Karen's School Picture

Baby-Sitters Little Sister #5

by Ann M. Martin

Karen has to get glasses -- two pairs! One pair for reading and one for all the time. Karen does not want glasses. Her school pictures are going to be taken soon! But Karen has to... so she picks out some pretty pink and blue ones. Karen thinks she looks very grown-up. Then Yicky Ricky at school calls her Four-eyes. If Karen wears her glasses for the picture, Ricky will make fun of her. But Karen's not a wimp! Glasses or no glasses -- that Ricky is going to get it.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Juvenile, Contemporary, Young Adult, School

104 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1989

About the author

Ann Matthews Martin was born on August 12, 1955. She grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, with her parents and her younger sister, Jane. After graduating from Smith College, Ann became a teacher and then an editor of children's books. She's now a full-time writer.

Ann gets the ideas for her books from many different places. Some are based on personal experiences, while others are based on childhood memories and feelings. Many are written about contemporary problems or events. All of Ann's characters, even the members of the Baby-sitters Club, are made up. But many of her characters are based on real people. Sometimes Ann names her characters after people she knows, and other times she simply chooses names that she likes.

Ann has always enjoyed writing. Even before she was old enough to write, she would dictate stories to her mother to write down for her. Some of her favorite authors at that time were Lewis Carroll, P. L. Travers, Hugh Lofting, Astrid Lindgren, and Roald Dahl. They inspired her to become a writer herself.

Since ending the BSC series in 2000, Ann’s writing has concentrated on single novels, many of which are set in the 1960s.

After living in New York City for many years, Ann moved to the Hudson Valley in upstate New York where she now lives with her dog, Sadie, and her cats, Gussie, Willy and Woody. Her hobbies are reading, sewing, and needlework. Her favorite thing to do is to make clothes for children.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/annmma...

Reviews

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so glad my daughter and I are reading these books together. I never read them as a kid because I just jumped into the BSC but these are perfect for a younger audience. In this book, Karen has to get glasses right before picture day and she's really self conscious about it. Theres a boy who makes fun of her and while it's really unpleasant to read all the name calling, it feels realistic. In the end, Karen finds comfort in her own skin and the power of being the bigger person.

[Rachel Brand · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fairly realistic book about a child needing to get glasses and all the drama surrounding having "four eyes". Although I've never heard of someone needing 2 pairs of glasses - is this perhaps an older solution to eye problems?

[koza]

Ricky makes fun of Karen, so she plans ways to get back at him, like telling him he's adopted -- BECAUSE THAT WAS SO EFFECTIVE WHEN SHE SAID IT TO ANDREW.

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I vividly remember reading this as a kid. We were on a camping trip I think at Sleeping Giant Park so it was probably freezing out. We had that big orange tent with the two rooms that we had to paint with waterproofing every year. Good times. Anyway I remember the dark blue cover that looked a lot like Claudia and the Big Search or Great Search the one where she thinks she's adopted. This is about the only little sister book that stood out to me and I read quite a few. It's also a rare book when Karen isn't a pain the the ass. I also remember it because I too was blind as a bat at a young age and needed glasses and probably inspired by Karen I got ones with pink bows that I would hate later on. I think they snapped in two and I was glad. Anyway Karen is getting headaches whenever she reads and goes to the eye doctor. She needs both reading glasses and glasses for the rest of the time. One of her classmates Ricky calls her four eyes cause kids are jerks and says she's ugly, cause boys are jerks and Karen is worried about the upcoming school pictures. Do they still do school pictures? We haven't had any young kids in the family for a while so I don't know. Anyway Ricky soon needs glasses and Karen and he reach an understanding. This brought back some good memories for me, but it also reminded me that I really need a new pair of glasses since mine are getting scratched up and are quite old. Maybe once the pandemic settles down again. But also Karen was just a normal kid here and not the bratty sociopath she usually is, so for once a Karen book gets some approval from me.

[kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was obsessed with this series when I was in grade one and two. Obsessed. I think this was the book that started it because I had to get glasses when I was Karen's age. Unlike Karen who had a supportive teacher my teacher pulled me to the front of the class (I was the first person in my grade to get glasses) and declare to everyone I needed to wear them now and they weren't allowed to bully me. So guess what everyone did.



ANYWAYS HOLY NOSTALGIA. So many memories came back while I was reading this. Two two. The art. Gigundo. Reading Karen's train of thought as an adult is kind of like being in a kid's head again, it feels very authentic. The story was also pretty cute. I remember being kind of jealous that Karen had two pairs of glasses when I only had one lol. I'm still kind of jealous of people who have more than one pair of glasses and I'm an adult. I WANT TO COLOUR MATCH.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've mentioned how the Karen books were my introduction to Stoneybrook, and the world of the Baby-sitters Club. However, the first books I read were after this one, so when I got Karen's School Picture and looked at the cover (with the tag "Look what Karen's wearing!"), I didn't really get the big deal. Plaid skirt? Blue? So what? I studied that cover so much to see what the big deal was hahaha. And glasses were a big deal back in the day, eh? I always think of this book and the Full House episode.

Anyway I kind of hate Ricky in this book and I'm glad the nerd also has to wear glasses, and I love the shade Karen throws when she thinks that he's just teasing her because the frames are ugly af. Suck it, Yicky Ricky.

