Book Review: Claudia and the New Girl (The Baby-Sitters Club #12) by Ann M. Martin

Claudia has always been the most outrageous girl in her class...until Ashley Wyeth comes along. Ashey's really different - she dresses in hippie clothes, wears six earrings, and is the most fantastic artist Claudia has ever met. Ashey says Claudia has artistic talent, too. She thinks Claudia should spend more time on her "calling" and forget about the Baby-sitter's Club: It's just a waste of time.

The Baby-sitters are sick of Ashley Wyeth, and they think Claudia's a traitor. Claudia's got to decide: either the Baby-sitter's Club or the new girl - one of them's got to go.

Thank you Scholastic Australia for providing me with a copy of this book in return for my independent and honest review.

The Babysitters Club always has an overarching moral of the story. It's like Aesop's Fables in that way. This moral is about resisting peer pressure and staying true to yourself. While the characters all act like children, it makes sense because they ARE children. It seems to me like a good lesson for other middle grade readers. It shows an example of what they are likely to come up against a lot over the next few years in school and socialisation. I liked how it shows the reader that you are allowed to have more than one passion and that you are supposed to dictate your own dreams, not anyone else. I give this book 4 stars.