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Thursday, July 2, 2020

The Baby-Sitters Club: 5 Things I’d Love to See In the Netflix Reboot

Baby-Sitters ClubSay hello to your friends! The Baby-Sitters Club is back and they’re coming to a screen near you!

Netflix is bringing a reboot of everyone’s favorite group of babysitters to the streaming service Friday – a group that first found a rabid fan base in Ann M. Martin‘s book series of the same name. The series, which debuted in 1986 with Kristy’s Great Idea, follows seven best friends as they experience the ups and downs of running their own babysitting business.

This isn’t the first time the babysitters jumped from the books to the screen. Fans first got to know the babysitters outside of the books in the ‘90s thanks to a 13-episode TV show as well as a feature film a few years later.

Indeed, the enduring legacy of The Baby-Sitters Club is more than just a paperback series for young readers. It’s a world all its own that has built a cult following over more than 100 books. Dedicated fans have come to know the characters and backstory practically by heart. There’s Kristy, whose bossy leadership skills helped The Baby-Sitters Club become the go-to sitting service in fictional Stoneybrook, Connecticut. Through their nonstop adventures, readers saw themselves in the characters. Some were artistic like Claudia. Some were shy and reserved like Mary Anne, while others were more outgoing like cool, California-bred Dawn. And still others loved all things fashion like Stacey, books like Mallory or ballet like Jessi.

Growing up, I was a carbon copy of Mary Anne. I remember the colorful books with the iconic block lettering on the cover. The series meant a chance to bond with my mom every night, as I’d huddle under the covers and listen in wonder as she read each book aloud. It also meant a chance to bond with my father as he’d spend time with me at the library, helping me reach the Baby-Sitters Club books and listen as I carefully debated the merits of each one as I tried to decide which one to check out next.

Baby-Sitters ClubThese books weren’t just something fun to read to pass the time. They were fun, yes, but they also showed me a world I could immerse myself in. For the first time, I felt like I was part of something – a cool group of amazing, diverse young women who were making a difference, whose lives I felt invested in and who I aspired to be like. The characters may have been fiction, but it all felt very real to me.

That’s exactly what made the series so beautiful and relatable: No one in the group was the same, and there was a character for every personality type. The girls were diverse, unique and true individuals, and they each brought something essential to the club and helped make it successful. They were all allowed to be different and those differences were celebrated; there wasn’t any pressure to conform and each book — and TV episode and movie — was a true celebration of being who you are and the joys of having a group of friends who accepted you and loved you unconditionally.

Baby-Sitters ClubMaybe that’s why the series has never felt old or dated. There’s a certain timeless quality that has always made it feel fresh, as if you could plop these characters in any time period and it would still be relevant. The books were such a defining part of my childhood and the lessons they teach — lessons in friendship, life and even entrepreneurship — are just as relevant in 2020. Not to mention, a series aimed at young women is needed now more than ever — young readers need these sorts of role models in their life.

SPOILER ALERT: Scroll down to see a throwback photo of me in the hospital with a BSC book in my hand. Naturally, I’m smiling!

After all, these are the characters my generation fell in love with and I’m so excited that a whole new generation will meet thanks to the reboot!

The upcoming 10-episode reboot is being billed as a live-action that will see the friends, presumably, as the same middle schoolers they were in the books, but in modern day. It’ll be interesting to see how the babysitters’ lives are different in the age of social media and iPhones. Will they take their business online? Will they have an app? Will fashionista Stacey have an Instagram following or blog?

Baby-Sitters ClubObviously, I’ve given this extensive thought (haven’t you??), so here are five things I’d like to see in the reboot…

The babysitters are also activists: Our world is imploding right now, but it’s the young people who are leading the charge for change. I think Kristy and friends would be right there with protesters and activists — maybe even organizing a fundraiser or livestream to raise awareness!

