The Baby-Sitters Club Volume 3: Mary Anne Saves the Day

Found in a Little Free Library in Amherst MA USA.

Title: The Baby-Sitters Club
Issue: Volume 3: Mary Anne Saves the Day
Publisher: Scholastic / Graphix
Date: 2015
Writer: Raina Telgemeier, Ann M. Martin
Artist: Raina Telgemeier
Letterer: John Green
Editor: Cassandra Pelham Fulton, David Levithan, Sheila Keenan

The main plot in this story, told from Mary Anne's point of view, is that a big fight breaks out between the four members of the Baby-Sitters Club, and none of them are on speaking terms with each other. A few attempts to work it out go wrong for various reasons, and the quality of their work begins to suffer as they close in on an upcoming birthday party that they are all expected to work together.

The main plot here, is a bit generic, and it's the least interesting thing going on in the book. Mary Anne makes a new friend, Dawn, who's new in town and discovers a connection between Dawn's mom and her dad. She also confronts her dad about his overprotective side, handles a genuine emergency on a babysitting job, and even changes her hairstyle.

The character development for Dawn is great, and so are a bunch of the small moments involving interactions with supporting characters. Raina Telgemeier has done a great job bringing Ann M. Martin's setting to life, and all of the small details really give the story some extra sparkle.

The series continues with #4, which I read previously and reviewed here.

Rating: 7/10

The Baby-Sitters Club Volume 4: Claudia and Mean Janine

Bought at my school's spring book fair.

Title: The Baby-Sitters Club
Issue: Volume 4: Claudia and Mean Janine
Publisher: Scholastic / Graphix
Date: 2016
Writer: Raina Telgemeier, Ann M. Martin
Artist: Raina Telgemeier
Colorist: Braden Lamb
Letterer: John Green
Editor: Cassandra Pelham Fulton, David Levithan, Sheila Keenan

This is Raina Telgemeier's adaptation of one of the original Baby-Sitters Club novels by Ann M. Martin. I haven't red any of the original prose series, but this was a good solid bit of family drama with humor and heart. It doesn't quite hit at the personal level that Telgemeier's autobiographical works do, but it was still quite engaging. Although this is the fourth volume in the series, it stands alone quite well and tells a complete story.

That story focuses on the sibling rivalry between younger sister Claudia, who is into art, fashion, and Nancy Drew novels, and older sister Janine, who excels at school and loves coding and web design. Their lives are thrown into disarray when their grandmother suffers a near-fatal stroke, and the events that follow bring them apart, and then eventually together. Meanwhile, the Baby-Sitters club launches into summer with a new playgroup project that gives the other club members a chance to shine, and provides some comic relief.

Telgemeier's artwork is always wonderfully expressive, and it really shines in a lovely scene with Dawn and Kristy playing in the barn on Kristy's family's property, as well as in some nice quiet moments between Claudia, Janine, and their grandmother, Mimi.

Rating: 7.5/10

Guts

Bought at the Foreign Languages Bookstore, Shanghai, China.

Title: Guts
Publisher: Scholastic / Graphix
Date: 2019
Writer: Raina Telgemeier
Artist: Raina Telgemeier
Colorist: Braden Lamb
Letterer: Jesse Post
Editor: Cassandra Pelham Fulton

This is the third of Raina Telgemeier autobiographical series. Raina starts a difficult year in the fifth grade with what at first seems like a bad stomach flu. But a series of recurring stomach problems and anxiety attacks make an already stressful school year terrifying. As the year goes on, Raina learns some ways to face her fears and discovers that she isn't as alone as she thought she was.

Raina Telgemeier's brilliance is her ability to surprise the reader without going to extremes. Her stories are grounded in real interactions but still loaded with plot twists and turns.

This story covers issues around mental health and chronic illness in ways that will resonate with readers, and it manages that with humor and heart.

Rating: 9/10

Amulet Book Eight: Supernova

I bought this for the Kiddo at Boocup in the Kerry Place Mall in the Jingan Temple neighborhood of Shanghai, China.

Title: Amulet Book Eight: Supernova
Publisher: Scholastic / Graphix
Date: 2018
Writer: Kazu Kibuishi
Artist: Kazu Kibuishi
Editor: Cassandra Pelham Fulton

Something of a transitional chapter in the story, this volume focuses on Emily's struggle to regain control over her powers and her identity. It also serves to wrap up several plot details, and expands on the worldbuilding, extending the story into outer space and to other planets.

Emily's internal struggle is central to the ongoing plot, and there are a couple of surprising revelations. But what really stands out in this volume are the interactions between Aly and Navin, who are on a mission to a planet where they make some new friends, but end up having to make a harrowing escape down a narrow mountain path on bikes. Aly and Navin are great in this story, and it's good to see them get some of the spotlight even as Emily is coming into her own as a stonekeeper.

Rating: 8.5/10