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The Baby-Sitters Club #73
Mary Anne and Miss Priss
When Mary Anne tries to get Jenny Prezzioso, a fussy little girl known as "Miss Priss", to join a kickball team, she faces opposition from the kids - and from Jenny, who does not want to play.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
About the author
Ann M. Martin
1,127 books3,096 followersAnn Matthews Martin was born on August 12, 1955. She grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, with her parents and her younger sister, Jane. After graduating from Smith College, Ann became a teacher and then an editor of children's books. She's now a full-time writer.
Ann gets the ideas for her books from many different places. Some are based on personal experiences, while others are based on childhood memories and feelings. Many are written about contemporary problems or events. All of Ann's characters, even the members of the Baby-sitters Club, are made up. But many of her characters are based on real people. Sometimes Ann names her characters after people she knows, and other times she simply chooses names that she likes.
Ann has always enjoyed writing. Even before she was old enough to write, she would dictate stories to her mother to write down for her. Some of her favorite authors at that time were Lewis Carroll, P. L. Travers, Hugh Lofting, Astrid Lindgren, and Roald Dahl. They inspired her to become a writer herself.
Since ending the BSC series in 2000, Ann’s writing has concentrated on single novels, many of which are set in the 1960s.
After living in New York City for many years, Ann moved to the Hudson Valley in upstate New York where she now lives with her dog, Sadie, and her cats, Gussie, Willy and Woody. Her hobbies are reading, sewing, and needlework. Her favorite thing to do is to make clothes for children.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/annmma...
Ann gets the ideas for her books from many different places. Some are based on personal experiences, while others are based on childhood memories and feelings. Many are written about contemporary problems or events. All of Ann's characters, even the members of the Baby-sitters Club, are made up. But many of her characters are based on real people. Sometimes Ann names her characters after people she knows, and other times she simply chooses names that she likes.
Ann has always enjoyed writing. Even before she was old enough to write, she would dictate stories to her mother to write down for her. Some of her favorite authors at that time were Lewis Carroll, P. L. Travers, Hugh Lofting, Astrid Lindgren, and Roald Dahl. They inspired her to become a writer herself.
Since ending the BSC series in 2000, Ann’s writing has concentrated on single novels, many of which are set in the 1960s.
After living in New York City for many years, Ann moved to the Hudson Valley in upstate New York where she now lives with her dog, Sadie, and her cats, Gussie, Willy and Woody. Her hobbies are reading, sewing, and needlework. Her favorite thing to do is to make clothes for children.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/annmma...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
May 26, 2024
i love mary anne but this was some bullshit - it might be one of the worst bsc books i’ve ever read
January 24, 2011
this book is dreadful.
mrs. prezzioso calls the babysitters club looking for a sitter for jenny every single weekday afternoon, indefinitely. so, as you can see, it even starts off badly. if she needs that much childcare, maybe she should think about enrolling jenny in daycare or an afternoon children's program or just hiring a part-time nanny. i think it's unrealistic to expect 13-year-olds to handle that much child care. & note that she only needs a sitter for jenny. no mention of andrea, jenny's baby sister.
mary anne ends up taking most of the jobs--three times a week. the other sitters patch together the rest of the afternoons. when jenny answers the door for mary anne's first job, mary anne is kind of horrified to find her wearing an extremely lacy dress with matching hair ribbons & socks, & shiny patent leather shoes. this is how mrs. prezzioso used to dress jenny (i really wonder how she was successful in forcing a two- or three-year-old to dress this way), but recently, she's loosened up a little & jenny has become more interested in wearing pants & play clothes. but now it looks like she's back to being miss priss, mary anne's private nickname for her.
mrs. prezzioso bustles out of the house with andrea, who is also dressed up like a little doll instead of a baby. again, i don't understand. isn't it not uncommon for babies to vomit or shit all over themselves? what's the use in dressing them up like little dolls? anyway...
jenny is acting very fussy. she sits very primly so she won't rumple her dress, & when she drips apple juice on herself, she runs to her bedroom to change her entire outfit. she also obsessively washes her hands over & over, even scrubbing beneath her fingernails while muttering about how "mommy doesn't like for us to be dirty". mary anne is justifiably freaked out by jenny's behavior.
the next time mary anne sits for jenny, it's more of the same. mrs. prezzioso rushes away with andrea all dolled up & leaves a phone number different from the number she'd left the day before. jenny is wearing another prissy dress. mary anne auggests they take a walk around the block, & jenny manages to alienate every child they meet by fussing over dirt & messiness. she says that claire & margo are sitting in the dirt playing with their barbies (they are pretending the dirt is sand & that their barbies are at the beach) "like pigs". mary anne doesn't like jenny's behavior & thinks jenny is being rude...but she doesn't say anything to jenny or make her apologize. again, jenny obsessively inspects her dress for cleanliness & insist on washing her hands over & over.
mary anne looks up jenny's behavior in an old psychology textbook from her father's college days & begind to wonder if jenny has an obsessive-compulsive personality. she also wonders how to bring the issue up with mr. & mrs. prezzioso. she can't help but feel that they are at least partly responsible for jenny's behavior, since jenny keeps insisting that "mommy likes us to look nice".
but the next time that mary anne sits for jenny, all jenny wants to do is make a mess. she's wearing a nice dress again, but she seems indifferent to rumpling it. she mashes clay into the carpet, spills paint all over her bedroom floor, & plays in her muddy sandbox in her nice dress. she makes a mudpie & says it's for andrea. she says she'll put worms in it & andrea will eat it because andrea is perfect & does whatever anyone says. sounds like andrea is gunning for an entry on the missing & exploited children list. she eats a popsicle & gets popsicle all over herself, & spills cran-apple juice all over herself & doesn't seem to care. mary anne suddenly realizes that mrs. prezzioso isn't going to be upset with jenny when she sees the mess--she's going to blame mary anne for allowing jenny to get so messy. so she forces jenny to clean herself up & put on clean clothes before mrs. prezzioso gets home.