The show tackles modern issues: This one looks like it’s going to happen, seeing as how both Mary Anne and Dawn are played by actresses of color and Dawn’s father is gay. Also, look for a transgender storyline, which is incredibly important in 2020. One more hope I have? That they take on the patriarchy!

They club goes digital: I’d love to see the club optimize for the web — I’m thinking an app, website, maybe online scheduling so busy parents can book babysitters 24/7 instead of just during the club meeting. Although, those club meetings were legendary! Who can forget Dues Day??

Stacey has an Instagram, complete with #OOTD: That stands for Outfit of the Day for those not in the know. And we all know that Stacey is the resident fashionista of the group, so I can see her having a huge following and doing tones of cool street-style shoots!!

Claudia has an Etsy shop: Remember how Claudia is the artistic one? In the ’90s TV series, there was an entire episode all about the cool jewelry she made, so I can see her as a mini mogul with her very own online store. Wouldn’t that be cool??

The possibilities are endless, as is the potential to tackle even more issues real-life teens are facing today, like bullying and mental health. Because at its core, the series is a reflection of its readers. It’s a snapshot of who they are and where they’re going.

Perhaps my friend Rosemary captured the magic best, “I think at its core, the BSC books tell the story of a group of young women who are navigating a time that can be really hard. It tells the story of strong female friendships, being responsible, dealing with conflicts, and finding your place in the world.”

And that is something worth celebrating!

P.S. If you’re as pumped as I am, check out the awesome trailer!! It will certainly get you in the mood to binge-watch The Baby-Sitters Club reboot this weekend!

P.P.S. How cool is it that they recreated the cover of the first book on the series poster?!?!?

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3 Comments Filed Under: books, Entertainment and Media, TV

Friday, January 17, 2020

The Oscars, Greta Gerwig and Why Little Women Is Still More Relevant Than Ever

Greta GerwigThey say that art imitates life and is a reflection of the time period in which it is created. If that’s true, then the same can certainly be said of this year’s Oscars nominations! By now, I’m sure you’ve all seen the distressing headlines about Greta Gerwig getting snubbed for Best Director in favor of all male nominees. And, as I’m sure you can also imagine, I’m not too happy about. In fact, I’m flabbergasted at the sheer irony of it all.

The snub underscores the exact themes of the movie — things like women, money and power. How women are struggling to gain footing, power and recognition in a male-dominated world. How women have to fight a million times harder just to be seen and heard. Basically, it illustrates precisely why Gerwig made Little Women in the first place.

There’s a double twist of cruel irony in the Oscars snubbing Greta Gerwig for Best Director in favor of all male nominees. Little Women itself is a film about empowered women carving out a life for themselves and pushing back against the patriarchy. Gerwig has done just that and yet she’s not being recognized for it.

Even the actors in Little Women were shocked by the snub. For example, Florence Pugh, who plays Amy, gave a brilliant quote in response…

“She’s [Greta Gerwig] literally made a film about this,” Pugh explained. “She made a film about women working and their relationship with money and their relationship with working in a man’s world. That’s literally what Little Women is about, so [this] only underlines how important it is — because it’s happening.”

Also ironically, the snub underscores the importance of Little Women’s Jo March, who is arguably the most outspoken and independent of the four March sisters

Like the rest of civilization, I sat glued to my phone to watch the much-anticipated trailer for Little Women, the latest big screen adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic story of four spirited sisters. While I’ve always identified with each sister’s spunky resolve, I found myself practically shouting “YES” when Jo gave her impassioned speech…

“Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as beauty, and I’m so sick of people saying that love is just all a woman is fit for. I’m so sick of it!”

Why? Because, simply put, Jo March is the feminist hero that we need in 2020. She’s NOT HERE for any type of mansplaining nonsense!!! Yessss, Little Women couldn’t be more relevant right now!! Especially in light of things like #MeToo and women speaking up and speaking out, Little Women is shaping up to be a powerful film — far more deeper and important than the picturesque scenery and cinematography that we were treated to in the roughly two-minute trailer. She’s fierce and tough and, dare I say it, ready to unapologetically take on the patriarchy.

