeah I love the book. It was so fun to read and I could not stop reading it. I think you guys should read it because I feel like this kind of graphic novel will Love you too graphic novel but even if you don’t, you should read it. I just loved it.

[Stacey Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good moral story about being a good loser/winner. Karen is a great speller and knows she's going to win the spelling bee. But she practices too much, making her family and friends not want to be around her....all she does is spell everything. Then when she does win she flaunts it in front of everyone. Being shunned by those closest to her teaches Karen a valuable lesson.

[vanilla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, yes, this book deserves two stars. But…I still enjoyed it, because it’s sort of funny seeing just how bratty Karen will really get. For some reason, I still read these graphic novels, but she’s certainly not a good role model for children and seldom ever learns her lesson. For entertainment purposes, this book is just fine, but Karen is not a well-behaved role model for ANYONE.

[Geiosh A · Rating 4 out of 5]

such a cute book as always definitely recommend it especially if your kids are just learning how to spell give you a very relatable to them in the illustrations are so cute maybe they can learn something from this

[Mackenzie Walton]

This might be the only book where I 5000% relate with Karen but honestly her teacher and Kristy should not have to do the parental heavy-lifting on this one. The best part is when Karen yells in a baby's face and the four parents all just look at each other helplessly.

[BJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reminded me why younger me thought Karen was the worst.

I honestly thought that the parents would come together and stop Karen from competing to teach her that lesson. The book also ends super abruptly, so that was strange.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karen enters her class spelling bee and wins. From there she competes in her school one. As she wins the bees she becomes obsessed with spelling words and a bit of a sore winner. Can she be taken down a notch? This was cute and a fun graphic novel.

[Jourdy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen was a bit of a show off for sure, but not as much as I expected. I’m still baffled by how her parents just can’t seem to be in the same room.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karen wins her school’s spelling bee and lets her success go to her head. She eventually sort of learns her lesson but is a very irritating and poor winner until then.