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Best Babysitters Ever #1
Best Babysitters Ever
A funny new middle grade series about three 12-year-old best friends who start a babysitting club in their small California town. Perfect for fans of series like Whatever After and the Dork Diaries.
Once upon a time, a girl named Kristy Thomas had a great idea: to form The Baby-Sitters Club with her best friends. And now twelve-year-old Malia Twiggs has had a great idea too. Technically, she had Kristy’s idea. (And technically, little kids seem gross and annoying, but a paycheck is a paycheck). After a little convincing, Malia and her friends Dot and Bree start a babysitting club to earn funds for an epic birthday bash. But babysitting definitely isn’t what they thought it would be.
Three friends. No parents. Unlimited snacks. And, okay, occasionally watching other people’s children. What could possibly go wrong?
Once upon a time, a girl named Kristy Thomas had a great idea: to form The Baby-Sitters Club with her best friends. And now twelve-year-old Malia Twiggs has had a great idea too. Technically, she had Kristy’s idea. (And technically, little kids seem gross and annoying, but a paycheck is a paycheck). After a little convincing, Malia and her friends Dot and Bree start a babysitting club to earn funds for an epic birthday bash. But babysitting definitely isn’t what they thought it would be.
Three friends. No parents. Unlimited snacks. And, okay, occasionally watching other people’s children. What could possibly go wrong?
272 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2019
254 people are currently reading
1743 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Cala
7 books60 followersCaroline Cala is a writer and editor residing in Brooklyn. She has worked as a book editor and as a ghostwriter on a number of books. Her work has appeared in Vogue, ELLE, Refinery29, and others.
Best Babysitters Ever
is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
April 4, 2019
Summary from Goodreads
Once upon a time, a girl named Kristy Thomas had a great idea: to form The Baby-Sitters Club with her best friends. And now twelve-year-old Malia Twiggs has had a great idea too. Technically, she had Kristy’s idea. (And technically, little kids seem gross and annoying, but a paycheck is a paycheck). After a little convincing, Malia and her friends Dot and Bree start a babysitting club to earn funds for an epic birthday bash. But babysitting definitely isn’t what they thought it would be.
Three friends. No parents. Unlimited snacks. And, okay, occasionally watching other people’s children. What could possibly go wrong?
What I liked
This book brought me back to my Diary of a Wimpy Kid days. I loved the humor and the plot. It was very enjoyable and I can't wait to read the next book.
The three main characters are really funny, they all come from different families and they're all different in their own ways which is part of what makes the book so fun to read.
This book was silly, fun and a great take on the original Babysitter's Club. It was fun, modern and exciting.
What I didn't like
I was expecting illistrations like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and like Dork Diaries. I don't know, maybe the next book will have drawings. But I wanted some funny drawings. I feel like that would add so much more to the story!
Overall
This was such a fun middle grade debut and I will definitely be reading the next book.
4 stars
Once upon a time, a girl named Kristy Thomas had a great idea: to form The Baby-Sitters Club with her best friends. And now twelve-year-old Malia Twiggs has had a great idea too. Technically, she had Kristy’s idea. (And technically, little kids seem gross and annoying, but a paycheck is a paycheck). After a little convincing, Malia and her friends Dot and Bree start a babysitting club to earn funds for an epic birthday bash. But babysitting definitely isn’t what they thought it would be.
Three friends. No parents. Unlimited snacks. And, okay, occasionally watching other people’s children. What could possibly go wrong?
What I liked
This book brought me back to my Diary of a Wimpy Kid days. I loved the humor and the plot. It was very enjoyable and I can't wait to read the next book.
The three main characters are really funny, they all come from different families and they're all different in their own ways which is part of what makes the book so fun to read.
This book was silly, fun and a great take on the original Babysitter's Club. It was fun, modern and exciting.
What I didn't like
I was expecting illistrations like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and like Dork Diaries. I don't know, maybe the next book will have drawings. But I wanted some funny drawings. I feel like that would add so much more to the story!
Overall
This was such a fun middle grade debut and I will definitely be reading the next book.
4 stars
February 5, 2019
I requested this ARC mostly because of my own feelings of nostalgia for the original Baby-sitters Club series, and it was fun to see the ways this story paralleled and parodied the stories I enjoyed from that series back in the 1990s. While I'm not sure I'm ready to call '90s literature "vintage," it was interesting to look at the books I grew up with through a more contemporary lens.
That said, I didn't particularly like any of the characters in this book. They all felt like caricatures of certain middle school stereotypes, and none of them were particularly sympathetic or interesting. I found Malia's insistence on being called Alia annoying, and the rivalry between her and her sister (and their parents' take on that relationship) completely implausible. It was also problematic (for me, as a Catholic mom, anyway) that the only morality in the book is from a "new age" point of view, delivered by Dot's mother. I also questioned whether the Baby-sitters Club re-releases are popular enough with 2019 middle grade audiences that they would really appreciate the references to the series, and I was surprised not to see Ann M. Martin given any recognition in the Acknowledgments. Surely she should have been given some thanks for inspiring this new tale.
