Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
Povera Stacey! È arrivata da poco da un'altra città, sta ancora cercando di accettare il fatto di avere il diabete e deve affrontare problemi da baby-sitter ogni giorno. Per fortuna ha tre grandi amiche come Kristy, Claudia e Mary Anne. Insieme hanno fondato il Club delle Baby-sitter e possono superare qualunque ostacolo sulla loro strada... persino se si tratta di un club di baby-sitter rivali! Età di lettura: da 11 anni.

141 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2006

2057 people are currently reading
13162 people want to read

About the author

Raina Telgemeier

57 books16.7k followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
13,262 (56%)
4 stars
6,387 (27%)
3 stars
3,064 (12%)
2 stars
597 (2%)
1 star
296 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 979 reviews
202 reviews15 followers
March 16, 2017
I started reading the Baby-Sitter's Club books when I was nine years old, and even though they are deeply formulaic and predictable and old-fashioned and ridiculous, I loved them then and I love them now and I will continue to love them with the same fervor until I die (not to get all hyperbolic or anything). They were recommended to me (actually to my mom for me) by the mom of one of my elementary school classmates (thanks, Mrs. Lee!) because one of the main characters, Stacey, has diabetes (that's the ominous "Truth" in The Truth About Stacey). Stacey is the first diabetic character I encountered in literature, and she remained the only one for a couple years (until I got Sweetblood from the Scholastic book fair in fifth or sixth grade and I became obsessed with that book instead).

It's only years later that I realized how outdated (and somewhat problematic) the representation of diabetes is in these books. Stacey can't eat pizza (my nightmare) or any of the good snacks at club meetings, and the club members continually mention that it's "gross" Stacey has to give herself shots and that they could never do it ("I could never give myself shots multiple times a day!"). [This is one of my all-time least favorite things people say to me about diabetes, because it's total bullshit. When your options are "shots" or "death," my guess is that 99.99 percent of people are gonna choose shots.]

Anyway. I only recently learned that the first few BSC books had been updated into graphic novels and I was curious to see how they'd be updated, especially with regard to Stacey's diabetes, since the text was first published in 1986. I couldn't tell when exactly the graphic novels are set: the girls still answer a regular telephone with a cord at club meetings, and although Claudia's outfits remain wacky, they're not specifically late 80s/early 90s–wacky—and I imagine that even a modern Claudia would be wearing some wild outfits, so that didn't give me any clues. As for diabetes updating, the graphic novel provides a little more factual, straightforward information about what diabetes is during the scenes focused on Stacey's diagnosis (at least as far as I remember it's more info, since I haven't read the original in a loooooong time).

The diabetes representation that bothered me the most actually bothered me more in the graphic novel interpretation than it did in the original book (although again, I haven't read the original in a long time, so this is just based on my memory). Stacey takes Charlotte for a walk downtown and they go into a candy store, and Stacey is ~*tempted*~ by the evils of sugar and chocolate! (To be fair, so is Charlotte, but the "to eat candy or not to eat candy" dilemma isn't as "life or death" for her.) Anyway, there's a very dramatic panel of Stacey reaching for the candy, mouth watering, and then tearing herself away and running out of the store, as though if she stays there for one more second she will eat the candy and then, presumably, drop dead on the spot. Because that's totally how it works.

In 1986, were diabetic children supposed to eat candy? No, probably not, because we didn't have the technology and knowledge that we do now. But in 2015—or 2017—can diabetic children eat candy? If they take the right insulin for it, sure, why not. It's yet another example of diabetes being used to create dramatic tension just for the sake of creating tension, of using diabetes as a plot device, and it really bummed me out. It plays into these stupid stereotypes that still (somehow) exist, that diabetics can't eat sugar or that we got diabetes because we ate too much candy, and so on and so on.

