The Baby-Sitters Club Wiki
Register
Advertisement
The Baby-Sitters Club Wiki
This article is about the original novel. For the graphic novel, see Claudia and Mean Janine (Graphic Novel). For the Netflix episode, see Claudia and Mean Janine (episode).

Claudia and Mean Janine is the 7th book in The Baby-Sitters Club series.

Back Cover Summary

Claudia's sister is mean! She's too busy being smart to be nice. Even Claudia's grandmother, Mimi, can't get close to Janine. Plus, Mean Janine puts down the Baby-sitters Club. And that makes Claudia MAD!

This summer the members of the Baby-sitters Club are starting a play group in the neighborhood. Claudia can't wait for it to begin. But then Mimi has a stroke...and the whole summer changes.

Now Claudia has to spend her time "Mimi-sitting" instead of baby-sitting. And things with Janine are going from bad to worse. One of the Kishi sisters has to start being nicer. And it's sure not going to be Claudia!

Main Plot

Claudia has an older sister named Janine. While Claudia focuses on her art, the club's new playgroup, and the Baby-sitters Club, Janine is constantly hovered over her computer, studying. Janine is perfect, takes college level classes, and gets all A's, even on the college level courses. Claudia feels like she can't compete with Janine. To her, there is only one member of the Kishi family who understands: Mimi.

Claudia's grades begin to slip, so her parents tell her that she has to either give up art and babysitting, or get better grades. Mimi begins to tutor Claudia. Claudia likes it way better than when Janine tutors her.

When Mimi has a bad stroke, it is up to Claudia to improve her own grades, help Mimi, babysit, AND help out at the playgroup.

Characters

Claudia's Family

BSC Members

Kids

Teenagers

  • Beverly McManiman - girl Claudia hated as a kid (mentioned)

Adults

Locations

Pop Culture and Real-Life References

  • Kermit the Frog
  • Napoleon Bonaparte
  • Nancy Drew books
  • Guinness Book of World Records
  • Babe Ruth
  • Webster's Dictionary
  • Candy Land
  • Johnson's baby shampoo
  • Wheel of Fortune
  • The Saggy Baggy Elephant (book)
  • King Kong

Continuity and Inconsistencies

Continuity

Inconsistencies

Differences in the Reprints

  • The 2020 edition removed the reference to Polaroid photographs in Chapter 13 (on the assumption modern readers might not be familiar with them). The original edition reads "I joined my friends, who were looking at the Polaroid pictures Mr Newton was taking. It was fun to watch each print change from a brownish blank to a clear color photo." The 2020 edition reads "I joined my friends, who were looking at the pictures Mr Newton was taking."

Ann M. Martin's Dear Reader Letter

Dear Reader,

Claudia and Mean Janine is Claudia’s second book in the series, and the first book in which her sister, Janine, becomes a more important character. Now the reader can see the rivalry between the sisters. In a way, this was based on the relationship I had with my sister, Jane, when we were growing up. Neither Jane nor I was exactly like Claudia or Janine, but we were very different from one another. Jane was more outgoing and I was quieter. Jane was athletic, and I hated sports. We were closer in age than Claudia and Janine, and it seemed as if we fought about everything. Now that I think about it, most of our fights were over very small things that we can’t even remember now. And here’s the good news: Once Jane and I grew up, we became best friends.

