The Babysitter's Club: Dawn and the Impossible Three

Martin, Ann M. The Babysitter's Club: Dawn and the Impossible Three. 1987.

Plot: Dawn, the newest member of the Babysitter's Club, attempts to make a good impression by offering to watch the Barrett children. The family is hopelessly disorganized as Mrs. Barrett attempts to gain control of her life following a messy divorce. Dawn rises to the occasion, cleaning the house and helping the kids. As the Barretts begin relying on her more and more, Dawn realizes she may not be enough for the family. Discord with the club's leader, Kristy, complicate things further. After an afternoon with Kristy, Dawn seems to regain control of her social situations...until one of the Barretts disappear while she watches them. Dawn must confront a babysitter's worst fears while facing a situation she cannot maintain.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading Level: Grades 4-8

Similar Titles: Baby-Sitting is a Dangerous Job, Calvin Coconut: The Zippy Fix

Personal Thoughts: I had to take off the nostalgia lenses for this one. The series was one of my favorites when I was younger, but now I wonder why. The friendships, locations, customs, and interactions are not especially realistic. Much of the dialog and descriptions rely on the ever-changing whim of fads. The story is not especially intriguing. Yet, I adored the novels.

Perhaps the reason relied on the relevance of the time. Divorce rates began to rise, so I actually encountered kids, like Kristy and Dawn, with separated families for the first time. The clothes described by the novels also related to what I wanted to buy during my tweens. Even the snacks were based on popular brands. Yet, I think the main reason for my interest relied on another, simpler fact. The girls and the people they interacted with were, for all practical reasons, normal. Supernatural fantasy and mystery novels were really popular when I was a tween, so finding a book where magic and deduction did not whisk the protagonists away seemed few and far between. Since realistic fiction enjoys considerably more popularity than previous decades, the books can be judged more on their merit, rather than novelty.