Kristy's Great Idea (Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novels #1)

Calista

Rating: really liked it
I picked this up because my niece read this and she said it was okay and Raina Telgemeier illustrated this graphic novel and I love Raina's work and try to read all her stuff. The story is from the ever-popular 80's series that I read as a kid. I admit to loving these stories as a teen. I owned the first 10 books. They were all the rage back then. I had this series, Ramona and a few others.

This is a cute story of 4 girls who decide to start a business baby-sitting. It's a nice story with some drama in it, but not too much. One character has a sneaky reveal that did surprise me. I thought one of them was anorexic but was something else. Raina is amazing and her artwork is so great. She can tell a great story and her characters jump off the page. I love her work.

Katie B

Rating: really liked it
4.5 stars

To say I liked this series when I was a kid doesn't adequately cover it. Between the original series, the super specials, the mysteries, and spin-off series with Karen, I owned around 200 of these books. (Thank you Mom for taking me to B. Dalton at the mall every month to purchase them! Sorry Dad that they are still in your basement because I don't have room for them at my house!) And these weren't books I read one time and then moved on to the next. These were my comfort reading so everything was read multiple times. Given Kristy's Great Idea was the first in the series and one of my favorites, I probably read it at least 10 times.

So yes, I was very excited to see this book in graphic novel form. And for the most part, I thought it turned out well. This is the book that obviously sets up the rest of the series as Kristy comes up with the idea to start a baby sitting business with her friends. There were actually some interesting side plots that as an adult I can appreciate more because Ann M. Martin did attempt to add some substance to the books. Kristy is dealing with her mother dating someone as well as having a father who really isn't in the picture. There's also Mary Anne dealing with an overprotective father, Claudia and her relationship with her genius sister, and Stacey and her mysterious eating habits.

Honestly the only thing I didn't like about the graphic novel was the illustrations of the girls' faces. They just weren't very appealing especially Claudia and Stacey although I did think the rest of the graphics turned out nicely and really captured the book quite well.

Definitely recommend as I think this is a graphic novel that will appeal to people of all ages.

Nat

Rating: really liked it


Nothing quite beats the feeling from walking into the library not knowing what to get and walking away victoriously with two exciting reads. Raina Telgemeier graphic novel adaption to the Baby-Sitters Club with Kristy's Great Idea was one of them.

One of my greatest accomplishments as a big sister is passing on my love for books to my ten-year-old sister, and I can thank in part Raina Telgemeier's graphic novels for kicking it off with a bang, specifically with Sisters, which my sister still recites certain scenes from today, like, the infamous road trip. So spending this past Shabbat poring over this newest release was a walk down memory lane for us.

For me, what I personally cherish in these books is how timeless Telgemeier's writing feels. Like, when I read other middle-grade books I'm self-aware throughout the story that this is meant for younger audiences, but there's something so appealing in its nostalgic nature.

I also appreciated how this particular book on babysitting kids showcases situations with how to deal with the not-so-kind moments, similar to How to Talk So Teens Will Listen & Listen So Teens Will Talk, wherein it opens up with a kid acting a certain way (throwing tantrums, asking big questions, opening up) and through the Baby-Sitters Club we see a number of ways to react in a helpful manner.

And as always, the art was astounding and perfectly captured those quintessential summer days spent frolicking outside with friends, thinking of what to do next.

It's also interesting looking back on my 2018 reading challenge to suddenly realize that Raina Telgemeier's Ghosts was my second book of the year (and first graphic novel), just like Kristy's Great Idea is my second read of 2019.

Make your bookish purchases through my Amazon Affiliate. I’ll make a small commission! Kristy's Great Idea by Raina Telgemeier:



This review and more can be found on my blog.

Tina

Rating: really liked it
This is a Middle Grade Graphic Novel, and this is the first book in the Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novels series. I read all the Baby-Sitters Club books when I was younger, and they were my favorite books when I was young. I know I had to read the Graphic Novels base off the Baby-Sitters Club books. I love the drawing in this book, and I really think it helped the story come to life. I really enjoyed reading this book. Great Read.

destiny ♡ howling libraries

Rating: really liked it
As someone who grew up on the BSC series, this was definitely a really lovely trip through nostalgia, though I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if this had been something brand new to me. The story is still fun and the art is pretty but the dialogue feels kind of unnatural and strange.

