The popular children's series “The Baby-Sitters Club” launched 40 years ago in 1986 when editor Jean Feiwel approached author Ann M. Martin to write four books. Since then, the series has grown to include hundreds of titles, multiple on-screen adaptations, and generations of young readers impacted. 

This episode, we time travel to the Scholastic Book Fairs of our childhoods to learn about the origins of “The Baby-Sitters Club” — and other iconic paperback series — and discover how they shape generations of readers and the publishing industry.

GUESTS: 
Jean Feiwel is the co-creator and the original editor of “The Baby-Sitters Club” series. Now she is Senior Vice President and Publisher at Macmillan
Seth Lerer is author of “Children’s Literature: A Reader’s History, from Aesop to Harry Potter”
Margaret Mackey is Professor Emeritus at the University of Alberta who studies youth literacies 

"Generation: The Media We Love & How It Shapes Us" is a podcast series from Connecticut Public. Each season tells the origin story of a beloved cultural touchstone, asks what keeps it alive across generations, and explores how it helps us become who we are.

For more about "Generation: Baby-Sitters Club", visit ctpublic.org/babysitters.

To learn more about the podcast "Generation: The media we love & how it shapes us," visitctpublic.org/generation.

"Generation: Baby-Sitters Club" is hosted by Daniela Doncel. This series was reported, written, and produced by Lily Tyson and Daniela Doncel. It was edited and produced by Cassandra Basler. Sound design and mixing by Jay Cowit. Megan Fitzgerald is our project manager. Ayannah Brown and Mark Mirko are our visuals producers. Sam Hockaday created our show art. Marketing support provided by The Podglomerate.

Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today.

The popular children's series &ldquo;The Baby-Sitters Club&rdquo; launched 40 years ago in 1986 when editor Jean Feiwel approached author Ann M. Martin to write four books. Since then, the series has grown to include hundreds of titles, multiple on-screen adaptations, and generations of young readers impacted.&nbsp;
This episode, we time travel to the Scholastic Book Fairs of our childhoods to learn about the origins of &ldquo;The Baby-Sitters Club&rdquo; &mdash; and other iconic paperback series &mdash; and discover how they shape generations of readers and the publishing industry.
GUESTS:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Jean Feiwel is the co-creator and the original editor of &ldquo;The Baby-Sitters Club&rdquo; series. Now she is Senior Vice President and Publisher at Macmillan</li>
<li aria-level="1">Seth Lerer is author of &ldquo;Children&rsquo;s Literature: A Reader&rsquo;s History, from Aesop to Harry Potter&rdquo;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Margaret Mackey is Professor Emeritus at the University of Alberta who studies youth literacies&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
"Generation: The Media We Love &amp; How It Shapes Us" is a podcast series from Connecticut Public. Each season tells the origin story of a beloved cultural touchstone, asks what keeps it alive across generations, and explores how it helps us become who we are.
For more about "Generation: Baby-Sitters Club", visit<a href="http://ctpublic.org/babysitters"> ctpublic.org/babysitters</a>.
To learn more about the podcast "Generation: The media we love &amp; how it shapes us," visit<a href="http://ctpublic.org/babysitters"> </a><a href="http://ctpublic.org/generation">ctpublic.org/generation.</a>
"Generation: Baby-Sitters Club" is hosted by Daniela Doncel. This series was reported, written, and produced by Lily Tyson and Daniela Doncel. It was edited and produced by Cassandra Basler. Sound design and mixing by Jay Cowit. Megan Fitzgerald is our project manager. Ayannah Brown and Mark Mirko are our visuals producers. Sam Hockaday created our show art. Marketing support provided by The Podglomerate.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with <a href="https://secure.ctpublic.org/page/58758/donate/1?_gl=1*1tpen36*_gcl_au*MjM3OTA5Nzc3LjE3ODUxMTQyNDguLS4tLjE3ODYzOTE4MzIuMTg4MzMyNTg3My4xNzg4MTk2MjQzLjE3ODgxOTYyNDM.*_ga*MjEwMjQxNTMyNy4xNjQzOTk3NjE2*_ga_V646Y22D94*czE3ODg5NjA3NDgkbzY1OSRnMSR0MTc4ODk2MDg2MyRqMzAkbDAkaDA.">a donation today</a>.

“Generation: The media we love & how it shapes us” is a podcast series from Connecticut Public. Each season tells the origin story of a beloved cultural touchstone, asks what keeps it alive across generations, and explores how it shapes who we’ve become.

From the creators of "Generation: Barney" and “Generation: Gilmore Girls” comes "Generation: Baby-Sitters Club”. This season we revisit “The Baby-Sitters Club” book franchise and ask what it means 40 years later. Over five episodes, we learn about how the paperbacks shaped the world of children’s publishing,from the writers and editors who brought them to life. We hear from creators and actors about how it’s reaching new audiences through graphic novels and on-screen adaptations, and why we cherish these stories that take the tender years between elementary school and high school seriously.  