Side note: this whole thing could be avoided if Stacey had an insulin pump. It makes candy-eating (and spontaneous eating in general) sooo much easier. (Side note to the side note: Are there even any diabetic characters in literature who use a pump? I can't think of any, which is weird, because almost all of the diabetics I know in real life are on pumps.) But seriously, you could make a whole book about Stacey getting a pump. It is a normal event in the life of a child with diabetes that could provide some interesting plot points (i.e. Stacey explaining to the kids she babysits for how a pump works/telling them not to push the buttons. Or middle schoolers make stupid jokes about it and Stacey takes them down, and the other members of the club support her!), but then it would stop being a plot point and just be a thing happening in the background of all BSC books that quietly—NOT dramatically—makes Stacey's life better. I would have loooooved to see a story like that when I was actually reading BSC books, because all of those things (and more) happened to me and it is cool to read books that actually reflect your own experiences, instead of all of this misplaced fear about sugar and candy that I did not actually have. My own experiences involved plenty of candy, thank goodness.

Tl;dr: four stars because while this series and these books are very important to me, I still wish the portrayal of Stacey's diabetes was handled in a different way. And I still think she should get a pump. Because pumps are awesome.
Profile Image for Prabhjot Kaur.
1,133 reviews218 followers
March 6, 2021
Stacey moved to Stoneyboork from New York City not that long ago. We find out that she has diabetes and for her better health, her parents decided to move which works out better for Stacey as she makes new friends fairly easily and she is actually enjoying her life here including the baby-sitters club.

Meanwhile, the baby-sitters club has competition from another agency and the agency has older kids to baby-sit. So the baby-sitters club comes with ideas to overcome their competition. Another great read with beautiful illustrations.

4 stars
Profile Image for Prabhjot Kaur.
1,133 reviews218 followers
August 28, 2022
Stacey moved to Stoneyboork from New York City not that long ago. We find out that she has diabetes and for her better health, her parents decided to move which works out better for Stacey as she makes new friends fairly easily and she is actually enjoying her life here including the baby-sitters club.

Meanwhile, the baby-sitters club has competition from another agency and the agency has older kids to baby-sit. So the baby-sitters club comes with ideas to overcome their competition. Another great read with beautiful illustrations.

4 stars
Profile Image for Tina Loves To Read.
3,445 reviews1 follower
July 22, 2022
This is a Middle Graphic Novel, and this is the second book in the Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novels series. I have to say there was so much put into this book, and I do not think the Graphic Novel did the best getting all the information put into. This book was not my favorite to begin with. I found this book just ok.
Profile Image for Schizanthus Nerd.
1,317 reviews304 followers
December 30, 2020
Raina did such a fantastic job translating the third BSC book into a graphic novel. But was there ever any doubt? I’d be on board if she made the entire series into graphic novels.

Given that I’ve read both the book and graphic novel today and because the graphic novel remains so true to the source material, there’s not a lot I can say that I didn’t already say in my review of the book.

Instead I’ll mention some of the changes I noticed between the two. I loved that all of the changes were minor, so the story you’ve known for over three decades is the story you’ll find here.

Book: Everyone goes home to get their own box before returning to Claudia’s house to decorate the Kid-Kits.
Graphic Novel: Claudia gets empty boxes for everyone from her basement.

[image error]

Book: Kristy is usually sprawled out on Claudia’s floor during meetings. This changes for the emergency meeting, when she’s all official with her clipboard, visor and pencil over her ear.
Graphic Novel: Kristy begins the story sitting in a chair during BSC meetings. She does hang out on Claudia’s bed later in the story.

Book: Stacey gets her money out before deciding not to buy anything at the candy store.
Graphic Novel: Stacey doesn’t get her money out at all. She simply thinks about it and tells Charlotte she shouldn’t have any sweets.

Book: The babysitters put on a record for Jamie’s Big Brother Party.
Graphic Novel: The babysitters put on a CD for Jamie’s Big Brother Party.

The Baby-sitters Agency set up a recruitment table inside the school. The babysitters head to the school bathroom to strategise.
Book: The babysitters talk in the bathroom, then decide to hold a meeting at Kristy’s house after school.
Graphic Novel: The entire conversation takes place in the school bathroom.

