So you read the series of books by Ann Martin, now you’re on the hunt for books like The Babysitters Club books? Welcome!
Recommending readalikes can be a tricky process, but as I said in the first post in this series, I enjoy the process of finding similar threads running through even books that appear different on the surface. Today’s pick is a much-loved series — a classic, if I do say so myself — following a group of friends who start a babysitting club. I loved the female friendship, the occasional mystery, and the entrepreneurial and goal-oriented nature of the characters in this series.
Here’s my readalike criterion: Each book I recommend must have at least three strong similarities with the beloved title. For each recommended book, I’ll also highlight major differences to keep in mind, just in case they might put you off. If you or your kids loved this book, here are more books like The Babysitters Club.
Ready? Let’s go.
Books Like The Babysitters Club Books
Best Babysitters Ever
Similarities
- Three friends start a babysitting service
- Lots of hijinks, drama, crushes, and actual babysitting
- Parents and siblings also play roles in these books
- The original BSC books are actually mentioned in this book
- Part of a series of three books
Differences
- More comedy than the original BSC books
- Set in present day, complete with technology and social media
Strange Birds: A Field Guide to Ruffling Feathers
Similarities
- Four girls of diverse ethnicities become friends
- The story is told from all four perspectives (third person POV)
- The girls band together with a mission to stop the scouts group in their community
- No shortage of wit, fun, and drama
Differences
- Not part of a series
- No babysitting involved
The Prettiest
Similarities
- Three girls form a friendship when their they’re are ranked on a “prettiest” list
- The girls band together to find the list makers
- Story is told from each of the girls’ perspectives in first person
- Two of the girls have little sisters who are a small part of the plot
- Lots of drama, crushes, and emotion
Differences
- Not part of a series
- No babysitting involved
The Amelia Six
Similarities
- Six girls from diverse background become friends in the course of a night
- The girls band together to solve a mystery
- Plenty of drama and fun in one night
Differences
- No babysitting involved
- Not part of series
The Mother-Daughter Book Club
Similarities
- Five girls become part of a mother-daughter book clubs their mothers started
- The girls eventually become friends too
- A fair amount of fun and drama
- Part of series of about 7 books
Differences
- More bookish that the BSC books
- No babysitting involved
CAMP
Similarities
- Set in a camp reminiscent of the BSC summer stories
- Two girls navigate their friendship issues when one gets a bit too clingy
- The girls also make new friends in camp
- Friendship-focused with plenty of middle-school drama
- Part of a series
Differences
- Graphic novel, not prose
- Focuses on two girls, not a big group of friends
The Babysitters Club Graphic Novels
Similarities
- Essentially the BSC books
Differences
- Comics, not prose
You can hear for yourself how The Babysitters Club series got me into reading middle-grade books on this episode of Anne’s Bogel’s podcast What Should I Read Next? Another great option is checking out the Netflix series based on the books. I enjoyed the show for the most part and liked that it stayed close enough to the original story lines.
Your turn! Which books like The Babysitter’s Club series would you recommend and why? I’d love to hear from you. Also, I would love your help with this series. Which middle-grade, chapter books, or picture books, or even YA books would you love readalikes for? Let me know!
More Readalikes
- 6 Books like Save Me a Seat
- 9 Books like From the Desk of Zoe Washington
- 10 Books like Americanah
- 6 Books like Yaa Gyasi’s Transcendent Kingdom
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