For better or for worse, I do think the target audience will love all the drama and humor in this book, even if the writing is not of the highest literary quality. It wasn't a favorite for me, but if I worked in a library, I'd probably still order it.
That said, I didn't particularly like any of the characters in this book. They all felt like caricatures of certain middle school stereotypes, and none of them were particularly sympathetic or interesting. I found Malia's insistence on being called Alia annoying, and the rivalry between her and her sister (and their parents' take on that relationship) completely implausible. It was also problematic (for me, as a Catholic mom, anyway) that the only morality in the book is from a "new age" point of view, delivered by Dot's mother. I also questioned whether the Baby-sitters Club re-releases are popular enough with 2019 middle grade audiences that they would really appreciate the references to the series, and I was surprised not to see Ann M. Martin given any recognition in the Acknowledgments. Surely she should have been given some thanks for inspiring this new tale.
For better or for worse, I do think the target audience will love all the drama and humor in this book, even if the writing is not of the highest literary quality. It wasn't a favorite for me, but if I worked in a library, I'd probably still order it.
January 17, 2019
Rounded up from 3.5 stars. This middle grade novel features three twelve-year-olds who want to throw a big bash when they turn thirteen. The challenge is paying for it. Malia finds an old book from the first Babysitter's Club series and a light bulb comes on. She convinces her friends Bree and Dot to join her in forming a new babysitter's club. Along the way there are many ups and downs which makes for an entertaining book. One favorite moment is when Bree makes a poster highlighting their first names with huge glittered letters spelling out B for Bree, A for Alia(Malia is campaigning for a new version of her name) and D for Dot. Yes, it spells B-A-D. Girls in 5th grade and up will empathize with the trio and find some common ground. A fun read.
A big thanks to Houghton Mifflin and NetGalley for an ARC of this new middle grade novel in exchange for an honest review.
A big thanks to Houghton Mifflin and NetGalley for an ARC of this new middle grade novel in exchange for an honest review.
November 26, 2023
This book/series is so damn underrated and not marketed much I feel.
A group of three closest friends wants to have some fun and a party worth remembering on their special days. For this they have to start earning and not just rely on their family. Moreover, it’s time to take some responsibility and so comes the idea of babysitting!
This is a well written and thoughtful book for young girls. The story will tell the reader how things seem easy but when ideas get actually executed, things are not as easy as it seems.
The story is all about making mistakes, sibling rivalry, breaking up and making up with your friends. And yes, how to be responsible for your actions.
I love it!
A group of three closest friends wants to have some fun and a party worth remembering on their special days. For this they have to start earning and not just rely on their family. Moreover, it’s time to take some responsibility and so comes the idea of babysitting!
This is a well written and thoughtful book for young girls. The story will tell the reader how things seem easy but when ideas get actually executed, things are not as easy as it seems.
The story is all about making mistakes, sibling rivalry, breaking up and making up with your friends. And yes, how to be responsible for your actions.
I love it!
Read
July 28, 2025D.N.F: The second one was really good, but for this one the characters bragged about “stealing Kristy Thomas’s idea” from the BabySitters Club series, as if it was a good thing. I tried to read on longer but I couldn’t take the constant “proud of stealing Kristy’s idea”. (The second one luckily didn’t say things like that).
July 17, 2018
My Girls loved this story and plan to have a review added Further out. Close to the release date.
https://bookhimdanno.blogspot.com/
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the Advance Copy for my honest opinion
https://bookhimdanno.blogspot.com/
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the Advance Copy for my honest opinion
May 15, 2019
Super fast read. Not as funny as I'd hoped. I think I'd rather re-read the original books and feel nostalgic. Also, none of these characters have diabeetus!
February 25, 2019
A quirky book for younger readers who enjoy drama, fiasco, and revenge. The writing and characters, to me, lacked depth, but I could see how this could be fun for others. Some situations felt a bit too unbelievable to me (particularly the relationship between Chelsea and Malia, three 12-year-olds babysitting 33 kids, Drake performing in this rich town, and how forgotten Bria felt). I didn't really feel I got to know the three girls, but I don't think I'll want to read the next book in the series to learn more either.
July 16, 2018
Malia, Bree, and Dot have always had a joint birthday party, but this year they’re thinking big! Their other classmates have parties with exotic animals and famous singers. They want something just as memorable. So when Malia finds an old copy of Ann Martin’s The Babysitters’ Club, she establishes her own babysitting club. It doesn’t matter if she and her friends don’t really like little kids, right?