Prabhjot Kaur (Away)

Rating: really liked it
This was so cute.

Kristy comes up with an idea to form the baby-sitters club with her friends to make money after school. Like any other groups of friends, they have a fight but they make up again and are closer than ever. Kristy doesn't think before she speaks and comes across as rude but she realises her mistakes and apologizes. I also liked Kristy coming to terms with her mother and Watson to get married.

It was a nice story but I enjoyed the illustrations the most.

4 stars

Ashley

Rating: really liked it
IT IS GORGEOUS OMG!!!!

Anyone who knows me knows of my love for all things BSC. They were my favourites as a child, they are my favourites as an adult. I obsessively collect anything BSC, and I like it.

I was hella excited when the first graphic novel came out almost nine (!!!) years ago, and I fell in love immediately. Raina Telgemeier's illustrations suit the story and the characters perfectly, and she did an excellent job of translating the novel into a more visual format. (And an anecdote: I lived at home when these first came out, and my brother took both the graphic novel and the actual book - without telling me - and looked through them both. He commented to me when he was returning them that the adaptation was pretty spot-on, and he was pretty impressed about that.)

So, needless to say, I was even more pumped about the full-colour versions being released thanks to Raina's popularity. And I was not disappointed. (Not that I thought I could be.) The colouring is beautiful, everything looks better than I ever could have imagined. It's like breathing more new life into the books I cherish, and even though I've read Kristy's Great Idea like thirty-thousand times, reading it in full colour was like I was reading it for the first time.

Really hope that this introduces the Baby-sitters Club to a new group of readers, and really can't wait for the next one to come out!!!

Kerri

Rating: really liked it
It was so much fun to revisit a childhood favourite in a new format! I loved The Babysitters Club books when I was younger, and remember them fondly. When I saw this the other day I thought it would be the perfect thing to read right now, and it really was. Characters I already know and love, and a familiar story, now told in graphic novel form. I've read a couple of the Baby-sitters Club graphic novels, but they were in black and white. I liked them a lot, but the colour is a great addition, and I'll be rereading the ones I already have in colour too.

The only downside is, with New Zealand now being in lock down for four weeks, it'll be a little while before I can read the next one, but I'm looking forward to reading them when I can.

laaaaames

Rating: really liked it
I don't know why I'm still so obsessed with the Babysitters' Club, but I am, and I accept that, and I probably should hold Ann M. Martin and her staff of ghostwriters responsible for my current writing ability, but instead I'll tell you that this graphic novel version will give you lots of warm fuzzies, get rid of some of the "OH PLEASE" moments you'd be having if you were rereading the actual novel and not this adapted version, and that I wish Raina Telgemeir was doing THE ENTIRE SERIES.

(Especially the Super Specials.)

Christy

Rating: really liked it
Read this right after I finished re-reading the regular book. A favorite from my 90s childhood. This was fun...I don't think I've ever read a graphic novel before? The illustrations were great!

Leah Waters

Rating: really liked it
This story is so sweet and comforting! I've read it more times than I can count. :)

Britany

Rating: really liked it
This was so much fun!!

I loved the BSC and read all the books growing up. I made my own version of the BSC and had all the swag, watched the movies on repeat, made my own business cards with the computer program, you get the idea...

This was delightful to revisit book 1 in graphic novel format. The images were beautiful and really captured perfectly the hijinks and differences between the main characters. I think this would be a perfect series for any younger middle grade reader today, and I will likely continue on with the series.

Kristen

Rating: really liked it
I devoured this book last night. How fun- I was such a fan of the BSC as a kid and it's great to live through these characters' stories in a new way. Divorce, diabetes, weird babysitting jobs... it's all still relevant. I was so impressed, I wrote an email to Raina Telgemeier, adapter/illustrator today. She wrote me back and was so sweet! She said she'd let me know when she's in Austin. How cool is that? I can't wait to read the 2nd and 3rd issues, and apparently Raina just finished the 4th, as well, so it'll be out soon!

Ambre Lanes

Rating: really liked it
This book is so good

Gabrielle

Rating: really liked it
That was so cute and quick I'm glad I read it and I Definetly want to read the next three books!