finally, after much cajoling from all the other sitters, mary anne asks mrs. prezzioso where she's going every afternoon. turns out she is taking andrea on modeling auditions & jobs. andrea is a baby model. & a successful one. mary anne realizes that jenny is acting out because she's jealous of all the attention andrea is getting for her modeling. first jenny tried to act perfect so she would seem as good as andrea, & then she started being messy to try to get some kind of attention, even if it was negative. it also turns out that mr. & mrs. prezzioso are well aware of the problem (thank god--i hate books in which kids have obvious behavioral problems & the parents don't notice until the sitter brings it up). they just don't know what to do about it. they have been trying to ignore jenny's behavior--not acknowledging it one way or another, but that's obviously not working.
then jenny hits on the solution herself: she wants to try modeling too. mrs. prezzioso agrees to give it a try. she asks mary anne to accompany jenny to have some head shots taken (mrs. prezzioso has to take andrea to a modeling job at the same time). jenny tries to be game, but it's obvious that modeling is more work & less fun than she expected. she completely bombs her first audition & is very discouraged. it's an audition for kids of all ages, so andrea is up for the same job. andrea gets a call-back & jenny doesn't. jenny is discouraged.
meanwhile, our B-plot is heating up. the pike triplets have decided that they are too old to be babysat. they want their own project, where they get to be in charge. so they start a neighborhood kickball team. the local kids are really excited for it (including jenny, who is allowed on the team after she promises not to complain about getting dirty)...until it becomes clear that the triplets are not great leaders. they fight amongst each other & give the kids conflicting instruction. eventually all the neighborhood kids quit & the triplets are pissed. the babysitters are ambivalent about stepping in to offer guidance, because the triplets made it clear that the team is their project & they don't want any help. but finally mallory tries her hand at offering some tips while respecting their autonomy, & the triplets are receptive. they give kickball another try & kids come to the game & have fun, i guess.
this dovetails with the jenny story because she ends up not being that upset about not doing well at modeling because it means she mas more time to play kickball. mr. & mrs. prezzioso are surprised that jenny isn't more upset, but also relieved. andrea continues to be a great baby model. mrs. prezzioso says the baby modeling is important because she's socking andrea's fees away into a college fund. "the modeling will help guarantee her education," she says. you know what else would guarantee her education? taking all the money the prezziosos waste on frilly dresses & putting it into a college fund. just a thought.
mrs. prezzioso calls the babysitters club looking for a sitter for jenny every single weekday afternoon, indefinitely. so, as you can see, it even starts off badly. if she needs that much childcare, maybe she should think about enrolling jenny in daycare or an afternoon children's program or just hiring a part-time nanny. i think it's unrealistic to expect 13-year-olds to handle that much child care. & note that she only needs a sitter for jenny. no mention of andrea, jenny's baby sister.
mary anne ends up taking most of the jobs--three times a week. the other sitters patch together the rest of the afternoons. when jenny answers the door for mary anne's first job, mary anne is kind of horrified to find her wearing an extremely lacy dress with matching hair ribbons & socks, & shiny patent leather shoes. this is how mrs. prezzioso used to dress jenny (i really wonder how she was successful in forcing a two- or three-year-old to dress this way), but recently, she's loosened up a little & jenny has become more interested in wearing pants & play clothes. but now it looks like she's back to being miss priss, mary anne's private nickname for her.
mrs. prezzioso bustles out of the house with andrea, who is also dressed up like a little doll instead of a baby. again, i don't understand. isn't it not uncommon for babies to vomit or shit all over themselves? what's the use in dressing them up like little dolls? anyway...
jenny is acting very fussy. she sits very primly so she won't rumple her dress, & when she drips apple juice on herself, she runs to her bedroom to change her entire outfit. she also obsessively washes her hands over & over, even scrubbing beneath her fingernails while muttering about how "mommy doesn't like for us to be dirty". mary anne is justifiably freaked out by jenny's behavior.
the next time mary anne sits for jenny, it's more of the same. mrs. prezzioso rushes away with andrea all dolled up & leaves a phone number different from the number she'd left the day before. jenny is wearing another prissy dress. mary anne auggests they take a walk around the block, & jenny manages to alienate every child they meet by fussing over dirt & messiness. she says that claire & margo are sitting in the dirt playing with their barbies (they are pretending the dirt is sand & that their barbies are at the beach) "like pigs". mary anne doesn't like jenny's behavior & thinks jenny is being rude...but she doesn't say anything to jenny or make her apologize. again, jenny obsessively inspects her dress for cleanliness & insist on washing her hands over & over.
mary anne looks up jenny's behavior in an old psychology textbook from her father's college days & begind to wonder if jenny has an obsessive-compulsive personality. she also wonders how to bring the issue up with mr. & mrs. prezzioso. she can't help but feel that they are at least partly responsible for jenny's behavior, since jenny keeps insisting that "mommy likes us to look nice".