Trivia

  • The 1987 original printing and 1995 reprint covers have different taglines, which is unusual. Claudia and the Great Search also has a different tagline from the original to the reprint.
  • On the dedication page it reads "for Aunt Adele and Uncle Paul." There's also a page thanking Claudia Werner for her help.
  • Watson lives about three miles from Bradford Court.
  • Kristy says she offered to pay Charlie to drive her to and from BSC meetings, and to and from her sitting jobs; he accepted. But in all other books, it’s only mentioned that he gets paid to drive Kristy to and from meetings.
  • Claudia had her birthday just before the events of this book.
  • Claudia has been giving Janine's hand me down clothes to Kristy and Mary Anne supposedly.
  • Mimi came to America in her 30s.
  • Stacey gets a haircut just before chapter 2.
  • Charlie passed his drivers test and agrees to drive Kristy to meetings.
  • Jobs scheduled but unseen: Claudia for Jamie, Stacey for Charlotte,
  • The playgroup is held at Stacey's house.
  • Mallory helps with the playgroup as a sitter in training.
  • When Claudia messes up the phone number for Chez Maurice she accidentally calls the Arnold Family, who would later become clients.
  • Lucy Newton has her christening in this book.
  • Jenny and Karen do not like each other.
  • Andrew scares Jenny.
  • Rioko knows at least some Japanese to translate for Mimi.
  • The Perkins moved into Kristy's house.
  • This book ends with the premise of the following book, with Mrs. Pike calling and the BSC deciding Mary Anne and Stacey would go.

