- This article is about the original novel. For the graphic novel, see The Truth About Stacey (Graphic Novel). For the Netflix episode, see The Truth About Stacey (episode).
Back Cover Summary
The truth about Stacey is that she has diabetes. Nobody knows... except her friends in the Baby-sitters Club.
But even they don't know the real truth about Stacey. Stacey's problem is her parents. They won't admit she has the disease, and they drag her to practically every doctor in America!
Seeing so many doctors made Stacey lose one friend, and she won't let it happen again. Especially now - when the Baby-sitters Club needs her more than ever.
Main Plot
Stacey's parents have been looking for a cure for her diabetes, dragging her to doctor from doctor (including a holistic doctor) which makes Stacey unhappy.
Stacey talks to Dr. Johanssen (Charlotte Johanssen's mother) who helps her schedule an appointment with a sensible doctor who convinces her parents to lay off the search for a miracle.
In the end, Mr. and Mrs. McGill agree to include their daughter in any decisions about her health care.
Meanwhile, Stacey makes up with her best friend from New York, Laine Cummings, whom she had been fighting with since she was diagnosed with diabetes. Stacey is moving schools because people are judging her just because she has diabetes.
Subplots
The BSC faces competition from a rival babysitting service called the Baby Sitters Agency ran by a girl called Liz Lewis, which includes older girls. The club later loses clients to the new sitters, so they decided to recruit new members who turn out to be spies from the Baby Sitters Agency. They are eventually fired after failing to show up for their assigned sitting jobs.
The BSC later learns from the kids they sit for that their sitters are unreliable. Jamie Newton reveals that one of his sitters from the agency brought her boyfriend over and burned a hole in a chair with a cigarette while Charlotte Johanssen says that her sitters ignore her.
After the girls find Jamie outside in the cold weather without a hat or mittens, they tell Mrs. Newton who is upset & decides to call the other parents to let them know. In the end, the BSC settles the score with the agency who eventually end their babysitting service.
Other Subplots
Charlotte Johanssen struggles socially at school and the end, she skips to the third grade.
The Newtons welcome a new baby into their family named Lucy.
Characters
Stacey's Family
BSC Members
Kids
- Charlotte Johanssen
- Jamie Newton
- Mallory, Margo and Claire Pike
- Nina and Eleanor Marshall (mentioned)
- Ellie Morris - Cathy's sister who doesn't like Charlotte (mentioned)
Pre-teens
- Trevor Sandbourne
- Pete Black
- Laine Cummings
- Allison Ritz (mentioned)
- Bobby Reeder, Deirdre Dunlop, Lowell Johnston - students at Stacey's old school (mentioned)
Teenagers
Adults
- Dr. Johanssen
- Elizabeth Thomas
- Mrs. Newton
- Mimi Yamamoto
- Mr. Kelly
- Ms. Jaydell
- Dr. Barnes
- Dr. Philip Graham
- Dr. Werner (mentioned)
- Dr. Frank - Stacey's diabetes specialist in Stoneybrook
- Dr. Johanssen
Locations
- McGill House
- Kishi House
- Stoneybrook Middle School
- Johanssen House
- Polly's Fine Candy
- Thomas House
- Washington Mall
- Newton House
- Cummings Apartment
- New York
- Dr. Barnes office
- Dr. Grahmans office
- Movie theatre
- Central Park, Leo's Coffee Shoppe, Joe Allen's, Dr. Werner's office (mentioned)
Pop Culture and Real-Life References
- Chutes and Ladders, Candyland, Scrabble, Spill and Spell,
- The Cricket in Times Square, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Pat the Bunny, Where the Wild Things Are, Tucker's Countryside, Harry Cat's Pet Puppy (books)
- Colorforms
- Sesame Street, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Gilligan's Island, The Cosby Show, (tv shows)
- Cricket, Seventeen magazine
- M&M’s
- Diet Coke
- Winston Churchill (Kristy pretends he is a high school Sophomore).
Continuity and Inconsistencies
Continuity
- Stacey mentions that Kristy went to her first dance which happened in Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls
Inconsistencies
- When trying to recruit new members for the club in chapter 8, Kristy tells her friends to make sure that anyone who asks about the club knows they get to keep all the money they earn. But club members pay one dollar each in weekly dues.
- Stacey says there's only one middle school in Stoneybrook, but in Kristy's Big Day Kelsey is first mentioned. But it’s possible that Stacey hadn’t heard of Kelsey Middle School.
- When Stacey and Kristy decide to have the Big Brother Party for Jamie Newton, Stacey calls Claudia and some other people about it. Then, in the next couple of sentences, after she goes in the kitchen to tell Kristy who's coming, Kristy says, "Claudia's bringing something from her room....Pretzels, I think." But Kristy wasn't the one who called Claudia.
Differences in the Reprints
Ann M. Martin's Dear Reader letter
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed reading The Truth About Stacey. Many kids have asked me why I created a character with diabetes. As you may know, when I started writing the Baby-sitters Club I wanted to create a group of characters who are very different from each other, but who work well together. Each of the members of the BSC faces her own set of difficulties. I thought it would be interesting if one character faced physical or medical problems. I chose diabetes because it affects many kids, and because I have two friends with diabetes. I also wanted to create a character who copes with her disability in a positive way. Stacey doesn’t ignore her illness—she deals with it responsibly, but she tries not to let it interfere with her life.
Not long after this first book about Stacey was published, I began to hear from kids who are diabetic themselves. Many of them have written to say that the books about Stacey have helped their friends understand the illness. In fact, recently my cat Mouse was diagnosed with diabetes. So the books have helped me, too!
Trivia
- The book takes place roughly two months after Kristy's Great Idea.
- The Kellys, Gianmarcos, and the Jaydells are never mentioned or seen again.
- On the dedication page, Ann thanks Claudia Werner for her advice on this book.
- When seeing how the agency is run Kristy says she's going on a date with Winston Churchill who goes to the high school.
- Stacey just hit her growth spurt.
- Stacey fainted three times at her old school.
- Pete and Stacey are "sort of dating."
- This is one of the few mentions of Stacey's extended family.
- At the first special club meeting, instead of the directors chair, Kristy sits at Claudia's desk.
- This is the first time kid kits are introduced.
- The cover is from chapter 4.
- Richard and Mary Anne have Thanksgiving with the Brewers and Thomas'.
- Charlie takes David Michael to watch the cheerleaders at the high school when it's his day to watch him. David Michael comes back and shows every one the cheers.
- The doctor Stacey's parents want her to see is just a fad doctor.
- Mimi's been teaching Mary Anne how to knit.
- This is the first time Stacey saw Kristy cry.
- A small popcorn and Tab (a diet soda) in New York is $1.75.
- Stacey gains some control of the treatment of her diabetes.
- Jobs lined up but not seen include: jobs for Charlotte and the Marshall girls, and a new client.
- Charlotte starts third grade after winter break.
- Stacey cared so much about the club that she'd even take Kristy's terrible suggestions of lower rates and housework.
- In later editions, Stacey uses an insulin pump; this is the only book where an insulin pump is mentioned.
- This is the first time we see Mallory in the series as a 10-year old sitting charge. Starting in Logan Likes Mary Anne!, she becomes 11, in Hello, Mallory, she becomes a member.
- The club members get into a discussion about what time they were born. Kristy was born at 4:00 a.m. "on the dot", Claudia at 4:36 a.m., Stacey at 2:26 a.m., and Mary Anne around 11:00 p.m.