Stuck in Stoneybrook: A Baby-Sitters Club Podcast

Claudia gets a job for Mary Rose Wilder, the multitalented and super smart cash cow of Stoneybrook! Emily discusses conservatorship and talented young women, Esme expounds on the societal worry over “overprogrammed” children, and Anne regales us with ANOTHER tale of a white “inventrapreneur” who stole his idea from —shocker— a brown guy. There’s lots of baby-sitting!!!

Being a boy is really, really hard.

Volunteerism and cancer take center stage in this very earnest treatise on the Make A Wish foundation. Emily ruins it a bit, of course, and we also learn some fun pop culture stuff about it while Jessi continues to be unbelievably mature. Most importantly, where was Mr. Simon going?!?

Is this a strike? Find out Emily’s take along with a brief history of the labor movement in Connecticut. There are lots of puppets in this book, and Esme wants Mallory to communicate her needs more directly (while acknowledging that she is only 11). We also hear about Anne’s harrowing middle school experience with a hamster. And is the plot the same as Mary Anne Misses Logan? A little!

Logan is back, so is Cokie Mason, but there are OTHER monsters to be discussed! Esme breaks down worry, exposure, and kids’ monster fears, whereas Em dives in to queer and feminist theory and the role of the monster in each and makes Anne and Esme play a game about it! Anne regails us with tales of the “Monster Book” her brother used to torture her with and also tells us a bit about Parcheesi (such a Boomer signal). Long live the books of Megan Rinehart!

Babies in costumes. Infant care classes. And, duh, lots of baby-sitting. We’ve got babies up the wazoo, folks! (At least some dads are taking care of some kids?) We discuss updates in colic research, what the heck a baby parade is, and travel down memory lane with Crystal Light. I know, this whole thing is weird. We are along for the (very slow, parade-route-paced) ride.

We were honored to have activist and actress Malia Baker join Emily and Esme in the “studio” (ok fine, Esme’s closet, Emily’s office, and a random business center in an LA hotel). We discuss social media and activism, reducing mental health stigma, representation, and her negotiations with her mom for her acting career. Also junk food and boys and her friendships with all those amazing girls! She’s completely adorable! Enjoy it!

Our parade of AMAZING guests continues with Stacey McGill herself, Shay Rudolph!

Shay and Esme chatted between all of her tres cool actor commitments– about Girl Scouting, protecting your energy, the accuracy of Dawn’s California nature, and all sorts of behind-the-scenes details about her character and process. She’s passionate and charming and super kind and we had a blast getting to know her.

People! It’s Mo-freaking-mona Ta-freaking-mada!!! We know!! We are also freaking out! No surprise she was a darn delight. We discussed the responsibility of playing such an influential Asian character, behind the scenes fun, why Anne should really have a tap dancing career, and OF COURSE junk food. We loved her and you will too! Enjoy!

We continue our series of super duper cool interviews this week with executive producers Naia Cucukov and Lucy Kitada of the Baby-Sitters Club on Netflix! More behind the scenes content, great discussion of women and girls in film and confirmation that Dawn’s blonde hair is not a personality trait, as well as BSC trivia and other fun! Join us and learn a thing or two about the movie/TV biz and how to handle yourself when you go woo Ann M. Martin (spoiler: bring someone slightly less obsessive than yourself).