but the next time that mary anne sits for jenny, all jenny wants to do is make a mess. she's wearing a nice dress again, but she seems indifferent to rumpling it. she mashes clay into the carpet, spills paint all over her bedroom floor, & plays in her muddy sandbox in her nice dress. she makes a mudpie & says it's for andrea. she says she'll put worms in it & andrea will eat it because andrea is perfect & does whatever anyone says. sounds like andrea is gunning for an entry on the missing & exploited children list. she eats a popsicle & gets popsicle all over herself, & spills cran-apple juice all over herself & doesn't seem to care. mary anne suddenly realizes that mrs. prezzioso isn't going to be upset with jenny when she sees the mess--she's going to blame mary anne for allowing jenny to get so messy. so she forces jenny to clean herself up & put on clean clothes before mrs. prezzioso gets home.
finally, after much cajoling from all the other sitters, mary anne asks mrs. prezzioso where she's going every afternoon. turns out she is taking andrea on modeling auditions & jobs. andrea is a baby model. & a successful one. mary anne realizes that jenny is acting out because she's jealous of all the attention andrea is getting for her modeling. first jenny tried to act perfect so she would seem as good as andrea, & then she started being messy to try to get some kind of attention, even if it was negative. it also turns out that mr. & mrs. prezzioso are well aware of the problem (thank god--i hate books in which kids have obvious behavioral problems & the parents don't notice until the sitter brings it up). they just don't know what to do about it. they have been trying to ignore jenny's behavior--not acknowledging it one way or another, but that's obviously not working.
then jenny hits on the solution herself: she wants to try modeling too. mrs. prezzioso agrees to give it a try. she asks mary anne to accompany jenny to have some head shots taken (mrs. prezzioso has to take andrea to a modeling job at the same time). jenny tries to be game, but it's obvious that modeling is more work & less fun than she expected. she completely bombs her first audition & is very discouraged. it's an audition for kids of all ages, so andrea is up for the same job. andrea gets a call-back & jenny doesn't. jenny is discouraged.
meanwhile, our B-plot is heating up. the pike triplets have decided that they are too old to be babysat. they want their own project, where they get to be in charge. so they start a neighborhood kickball team. the local kids are really excited for it (including jenny, who is allowed on the team after she promises not to complain about getting dirty)...until it becomes clear that the triplets are not great leaders. they fight amongst each other & give the kids conflicting instruction. eventually all the neighborhood kids quit & the triplets are pissed. the babysitters are ambivalent about stepping in to offer guidance, because the triplets made it clear that the team is their project & they don't want any help. but finally mallory tries her hand at offering some tips while respecting their autonomy, & the triplets are receptive. they give kickball another try & kids come to the game & have fun, i guess.
this dovetails with the jenny story because she ends up not being that upset about not doing well at modeling because it means she mas more time to play kickball. mr. & mrs. prezzioso are surprised that jenny isn't more upset, but also relieved. andrea continues to be a great baby model. mrs. prezzioso says the baby modeling is important because she's socking andrea's fees away into a college fund. "the modeling will help guarantee her education," she says. you know what else would guarantee her education? taking all the money the prezziosos waste on frilly dresses & putting it into a college fund. just a thought.
November 30, 2016
this is my first time reading this book!
in this semi-offensive waste of a baby-sitters club book by my least favorite ghostwriters Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner, jenny prezzioso becomes miss priss again. and by miss priss, I of course mean miss little-girl-with-serious-undiagnosed-mental-health-issues. mary anne takes a regular gig babysitting for her most afternoons while mrs. prezzioso takes baby andrea to unknown places, and jenny copes with it by having a meltdown if a crumb gets on her clothes and overwashing her hands. turns out that andrea is going for auditions because she's a baby model, and jenny feels like if she's more perfect she can be a model too. her mom takes her on auditions, but when jenny doesn't get as many jobs as andrea, she melts down in the opposite way: intentionally mussing her clothes, getting food and dirt all over the house, etc. meanwhile, the pike triplets (who have told their parents and the bsc members that they're too old for babysitters) start a neighborhood kickball team with no rules and no consistency and turn to the bsc for help when the team falls apart.
highlights:
-while I hate this creepy-ass child modeling plotline (just as much as I hated the beauty pageant plotline in Little Miss Stoneybrook... and Dawn), at least mrs. prezzioso explicitly states that she will be using all money made for the girls' college funds.
-after mallory realizes that she's been baby-sitting more than she did before she got sick (her parents only let her sit for her siblings, but she sits for them most days), she finally tells her parents it's inappropriate and they agree to let her be a legit bsc member again.
-some basic teaching the reader about the modeling industry by teaching jenny about it (she gets a fake sunburn from lighting during a beach shoot, how auditions work, etc)
lowlights/nitpicks:
-the biggest lingering issue: I just don't buy jenny's coping mechanisms. if she has obsessive-compulsive disorder, that's not something that just suddenly turns around completely and becomes disordered messy behavior. she clearly displays obsessive behavior (panicking at the prospect of making a mess, not letting go of those feelings, etc.) and compulsive behavior (cleaning her clothes if a speck of dirt gets on them, need for spotlessness, etc.). so where does that go later on in the book?
-why two mary anne books in a row? UGH I HATE HER.
-mrs. prezzioso is like next-level bad parent in this book. at first it seems like she doesn't know that taking andrea to all these auditions/barely paying attention to jenny is causing jenny so much distress. then it becomes apparent that she does, but she still doesn't really get that a serious change needs to happen. how about you take andrea on auditions two days a week instead of five? how about you intentionally make time to spend with jenny? how about you tell jenny you think she's great, and pretty, and that while andrea is great and pretty too, that doesn't make her perfect?
-the second the pike triplets try to get the slightest semblance of freedom, everything blows up in their faces and they need the bsc again. this is so annoying. the bsc isn't perfect, stop treating them like they are!