Greta Gerwig“Jo is a rebel, but she’s also loving and loved,” says Monica Rico, assistant professor in women’s and gender history at Wisconsin’s Lawrence University. “She shows that you can be yourself and still be accepted by those who know you best, even if you don’t fit in with social expectations.”

Indeed, as a writer, I’ve always admired Jo; in a profession where women sometimes aren’t taken seriously — this was especially true during Jo’s time — women writers are having to fight harder than men for the same jobs and accolades. But Jo dreamed of becoming a writer and wouldn’t let anything get in her way – not even a boy’s advances.

In the end, Greta Gerwig being shut out of the Best Director category shows us all how little progress we’ve made when it comes to equality and how far we still need to go. So we’ll celebrate powerful women as long as they’re just characters on film and not in real life?? Does it send the message that strong women are OK as long as they’re on film and not in real life? That’s not the message we need to be hearing in 2020. Or ever.

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1 Comment Filed Under: books, inspiring women, movies

Friday, July 26, 2019

My Essay on Family Minded: “The Best Moments to Expect From Netflix’s Baby-Sitters Club Reboot”

Baby-Sitters ClubSay hello to your friends (Baby-Sitters Club)
Say hello to the people who care
Nothing’s better than friends (Baby-Sitters Club)
‘Cause you know that your friends are always there

At long last, my ode to The Baby-Sitters Club is out in the world. This piece had quite the journey from pitch to publication! In March, it was accepted and then rejected by The Washington Post, so I retooled it a bit and then it found a home on Family Minded!! I’m so glad I didn’t give up on this one and it was such an honor to write about a series that was such a huge part of my childhood. So, fellow writers, NEVER GIVE UP on those stories you believe in!

Here’s an excerpt of the piece, in which I thoroughly analyze the world that Kristy and her friends live in and their rightful, prominent place in pop culture history…

No one in the group is the same, and there was a character for every personality type: There’s Kristy, whose bossy leadership skills helped The Baby-Sitters Club become the go-to sitting service in fictional Stoneybrook, Connecticut. There’s artistic Claudia and fashion-loving Stacey. Mary Anne is shy and reserved, while cool, California-bred Dawn is outgoing. And while Mallory prefers to spend the day reading, Jessi loves practicing her ballet routines.

Growing up, the series was such a defining part of my childhood, and it was the first series I remember that got my whole family involved, even before we started the first chapter. I’d bond with my father as he’d spend time with me at the library, helping me reach the BSC books and listening as I carefully debated the merits of each one to decide which one to check out.

I’d also bond with my mom every night, as I’d huddle under the covers and listen in wonder as she read each book aloud, usually asking her if we could read “just one more chapter” night after night.

Baby-Sitters Club
You can read the full piece here and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to email me anytime at mellow1422@aol.com and let’s chat! And of course, feel free to share my essay on Facebook, Twitter or even your local refrigerator. If you share on Twitter, be sure to tag me @melissablake so we can connect! I can’t wait to hear from you! Love you all… xoxo

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Leave a Comment Filed Under: books, Family Minded writing, TV

Monday, June 24, 2019

Motivational Quotes Monday: The Value of Libraries

Happy Monday, friends!! Well, as you can tell from the time of this post, I didn’t make it to the library today!! You know I love going there to get lots and lots of work done, but the easy breezy summer is working against me, I guess!! But still, I thought today’s motivational quotes could honor libraries for all the splendor that they are!! Remember how thrilling and exciting it was to go to the library when you were a child? It was one grand adventure, and thanks to Ms. Bear, my sister and I had adventures at least three times a week! Getting lost in the stacks and reading all the newest issues of your favorite magazines…ahhh, what wonderful days!! Here are five quotes to celebrate all the wonderful things libraries have to offer, in the summer and every day of the year…