Book: Stacey and Dr Johansenn have their talk about the new doctor Stacey’s parents want to take her to in the den.
Graphic Novel: Stacey and Dr Johansenn have their talk about the new doctor Stacey’s parents want to take her to in the kitchen.

Book: Pete asks Stacey to the Snowflake Dance when they’re in the cafeteria.
Graphic Novel: Pete asks Stacey to the Snowflake Dance when they’re in the hallway in front of the lockers..

Book: Mary Anne answers the phone call from Mr Kelly and then hands the phone to Kristy once she finds out why he’s calling.
Graphic Novel: Kristy answers the call.

Book: Stacey babysits for Jamie (Hi-hi!) Newton and he tells her about his other babysitters.
Graphic Novel: Mary Anne babysits for Jamie (Hi-hi!) Newton and he tells her about his other babysitters.

Book: Stacey talks to Dr Johansenn a second time in the Johansenn’s home.
Graphic Novel: Stacey talks to Dr Johansenn a second time while Dr Johansenn is driving her home.

Book: The babysitters discuss their concerns about Jamie with their parents before talking to Mrs Newton.
Graphic Novel: The babysitters wait out in the snow until Cathy has left and then go talk to Mrs Newton.

The babysitters quiz members of The Baby-sitters Agency about the kids they babysit.
Book: They ask what Charlotte’s favourite TV show is.
Graphic Novel: They ask what Charlotte’s favourite game is.

Book: When Stacey and her parents arrive at Laine’s family’s apartment, Laine is in her bedroom.
Graphic Novel: When Stacey and her parents arrive at Laine’s family’s apartment, Laine is in the same room as her parents.

Book: The popcorn and diet soda Stacey buys at the movies costs $1.75.
Graphic Novel: The popcorn and diet soda Stacey buys at the movies costs $9.25.

Book: Makeovers Inc. sounds as though it’s going to be a moneymaker.
Graphic Novel: Makeovers Inc. sounds as though it’s going to be a flop.

The illustrations are the usual Raina awesomeness, with characters whose expressions tell the story just as well as the words. One of my favourite scenes was when Kristy calls The Baby-sitters Agency to find out how they operate and says she has a date with Winston Churchill.

[image error]

I really enjoyed the flashback scenes in the graphic novel that give you an idea of what Stacey’s life in New York was like. The text that’s added to those panels felt like it belonged in the story. I loved Stacey and Laine’s ideas for the apartment they planned to get together when they were in the fifth grade.

I read the black and white version of this graphic novel. Sorry about the dodgy photos I took of it. To give you an idea of what the colour version looks like, here are the first three pages:

[image error]

[image error]

[image error]

Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com
Profile Image for Chasity.
251 reviews13 followers
January 11, 2022
Until recently when my daughter liked the show, did I pay much attention to BSC. I had some of the books as a middle school student, but it wasn’t necessary my favorite. The graphic novels are great for anyone interested in the storylines. The show is well done, I think, but with the illustrations in the books, they are just as good.
Profile Image for Kerri.
1,102 reviews462 followers
May 30, 2020
My second read of this book, with the illustrations being in colour in this edition. These are fun, nostalgic reads, a nice way to revisit an old favourite with a fresh twist. Raina Telgemeier captures the characters perfectly.
Highlights in this volume include the creation of the Kid Kits which takes their baby-sitting into a new realm of professionalism, Stacey's New York memories, and Claudia's outfits - her artistic approach to clothes was always something I loved reading about, and it's nice to see them brought to life.