-at the end jenny's happy that she didn't get one modeling job she had auditioned for because it means she can play kickball. once again, this would be a normal behavior for a normal kid (like claire pike's plot resolution in Claudia and the Mystery at the Museum, but for a kid with actual mental health problems (which is CLEARLY what's going on earlier in the book) it doesn't make any sense.
no claudia outfits.
people in the fashion/modeling industry outfits:
robert gautier (jenny's photographer):
-"He wore crisp white pants and a white polo shirt that showed off his incredible tan. Resting in his jet-black hair was a pair of designer sunglasses."
carolyn devries (one of the folks in charge of an audition):
-"Ms. DeVries wore a navy blue linen suit with navy blue heels. Her collar-length blonde hair seemed to be glued in place like a helmet."
dixie (the assistant director on jenny's beach photo shoot):
-"A short plump woman in black leggings and a black sweatshirt with Picture This! in neon pink writing across the front jogged over to meet us."
snacks in claudia's room:
-potato chips in the back of her closet
-mallomars under her bed
in this semi-offensive waste of a baby-sitters club book by my least favorite ghostwriters Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner, jenny prezzioso becomes miss priss again. and by miss priss, I of course mean miss little-girl-with-serious-undiagnosed-mental-health-issues. mary anne takes a regular gig babysitting for her most afternoons while mrs. prezzioso takes baby andrea to unknown places, and jenny copes with it by having a meltdown if a crumb gets on her clothes and overwashing her hands. turns out that andrea is going for auditions because she's a baby model, and jenny feels like if she's more perfect she can be a model too. her mom takes her on auditions, but when jenny doesn't get as many jobs as andrea, she melts down in the opposite way: intentionally mussing her clothes, getting food and dirt all over the house, etc. meanwhile, the pike triplets (who have told their parents and the bsc members that they're too old for babysitters) start a neighborhood kickball team with no rules and no consistency and turn to the bsc for help when the team falls apart.
highlights:
-while I hate this creepy-ass child modeling plotline (just as much as I hated the beauty pageant plotline in Little Miss Stoneybrook... and Dawn), at least mrs. prezzioso explicitly states that she will be using all money made for the girls' college funds.
-after mallory realizes that she's been baby-sitting more than she did before she got sick (her parents only let her sit for her siblings, but she sits for them most days), she finally tells her parents it's inappropriate and they agree to let her be a legit bsc member again.
-some basic teaching the reader about the modeling industry by teaching jenny about it (she gets a fake sunburn from lighting during a beach shoot, how auditions work, etc)
lowlights/nitpicks:
-the biggest lingering issue: I just don't buy jenny's coping mechanisms. if she has obsessive-compulsive disorder, that's not something that just suddenly turns around completely and becomes disordered messy behavior. she clearly displays obsessive behavior (panicking at the prospect of making a mess, not letting go of those feelings, etc.) and compulsive behavior (cleaning her clothes if a speck of dirt gets on them, need for spotlessness, etc.). so where does that go later on in the book?
-why two mary anne books in a row? UGH I HATE HER.
-mrs. prezzioso is like next-level bad parent in this book. at first it seems like she doesn't know that taking andrea to all these auditions/barely paying attention to jenny is causing jenny so much distress. then it becomes apparent that she does, but she still doesn't really get that a serious change needs to happen. how about you take andrea on auditions two days a week instead of five? how about you intentionally make time to spend with jenny? how about you tell jenny you think she's great, and pretty, and that while andrea is great and pretty too, that doesn't make her perfect?
-the second the pike triplets try to get the slightest semblance of freedom, everything blows up in their faces and they need the bsc again. this is so annoying. the bsc isn't perfect, stop treating them like they are!
-at the end jenny's happy that she didn't get one modeling job she had auditioned for because it means she can play kickball. once again, this would be a normal behavior for a normal kid (like claire pike's plot resolution in Claudia and the Mystery at the Museum, but for a kid with actual mental health problems (which is CLEARLY what's going on earlier in the book) it doesn't make any sense.
no claudia outfits.
people in the fashion/modeling industry outfits:
robert gautier (jenny's photographer):
-"He wore crisp white pants and a white polo shirt that showed off his incredible tan. Resting in his jet-black hair was a pair of designer sunglasses."
carolyn devries (one of the folks in charge of an audition):
-"Ms. DeVries wore a navy blue linen suit with navy blue heels. Her collar-length blonde hair seemed to be glued in place like a helmet."
dixie (the assistant director on jenny's beach photo shoot):
-"A short plump woman in black leggings and a black sweatshirt with Picture This! in neon pink writing across the front jogged over to meet us."
snacks in claudia's room:
-potato chips in the back of her closet
-mallomars under her bed
February 12, 2019
The Prezziosos' name says it all. Their little girls have to be precious and pretty and perfect. In this installment of the Baby-Sitters Club, Jenny Prezzioso tries being prissier and prettier than ever. Can she have mental problems? (The Baby-Sitters could be more sympathetic to Jenny, but let's face it, a child who is neater and more proper than Mary Anne is not normal.) And then Jenny flipflops and tries being messy and bratty, such as her upbringing has allowed her to imagine those things. Turns out the Prezziosos are pushing the girls to be toddler models, and baby Andrea is actually "working" while Jenny is feeling a preview of out-of-work-actor syndrome.
If a four-year-old was able to understand and react to this kind of situation as mindfully as Jenny does, rather than just reacting up-and-down and all-over-the-place and being much harder to understand, *that* child would be positively precocious. More than other BSC novels I think this one's been simplified to fit the baby-sitting tips into a short simple story.
