42 pages • 1 hour read
Ann M. MartinKristy's Great Idea
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1986A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 1-3Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 1 Summary
Kristy Thomas is the protagonist and narrator of the first book in the Baby-Sitters Club series. The club begins from an idea that Kristy has at the beginning of seventh grade, and she is very proud of this fact. It is a hot day at school, and when the day finally ends, Kristy jumps out of her seat and yells for joy, which leads to her teacher reprimanding her. He asks her to write an essay on the word “decorum.” Kristy admits that she can be impulsive, which can sometimes lead to trouble. Kristy has two older brothers, Charlie and Sam, and one younger brother, David Michael, who is six. They all live with their mother, who divorced their father a few years before.
Kristy’s best friend, Mary Anne, lives next door to her. While Kristy is outgoing and outspoken, Mary Anne is quiet and somewhat reserved, except around her closest friends. Mary Anne’s mother died, and she has no siblings; her father, Mr. Spier, is extremely strict. Mary Anne and Kristy live across the street from their friend Claudia, who is passionate about art and seems to be maturing faster than them. Recently, they have drifted apart.
On this day after school, Kristy remembers that David Michael is waiting for her to babysit him at home and rushes back to the house with Mary Anne. She finds David Michael crying on the stairs, waiting to be let inside. Kristy calms David Michael down and gives him some lemonade, and then she and Mary Anne take him down to the creek with their dog, Louie.
That night, Kristy’s mom asks if any of her kids are able to babysit David Michael the following day, and each of them declines. Kristy’s mom frantically phones several people until she can figure out a solution, and Kristy notices the guilt in David Michael’s eyes as he watches. Suddenly, it occurs to her that providing a service where parents could call several babysitters at one number would save people time, hassle, and stress. She can’t wait to tell Mary Anne her idea and waits until nine o’clock when they have their nightly conversation by morse code with flashlights.
Chapter 2 Summary
After supper, Kristy goes to her room. She starts with her essay on decorum, first looking it up in the dictionary and then wondering why her teacher didn’t just say “polite.” She finishes her homework next, and then she finally has time to work on her plan for the Baby-Sitters Club. She knows that she and Mary Anne, and likely Claudia, will be members, but she doesn’t know who else yet. She hopes to advertise in various ways and hold weekly meetings, as well as find a way to pay for expenses. Kristy hopes that parents can use meeting times to call and that at least one babysitter will be free to help them.
Kristy’s mom comes in to hang out for a few minutes before bed. Kristy is proud of her mom for being independent and managing her work-life balance as best as she can. Her father, on the other hand, has not spoken to her in over a year. Kristy’s mom has recently been dating a man named Watson, who has two kids of his own. Kristy dislikes Watson and all men that her mother dates because she fears change and what might happen if her mother remarries.
Before going to sleep, Kristy flashes her idea to Mary Anne through their windows. She thinks about the new club as she falls asleep, trying to distract herself from thoughts of change in her life.
Chapter 3 Summary
Kristy hands in her essay on decorum, and her teacher finds it acceptable. After school, she and Mary Anne discuss their babysitting jobs and decide to arrange to meet up with their kids later on. Kristy brings David Michael with her to babysit the Newton family, and Mary Anne goes to babysit the Pikes.
Mary Anne comes over with her kids soon after, and Kristy tells her about the idea for a babysitters club. She hopes that Claudia will be interested in joining, too, even though Kristy feels intimidated by how fast Claudia seems to be growing up. Kristy notes that Claudia is the first to wear a bra and talks about boys all the time. She doesn’t understand why Claudia likes the same boys who, last year, were picking on them. Still, Kristy and Mary Anne go to visit Claudia and immediately notice that she’s wearing makeup for the first time.
Kristy feels like Claudia has reached a whole new level and doesn’t know what to say. She adds that Claudia is beautiful without makeup and that her extroverted fashion sense is enough. Kristy also wonders to herself if Claudia dresses this way and leans so much into art (and not school) because her older sister, Janine, is a certified “genius.” Janine gets most of the attention from their parents, leaving Claudia to find her own way.
When Kristy tells Claudia about the club and the convenience of giving parents one place to call multiple babysitters, Claudia is on board. She offers to hold the meetings at her place because she has her own phone. Claudia also suggests a fourth member: Stacey. Stacey recently moved to Stoneybrook from New York City, but Claudia isn’t sure why. Kristy hopes that Stacey is as cool as Claudia says she is, and the Baby-Sitters Club is officially born.
Chapters 1-3 Analysis
The introductory chapters of the story introduce its main and secondary characters, the setting of Stoneybrook, and the narrative’s conflicts. Kristy is the narrator of the story, and while she is outgoing and confident, she is also prone to getting into trouble for being too outspoken. The story opens with a scene of Kristy at school in which she bursts out of her seat and yells for joy at the end of a long day. The intention behind this is to demonstrate Kristy’s eagerness, her excitement, and her tendency to say whatever is on her mind: “I think of something to say, and I say it. I think of something to do and I do it. Mom calls it impulsive. Sometimes she calls it trouble” (2). Kristy does feel guilty for being impulsive to some extent, but she states that she can’t help it. As the novel progresses, much of Kristy’s character arc will center upon developing more emotional maturity in her attitude and conduct.
Kristy’s other conflict stems from her family situation, which introduces the theme of Navigating Family Changes. Her parents are divorced, and she never sees her father anymore; it is implied that Kristy has been hurt by her father’s conduct and that she is now feeling extra wary toward the idea of a new man in her mother’s life. In these early chapters, Kristy mentions her mother’s boyfriend, Watson, claiming that she doesn’t like him. She worries that her family will be hurt by Watson in the same way they were hurt by her father. She deeply admires her mother and feels protective toward her, and Kristy also dislikes the idea of big changes that are out of her control. This situation introduces another opportunity for Kristy’s self-growth: While she is resistant to changes in the family dynamic at the novel’s opening, learning to adapt will become another important component of her character arc.
Kristy’s family life is also the inspiration for the formation of the Baby-Sitters Club, which will become an important part of who she is by creating opportunities for Self-Growth Through Responsibility and Agency. In getting the idea for the Baby-Sitters Club and brainstorming a plan even before she speaks to Mary Anne about it, Kristy demonstrates her capacity for leadership and entrepreneurship. Her awareness of various aspects of running a business—advertising, meetings, expenses—shows that Kristy is capable of taking on more responsibility and behaving in more mature ways than she initially appears to be when getting into trouble at school. The idea of running a club also immediately gives Kristy a sense of agency, which contrasts with the sense of worry and helplessness she feels concerning her mother’s love life.
These early chapters also introduce The Importance of Friendship and Teamwork. Kristy is a loyal friend who spends most of her time with Mary Anne and Claudia, and she is eager to have them join the club. In recruiting her friends, Kristy shows an awareness of the benefits of teamwork: In working together as babysitters and pooling their resources and skills, the girls stand a better chance of success than if they continue to pursue babysitting gigs individually. Claudia’s suggestion of Stacey, the new girl, as a fourth member also sets the stage for another important subplot: how Kristy will have to learn to trust and respect a new member of her friend group.
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By Ann M. Martin
