The team behind “Generation: Barney” and “Generation: Gilmore Girls” is back with something new. This season, we take a look at how a group of adventurous tweens created a worker-owned childcare cooperative that fueled over two hundred books and multiple on-screen adaptations. 

Meet "Generation: Baby-Sitters Club”, a five-episode podcast series about the books we love and how they shape us. 

Coming October 2026. 

Visit ctpublic.org/generation for more!

The team behind &ldquo;Generation: Barney&rdquo; and &ldquo;Generation: Gilmore Girls&rdquo; is back with something new. This season, we take a look at how a group of adventurous tweens created a worker-owned childcare cooperative that fueled over two hundred books and multiple on-screen adaptations.&nbsp;
Meet "Generation: Baby-Sitters Club&rdquo;, a five-episode podcast series about the books we love and how they shape us.&nbsp;
Coming October 2026.&nbsp;
Visit <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/generation">ctpublic.org/generation</a> for more!

“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.

S3 Sneak Peek: New Season, New Generation

One of the things readers loved about “The Baby-Sitters Club” was its depictions of babysitting. Babysitting has been a core piece of American girlhood for a century, and an important right of passage. But the job has evolved, and continues to change for new generations of parents and kids. This episode, we travel to a local babysitting class to explore the changing nature of American childhood, tweenhood, and babysitting. And we learn how these early work experiences shape the workplace. 

GUESTS: 
Yasemin Besen-Cassino is the author of “The Cost of Being a Girl: Working Teens and the Origins of the Gender Wage Gap”
Danielle Otterspoor teaches babysitting classes through her business Better Babysitting Certification

"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 witha donation today.

 

One of the things readers loved about &ldquo;The Baby-Sitters Club&rdquo; was its depictions of babysitting. Babysitting has been a core piece of American girlhood for a century, and an important right of passage. But the job has evolved, and continues to change for new generations of parents and kids. This episode, we travel to a local babysitting class to explore the changing nature of American childhood, tweenhood, and babysitting. And we learn how these early work experiences shape the workplace.&nbsp;
GUESTS: 
<ul>
<li>Yasemin Besen-Cassino is the author of &ldquo;The Cost of Being a Girl: Working Teens and the Origins of the Gender Wage Gap&rdquo;</li>
<li>Danielle Otterspoor teaches babysitting classes through her business Better Babysitting Certification</li>
</ul>
"<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/podcast/generation">Generation: The Media We Love &amp; How It Shapes Us</a>" 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>
"<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/podcast/generation-baby-sitters-club">Generation: Baby-Sitters Club</a>" 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>.
&nbsp;

This episode, we travel to a local babysitting class to explore the changing nature of American childhood, tweenhood, and babysitting. And we learn how these early work experiences shape the workplace. 

Generation: Baby-Sitters Club | Babysitting 101

Since its start in the 1980s, “The Baby-Sitters Club” has grown to include multiple spin-off series, including a collection of graphic novels that young readers today continue to devour. This episode, we travel to a BSC anniversary party and to a graphic novelist’s studio to learn about how the series has evolved to stay relevant for new generations — from the covers to the text itself — the work that goes into creating a graphic novel, why young readers today love them, and what this can tell us about why we shouldn’t turn our noses up at the books young readers want to read. 

GUESTS: 
Gale Galligan is a graphic novelist who has adapted five “Baby-Sitters Club” books 
Kym Powe is the Children and Young Adult Consultant with the Connecticut State Library 

"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.

Since its start in the 1980s, &ldquo;The Baby-Sitters Club&rdquo; has grown to include multiple spin-off series, including a collection of graphic novels that young readers today continue to devour. This episode, we travel to a BSC anniversary party and to a graphic novelist&rsquo;s studio to learn about how the series has evolved to stay relevant for new generations &mdash; from the covers to the text itself &mdash; the work that goes into creating a graphic novel, why young readers today love them, and what this can tell us about why we shouldn&rsquo;t turn our noses up at the books young readers want to read.&nbsp;
GUESTS:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Gale Galligan is a graphic novelist who has adapted five &ldquo;Baby-Sitters Club&rdquo; books&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Kym Powe is the Children and Young Adult Consultant with the Connecticut State Library&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>
"<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/podcast/generation-baby-sitters-club">Generation: Baby-Sitters Club</a>" 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>.

This episode, we travel to a BSC anniversary party and to a graphic novelist’s studio to learn about how the series has evolved to stay relevant for new generations — from the covers to the text itself — the work that goes into creating a graphic novel, why young readers today love them, and what this can tell us about why we shouldn’t turn our noses up at the books young readers want to read. 

Generation: Baby-Sitters Club | The Case of Gale and the Graphic Novels

Many fans of “The Baby-Sitters Club” found the series through the on-screen adaptations, whether the 1990 HBO show, the 1995 movie, or the 2020 Netflix series. 

This episode, we talk about how a book moves from the page to the screen, what it means for readers when a favorite book is adapted, and what forces determine what we see. We meet the child actors who brought to life beloved characters, and the showrunners and critics who grew up with the series. And we ask what it means when media for girls gets dismissed, and why these beloved shows and movies aren't getting wider recognition.

GUESTS: 
Zelda Harris played Jessi Ramsey in the 1995 “Baby-Sitters Club” movie
Constance Grady is a critic at “Vox” 
Meg Lahey played Mary Anne Spier in the 1990 series
Rachel Shukert was the showrunner of the 2020 Netflix “Baby-Sitters Club” adaptation

"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.

Many fans of &ldquo;The Baby-Sitters Club&rdquo; found the series through the on-screen adaptations, whether the 1990 HBO show, the 1995 movie, or the 2020 Netflix series.&nbsp;
This episode, we talk about how a book moves from the page to the screen, what it means for readers when a favorite book is adapted, and what forces determine what we see. We meet the child actors who brought to life beloved characters, and the showrunners and critics who grew up with the series. And we ask what it means when media for girls gets dismissed, and why these beloved shows and movies aren't getting wider recognition.
GUESTS:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Zelda Harris played Jessi Ramsey in the 1995 &ldquo;Baby-Sitters Club&rdquo; movie</li>
<li aria-level="1">Constance Grady is a critic at &ldquo;Vox&rdquo;&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Meg Lahey played Mary Anne Spier in the 1990 series</li>
<li aria-level="1">Rachel Shukert was the showrunner of the 2020 Netflix &ldquo;Baby-Sitters Club&rdquo; adaptation</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>.

This episode, we talk about how a book moves from the page to the screen, what it means for readers when a favorite book is adapted, and what forces determine what we see. We meet the child actors who brought to life beloved characters, and the showrunners and critics who grew up with the series. And we ask what it means when media for girls gets dismissed, and why these beloved shows and movies aren't getting wider recognition.

S3 Sneak Peek: New Season, New Generation

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