[Mina Yamashita · Rating 3 out of 5]

A six years old girl, Karen has a full of curiosity and cheerful. One day, she had a sort of headache and eyes hurt. She went to see a doctor and finally she had to wear glasses. She hates to wear them because Yicky Ricky surely teases her. Additionally, she has a school picture day in two weeks. However, her family and friends told her how glasses are wonderful. Then she got confidence to wear them. Yicky Ricky teased her thousands of times, although she wore them on the school picture day with her fulfilled smile.

This is my first time to read the series of Baby Sitters Club, but it's totally boring for me. I think Little girls would like these books (younger than 10) though for me they are just okay.

[Maeve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karen has been having headaches for a while now, and her family realizes it's because she needs glasses. Karen arrives at school with two pairs of glasses and is teased quite a bit. She's embarrassed about her glasses, but eventually comes to terms with it and wears them proudly during the school picture.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was in elementary school when this was first published and I found the part about whether Karen should wear her glasses or not for the pictures unrealistic because at my school we had to take our glasses off for school picture as the glasses caused a glare with the lights.

[Mellanie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karen has to decide whether to wear her new glasses on school picture day.

[Olivia]

I first read this book when I was in the 3rd grade and it was the one that sparked my for reading

[Lisa D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the book where Karen gets glasses. She ends up needing two pairs and struggles with the idea of wearing them on school picture day. There is some bullying that gets resolved by the end.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love listening to these on audio!

[Brooke Lieder]

Read with Ruby!

[Jaclyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karen gets her glasses!

[Molly Simonsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very sweet book. I remember I got my glasses when I was in third grade. I hated them so much at first. Now I honestly don't notice them (unless I'm wearing makeup and then they pmo).

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always wondered why Ms. Coleman put the glasses-wearers at the front of the class. Couldn't they see better since they were wearing glasses? But I think it may have been to help limit the number of times per day Karen had to change her glasses. Karen should have gotten one pair of bifocals instead of two pairs of glasses. But then again, she is a Two-Two. I hated how much Karen and her fellow classmate were teased for needing glasses. I wished the book had taken a positive view of glasses from the beginning.

[Teresa Granado-Law · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a drawing inside of Watson (Karen's dad) and he is NOTHING like what I like to picture. I think of Watson as a 24 year old Jude Law as hot and golden as all get out (the way he looked in the Oscar Wilde movie).

I think of Elizabeth (Karen's stepmom) as Elizabeth Montgomery in Bewitched. They make a perfect and beautiful married couple in my mind! (and the stories become SO enjoyable)

By the way, I think of Karen's Mom and Stepdad as Gloria and the Meathead

[Cassidy P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen is a sweet girl and it all started when one day she went to school and all the sudden she had a really bad headache and could not see anything it was blurry. And one day her mom maid an eye doctors appointment but Karen was not happy she wanted to grow up as a movie star but her dreams were ruined ,glasses no way. So she got her glasses and she was bullied for it and when that happened the kid that was bullying her was gone that day and the next day he came back he had glasses. And he was bullied for it and was always sad and finally Karen stuck up for him and told them to stop but he said leave me alone and she left him alone.
The main character is Karen she is 12 and she is very kind and active and play full she is also smart. And how she changes, changes through the book by getting glasses not getting bullied and by helping the bully and she changes by being nice to him and her friends. And when she gets her picture takin she is so happy and does not complain and she loves them and does not complain. The setting is school her house and her dads house.
I really liked it because of how she describes things and how she loves glasses at the end. And even though she is getting bullied she never bully's back. And what I don't like is that she tries to think of revenge and she is supposed to be nice like the normal her like she was before. And what I do like, is that they end up falling in love.

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I also got glasses in second grade, so this was relatable when I read it in the third grade. I also had pink glasses, oh the good old early 90's!

Karen has pink glasses for all the time, and blue ones for reading. My favourite scene was when Kristy took her to the library to show her cartoon characters in books that wore glasses, to empower her when she couldn’t decide whether to wear them for her school picture or not

[jacky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved these books. I wanted to read Baby-Sitters Club because my sister did, but my mother wouldn't let me because they were too old for me. I only read a few of them though before I was old enough to move on to the Baby-Sitters Club.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is okay.

I don't really like Baby Sitters Little Sister or Baby Sitters Club for that matter, but this one was really boring and I didn't like it. It might accually be my least favorite. I think Little girls would like these books (6 and older) But for me they are just okay.

[Sayo -bibliotequeish- · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you were too old for childrens books, but too young for The Baby Sitters Club.
Ann M. Martin really is a genius to piggy back on the success of The Baby Sitters Club.

After reading the little sisters series I remember feeling like a real adult opening up that first BSC book.

[Savannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was lots of fun! I was surprised when Karen put both glasses on for the school picture!

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ohnoez, Karen needs glasses! And goes and picks frames that, in a few years' time, she will be mortified to think she ever wore.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

In which Karen get glasses right before her school picture, and these are the big ole owl-type bifocals that cover half her face like I had in fourth grade.

[Jackie Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

What young girl did not love the Baby-Sitters Club and Karen, the Baby-Sitters Little Sister?

[Melenia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved these books as a child