If a four-year-old was able to understand and react to this kind of situation as mindfully as Jenny does, rather than just reacting up-and-down and all-over-the-place and being much harder to understand, *that* child would be positively precocious. More than other BSC novels I think this one's been simplified to fit the baby-sitting tips into a short simple story.
November 12, 2020
I have to admit, I groaned when this was the next BSC book on my list to read. First of all, the last BSC book I read was a Mary Anne one. And she was feeling pretty sorry for herself in that book. Secondly, knowing that this book was about Jenny P made me feel very much like a member of the Club when the Prezziosos call - groaning, rolling eyes, hoping to avoid it. So I feel their pain.
Luckily this book wasn't as bad as I remembered. Yes, Mrs P is very extra, but at this point, I'm used to the parents of Stoneybrook being clueless about their kids. Jenny isn't as bad as usual, considering she's full-on Miss Priss, but her acting that way is understandable. (But god Mrs P, make some time to spend with your non-model child!) And the triplets are having a tough go of things, but it was entertaining. All in all, not a bad book, considering it has the makings of being a painful read.
Luckily this book wasn't as bad as I remembered. Yes, Mrs P is very extra, but at this point, I'm used to the parents of Stoneybrook being clueless about their kids. Jenny isn't as bad as usual, considering she's full-on Miss Priss, but her acting that way is understandable. (But god Mrs P, make some time to spend with your non-model child!) And the triplets are having a tough go of things, but it was entertaining. All in all, not a bad book, considering it has the makings of being a painful read.
October 9, 2021
I feel like this storyline was one of the most unresolved we've had in a while. Mary Anne tried to help Jenny's family solve their issues and couldn't, which I'd normally just find realistic, but this one just left me feeling pretty meh about the whole thing. Especially since this is far from the first time this has happened with Jenny in a BSC book (or am I stuck in a time loop?) and the reason the plot isn't really resolved is because her mom is super unwilling to actually take the time to deal with her own daughter and give her the time of day.
And I feel like whichever ghostwriter was dealing with Mary Anne in this book made her even blander than she usually is (other than losing her temper once, which was such a breath of fresh air.)
And I feel like whichever ghostwriter was dealing with Mary Anne in this book made her even blander than she usually is (other than losing her temper once, which was such a breath of fresh air.)
January 3, 2022
Uh, why was this a Mary Anne book? The "Jenny Prezzioso is a brat" story has been done to death, and Mary Anne didn't actually do anything to help Jenny.
This should have been a Mallory book, because Mallory’s plot about her parents basically trapping her in the house so she can babysit for them while they do everything but raise their kids is much more interesting and raises so many questions. The Pike triplets wanting more independence also was more interesting, considering they're like a year younger than Mallory.
I’m also reading these in publication order and I’m instantly annoyed any time they do a mystery book and a regular book with the same POV back-to-back.
This should have been a Mallory book, because Mallory’s plot about her parents basically trapping her in the house so she can babysit for them while they do everything but raise their kids is much more interesting and raises so many questions. The Pike triplets wanting more independence also was more interesting, considering they're like a year younger than Mallory.
I’m also reading these in publication order and I’m instantly annoyed any time they do a mystery book and a regular book with the same POV back-to-back.
June 21, 2025
Mary Anne is fine in this book but Mrs Prezziozo is terrible. Can you not figure out why your kid is unhappy? Of course she’s jealous of you taking her baby sister out modeling every day. When she tells Mary Anne that she can’t spend more time with Jenny because Andrea has appointments every day? You’re doing this to your kid. She doesn’t have to go to auditions. She’s a literal baby.
The subplot with the Pikes. In Mallory’s books Mrs Pike always seems sympathetic but here she is kind of terrible. Using her sick daughter as a babysitter every day? I mean if I had 8 kids I would never be home either but that’s why I have zero kids.
The subplot with the Pikes. In Mallory’s books Mrs Pike always seems sympathetic but here she is kind of terrible. Using her sick daughter as a babysitter every day? I mean if I had 8 kids I would never be home either but that’s why I have zero kids.
Read
July 29, 2020As a kid my best friends sister had the whole BSC series on a book shelf in her room. I thought she was so grown up. And I envied this bookshelf. And would often poke my head into that room just to look at it.
And when I read BSC, I felt like such a grown up.
And while I might have still been a little too young to understand some of the issues dealt with in these books, I do appreciated that Ann M. Martin tackled age appropriate issues, some being deeper than others, but still important.
March 5, 2023
When I was 10 I joined a readers club/group where we got a new book every week. I chose The babysitters club.
The books are fantastic! So enjoyable. I loved getting the book every week. They are super quick reads and I was able to read it in one day.
Highly recommend for young teenagers to read or even younger if they are able too read well.
The books are fantastic! So enjoyable. I loved getting the book every week. They are super quick reads and I was able to read it in one day.
Highly recommend for young teenagers to read or even younger if they are able too read well.
May 20, 2021
When the Prezziosos request a baby-sitter for every day of the week for months, Mary Anne takes the job and learns that Andrea is a baby model...and Jenny is trying desperately to compete with her for her parents' attention. While Jenny is working through these issues, the Pike triplets are growing restless as baby-sittees and want to exert control over their local kickball team.
May 19, 2024
This book is kind of weird. Some difficult things are dealt with well, but some other strange things are treated totally casually, like what it's like to be a very young child performer, including some of the very alarming things some of the adults involved say, which went totally unremarked upon.
October 23, 2019
Review on www.Audible.com please listen to this book
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October 10, 2020Read my recap at A Year with the BSC via Stoneybrook Forever: https://www.livethemovies.com/bsc-blo...
