Baby-Sitters Little Sister: Karen’s Roller Skates
Graphic novel By: Katy Farina
Based on a novel by: Ann M. Martin
Book cover photo:
Category: Graphic Novel
Target age: 2nd- 4th grade; ages 7-9
Format: paperback
Summary: Karen loves to roller skate and do tricks! One trick went slightly wrong and she ends up breaking her wrist. While at the hospital, she runs into a classmate that also broke a bone and ended up in cast. She then goes on a mission to have her cast signed by the most interesting people to beat the signatures of her classmate.
Justification: I selected this book due to its popularity among young grade school students. Everyone has heard of the Baby-Sitters Club and this spin off is offered in a fun easy to read format that kids enjoy.
Review: This review will evaluate the illustrations, the characters and the overall experience.
Graphic novels are perfect for young readers who are starting to read on their own. The illustrations in this novel help to move the story along without having to read the words. There are even several panes that have no words at all. There is a lot of action and movement happening between the inner monologue of the main character that is depicted in the pictures. The artist uses movement lines that allow the reader to see movement through the drawings. How fast Karen skates or how quickly they run away is all brought to life. The drawings are also simple and uncluttered. This allows young readers to focus more on the story than busy pictures.
The characters very relatable. It centers around a young girl, Karen, whose parents are divorced. The blended family dynamic is one that many young kids can relate to. Karen is a daredevil who likes to skate and do tricks. This is also a very relatable trait for many young children.
While the plot is simple, the relatable characters and the immersive drawings are engaging. These novels sparked my daughter’s love for reading when other books were a struggle to get through. This was the first time I picked up the graphic novel myself and we read it through together. Even though she had read it many many times before, she remained engaged through the whole story. There was a word even I had a hard time pronouncing, “bacitracin”. Instead of getting frustrated and leaving me to finish the story myself as she has done in the past, she showed me her trick… to ask “Alexa” how to pronounce it!
I give this four out of five stars as it provides a fun engaging way to connect young readers to something their parents used to love. Nostalgia at its finest.
Resources
Farina, K. (2020). Karen's roller skates. Baby-sitter's little sister, (2). Graphix.
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