The difficulty Stacey and her parents have about finding a balance when it comes to managing her diabetes is well handled. Her parents drag her to doctors constantly hoping for medical breakthroughs. Stacey is handling her illness well, and wants to able focus on school and her friends, not endless medical appointments that feel (and are) needless. Her parents are annoying and overbearing, but it comes from a well-meaning place. Both viewpoints are handled fairly.
Profile Image for Mackenzie.
2 reviews5 followers
January 10, 2017
I thought that it was a good read, but the one thing that is incorrect about the book is that in the original series, "The Truth About Stacey," is the third book while Claudia and the Phantom Phone Caller is the second book. They literally skipped 1 book in the series and in my opinion, Claudia and the Phantom Phone caller was one of the best books in the series.
Profile Image for Sophie Crane.
5,211 reviews178 followers
June 3, 2023
Stacey moves from NYC to a CT after she discovers her diabetes. In school, she's started The Babysitters Club, but a rival agency run by older girls interferes with their business. But the Club fights back with great service and Stacey learns more about her diabetes. A really well done graphic novel.
Profile Image for Marie the Librarian.
1,433 reviews255 followers
February 7, 2017
This was very good. I like these girls and their adventures and challenges!
Profile Image for Mady.
1,386 reviews29 followers
June 21, 2025
Oops, I’ve got a new guilty pleasure! This was perfect candy brain for me.

Stacey is the one narrating the story this time. So it focuses more on her problems with diabetes and visits to the doctors. In an attempt to get her to feel better, her parents decide to take her to a new doctor in New York, where she meets her ex-best friend.
At the same time the Baby-Sitters Club has to face the competition of the Baby Sitters Agency with older kids who can stay out until later.
Profile Image for Tiffany.
612 reviews11 followers
April 5, 2017
Oh the nostalgia!! I grew up loving the Baby-Sitter's Club and these graphic novels are a fun way to bring back memories of my childhood.
Profile Image for Genres and Journals *Tia*.
1,261 reviews360 followers
February 5, 2023
A few things are changed or left out from the original book…some good changes and some others seemed minor and unnecessary. But overall this is a very good graphic novel adaptation of the The Truth About Stacey. I’m glad they are continuing to adapt these for today’s girls!
Profile Image for Natalie.
641 reviews3,850 followers
May 5, 2020
I was so excited for this follow up to Kristy's Great Idea. I wanted to dive head first into Stacey’s story.

However, I wish more time was spent with Stacey’s personal life instead of constant meetings with the baby-sitters club brainstorming how to get more business. We spent more time in this book with the green background than in Stacey’s house.

Also, I wanted some cute budding romance to appear in this book like it does in the movie. It became a bit of a let down in the end. Still, I'm excited to see what appears in the next book.

Browse through your bookish purchases here:


Visit bookspoils.com for more book discussions and reviews.
Profile Image for Wendi Lee.
Author 1 book480 followers
March 5, 2017
I picked up a copy of this book because the Baby-Sitters Club series was my first book fandom when I was a kid (I even wrote a letter to Ann M. Martin and received one back from her!), and I was curious to see how Raina Telgemeier would shape the book into a graphic novel. The graphic novel style really updates this series for a new generation of kids.

Oh, and much love to Martin for having an Asian American main character in these series. When I was growing up, characters who looked like me (or frankly, who wasn't white) were few and far between. Claudia Kishi was important to me because she wasn't any of the stereotypes floating around- she wasn't studious, she wasn't good at math, she was artsy and had her own sense of style.
Profile Image for Rachel.
Author 4 books182 followers
January 29, 2019
Oh my God! I’m having such nostalgic feels over this series. Keep ‘em comin’!!
5 reviews
February 26, 2020
A really good and fun book to read in your spare time I recommend.
Profile Image for ChrissiesPurpleLibrary .
488 reviews166 followers
March 4, 2024
This was Stacey's orgin story and I loved it! Its so refereshing to read these books from an adult perspective and seeing how the adults interact with the babysitters club. I am having so much fun.
Profile Image for Rachel Holtzclaw.
996 reviews14 followers
September 19, 2024
this felt so nostalgic!! still so wild that this series is flourishing because of this graphic novel format
Profile Image for Lia Strange.
649 reviews264 followers
June 6, 2020
me gusta como tratan una enfermedad como la diabetes, es decir, es un cuento para niños y lo tratan de una manera que los mas pequeños lo entiendan
Profile Image for Paige.
25 reviews1 follower
October 10, 2019
This was a very quick read. I forgot to log in when I first started it, but it didn't take long to finish this.
Profile Image for Chirag.
27 reviews8 followers
January 31, 2021
Violet said the book was “good” and she learned that friendships can recover if they apologize for ignoring each like Stacey and Laine did

