ALA Booklist (Wed Nov 30 00:00:00 CST 2022)

Kristy's Great Idea (1986), the first in Ann M. Martin's hugely popular Baby-Sitters Club series (which grew to more than 100 titles and generated both a TV series and a movie), returns in a successful graphic novel makeover. Comics artist Telgemeier's clean-lined, black-and-white art with stark black details nicely differentiates the four personable seventh-graders who parlay their babysitting experience into a business: artsy Claudia; overprotected Mary Ann; Stacey, the girl with a secret; and clever, outspoken Kristy, who willingly supports her friends but refuses to give her mother an inch when it comes to a new stepfather. The story has been effectively trimmed to accommodate the format (Kristy's actions and feelings are the focus), but there's still plenty of content, comedy, action, and emotion--in both the text and the art--as the kids cope with feisty toddlers and personal problems and fight with and help one another, while modeling right behavior and the ups and downs of friendship. It's easy to see how this could evolve into a series of its own.

Horn Book (Wed Nov 30 00:00:00 CST 2022)

The first book in the popular series, here adapted into a graphic novel, chronicles the evolving friendship between four middle-school students--Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey--who create a baby-sitting service. Telgemeier's illustrations successfully capture movement, attitude, and character interaction; the story, though predictable, flows easily, retaining its original facile charm.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Telgemeieroffers a spirited graphic novel adaptation of the debut title in Martin's The Baby-sitters Club series, the story of the four founding members of this fledgling club. The graphic-style black-and-white panels engagingly spotlight the camaraderie, as well as the minor spats, among the quartet of seventh-graders—outspoken tomboy Kristy, earnest, shy Mary Anne, artistic and free-spirited Claudia and the somewhat secretive newcomer to town, Stacey—as they team up to launch a baby-sitting service. Various sitting jobs provide the story's livelier moments: Kristy arrives at one stint to discover that her charges are rambunctious pooches rather than kids, and Mary Anne attempts to rescue a family's cat from the yard of an alleged witch. Telgemeier also portrays the tale's quieter moments, as Kristy gradually and credibly comes to accept her divorced mother's new fiancé and his children, and Stacey reveals that her mysterious behavior is due to the fact that she has diabetes. The artist adds abundant energy to the pages and, largely through amusingly exaggerated facial expressions, ably captures each character's personality. This will likely hook reluctant readers on this affable group of girls and may well spur a new generation of youngsters to move on to the original series. A second adaptation, <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">The Truth About Stacey, is due in the fall. Ages 9-12. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Apr.)

School Library Journal (Wed Nov 30 00:00:00 CST 2022)

Gr 4-7 This graphic-novel version of a popular series describes how the Baby-Sitters Club was formed, focusing on the girls friendships and some of their amusing jobs. Subplots include Kristys gradual acceptance of her mothers boyfriend and their eventual engagement and Stacys medical problem (readers may think its anorexia, but it is really diabetes). The black-and-white cartoons are clear and uncluttered, and the language is simple enough for slow or reluctant readers. Ronnie Gordon, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

Voice of Youth Advocates (Wed Nov 30 00:00:00 CST 2022)

Kristy Thomas is a typically impatient adolescent seventh grader who cannot seem to find enough time to work all the babysitting jobs she would like in order to make extra money. Her great idea is to enlist her two best friends, Mary Anne and Claudia, in a babysitting club that would enable them to schedule jobs to keep each of them busy. In addition, Claudia suggests that they invite a new girl, Stacey, to help them. The girls face a number of challenging jobs, including watching boisterous cousins and pet-sitting unruly dogs as well as handling their own personal trials, but the support of the club helps each to cope, find her own way, and learn from one another. Telgemeier's art is the ideal method to lend currency to her graphic novel adaptation of an old favorite,. Martin's Baby-Sitters Club (Grey Castle, 1986). The graphic work lends the book freshness and appeal, and the art is fluid and clean in style. It is not easy to transform a 150-page book into a graphic novel, but this art portrays motion in such a way that the story line is often told without text and within just a few short frames. The characters are endearing, very expressive, and filled with energy. The level is spot-on, and the adaptation is unique and original. It is a truly fun read that will be a welcome addition to any young adult collection.-Ava Ehde.