Ann M. Martin’s The Baby-sitters Club® Series to be Released as eBooks in December

Author Ann M. Martin spent the latter part of the 1980s and most of the 1990s working on the The Baby-sitters Club series, which was supposed to debut in 1986 and end in 1987, and to consist of only four titles. Instead, it ended 15 years later, with four additional related series, approximately 250 titles, spawned a TV series as well as a movie, and prompted girls around the world to start their own baby-sitters clubs. The Baby-sitters Club became the first children’s series to appear on the USA Today bestseller list and was named one of the “Books of the Century” by the New York Times Book Review.  For more information and to download images, visit The Baby-sitters Club media room at http://mediaroom.scholastic.com/babysittersclub.

“When I created the characters in The Baby-sitters Club in the mid-1980s, I never would have imagined that twenty-five years later there would be BSC fan sites, and blogs about the fictional lives of the characters,” said author Ann M. Martin. “I’m humbled and thrilled when I hear from readers, including original fans, that The Baby-sitters Club fueled a love of reading, or when I hear from fans that the series inspired them to become writers, editors, and teachers. Those are the best compliments I could hope for.”

“Inspiring a generation of girls to love books and reading is one of the best legacies of The Baby-sitters Club,” said Ellie Berger, President, Scholastic Trade. “The series has maintained a devoted fan base, especially among older readers, some of whom are still obsessed with the characters and remember the books as cozy and comfort reads that they love to this day. The universal themes in the books—friendship, empowerment, entrepreneurialism, and individualism still resonate with readers. With the release of the first twenty Baby-sitters Club titles in e-book format, we will not only reach the existing fans where they are in the digital space, but also expand the readership of this beloved series.”

Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books and a leader in educational technology and related services and children’s media. Scholastic creates quality books, print and technology-based learning materials and programs, magazines, multi-media and other products that help children learn both at school and at home. The Company distributes its products and services worldwide through a variety of channels, including school-based book clubs and book fairs, retail stores, schools, libraries, on-air, and online at www.scholastic.com.

For more information about Scholastic, visit our media room at: http://mediaroom.scholastic.com.

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