While I can see this book having a broad appeal for the middle-grade readers due to its cover and the way it can piggyback off of the Babysitters Club craze, I wasn't a fan and I don't know that the children reading it will enjoy it, either. Its characters are rather bratty and catty, and I'm not sure that they're sympathetic enough to keep readers' attention.

Malia, Bree, and Dot have always had a joint birthday party, but this year they’re thinking big! Their other classmates have parties with exotic animals and famous singers. They want something just as memorable. So when Malia finds an old copy of Ann Martin’s The Babysitters’ Club, she establishes her own babysitting club. It doesn’t matter if she and her friends don’t really like little kids, right?

I enjoyed this book, which is a cute homage to the series that was my first bookish fandom (I even wrote a fan letter to Ann M. Martin- my first and only fan letter). All three girls were quirky individuals, and glitter and cat obsessed Bree reminded me of myself at that age. The sabotage by Malia’s older sister did seem a little over the top, but it wasn’t out of place here. It also reminded me of a plot from one of the original Babysitters’ Club books.

Best of all, the girls learn an important lesson about friendship, and their own strengths and weaknesses.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc.

I have been having my children summer read these books! So far they have loved everyone one of them. I t is nice to see them read outside their usual comfort zone!

This cute story is perfect for readers who love the babysitters club series. In this modern tale, three friends are inspired by the classic tale to start their own club with unexpected obstacles. Girl power, brains, and laughs are covered in this fun book.

This was an ARC from Netgalley. I appreciated the multiple perspective/ shifting narratives and the diversity of the characters. I can see some kids enjoying the drama and the entrepreneurial problem solving. As an adult, the writing wasn’t my favorite, but I get what it was going for.

This will be well received in the 3-6 grade crowd at our library. Who didn't consider starting a babysitting club when reading Ann M. Martin's books growing up. And yes things always go wrong somehow, I babysat for years and it never failed I had kids that would do some strange things! I think this will be successful!

This book updates the original series and follows three girls who live a life of ease, but want money for a blow-out birthday celebration to rival the popular girls and for one, to attract the attention of the a boy. The characters are well-developed, and Cala does a good job keeping them unique throughout the book, even though at times they come across a little annoying and spoiled. The story does promote friendship, reaching goals, and creative thinking, and may appeal to tween girls who are familiar with the original series or Raina Telgemeier's graphic novels re-writes.

Bad Babysitters is a cute read, both for the tween/early teen audience the book is directed to, and for the moms who get a rush of fond nostalgia when they see a Baby-Sitters Club book, the inspiration for the Best Babysitters. The characters can be a little annoying at times, but hey, so can real pre-teen girls. Malia (who wants to be called Alia, which no one remembers), Dot, and Bree are best friends who form a babysitting club to raise money in an effort to top everyone else's amazing 13th birthday parties. However, the situations they face never come up in the Baby-Sitters Club books! Can their friendship survive the turbulence of toddlers and the frenzy of a family reunion?
Bad Babysitters is a fairly enjoyable read. Tweens will see that friendships can struggle and what may seem unforgivable at one moment doesn't seem like such a big deal in the next.

I grew up reading The Babysitters Club books and it's great this particular book took the idea and ran with a modern day version. I do think this will become dated pretty quickly, though with the current pop culture references. It makes me want to revisit The Babysitters Club books to see how well they hold up....

I received this egalley from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. This novel was a good parody of the starting of a Baby-Sitters Club. I feel that many middle grade readers would enjoy this novel because of it being an updated retelling of the Kristy's Great Idea. It might even encourage these readers to pick up the original Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin to read.

This book is brimming with cuteness. I can practically taste the sugary appeal it will have to 4th and 5th grade readers. However, it is heavy with cliches and references that may soon date the book. Thank you, Netgalley, for requesting my honest review.

BAD BABYSITTERS is a really fun book that I think a lot of my students will really enjoy. I like how the three POV characters are very distinct from one another and also unique -- the author does an amazing job with characterization in this story. There were moments in the book I didn't love (the reconciliation scene between the three friends, the family forgetting Bree on her birthday, the inequity between Malia and Chelsea) and some things felt over the top. I thought Chelsea's character was too evil, like unrealistically mean, but maybe this will be addressed more in the sequel. Overall, this is a cute story with a wicked cute cover that my students will enjoy.

I'm only half-way through with Bad Babysitters, but I can safely say that this is a book that I will buy, share, recommend. Quirky characters, sassy dialogue, friendship and sibling rivalry at its very best. A full review to come, but in the words of Nicolas Cage (Adam Samberg), Bad Babysitters deserves "high praise."

This book was SO much fun. I read it aloud to my 8 and 12 year old and they both loved it. It was hilarious. Reminiscent of Babysitter's Club, but funnier, since they are truly terrible babysitters. There are also great friendship, sibling, and family dynamics, in addition to the babysitting antics.

A great middle grade book! My 5th going into 6th grade daughter will love this story as it has many of the themese and ideas found in the books she enjoys! Well written and fun!