I enjoyed this book, which is a cute homage to the series that was my first bookish fandom (I even wrote a fan letter to Ann M. Martin- my first and only fan letter). All three girls were quirky individuals, and glitter and cat obsessed Bree reminded me of myself at that age. The sabotage by Malia’s older sister did seem a little over the top, but it wasn’t out of place here. It also reminded me of a plot from one of the original Babysitters’ Club books.
Best of all, the girls learn an important lesson about friendship, and their own strengths and weaknesses.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc.
I enjoyed this book, which is a cute homage to the series that was my first bookish fandom (I even wrote a fan letter to Ann M. Martin- my first and only fan letter). All three girls were quirky individuals, and glitter and cat obsessed Bree reminded me of myself at that age. The sabotage by Malia’s older sister did seem a little over the top, but it wasn’t out of place here. It also reminded me of a plot from one of the original Babysitters’ Club books.
Best of all, the girls learn an important lesson about friendship, and their own strengths and weaknesses.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc.
November 8, 2018
What would you do if you found an old book called The Babysitters Club? Read it? Sure! Create your own Babysitters Club? Why not? That is exactly what twelve-year-olds Malia, Dot, and Bree do. Babysitting is easy-peasy, right? They soon learn that taking care of little ones is not quite all its cracked up to be. Despite the challenges, they are determined to make money so that they can throw the epic birthday bash. But how will they make money when Malia's older sister steals her idea and their customers? The girls have to come up with a way to find new customers and/or find a way to sabotage her sister's new babysitting service. Will the girls rebound from their failed business? Will their friendship make it through these troubled times? Will they to throw the birthday party of the year or will they even be speaking to each other in time for the party? Read this fun story of family and friendship to find out what happens!
I loved this story because it shows how three completely different personalities can be best friends and work together through tough times. It shows how friends and families can go through ups and downs and still be there for each other - no matter what. My favorite character in the whole book is Aloysius! You have to read this amazing book just to get to know him! Don't miss it!
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I loved this story because it shows how three completely different personalities can be best friends and work together through tough times. It shows how friends and families can go through ups and downs and still be there for each other - no matter what. My favorite character in the whole book is Aloysius! You have to read this amazing book just to get to know him! Don't miss it!
Follow me:
Blog - Blazer Tales - https://blazertales.com/
Facebook - Laurie’s Library Place - https://www.facebook.com/LauriesLibra...
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Twitter - @laurieevans27 https://twitter.com/laurieevans27?lan...
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December 28, 2018
"Once upon a time, a girl named Kristy Thomas had a great idea: to form The Baby-Sitters Club with her best friends. And now twelve-year-old Malia Twiggs has had a great idea too. Technically, she had Kristy’s idea. (And technically, little kids seem gross and annoying, but a paycheck is a paycheck). After a little convincing, Malia and her friends Dot and Bree start a babysitting club to earn funds for an epic birthday bash. But babysitting definitely isn’t what they thought it would be.
Three friends. No parents. Unlimited snacks. And, okay, occasionally watching other people’s children. What could possibly go wrong?"
Based loosely around the babysitters club this book brought back a little bit of my childhood. I really enjoyed reading an easy, cosy read! The three main characters were instantly likeable and i think, easy for young girls to relate to. During the book they have to each overcome their own problems that tests their friendship to the brink.
I can see this book being a hit with younger girls before they hit their teenage years. I will definitely recommend to the girls i teach!
Three friends. No parents. Unlimited snacks. And, okay, occasionally watching other people’s children. What could possibly go wrong?"
Based loosely around the babysitters club this book brought back a little bit of my childhood. I really enjoyed reading an easy, cosy read! The three main characters were instantly likeable and i think, easy for young girls to relate to. During the book they have to each overcome their own problems that tests their friendship to the brink.
I can see this book being a hit with younger girls before they hit their teenage years. I will definitely recommend to the girls i teach!
May 4, 2019
Best Babysitters Ever was decidedly not for me. This wasn't a huge shock because a lot of middle grade does read too young for me, which, at age 31, isn't a massive surprise. It says as much or more about me as it does about the book. (I don't think middle grade should be for adults but I like some of it so I keep trying.) TBH I picked this book up for the multiple narrator audio and not the subject matter; sometimes that pans out for me and sometimes, like now, it doesn't.
I'd recommend this to fans of The Babysitters Club or Malone and Nall's RSVP series, which had very similar vibes and themes. Adults who loved the former might enjoy this more than I did for the nostalgia factor, but I was never really into that series (except for the fabulous Claudia).