In season two, "Generation: Gilmore Girls" revisited the popular TV series and asks why it still resonates 25 years after its premiere. We learn how the show shaped some of the actors who worked on it, the fans who watch it, and the place that inspired it. It’s about the television that comforts us and helps us become who we are, from the state that inspired the whole phenomenon: Connecticut.

In season one, "Generation: Barney" explored the media we loved as kids and how it shapes us. It’s about the purple dinosaur, but it’s also about music and love and backlash and toys and nostalgia. Most of all, it’s about the television that helps us become who we are, from the station that helped launch “Barney” into the world.

Learn more about the podcast at ctpublic.org/generation. 

To support more journalism like this, visit ctpublic.org/donate.

Marketing support provided by The Podglomerate.

&ldquo;Generation: The media we love &amp; how it shapes us&rdquo; is a podcast series from Connecticut Public. Each season tells the origin story of a beloved cultural touchstone, asks what keeps it alive across generations, and explores how it shapes who we&rsquo;ve become.
From the creators of "Generation: Barney" and &ldquo;Generation: Gilmore Girls&rdquo; comes "Generation: Baby-Sitters Club&rdquo;. This season we revisit &ldquo;The Baby-Sitters Club&rdquo; book franchise and ask what it means 40 years later. Over five episodes, we learn about how the paperbacks shaped the world of children&rsquo;s publishing, from the writers and editors who brought them to life. We hear from creators and actors about how it&rsquo;s reaching new audiences through graphic novels and on-screen adaptations, and why we cherish these stories that take the tender years between elementary school and high school seriously.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In season two, "Generation: Gilmore Girls" revisited the popular TV series and asks why it still resonates 25 years after its premiere. We learn how the show shaped some of the actors who worked on it, the fans who watch it, and the place that inspired it. It&rsquo;s about the television that comforts us and helps us become who we are, from the state that inspired the whole phenomenon: Connecticut.
In season one, "Generation: Barney" explored the media we loved as kids and how it shapes us. It&rsquo;s about the purple dinosaur, but it&rsquo;s also about music and love and backlash and toys and nostalgia. Most of all, it&rsquo;s about the television that helps us become who we are, from the station that helped launch &ldquo;Barney&rdquo; into the world.
Learn more about the podcast at <a href="http://ctpublic.org/generation">ctpublic.org/generation</a>.&nbsp;
To support more journalism like this, visit <a href="https://donate.ctpublic.org">ctpublic.org/donate</a>.
Marketing support provided by The Podglomerate.

Each season tells the origin story of a beloved cultural touchstone, asks what keeps it alive across generations, and explores how it shapes who we’ve become.

Generation: Baby-Sitters Club

&ldquo;Generation: The media we love &amp; how it shapes us&rdquo; is a podcast series from Connecticut Public. Each season tells the origin story of a beloved cultural touchstone, asks what keeps it alive across generations, and explores how it shapes who we&rsquo;ve become.
From the creators of "Generation: Barney" and &ldquo;Generation: Gilmore Girls&rdquo; comes "Generation: Baby-Sitters Club&rdquo;. This season we revisit &ldquo;The Baby-Sitters Club&rdquo; book franchise and ask what it means 40 years later. Over five episodes, we learn about how the paperbacks shaped the world of children&rsquo;s publishing, from the writers and editors who brought them to life. We hear from creators and actors about how it&rsquo;s reaching new audiences through graphic novels and on-screen adaptations, and why we cherish these stories that take the tender years between elementary school and high school seriously.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In season two, "Generation: Gilmore Girls" revisited the popular TV series and asks why it still resonates 25 years after its premiere. We learn how the show shaped some of the actors who worked on it, the fans who watch it, and the place that inspired it. It&rsquo;s about the television that comforts us and helps us become who we are, from the state that inspired the whole phenomenon: Connecticut.
In season one, "Generation: Barney" explored the media we loved as kids and how it shapes us. It&rsquo;s about the purple dinosaur, but it&rsquo;s also about music and love and backlash and toys and nostalgia. Most of all, it&rsquo;s about the television that helps us become who we are, from the station that helped launch &ldquo;Barney&rdquo; into the world.
Learn more about the podcast at <a href="http://ctpublic.org/generation">ctpublic.org/generation</a>.&nbsp;
To support more journalism like this, visit <a href="https://donate.ctpublic.org">ctpublic.org/donate</a>.
Marketing support provided by The Podglomerate.

This episode, we time travel to the Scholastic Book Fairs of our childhoods to learn about the origins of “The Baby-sitters Club” — and other iconic paperback series — and discover how they shape generations of readers and the publishing industry.