Libraries Libraries Libraries Libraries

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4 Comments Filed Under: books, Entertainment and Media, Quotes

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

How One Little Free Library Spreads a Big Love of Books

Little Free LibraryOoooh, friends!!!! I’ve been wanting to do this post for ages now, and I’m so excited that TODAY is finally the day!! Do you remember Jessi? She’s a writer/blogger extraordinaire, and we became fast friends when I was her newspaper adviser many, many years ago! These days, she’s hard at work documenting her family history (fun fact: her ancestor Jacob Haish was an early inventor of barbed wire!) and plotting out her first book!! And speaking of books, Jessi is also sharing her love of books in the form of a Little Free Library!!!

Her Little Free Library lives right in her front yard and has gained quite the following, both in the form of people stopping by to grab a good book and other people dropping off books to add to the selection. It’s a beautiful reminder of the power of reading and the community that forms when people say, “Hey, have you read this book yet?” That’s why I was so glad when Jessi said she’d be game for an interview, so read on to learn more about Jessi’s Little Free Library and why reading is so important to her…


Why did you start your Little Free Library? What was the inspiration?
I had heard about the Little Free Library movement and I was patiently waiting to have one until I owned my own home. My husband and I quickly started putting together ideas for our library as soon as we bought our house! I’ve always loved reading, ever since I was a young girl. This seemed like a fun, easy way to trade and share books, while inspiring a younger generation to do the same.

What’s been the most rewarding about the experience?
I love the response from my neighborhood. A neighbor once posted on my library’s Facebook page and let me know that she and her young son had just finished reading a picture book they had borrowed from the library. Once they had finished it, the son told his mother… “let’s go get another one!” That story and that excitement will stick with me forever.

What books are most popular? What types of books do people drop off regularly?
Children’s books, especially the sturdy, durable “board books,” fly off the Little Free Library’s shelves. I live in a neighborhood with a lot of children and retirees, so kids books and adult books come and go fairly often. I’ve had a wide variety of books dropped off at the library, and incredibly generous donations made — I’ve come home to tubs full of donated books sitting on my front stoop.

You’ve always had a passion for books. Why is reading so important to you?
I’ve loved reading for as long as I can remember. Even in my teen years, sitting at home reading a book on a Friday night was much more intriguing than going out. That still hasn’t changed. I have fond memories of my mom reading to me when I was younger. Now, my dad and I talk about the books we’ve read. Reading encourages my creative side (I’m a writer!) and it fulfills the lifelong learner in me. It sounds cheesy, but I love to explore new worlds and learn new things. That’s what books can do for you.

What’s your favorite book of all time and why?
“The Outsiders” by SE Hinton has been my favorite book since middle school. I’m not even sure what drew me to that book originally, but I’ve read it dozens of times since. I feel a real connection to the characters (I love character development) and I love the story. It never gets old.

Do you have any tips for people who want to start a Little Free Library of their own?
Actually STARTING the library was the most daunting thing for me — constructing something that could hold books. After that, things really got going! First, find a good location, whether it’s your front yard or a public park. Then, figure out who your “clientele” is — that will determine what kind of books you should keep in stock. Something to consider in your design: if your library specializes in kids books, make sure it can accommodate them. I never truly realized how large some children’s pictures books can be! The Little Free Library’s official website has some tips for starting your own library, too. Most of all, just try it out and have fun! It’s so rewarding when you start to see people congregate at your library. It’s very fulfilling to be a Little Free Library steward.

Little Free Library Little Free LibraryThank you for the inspiration, Jessi. Be sure to follow Jessi’s blog Our Midwest Diary, which celebrates all the cool spots she and her husband visit. And, don’t forget to follow her on Twitter and Instagram too! xoxo

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So About What I Said is a daily blog that covers relationships, disabilities, lifestyle and pop culture. I love to laugh and have been known to overshare. I also have an unabashed obsession with pop music, polo shirts, and PEZ dispensers. Read more...

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