Mostly I struggled with disbelief and a certain amount of jadedness. The girls seem much too young for some of the babysitting jobs they get assigned, and I also found the whole plot about Malia's evil sister way over the top. The girl's characters were not particularly dynamic, and I do not believe for one second that their friendships will last into high school because they have nothing in common whatsoever.
I'd recommend this to fans of The Babysitters Club or Malone and Nall's RSVP series, which had very similar vibes and themes. Adults who loved the former might enjoy this more than I did for the nostalgia factor, but I was never really into that series (except for the fabulous Claudia).
Mostly I struggled with disbelief and a certain amount of jadedness. The girls seem much too young for some of the babysitting jobs they get assigned, and I also found the whole plot about Malia's evil sister way over the top. The girl's characters were not particularly dynamic, and I do not believe for one second that their friendships will last into high school because they have nothing in common whatsoever.
May 22, 2020
As a kid, I was a huge reader but undoubtedly a frustrating one. My problem being that I read the same books then that I like to read now, and they aren't the books that "all kids like." I was the annoying kid who openly disparaged the most popular fantasy series of all time. I hated fantasy. I hated books about boys. I hated series - with one exception. I loved the Babysitter's Club. And I'm not just talking about Kristy's Great Idea - I went deep into the 100s of the series. So a new updated series based on the only book series I've ever loved? This book has been on my to-read list for years. Finally, a global pandemic that has me wanting to read only uplifting and happy books pushed this to the top of my list.
Malia, Dot, and Bree are three best friends with one big dream - to throw the best joint birthday party ever. When Malia stumbles upon an old copy of Kristy's Great Idea she has her own great idea - start a babysitting service to get enough money cover the birthday part of their dreams, even though they don't really like kids. Before long, though, the girls run into a big problem. Malia's older sister Chelsea, who always does everything perfectly, starts her own rival babysitting service threatening to ruin everything.
Like the BSC before it, this is a story with a ton of heart and humor. At its core this is a story about friendship and sibling rivalry told from the perspective of three believable and likable best friends.
Malia, Dot, and Bree are three best friends with one big dream - to throw the best joint birthday party ever. When Malia stumbles upon an old copy of Kristy's Great Idea she has her own great idea - start a babysitting service to get enough money cover the birthday part of their dreams, even though they don't really like kids. Before long, though, the girls run into a big problem. Malia's older sister Chelsea, who always does everything perfectly, starts her own rival babysitting service threatening to ruin everything.
Like the BSC before it, this is a story with a ton of heart and humor. At its core this is a story about friendship and sibling rivalry told from the perspective of three believable and likable best friends.
June 4, 2019
Malia, Dot, and Bree need to make some money for an epic joint birthday party. When Malia is inspired by an old paperback in a library discard box, the three turn to babysitting, even though they've never actually done any babysitting, and are not really even sure they like kids. Things start out well enough, until Malia's evil older sister steals their idea and runs with it. Can the three original babysitters get their clients back, or will they lose the babysitting business and their friendship, as well?
This is a light, fun read. The adults in this book are the absolute worst, but I'm sure that won't bother the target audience. It was cute to see the Baby-Sitters' Club re-imagined for a new generation, including some shade cast at the original ("Is this seriously what people found fun in the '90s?"). An enjoyable, if inessential, read.
This is a light, fun read. The adults in this book are the absolute worst, but I'm sure that won't bother the target audience. It was cute to see the Baby-Sitters' Club re-imagined for a new generation, including some shade cast at the original ("Is this seriously what people found fun in the '90s?"). An enjoyable, if inessential, read.
January 24, 2019
This is a cute, girly middle grade book about 3 friends, Malia, Dot, and Bree who start a babysitting business to save money for a party they are planning. The business doesn’t exactly go the way they envisioned it. The story wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for but it was still entertaining and I think younger middle grade readers would enjoy it as well.
Thank you to HMH Books for young readers and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to HMH Books for young readers and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 13, 2023
I think this book is very good.It has a very good problem and ending. It is about babysiting and how they need the money to have the best birthday ever, and there is a lot twists and turns along the way!
July 5, 2021
Ebook. Quick middle grade new version of the BSC.
July 19, 2022
It was not as funny as I expected. 😁😸
Read
November 22, 2019I think the theme is be positive becuase bad things will come to an end.
May 25, 2021
Cute, updated babysitters club book for a new generation.
September 21, 2019
What happens when a mercenary twelve-year-old sees an old paperback of Kristy's Great Idea at a library book sale? Absolute chaos.
In an effort to reinvent herself and drag along her two best friends, Malia proposes the three of them start a babysitting club to earn some money to throw a joint birthday party that might be able to compete with the lux parties their friends have been throwing instead of the same old picnic they usually do. But it turns out babysitting is actually a lot of work--and so is saving money instead of blowing it all at the mall.