December 20, 2020
(LL)
This book does a good job tackling: jealousy between siblings and letting kids try to figure their problems out.
This book does a good job tackling: jealousy between siblings and letting kids try to figure their problems out.
August 23, 2023
This one is cute, and I like that Jenny learns that modeling and acting aren't as fun as they may seem at the start.
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January 1, 2024All of the adults are awful in this one. Not as bad as the Ramseys leaving their 11 year old in charge for a weekend bad, but pretty close.
July 23, 2024
Rated by my 8 year old
January 13, 2025
3 stars. This one was just okay. It wasn't the most interesting book but it wasn't awful.
February 9, 2026
This one sure aged in some kinda way! Loved the deeper dive into Jenny as a character, though.
May 17, 2023
I actually felt bad for Jenny Prezzioso in this one. She is usually just a spoiled brat but she had some serious issues in this book and for the most part, they're completely ignored. Also, what is this outfit Mary Anne is wearing on the cover?? Logan's sweats? It's awful.
The book starts with Mary Anne helping Mallory watch the younger Pike kids. Mal is still recovering from mono, but her parents let her baby-sit her siblings. A lot. Too much. Mary Anne references one of the mystery books, which kind of makes me want to start reading them, but I had decided to wait until I finish the regular series, whenever that will be. The triplets declare that they are officially too old to be baby-sat, at 10 years old. Back then, yeah probably. Now? I'm not so sure. I guess it depends on the kids and the neighborhood. In the intro chapter, Stacey's boyfriend Robert gets a mention and the showdown they had with the basketball players and cheerleaders is discussed too. Like we care lol. At the end of the meeting, Mrs Prezzioso calls and says she needs a sitter for Jenny (not baby Andrea) every afternoon for the foreseeable future. The girls are all kind of stunned, but don't question it. Mary Anne ends up with the most days, with the others filling in for her.
At her first job, Mary Anne is shocked to see "Miss Priss" back. Jenny had relaxed a little recently, wearing play clothes and going outside. But now...she was covered from head to toe in lace. Two pink lace bows perched in her dark brown hair. Her pink dress had a delicate lace collar, lacey puffed sleeves, and a big satin-and-lace sash around the waist. Even her socks were topped with lace. Jenny looked more like a doll-the kind you collect, not play with-than a real little girl. (No Claudia outfit, so this is the best we get!)
Mrs P rushes out the door with Andrea and Mary Anne tries to get Jenny to play, but she doesn't want to. She spills a drop of juice on her dress and freaks out, running to her room to change clothes and then washing her hands several times, obsessively. They go on a walk and see some kids, but Jenny doesn't want to play and get dirty. After the 2nd time sitting for her with this happening, Mary Anne asks her dad that evening if he knows anything about behavior problems and he lets her look at some of his old psychology books. Mary Anne reads up on it (OCD basically) and wonders if she is equipped to help Jenny. Not if she should talk to the parents. Just if she can help her. Sigh.
Mary Anne finally finds out that Mrs P is taking Andrea on auditions, to make her a little child star. I'm getting Olsen twins vibes. Jenny begs to go to one of the auditions and Mary Anne goes with them. Turns out Jenny is jealous of Andrea because she's perfect and getting lots of attention (and some jobs) and Jenny is left out. Luckily, she's not holding a grudge against her sister though. She just wants to be included. Jenny tells her mom she wants to do the modeling/acting thing too so Mrs P agrees and sets her up to get head shots taken. But then precious Andrea gets a call-back, so she asks Mary Anne to take Jenny instead. The shoot goes okay and Jenny gets an audition right away, but it's a disaster.
The next sitting job, Jenny has decided she doesn't care about being perfect anymore. She gets juice all down her dress, rips her tights, and decides to make a mud pie for perfect Andrea. She makes a mess in the house too: playing with clay in the living room, painting without her smock, making a peanut butter sandwich all over the kitchen, knocking over a vase of flowers. Mary Anne is extra worried and still doesn't speak to the parents, but instead calls Dawn all the way in California and takes over a whole BSC meeting to discuss it. She finally decides to talk to Mrs P but first yells at Jenny for causing a mess again. Mrs P is, of course, aware of her child's problems but also doesn't want to give up on Andrea's acting career. So they basically let Jenny just sort things out herself.
The Pike triplets start up a kickball team but can't keep it together long enough to actually play a game. Claudia & Mal try to give them some pointers on how to be leaders and at first the boys don't want to listen, but eventually do and the team is a success. Even Jenny plays at the end. And Mallory is back in the BSC officially!
Blogged at SeeJennRead
The book starts with Mary Anne helping Mallory watch the younger Pike kids. Mal is still recovering from mono, but her parents let her baby-sit her siblings. A lot. Too much. Mary Anne references one of the mystery books, which kind of makes me want to start reading them, but I had decided to wait until I finish the regular series, whenever that will be. The triplets declare that they are officially too old to be baby-sat, at 10 years old. Back then, yeah probably. Now? I'm not so sure. I guess it depends on the kids and the neighborhood. In the intro chapter, Stacey's boyfriend Robert gets a mention and the showdown they had with the basketball players and cheerleaders is discussed too. Like we care lol. At the end of the meeting, Mrs Prezzioso calls and says she needs a sitter for Jenny (not baby Andrea) every afternoon for the foreseeable future. The girls are all kind of stunned, but don't question it. Mary Anne ends up with the most days, with the others filling in for her.
