The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novels: A Guide to More BSC

Mary Anne was always my favourite character in the series. Out of all the girls, it was her quiet nature that I found myself relating to most. Even though the entire series is an ode to the girls’ friendship, this was one of the first moments it was tested. What I love most about this is the cover illustration. The expression captured on Mary Anne’s face is so unlike the character, which makes the story more intriguing. It’s the beginning of Mary Anne’s journey into leaving her father’s shadow and finding herself.

This one makes the top half because I think it manages to talk about an important issue while staying true to the overall light theme of the series. I also think the illustrations in this one are particularly interesting. Stacey was always the cool confident girl on the outside, but the illustrations here show more of how she feels in her own head. There’s also a noticeable change in the way she sees her life in New York City versus how she sees Stoneybrook. Storywise I love this book because of how differently things turn out to be from what Stacey imagines. Just goes to show that not all people are the same.

Who doesn’t love a wedding! It was fun to see Kristy deal with all these new things being thrown her way. She has to adapt to this new life that’s all alien to her and for someone that’s always in control its hard. Its one of the few books that show Kristy’s more vulnerable side and it’s great to see. The focus on her mum is also great because after the series I love her character so much more.

As Dawn’s first book in the series, I think it provides a good introduction to the character. Its also the first book in The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novels series that’s illustrated by Gale Galligan. Personally, I love how Dawn’s famous long blonde hair has been illustrated. The cover of this book makes it seem like it has a life of its own.

I remember not being too fond of this one when I was younger. Maybe that was because this was one of the storylines I had the hardest time relating to. Revisiting it now, I can definitely see some of the greater things about this book. There’s a lot to be said about Stacey’s lovestruck experience and the idea of friends being important even in the face of romance. While each of Stacey’s books start with a short introduction to her diabetes, Galligan’s illustrations put a whole new spin on it. The colours, style and even a diagram of the digestive system make what would be a hard topic for children much easier to follow.

As the first book in the series, there’s no doubt that this one is special. But whether its because I love the original one or that the other stories go more in depth into specific storylines, this one didn’t really stand out here. That being said, it definitely has its charm. It is after all the start of a series that pretty much changed my life. Why else would I be writing about it more than ten years after I first read the books.