The story alternates chapters between Malia (who desperately wants to be cool to the detriment of almost every other aspect of her young life), Dot (who has a hippie single mother, an all black wardrobe, and dreams of finding her emo brethren in NYC one day), and Bree (who often feels overshadowed in her enormous blended family, dreams of befriending Taylor Swift, and wishes her BFFs wouldn't be in such a big hurry to grow up). The plot is pretty true to the BSC inspiration but with a bit more snark than even Stacey could have mustered in the originals.
Give this to fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Popularity Papers, and any other stories with mercenary tweens doing the best (or more realistically the bare minimum) that they can.
In an effort to reinvent herself and drag along her two best friends, Malia proposes the three of them start a babysitting club to earn some money to throw a joint birthday party that might be able to compete with the lux parties their friends have been throwing instead of the same old picnic they usually do. But it turns out babysitting is actually a lot of work--and so is saving money instead of blowing it all at the mall.
The story alternates chapters between Malia (who desperately wants to be cool to the detriment of almost every other aspect of her young life), Dot (who has a hippie single mother, an all black wardrobe, and dreams of finding her emo brethren in NYC one day), and Bree (who often feels overshadowed in her enormous blended family, dreams of befriending Taylor Swift, and wishes her BFFs wouldn't be in such a big hurry to grow up). The plot is pretty true to the BSC inspiration but with a bit more snark than even Stacey could have mustered in the originals.
Give this to fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Popularity Papers, and any other stories with mercenary tweens doing the best (or more realistically the bare minimum) that they can.
March 2, 2019
More 90s nostalgia gone wrong. I think I was most angered by the terrible parenting in this book (Malia and Bree’s parents). The frequent vocabulary lessons weren’t far behind. And maybe Malia should have read a few more books in the series before she set up her club. I read a premise of book two and it’s a rehash of a situation from this book, which is not impressive. Yawn on this book.
April 2, 2019
Terrible writing. The characters were all annoying, whiny, stupid, spoiled brats, and that is saying a lot coming from someone who generally enjoys children's books. I also thought it obnoxious that Ann M. Martin got no credit for her original Babysitters Club ideas.
August 26, 2018
This book is pretty amazing. Recommended for grown-up BSC fans as well as actual kid/tween readers. Great voice, and so funny!
May 13, 2020
This first book in the series, with currently two others to follow, the first of the trios both charming and chaotic adventure, definitely deserves a five-star rating and two thumbs up.
It’s been a long while since I’ve read Middle Grade fiction, but I was hooked from the lovely cover art, to the synopsis, to the first page. This book pulled me along like a fish on a string and reeled me in all the way to the end.
One thing in particular that I loved about the book was Malia’s journey self discovery. Although each of the girls were learning new things about themselves, their friendship and most importantly BABYSITTING, Malia’s really stood out to me. Along with her crush on the ever-so-mentioned, Connor Kelly, her older sister Chelsea and her parents even had me frustrated. It was wonderful seeing her grow and realize her own capabilities and strengths throughout the story. Having her wear, a floral dress at the end was really symbolic (although possibly not intentionally) of her growth. It was as if at that moment she truly bloomed. I love how Caroline wrote her character.
I also really, really, really loved Bree and Dot. If you’ve read the book, you’ll know that Bree, really, really, really loves Taylor Swift and really, really, really loves cats. Even Cats the musical…which I might be judging her for, just a bit, but her character was just so sweet, I can’t think of anything other than compliments when I think about her. It became clear throughout the novel, that although Bree seemed clueless or lost at times during conversations with her friends, her unconditional love for them is the glue that holds this trio together, despite their differences. She is so lively, and hilarious, and despite that at times seems to get lost not only among her friends but even in her own home with her family…and yet she rarely lets it keep her down. I’d love to see how this is explored in later books.
Now onto Dot, the eloquent and sophisticated young lady…with a huge snacking obsession. I love that Dot rebels against her mother by buying perfume, deodorant and Oreos. It is definitely her most relatable quality. She’s very mature for her age, in comparison to her two friends, but I think throughout the novel she slowly realizes that despite all the juvenile things about them that she initially finds annoying about them, they are instead, the things that she loves about them the most. Dot is an only child, and in the school’s honour program. If her wardrobe had a theme, it would be Paint it Black, and her love for old films and 70s and 80s rock bands contrast with her love of learning. The fact that her rebellion is secretly going against her mother’s ban on sweets, shows that despite her mother getting on her nerves by being so overly perceptive, she also loves her mom and doesn’t want to upset her.
I feel like this series has something for everyone, and I would definitely recommend it for readers 12 and up. I can only imagine the craziness to come, but I have no doubt in my mind that these girls will continue to be just as charming as the Babysitter’s Club I grew up admiring, who they borrowed (stole) their business idea from.