Gallery

Baby-Sitters Club Books
The Summer Before | #1 Kristy's Great Idea | #2 Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls | #3 The Truth About Stacey | #4 Mary Anne Saves the Day | #5 Dawn and the Impossible Three | #6 Kristy's Big Day | #7 Claudia and Mean Janine | #8 Boy-Crazy Stacey | #9 The Ghost at Dawn's House | #10 Logan Likes Mary Anne! | #11 Kristy and the Snobs | #12 Claudia and the New Girl | #13 Good-bye Stacey, Good-bye | #14 Hello, Mallory | #15 Little Miss Stoneybrook... and Dawn | #16 Jessi's Secret Language | #17 Mary Anne's Bad-Luck Mystery | #18 Stacey's Mistake | #19 Claudia and the Bad Joke | #20 Kristy and the Walking Disaster | #21 Mallory and the Trouble with Twins | #22 Jessi Ramsey, Pet-sitter | #23 Dawn on the Coast | #24 Kristy and the Mother's Day Surprise | #25 Mary Anne and the Search for Tigger | #26 Claudia and the Sad Good-bye | #27 Jessi and the Superbrat | #28 Welcome Back, Stacey! | #29 Mallory and the Mystery Diary | #30 Mary Anne and the Great Romance | #31 Dawn's Wicked Stepsister | #32 Kristy and the Secret of Susan | #33 Claudia and the Great Search | #34 Mary Anne and Too Many Boys | #35 Stacey and the Mystery of Stoneybrook | #36 Jessi's Baby-Sitter | #37 Dawn and the Older Boy | #38 Kristy's Mystery Admirer | #39 Poor Mallory! | #40 Claudia and the Middle School Mystery | #41 Mary Anne vs. Logan | #42 Jessi and the Dance School Phantom | #43 Stacey's Emergency | #44 Dawn and the Big Sleepover | #45 Kristy and the Baby Parade | #46 Mary Anne Misses Logan | #47 Mallory on Strike | #48 Jessi's Wish | #49 Claudia and the Genius of Elm Street | #50 Dawn's Big Date | #51 Stacey's Ex-Best Friend | #52 Mary Anne + 2 Many Babies | #53 Kristy for President | #54 Mallory and the Dream Horse | #55 Jessi's Gold Medal | #56 Keep Out, Claudia! | #57 Dawn Saves the Planet | #58 Stacey's Choice | #59 Mallory Hates Boys (and Gym) | #60 Mary Anne's Makeover | #61 Jessi and the Awful Secret | #62 Kristy and the Worst Kid Ever | #63 Claudia's Freind Friend | #64 Dawn's Family Feud | #65 Stacey's Big Crush | #66 Maid Mary Anne | #67 Dawn's Big Move | #68 Jessi and the Bad Baby-sitter | #69 Get Well Soon, Mallory! | #70 Stacey and the Cheerleaders | #71 Claudia and the Perfect Boy | #72 Dawn and the We Love Kids Club | #73 Mary Anne and Miss Priss | #74 Kristy and the Copycat | #75 Jessi's Horrible Prank | #76 Stacey's Lie | #77 Dawn and Whitney, Friends Forever | #78 Claudia and Crazy Peaches | #79 Mary Anne Breaks the Rules | #80 Mallory Pike, No. 1 Fan | #81 Kristy and Mr. Mom | #82 Jessi and the Troublemaker | #83 Stacey vs. the BSC | #84 Dawn and the School Spirit War | #85 Claudia Kishi, Live From WSTO! | #86 Mary Anne and Camp BSC | #87 Stacey and the Bad Girls | #88 Farewell, Dawn | #89 Kristy and the Dirty Diapers | #90 Welcome to the BSC, Abby! | #91 Claudia and the First Thanksgiving | #92 Mallory's Christmas Wish | #93 Mary Anne and the Memory Garden | #94 Stacey McGill, Super Sitter | #95 Kristy + Bart = ? | #96 Abby's Lucky Thirteen | #97 Claudia and the World's Cutest Baby | #98 Dawn and Too Many Sitters | #99 Stacey's Broken Heart | #100 Kristy's Worst Idea | #101 Claudia Kishi, Middle School Dropout | #102 Mary Anne and the Little Princess | #103 Happy Holidays, Jessi | #104 Abby's Twin | #105 Stacey the Math Whiz | #106 Claudia, Queen of the Seventh Grade | #107 Mind Your Own Business, Kristy! | #108 Don't Give Up, Mallory! | #109 Mary Anne to the Rescue | #110 Abby the Bad Sport | #111 Stacey's Secret Friend | #112 Kristy and the Sister War | #113 Claudia Makes Up Her Mind | #114 The Secret Life of Mary Anne Spier | #115 Jessi's Big Break | #116 Abby and the Best Kid Ever | #117 Claudia and the Terrible Truth | #118 Kristy Thomas, Dog Trainer | #119 Stacey's Ex-Boyfriend | #120 Mary Anne and the Playground Fight | #121 Abby in Wonderland | #122 Kristy in Charge | #123 Claudia's Big Party | #124 Stacey McGill... Matchmaker? | #125 Mary Anne in the Middle | #126 The All-New Mallory Pike | #127 Abby's Un-Valentine | #128 Claudia and the Little Liar | #129 Kristy at Bat | #130 Stacey's Movie | #131 The Fire at Mary Anne's House
Super Specials
#1 Baby-sitters on Board! | #2 Baby-sitters' Summer Vacation | #3 Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation | #4 Baby-sitters' Island Adventure | #5 California Girls! | #6 New York, New York! | #7 Snowbound | #8 Baby-sitters at Shadow Lake | #9 Starring the Baby-sitters Club #10 Sea City, Here We Come! | #11 The Baby-sitters Remember | #12 Here Come the Bridesmaids! | #13 Aloha, Baby-sitters! | #14 BSC in the USA | #15 Baby-sitters' European Vacation
Portrait Collection
Stacey's Book | Claudia's Book | Dawn's Book | Mary Anne's Book | Kristy's Book | Abby's Book
Other
The Baby-Sitters Club Notebook (1987) | The Baby-Sitters Club Postcard Book (1991) | Trivia & Puzzle Fun Book (1992) | Ann M. Martin: The Story of the author of the Baby-sitters Club (1993) | The Baby-Sitters Club Guide to Babysitting (1993) | The Baby-Sitters Club Chain Letter (1993) | The Baby-Sitters Club Secret Santa (1994) | Audio Books on Cassette Tape (1994-5) | BSC Movie Novelization (1995) | The Complete Guide to the Baby-Sitters Club (1996) | Autograph Book (1998) | BSC Graphic Novels (2006-present) | We Are the Baby-Sitters Club: Essays and Artwork from Grown-Up Readers (2021) | Welcome to Stoneybrook: A Guided Journal (2021) | The Official Coloring Book (2023)
Advertisement