At her first job, Mary Anne is shocked to see "Miss Priss" back. Jenny had relaxed a little recently, wearing play clothes and going outside. But now...she was covered from head to toe in lace. Two pink lace bows perched in her dark brown hair. Her pink dress had a delicate lace collar, lacey puffed sleeves, and a big satin-and-lace sash around the waist. Even her socks were topped with lace. Jenny looked more like a doll-the kind you collect, not play with-than a real little girl. (No Claudia outfit, so this is the best we get!)
Mrs P rushes out the door with Andrea and Mary Anne tries to get Jenny to play, but she doesn't want to. She spills a drop of juice on her dress and freaks out, running to her room to change clothes and then washing her hands several times, obsessively. They go on a walk and see some kids, but Jenny doesn't want to play and get dirty. After the 2nd time sitting for her with this happening, Mary Anne asks her dad that evening if he knows anything about behavior problems and he lets her look at some of his old psychology books. Mary Anne reads up on it (OCD basically) and wonders if she is equipped to help Jenny. Not if she should talk to the parents. Just if she can help her. Sigh.
Mary Anne finally finds out that Mrs P is taking Andrea on auditions, to make her a little child star. I'm getting Olsen twins vibes. Jenny begs to go to one of the auditions and Mary Anne goes with them. Turns out Jenny is jealous of Andrea because she's perfect and getting lots of attention (and some jobs) and Jenny is left out. Luckily, she's not holding a grudge against her sister though. She just wants to be included. Jenny tells her mom she wants to do the modeling/acting thing too so Mrs P agrees and sets her up to get head shots taken. But then precious Andrea gets a call-back, so she asks Mary Anne to take Jenny instead. The shoot goes okay and Jenny gets an audition right away, but it's a disaster.
The next sitting job, Jenny has decided she doesn't care about being perfect anymore. She gets juice all down her dress, rips her tights, and decides to make a mud pie for perfect Andrea. She makes a mess in the house too: playing with clay in the living room, painting without her smock, making a peanut butter sandwich all over the kitchen, knocking over a vase of flowers. Mary Anne is extra worried and still doesn't speak to the parents, but instead calls Dawn all the way in California and takes over a whole BSC meeting to discuss it. She finally decides to talk to Mrs P but first yells at Jenny for causing a mess again. Mrs P is, of course, aware of her child's problems but also doesn't want to give up on Andrea's acting career. So they basically let Jenny just sort things out herself.
The Pike triplets start up a kickball team but can't keep it together long enough to actually play a game. Claudia & Mal try to give them some pointers on how to be leaders and at first the boys don't want to listen, but eventually do and the team is a success. Even Jenny plays at the end. And Mallory is back in the BSC officially!
Blogged at SeeJennRead
November 30, 2015
The Babysitters club is a book series from the 80s-2000 about a group of girls who babysit. The books focus on the point of view of one of the girls per book. There are seven girls in the babysitters club. Kristy is the leader who is bossy and outgoing, Mary Anne is the shy quiet one, Claudia is the artist of the group, Stacey is sophisticated and fashionable, Dawn is the flower child, Jessi is the graceful one and Mallory is an aspiring writer. Kristy, Claudia, Mary Anne, Stacey and Dawn are thirteen years old while Jessi and Mallory are eleven. Maybe back in those days, it was fine to have kids babysit other kids. I imagine children their age would actually have their own babysitter nowadays.
I have loved this series since I was a little girl. I am trying to get the whole collection which will take me some time as there are 131 regular books as well as special editions and spinoffs. It’s easy to find babysitter books as many of them are in second shops. Currently I have 32 regular books and 18 special edition ones. I haven’t even read all the ones in my collection either but I am working on it. There are new editions of this series but I like to get the old ones from when I was growing up.
In this book, Mary Anne is asked to babysit four year old Jenny Prezzioso on a regular basis. Jenny is a finicky child who is afraid of getting dirty. She alienates herself from other kids, after refusing to play with them in fear of staining her nice clothes. Mary Anne worries about Jenny but doesn’t want to pry into Jenny’s family life.
There is also a subplot involving Mallory who feels frustrated in having to babysit her siblings all the time. Her ten year old triplet brothers feel too old for a babysitter. They form a kickball team with the other kids in the neighbourhood. It doesn’t work out well for them but they are too proud to ask for help.
I thought this Babysitters book was alright. It isn’t one of my favourites from the series. I thought the issue with Jenny wasn’t really resolved, she just suddenly snapped out of it at the end. The reason for Jenny’s behaviour was to get attention from her parents. She tried to be the perfect child for them. Her behaviour is discussed by Mary Anne and Jenny’s parents but they say that are too busy to give the attention.
As for the subplot, I can sympathize with the triplets as they are only a year younger than Mallory. Reading about the kickball team reminded me of my own childhood. While I didn’t play kickball at home, I use to play cricket with the other kids in the neighborhood. I remember some of the arguments over getting out or fetching a ball which was featured in this book as well.
I have loved this series since I was a little girl. I am trying to get the whole collection which will take me some time as there are 131 regular books as well as special editions and spinoffs. It’s easy to find babysitter books as many of them are in second shops. Currently I have 32 regular books and 18 special edition ones. I haven’t even read all the ones in my collection either but I am working on it. There are new editions of this series but I like to get the old ones from when I was growing up.
In this book, Mary Anne is asked to babysit four year old Jenny Prezzioso on a regular basis. Jenny is a finicky child who is afraid of getting dirty. She alienates herself from other kids, after refusing to play with them in fear of staining her nice clothes. Mary Anne worries about Jenny but doesn’t want to pry into Jenny’s family life.