It’s been a long while since I’ve read Middle Grade fiction, but I was hooked from the lovely cover art, to the synopsis, to the first page. This book pulled me along like a fish on a string and reeled me in all the way to the end.
One thing in particular that I loved about the book was Malia’s journey self discovery. Although each of the girls were learning new things about themselves, their friendship and most importantly BABYSITTING, Malia’s really stood out to me. Along with her crush on the ever-so-mentioned, Connor Kelly, her older sister Chelsea and her parents even had me frustrated. It was wonderful seeing her grow and realize her own capabilities and strengths throughout the story. Having her wear, a floral dress at the end was really symbolic (although possibly not intentionally) of her growth. It was as if at that moment she truly bloomed. I love how Caroline wrote her character.
I also really, really, really loved Bree and Dot. If you’ve read the book, you’ll know that Bree, really, really, really loves Taylor Swift and really, really, really loves cats. Even Cats the musical…which I might be judging her for, just a bit, but her character was just so sweet, I can’t think of anything other than compliments when I think about her. It became clear throughout the novel, that although Bree seemed clueless or lost at times during conversations with her friends, her unconditional love for them is the glue that holds this trio together, despite their differences. She is so lively, and hilarious, and despite that at times seems to get lost not only among her friends but even in her own home with her family…and yet she rarely lets it keep her down. I’d love to see how this is explored in later books.
Now onto Dot, the eloquent and sophisticated young lady…with a huge snacking obsession. I love that Dot rebels against her mother by buying perfume, deodorant and Oreos. It is definitely her most relatable quality. She’s very mature for her age, in comparison to her two friends, but I think throughout the novel she slowly realizes that despite all the juvenile things about them that she initially finds annoying about them, they are instead, the things that she loves about them the most. Dot is an only child, and in the school’s honour program. If her wardrobe had a theme, it would be Paint it Black, and her love for old films and 70s and 80s rock bands contrast with her love of learning. The fact that her rebellion is secretly going against her mother’s ban on sweets, shows that despite her mother getting on her nerves by being so overly perceptive, she also loves her mom and doesn’t want to upset her.
I feel like this series has something for everyone, and I would definitely recommend it for readers 12 and up. I can only imagine the craziness to come, but I have no doubt in my mind that these girls will continue to be just as charming as the Babysitter’s Club I grew up admiring, who they borrowed (stole) their business idea from.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2023
Another audio book that I listened to with my middle school daughter. Initially, I was so, so excited to listen to this one as an extreme fan of the old-school Babysitter's Club series. But this book just fell super flat for me. As an adult, I would have given this 2 stars but my kiddo gave it 3 so I will let her final decision rule.
Things I liked:
1. It was based on an idea from The Babysitter's Club.
2. A diverse cast? Although the white character interacted with a completely different group of friends while at school so I'm not sure what message that is supposed to be giving our kids.
3. ...
Things I didn't like:
1. The characters were not very fleshed out and were super stereotypical. The "airhead" who liked glitter and Taylor Swift was not at all believable in how clueless she was. And they are "best friends" but Dot doesn't even sit with them at school?
2. For the most part their families were terrible and I don't feel like enough emphasis was placed on this. It was just played off like it was normal. The two sisters had parents who played favorites at an almost unbelievable level with the older sibling. And they were both horrible to each other through the whole novel and never seemed to learn or grow in their relationship. I guess so we could have a sequel? One girl even gets ditched by her family on her Birthday while they all go get ice cream without her and they don't even notice she is in the car. And again, it ends the chapter and is never mentioned again. The third girl has a hippie mom who won't let her use deodorant or makeup. No deodorant allowed for a stinky teen should be a crime. :)
3. The "crush" is the cute guy with no personality. Nothing seems to be gained by this story-line. Why was it even included?
4. All of these 13 year old girls with no babysitting experience or knowledge want to start a business watching small children. They have no idea what they are doing yet we are supposed to cheer for them over the older girls who start their own babysitting club? And who has a family reunion with 33 kids next to a cliff? WTH??
5. Did anyone even learn any lessons in the end? I know I sure didn't.
Things I liked:
1. It was based on an idea from The Babysitter's Club.
2. A diverse cast? Although the white character interacted with a completely different group of friends while at school so I'm not sure what message that is supposed to be giving our kids.
3. ...
Things I didn't like:
1. The characters were not very fleshed out and were super stereotypical. The "airhead" who liked glitter and Taylor Swift was not at all believable in how clueless she was. And they are "best friends" but Dot doesn't even sit with them at school?
