The Truth About Stacey

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I was already a bit too old by the time the Babysitters Club books started appearing in our school book club options, but I enjoyed the early books in the series nonetheless. ( )

In this installation, the BSC faces a rival: the Baby Sitters Agency, staffed by middle- and high-school students who can stay out later. Kristy has plenty of ideas to compete, but the ones the club agrees to are the "kid kits" (boxes of toys, books, and art supplies) and a discount for regular customers. Still, the BSC doesn't get as many calls as before - until the girls start hearing from their former charges about the new babysitters, who aren't nearly as attentive or responsible.

Meanwhile, Stacey wins a battle with her parents over managing her diabetes: they keep finding new doctors, despite the fact that Stacey is doing well with her insulin shots and diet. Finally, Stacey finds a doctor who agrees with her and can help reassure her parents that they can back off a little and give her more control over her own health.

All panels are black and white, no color. ( )

Stacey struggles not so much with keeping her diabetes in check, but with keeping her parents' concern about her diabetes in check. She's also still adjusting to living in a new town with new school friends while harboring resentments about her former best friend's abrupt abandonment of her last year. On top of everything else, the Baby-Sitters Club faces a challenge when some eighth graders launch their own "Baby-Sitters Agency."

This book is the second in a graphic novel series based on the middle-grade novels of the same name. Having read the originals years ago when I was a tween myself, I can no longer remember enough about them to make a point-by-point comparison, so this review will be about the graphic novel as a standalone work.

This book picks up right where the last one ended, moving from early in the school year to late fall/early winter of the girls' seventh grade year. Although I suppose you could pick up this book on its own, it certainly stands up better after reading the first title. The focus has shifted from Kristy to Stacey, and we now see the majority of events from her point of view, with a handful of babysitting exceptions.

What's nice about this series is how it can tackle some heavier issues (in this case, Stacey's chronic illness) while still remaining light-hearted and full of humor. Everything remains at an appropriate level of concern for young readers. And while the girls are not perfect, they are well-behaved enough to stand in as role models of good character. For instance, it is increasingly obvious how much they care for the children they watch and how seriously they take their babysitting roles. ( )

I read quite a bit of these as a kid. Nothing mesmerizing or fascinating (even then) but light and fun, easy reads with decent teen drama and some mild humor. This was one of the better ones. ( )