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Claudia and the Genius of Elm Street is the 49th book in The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin.

Back Cover Summary[]

Little Rosie Wilder is perfect at everything. She can sing and dance, she plays several musical instruments, and her I.Q. is so high, it's off the scale.

So how did Claudia "C-" Kishi get stuck baby-sitting for Rosie the genius? Because Rosie is so obnoxious, no one gets along with her — not even Claudia's sister, who's a genius, too.

The Baby-sitters think that Rosie needs to be taught a good lesson. But what Rosie really needs is a good friend... like Claudia.

Summary[]

The BSC gets a new client—the Wilders, and Claudia babysits their seven-year-old daughter. Red haired Mary Rose "Rosie" is multi-talented and takes many classes, like piano, ballet, violin, voice, and tap, and she follows a strict practicing schedule. She is in science and math club and advanced readers group at school. She is an actor and has appeared in many television commercials before, and has a talent agent named Sandra Yu. She's in a commercial for Up'n'Out Cleaner. She rehearses for Dan Beasley's talent show, Uncle Dandy's Star Machine. She sings and plays piano on the show and doesn't make mistakes in her playing. She secretly draws pictures in her room which Claudia finds out about. Her room is described as painted a light salmon color with white moldings. Next to her blond-wood desk was a floor-to-ceiling shelf stuffed with books. The wall was full of photos: Rosie with TV stars, Rosie on the set of a commercial, Rosie singing at a recital, Rosie in a local production of Fiddler on the Roof, Rosie playing the violin in an orchestra. She skipped second grade and is now in third grade. She has a temper tantrum over wanting to be a normal kid, so which she is tough to get along with everyone, even Janine, Claudia's older sister. Claudia ends up with most of the long job, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Soon, her parents agree to let her be in math club, study violin, and art which are her favorites, and Rosie enters her drawing of junk food in Claudia's art show.

Subplot[]

Claudia decides to draw junk food as art and put on an art show in her garage.

Characters[]

Claudia's Family

BSC Members

Kids

Teenagers

Adults

Locations[]

Pop Culture and Real-Life References[]

  • Andy Warhol, Chagall, Matisse, Georgia O’Keeffe (artists)
  • Marilyn Monroe and James Dean and Elvis Presley, Brooke Shields, Fred Astaire (performers)
  • Nancy Drew, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Oliver Twist (books)
  • E.T.
  • Mozart
  • Swan Lake
  • Meet Me in St. Louis
  • The Brash and the Beautiful is a parody title of "The Bold and the Beautiful"
  • Ansel Adams
  • A Street Car Named Desire

Continuity and Inconsistencies[]

Continuity

Inconsistencies

  • In chapter 7 Kristy thinks of the idea of selling junk food during Claudia's show, but in chapter 14 Claudia says she thought of the idea.
  • When Jessi sits for Rosie, she says she only wants Claudia to babysit for her. Jessi says she’ll bring it up at the next BSC meeting. But in other books, parents and kids aren’t allowed to request a specific sitter and they [the sitters] try not to let a client or kid become too attached to any sitter.
  • On page 73, Jessi is spelt as Jessie.
  • Claudia says Becca is nine. But she’s eight.

Ann M. Martin's Dear Reader Letter[]

Dear Reader,

In Claudia and the Genius of Elm Street, we meet Rosie Wilder for the first time. Rosie is not based on anyone I know. She’s completely made up. However, when I was young, just like Rosie, I enjoyed taking lessons and being involved in activities. When I was very little, I took ballet lessons and several different kinds of art classes. I was not a talented dancer, but I loved the art lessons. When I was in third grade, I began taking piano lessons, which I also loved, and continued for years. In middle school, I took exactly two tennis lessons and quit — tennis was not for me. In high school, my interests changed. I began doing a lot of volunteer work and tutoring — interests that continued throughout college. Now, as an adult, instead of doing volunteer work, I have my own foundation. I also like to cross-country ski. But guess what my favorite activities are — sewing, needlework, and crafts. I guess those early lessons paid off.

Trivia[]

  • This is the first time we learn Claudia's middle name.
  • This is the first appearance of Rosie Wilder, who appears sporadically throughout the rest of the series.
  • Mrs. Wilder got the BSC's number from Mrs. Barrett.
  • Most of the time when a new client calls, Claudia automatically imagines what the children will be like.
  • Claudia doesn't know what cholesterol is.
  • All of Rosie's money goes into a trust fund and has tapes of her commercials.
  • Claudia's candy art is seen on the walls in her room in the Netflix series and show in the art show in the episode Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls.
  • Kristy would die if she was part of an audition for a TV show.
  • Janine never snaps at someone.
  • Mr. Kishi has an interest in wood work.
  • Watson Brewer and Jeff's old teacher, Ms. Besser, both bought pieces of Claudia's art.
  • This is the second time Claudia teaches art, the first time was in Claudia and the Sad Good-bye.
  • In the 1996 Reprint the cover art image is flipped.

Gallery[]

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