2. For the most part their families were terrible and I don't feel like enough emphasis was placed on this. It was just played off like it was normal. The two sisters had parents who played favorites at an almost unbelievable level with the older sibling. And they were both horrible to each other through the whole novel and never seemed to learn or grow in their relationship. I guess so we could have a sequel? One girl even gets ditched by her family on her Birthday while they all go get ice cream without her and they don't even notice she is in the car. And again, it ends the chapter and is never mentioned again. The third girl has a hippie mom who won't let her use deodorant or makeup. No deodorant allowed for a stinky teen should be a crime. :)
3. The "crush" is the cute guy with no personality. Nothing seems to be gained by this story-line. Why was it even included?
4. All of these 13 year old girls with no babysitting experience or knowledge want to start a business watching small children. They have no idea what they are doing yet we are supposed to cheer for them over the older girls who start their own babysitting club? And who has a family reunion with 33 kids next to a cliff? WTH??
5. Did anyone even learn any lessons in the end? I know I sure didn't.
January 26, 2019
I am most definitely well past the age of the intended audience for this book ....but when I see a potential gift on Goodreads for one of the kids in my life ...I take a shot at winning.However if I win,as I did in this case ...I read to screen for appropriate content . This will be a future present for my goddaughter . It's a very cute ,clean story ,good for ages 10 -12 . I liked the characters and the lessons they learned.Some topics covered are friendship , responsibility, fitting in ,self worth and having a big crush on a boy . The plot is very imaginative and the freedom the girls have in where they go daily seemingly without permission or constant supervision and how they start their business without parental consent reminds me of simpler days when you just had to be home by a certain time and were trusted and expected to behave yourself properly or risk grounding or losing privileges. Yet they are not acting foolishly or being troublemakers.To be honest not having my own tweens or teens I am not sure this is a common phenomenon these days. Although I do realise good children's novels contain some degree of artistic license so the reader can daydream they are the character and escape into the story. Adults like escapism in stories too. ..I was especially happy to win this for my goddaughter because the irony is ....the idea for the babysitters club is suppose to come from the book series of the same name.In real life i use to purchase the Babysitter Club books for my cousin when she was young ....and now her daughter will read a work inspired by it .I found that a terrific coincidence....And if my goddaughter the avid chapter book reader enjoys it ( and I'm sure she will ) ....I'll be glad to purchase more of the series for her .
January 12, 2019
Bad Babysitters follows three characters, Malia, Bree, and Dot as they try their hands at babysitting jobs. The story alternates between all three girls, but Malia is clearly the "main" character. I liked all three girls fairly well, and they all felt distinct. I just wish that we had a bit more time with Bree and Dot because they didn't feel as integral to the story. In most books this wouldn't be a big deal, but this story focuses on all three girls and their relationships with each other. Malia was the only one that felt really fleshed out.
The story was cute. At first, I thought it was supposed to be a kind of spin-off of The Babysitters Club, but it isn't. Malia just sees a copy of the first book and suggests that her friends start a babysitting club with her. That's the only connection to the original series. I didn't read The Babysitters Club a lot as a kid, but I still appreciated little references that were made. While this book was a cute, fast read, there wasn't really a lot of babysitting in it. Pretty early into the story, Malia's sister snipes the babysitting idea and makes it her own. This leaves Malia and her friends to work on a revenge plot of some kind, and that really takes up most of the story. I think the book would have benefited from being longer, with a bit more babysitting at the end. Throughout the story, one of the girls takes care of cats for someone, and another girl hangs out with an older woman and helps with her plants. At the end, it would have been nice if the girls got together to talk about these differing experiences, and decide if babysitting is really something they want to pursue.
Cute, quick story that kids will have fun with.
The story was cute. At first, I thought it was supposed to be a kind of spin-off of The Babysitters Club, but it isn't. Malia just sees a copy of the first book and suggests that her friends start a babysitting club with her. That's the only connection to the original series. I didn't read The Babysitters Club a lot as a kid, but I still appreciated little references that were made. While this book was a cute, fast read, there wasn't really a lot of babysitting in it. Pretty early into the story, Malia's sister snipes the babysitting idea and makes it her own. This leaves Malia and her friends to work on a revenge plot of some kind, and that really takes up most of the story. I think the book would have benefited from being longer, with a bit more babysitting at the end. Throughout the story, one of the girls takes care of cats for someone, and another girl hangs out with an older woman and helps with her plants. At the end, it would have been nice if the girls got together to talk about these differing experiences, and decide if babysitting is really something they want to pursue.
Cute, quick story that kids will have fun with.
March 2, 2019
I had the opportunity to read a NetGalley digital ARC of this middle grade novel in exchange for a review. This is a fun, updated take on the Baby-Sitter Club series by Ann M. Martin. Middle school tween readers will definitely be able to relate to idea of trying to make money by babysitting. This is the age when kids want to have their own money and there aren’t that many other money-making opportunities for younger kids.
