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This article is about the original series novel. For the graphic novel, see Claudia and the New Girl. For the episode please see "Claudia and the New Girl".

Claudia and the New Girl is the twelfth book in the original The Baby-Sitters Club series. An artistic new student, Ashley Wyeth, tries to convince Claudia to quit the club. What will Claudia do?

Back Cover Summary

Claudia has always been the most outrageous girl in her class...until Ashley Wyeth comes along. Ashley's really different—she dresses in hippie clothes, wears six earrings, and is the most fantastic artist Claudia has ever met.

Ashley says Claudia has artistic talent, too. She thinks Claudia should spend more time on her "calling" and forget about the Baby-sitters Club: It's just a waste of time.

The Baby-sitters are sick of Ashley Wyeth, and they think Claudia's a traitor. Claudia's got to decide: either the Baby-sitters Club or the new girl—one of them's got to go!

Summary

Main Plot

Claudia makes friends with the new girl Ashley Wyeth. Claudia feels that Ashley is the only one who understands her love for art, so she skips a mall date with Stacey, starts skipping club meetings and stops eating lunch with her friends.

Sub Plot

For the art show, Claud originally planned to sculpt Jackie Rodowsky but when she realizes she won't be able to turn it in complete, she continues to work on it but decides not to send it in. However her art class teacher sends it in as a work in progress, and Claud wins a honorable mention.

While Dawn is sitting for the Perkins Family the phone rings. It is Jeff Schafer. He is in trouble at school and is unable to reach Mrs. Schafer. Dawn brings Myriah and Gabbie to Stoneybrook Elementary School, where Ms. Besser (Jeff's teacher) explains to Dawn what happened. Later Dawn thinks that soon Jeff might get in bad trouble again and that she will have to bail him out.

Characters

Claudia's Family

BSC Members

Kids

Teenagers

Adults

  • Mrs. Hall - Claudia's English teacher
  • Ms. Downey - school secretary
  • Ms. Baehr - art teacher at the center
  • Mrs. Perkins
  • Ms. Besser
  • Mrs. Rodowsky
  • Sharon Schafer (mentioned)
  • Mrs. Schiavone - Shea's piano teacher (mentioned)
  • Mrs. Newton (mentioned)

Locations

Pop Culture and Real-Life References

  • The Yearling, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, The Westing Game, Sarah Plain and Tall, The 21 Balloons, (books)
  • Newbery Awards
  • Woodstock (movie)
  • Andrew Wyeth (painter)
  • Peter Pan
  • Sherlock Holmes
  • Sesame Street

Continuity and Inconsistencies

Continuity

  • On page 34 Claudia recalls when Logan and Mary Anne first sat for Jackie.

Inconsistencies

  • On page 137 Mari is misspelled as Mary.
  • On page 26 Fiona's last name is spelled McRae and then MacRae on page 138.
  • In chapter 2, Claudia says that Kristy is often early or late for club meetings because she depends on Charlie to drive her. But in almost all the other books, she’s usually early to club meetings (very rarely, if ever, late).

Ann M. Martin's Dear Reader Letter

Dear Reader,

In Claudia and the New Girl, we get our first close look at Claudia’s passion for art. When I was growing up, art was a very important part of my life. I took after-school art classes starting when I was five. From kindergarten through high school, I thoroughly enjoyed art, and looked forward to any class I was taking. And I was very lucky to have a lot of good art teachers. Like Claudia, I enjoyed all aspects of art — painting and drawing, sculpting, making mosaics, and jewelry-making.

As an adult, I still enjoy creative activities, my favorites being sewing and needlework, like Mary Anne. One reason I enjoy both writing and art is that I find they are great ways to express yourself.

Trivia

  • This book was adapted into the twelfth episode (second episode of season 2) of the Netflix series.[1]
  • The dedication page says that "This book is for the loyal readers of The Baby-Sitters Club Books."
  • This is the first appearance of Ashley Wyeth in the main series.
  • Claudia takes a remedial math class in the resource room.
  • Claudia just picked up pottery on summer vacation and now she's taking classes.
  • A new art gallery opened in Stoneybrook.
  • Claudia vows to only wear jeans to the Rodowskys when she baby-sits.
  • Dawn was vice president in this book.
  • Claudia misses three BSC meetings.
  • Jobs scheduled but unseen include: Stacey sat for Jamie and Lucy, Kristy for the Papadakis kids, unknown for Max and Amanda,
  • Dawn eats Claudia's junk food.
  • On page 23 a man calls asking for a sitter for twin girls, who would later be named as the Arnold twins.
  • Stacey got a new perfume.
  • The arts center awards are:
    • Third place to Mari Drabek
    • Second place to Fiona MacRae
    • First place to Ashley
    • Honorable mention to Claudia Kishi and two others

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)
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