There is also a subplot involving Mallory who feels frustrated in having to babysit her siblings all the time. Her ten year old triplet brothers feel too old for a babysitter. They form a kickball team with the other kids in the neighbourhood. It doesn’t work out well for them but they are too proud to ask for help.
I thought this Babysitters book was alright. It isn’t one of my favourites from the series. I thought the issue with Jenny wasn’t really resolved, she just suddenly snapped out of it at the end. The reason for Jenny’s behaviour was to get attention from her parents. She tried to be the perfect child for them. Her behaviour is discussed by Mary Anne and Jenny’s parents but they say that are too busy to give the attention.
As for the subplot, I can sympathize with the triplets as they are only a year younger than Mallory. Reading about the kickball team reminded me of my own childhood. While I didn’t play kickball at home, I use to play cricket with the other kids in the neighborhood. I remember some of the arguments over getting out or fetching a ball which was featured in this book as well.
September 15, 2017
I NEVER liked books featuring Jenny Prezzioso as a child, and I do not like them now. First of all, they always treated Jenny like she's totally horrible and intolerable, but Karen Brewer remains a good kid in their eyes. Screw that noise, I hate Karen Brewer and I don't care who knows it. I will fist fight anyone who tries to convince me otherwise. Second of all, most of Jenny's issues can be blamed on her mother and she's just a freaking kid. So her books were just always slow, horrible torture to me.
In this book Mrs. P needs a long-term sitter for Jenny five afternoons a week while she runs off on mysterious errands with Andrea. What ever happened to daycare? Or pre-school? Jenny is four, you couldn't hook her up with some sort of program? Anyway, I digress. Mary Anne takes the job three afternoons a week, and the others pick up the remaining days. I don't blame Mary Anne for wanting to keep some of her free time after school. This isn't some freaking full time job shit.
It turns out Mrs. P is carting Andrea, the baby, to auditions for commercials and catalog work. Long story short: Jenny is jealous and trying to be perfect to please her mother. Then she tries modeling herself, and sucks at it. When that fails she starts to be a slob in hopes of getting attention through a brand new avenue. In the end all is somehow saved by kickball instead of parents actually paying real attention to their children.
Thank God that's over.
In this book Mrs. P needs a long-term sitter for Jenny five afternoons a week while she runs off on mysterious errands with Andrea. What ever happened to daycare? Or pre-school? Jenny is four, you couldn't hook her up with some sort of program? Anyway, I digress. Mary Anne takes the job three afternoons a week, and the others pick up the remaining days. I don't blame Mary Anne for wanting to keep some of her free time after school. This isn't some freaking full time job shit.
It turns out Mrs. P is carting Andrea, the baby, to auditions for commercials and catalog work. Long story short: Jenny is jealous and trying to be perfect to please her mother. Then she tries modeling herself, and sucks at it. When that fails she starts to be a slob in hopes of getting attention through a brand new avenue. In the end all is somehow saved by kickball instead of parents actually paying real attention to their children.
Thank God that's over.
December 31, 2023
Poor Jenny is feeling left out as sibling rivalry rears it's head. Mrs. Prezzioso needs a permanent sitter daily and the girls spilt up the days with Mary Anne taking on most of the days. The reason for this soon becomes clear. Baby Andrea is starring in commercials and doing modeling. I always pictured Mrs. Prezzioso as a stage mom and this confirmed it. I'm surprised she didn't do the same for Jenny maybe she did. Jenny at first tries to be perfect always clean and pristine. When that doesn't work she turns into Pigpen from Peanuts. She tries out for her own commercials and fails and settles into a depression. In another plot there's sort of two Mallory is trying to get back into the BSC as she's feeling much better. Worse still her parents let her baby sit for her siblings all the time which is even more exhausting and she thinks of a plan to get her parents to loosen up. The other plot is another Pike story. The triplets one year younger than Mallory feel they don't need baby sitters and are all grown up. They start a kickball team and at first it's a disaster because they are ten and have no idea what they are doing and refuse to listen. All three plots are fairly well done and sorted out in a pretty good way so this was a decent read.
May 1, 2013
Fantastic books for young girls getting into reading!! Great stories about friendship and life lessons. The characters deal with all sorts of situations and often find responsible solutions to problems.
I loved this series growing up and wanted to start my own babysitting business with friends. Great lessons in entrepreneurship for tweens.
The books may be dated with out references to modern technology but the story stands and lessons are still relevant.
Awesome books that girls will love! And the series grows with them! Terrific Author!
I loved this series growing up and wanted to start my own babysitting business with friends. Great lessons in entrepreneurship for tweens.
The books may be dated with out references to modern technology but the story stands and lessons are still relevant.
Awesome books that girls will love! And the series grows with them! Terrific Author!
March 19, 2009
mrs. prezzioso made jenny have ocd!
except then, not really. in fact, everything magically became fine really fast.
claudia said being a baby-sitter or team captain was like being a diplomat. that made me laugh a lot. because it was claudia.
except then, not really. in fact, everything magically became fine really fast.
claudia said being a baby-sitter or team captain was like being a diplomat. that made me laugh a lot. because it was claudia.
April 29, 2009
I don't know why, because she was horrible, but I always rather liked Jenny. Or maybe just liked reading about her? I mean, she was more fun than the goody-two-shoes types!
October 14, 2009
Great book! The baby sitters sit for little Miss Priss! Why is the little girl, Jenny acting like that? Jenny then turns into little Miss Mess. oh my! How will the babysitters solve this problem?
October 17, 2010
Ah! Finally a situation where the BSC does not know a kid better than his/her own parents.
May 20, 2017
I do really like this story but Jenny is written so much older than 8. There are things she does that I do not feel a 4 year old would do.
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