In this book, Malia, Bree, and Dot have been best friends for years. Now that these thirteen-year-olds are in seventh grade, they’re desperate to make money so they can throw the most awesome birthday party ever. Malia finds an old, battered copy of Kristy’s Great Idea (Baby-Sitters Club #1) by Ann M. Martin and the three girls believe they stumbled across the best idea ever. But starting their own business is more difficult than they ever imagined when they have to overcome obstacles like difficult-to-manage children, unscrupulous competitors who steal their ideas and their business, and the day-to-day social drama of middle school.
This book has lots of fun updates so that today’s kids can relate to it. But there also are some funny lines to make older readers like me a bit nostalgic for the good old days. The voices of the adolescent girls ring true as they deal with their own friendship drama, family issues, and popular culture. I could see this being a pretty popular book for kids in grades five and up. By the way, good news for fans of The Baby-Sitter Club – Netflix has just announced they are creating a ten-episode series!
In this book, Malia, Bree, and Dot have been best friends for years. Now that these thirteen-year-olds are in seventh grade, they’re desperate to make money so they can throw the most awesome birthday party ever. Malia finds an old, battered copy of Kristy’s Great Idea (Baby-Sitters Club #1) by Ann M. Martin and the three girls believe they stumbled across the best idea ever. But starting their own business is more difficult than they ever imagined when they have to overcome obstacles like difficult-to-manage children, unscrupulous competitors who steal their ideas and their business, and the day-to-day social drama of middle school.
This book has lots of fun updates so that today’s kids can relate to it. But there also are some funny lines to make older readers like me a bit nostalgic for the good old days. The voices of the adolescent girls ring true as they deal with their own friendship drama, family issues, and popular culture. I could see this being a pretty popular book for kids in grades five and up. By the way, good news for fans of The Baby-Sitter Club – Netflix has just announced they are creating a ten-episode series!
November 15, 2022
Plot
Malia, Bree, and Dot are besties who want to make their joint birthday party a bigger smash than their classmates' parties. Sheila Brown had an elephant at her party, and Charlotte Price had an extravagant bat mitzvah... how can they even compete?? The girls don't have extravagant birthday money, and there's no way their parents would shell out for an elephant. So when Malia [or Alia if you're going along with her name change request] finds divine inspiration in a library donation bin, she decides the girls will make money by babysitting.
Three twelve year olds with no experience babysitting... what could go wrong?
Well, a lot.
First off, did I mention they had no experience and that they were twelve?? Yeah, on their first job the two children are a little wild, and then they just... disappear during a game of hide and go seek. Fortunately the girls are able to find the kids by offering candy. LOTS of candy. But, they made some money, so clearly it's a great business idea! Unfortunately, Malia/Alia's perfect older sister is a scheming monster who steals their idea away and undercuts their prices. How are the girls going to make any money if all their business is gone?
Review
This is a fun start to a series, and I'll probably read more. I liked that each chapter was told from a different POV, and that M/alia's chapter name headings kept changing. The audiobook narrators were good [each girl voiced by a different woman].
The Babysitters Club series was one of my favorites to read as a 90s kid, especially the mysteries and the movie. So many good memories. I started babysitting at fourteen [summer between 8th/9th grades], and at the time minimum wage was $5/hr, so I charged $2 per kid per hour. I'm curious what these girls were charging and what the older girls went for.
Malia, Bree, and Dot are besties who want to make their joint birthday party a bigger smash than their classmates' parties. Sheila Brown had an elephant at her party, and Charlotte Price had an extravagant bat mitzvah... how can they even compete?? The girls don't have extravagant birthday money, and there's no way their parents would shell out for an elephant. So when Malia [or Alia if you're going along with her name change request] finds divine inspiration in a library donation bin, she decides the girls will make money by babysitting.
Three twelve year olds with no experience babysitting... what could go wrong?
Well, a lot.
First off, did I mention they had no experience and that they were twelve?? Yeah, on their first job the two children are a little wild, and then they just... disappear during a game of hide and go seek. Fortunately the girls are able to find the kids by offering candy. LOTS of candy. But, they made some money, so clearly it's a great business idea! Unfortunately, Malia/Alia's perfect older sister is a scheming monster who steals their idea away and undercuts their prices. How are the girls going to make any money if all their business is gone?
Review
This is a fun start to a series, and I'll probably read more. I liked that each chapter was told from a different POV, and that M/alia's chapter name headings kept changing. The audiobook narrators were good [each girl voiced by a different woman].
The Babysitters Club series was one of my favorites to read as a 90s kid, especially the mysteries and the movie. So many good memories. I started babysitting at fourteen [summer between 8th/9th grades], and at the time minimum wage was $5/hr, so I charged $2 per kid per hour. I'm curious what these girls were charging and what the older girls went for.
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