Oona said the book was “good” and she learned that sometimes they should tell somebody when something is happening like when the BabySitters Agency were doing bad stuff. Like leaving Jamie in the streets with no hats and muffins
Profile Image for Itaewon Reads .
389 reviews96 followers
March 2, 2019
Enserio de verdad, me encantan estas novelas gráficas, en esta nos habla un poco mas de Stacey y me ha gustado muchísimo la verdad, necesito mas ...
Profile Image for Emily.
420 reviews9 followers
February 1, 2020
Honestly can not get enough, I wish they made the entire series again as a set of graphic novels. I would 100% spend the approximate $1000 that would end up being.
Profile Image for Mehsi.
15.1k reviews454 followers
February 13, 2016
Wow, this one was chock-full of stuff. I really love seeing the BSC books come to live with these graphic novels. I hope there will be several more, well maybe not the whole series (as there are so many books), but maybe a few of the special ones.

This time Stacey is the main character and it was so interesting to see things from her POV. Don't get me wrong, Kristy is an amazing character and I really liked her, but Stacey is just a bit different. Both of the girls have had their share of problems in their lives, but I think Stacey has had the biggest problem, and still has that problem. Her diabetes and how it changed her life. From a girl who could eat, drink and do anything, to a girl who has to take shots, keep an eye on what she eats, how much she eats and on her exercise, it is quite a change for an 12-year old girl. She also had to move, she lost a best friend.
Quite a bit of the book is about Stacey's life with diabetes, we also find out what happened to her in her old city, and what happened to her friend. But we also see how her parents treat her, and while I can understand that the parents act like this, I wish they would also have listened to Stacey better. Made sure she was also comfortable with all the doctors, with all the diets. I know, Stacey is 12, and the parents have custody and all that jazz, but really, something big as this, something that impacts a life of anyone so much, I just wish the parents would look up, see that their daughter is a human being with wishes and hopes, and not just something to drag around and try to get fixed.
Stacey is really a wonderful character, and I just loved the latter parts of the book, where she goes back to her old city to visit a doctor, but also meets a friend, and what happens there, well you will have to read the book, but I can guarantee you, it is just something that made me cheer and made me so happy.

The other thing that is going on in this volume is the fact that our babysitters have competition. There is a new babysitters group in town, and they will do anything to get rid of our babysitter group. I really despised those girls. They didn't even want to truly babysit, they just wanted money and probably to also just be best in stuff. Using their older ages as an advantage (though again, these are 13/14 year old kids I am guessing? Why are they able to stay up so late? Sorry, but when I was that age, I couldn't just stay out until 11 or midnight, or even later. I just had to be home early, get to bed on time. I am amazed, and also a bit worried.
But the whole competition and how dirty they played the stuff, wasn't the only reason I didn't like this group. They also treated the kids horrendously. Not watching them properly (look what almost happened to Jamie), not caring about allergies or interests of the kids. And that those parents just trusted them like that. Not even once noticing that their kids were sad or not all to happy with stuff.

Kristy had some great ideas though, and I loved the ending of this. How it was solved, it was fantastic and I am happy it ended this way.

The art is of course amazing, as expected since it is by Raina Telgemeier (one of my favourite artists). She really has a knack of bringing out the characters, bringing the story to life and so much more. You will just be dragged in the story and it won't let you go until the very end! One thing I didn't entirely like though was the fact that the characters look way older than they are. These are 12 to 13 year old girls, yet they look older. And every time they said their ages, I had to double-check to make sure they were right.

All in all, I would highly recommend this graphic novel to everyone! Be sure to also check the first one out.

As for me? I will be waiting for the third volume of this one, and hoping that there will be many more to follow!

Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Displaying 1 - 30 of 979 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.