The Baby-sitters Club Club

What seems at first to be a very straightforward “paint-by-numbers” installment in the sitterverse (yawn: the sitters hold a day camp for some of their charges) turns out to be an intricate, surprising, and genuinely frightening origin story for Mary Anne Spier herself. As the boys pick apart the strands in this delicate tapestry woven by Ann M. Martin and the great Nola Thacker, they begin to wonder whether they’ve uncovered something that none of us were meant to know. Because this one goes all the way down, Baby Nation. All the way. Down. Some completely unwarranted and baseless slander of the fine city of Cleveland in this episode, which is still nowhere near as offensive as how many total minutes it takes Jack to get through one two-clause sentence about the B-plot of this book. Put your tinfoil hats on for this one, Baby Nation, because you’re gonna need ‘em! Music credits: “Silly Fun,” by Robert Austin “Lavender Town,” by Myuuji “Dead Silence,” by Myuuji “Love Potion,” by Fasol Prod “Link,” by Ji

To really get this week’s episode, you’re going to need to remember a lot of the plot details from Inception, and you’re going to need to know A LOT about the short lived meme that was Dawn Siff’s Vine video resume. Oh, you’ll also probably want to have heard at least a few episodes of This American Life. So, a lot of prerequisites for this one, but it’s really worth it. Claudia gets a radio show on WSTO, Tanner delivers some very interesting factoids about terrestrial broadcast standards, Jack goes about six segments deep at one point, and we get a very special visit from a character we haven’t seen in quite some time who is taking some time off from blipping through spacetime. Music Credits: "My Sharona" MIDI "mnemonic presence" by lost-radio "Mercury" by Zookeepers & Heuse “This Is How We Do It” (Karaoke Version) originally performed by Montell Jordan "Overture" by Lionheart “You Gotta Have Theremin and Ukulele” by SquidLord "Little Wooden Church" by The Trumpeteers Thanks to or

There’s a ding dang civil war this week, Baby Nation (we’re saying “ding dang” now, apparently), and it looks like the beautiful friendships that we’ve been following for 83 books so far are starting to fall apart at the seams. We always knew that something was going to be the catalyst for the BSC apocalypse we witnessed in this book but never in a million years could either of us have predicted that it was going to be Mary Anne’s pajamas. And to make matters worse, the civil war between the baby-sitters isn’t the only war brewing – there’s the terrifying battle of the ghosts and spirits referenced in the title, the internal crisis of faith that Dawn is undergoing, and a bit of a "war of words” (if you’ll indulge me) between our hosts about whether or not Ann is explicitly referencing the Marvel Universe in this text (she is). Stick around for some seriously glorious antics from Alan Gray and the debut of a brand new song from Superbrat. Music credits: “New Dawn,” by Rise Studios “The End,” by MotionRide

Ding Dong, Baby Nation! The witch is dead! Which old witch? Stacey McGill, that’s who! This week Stacey gets into a big fight with all the other members of the Baby-sitter’s Club and they finally do the right thing and cut her loose. And, listen, Tanner isn’t here to say that he told you so, BUT HE TOLD YOU SO! Other talking points include whether or not pineapple is an appropriate topping for pizza (it’s not), a new light-bringer pulling the strings in Stoneybrook, and something else that seemed notable… I can’t quite remember what it was now… I was so distracted throughout the episode by the cooing and crying of a newborn baby that I’m having trouble recalling what the last big piece of news was. Oh well! Guess you’ll have to listen and find out for yourself. Music credits: “March” by Kai Engel “One Moment In Time” (Karaoke Version) originally by Whitney Houston “I Will Follow Him” (Karaoke Version) originally from the Sister Act soundtrack “Overture” by Lionheart “We Are” by Kisma Thank

Looks like we’ve got a Troublemaker gumming up the works this week, Baby Nation! But who, or what, is it? Surely it isn’t sweet, innocent leukemia survivor Danielle Roberts? Might it somehow be that bad, negligent babysitter Stacey McGill? She has been acting VERY strangely of late. Or, and just hear us out here … is there ANY chance that it could be ‘90s Canadian rap and reggae artist Darrin Kenneth O’Brien (aka “Snow”)? Probably not, frankly, but your boys are willing to consider all the options. Including the troubling possibility that we’re dealing with something even more sinister. That the nefarious troublemaking duo Ann M. Martin and Nola Thacker are forcing us to confront … The Nameless Shadow That Devours Us All. Whatever it is, there’s only one thing we truly can be sure of this week: This is all Jessi Ramsey’s fault. And we have the receipts to prove it. Music credits: “A Matter of Honor,” by ThePrimeCronus II “You Gotta Have Theremin and Ukulele,” by Squidlord “Time Police,” by ErikMMusic “Th

This week, after father of three Jack Butler loses his job at the Ford Motor Company, he is forced to become a stay-at-home dad when his wife, Caroline, takes a job as a high-powered executive at a prestigious ad agency in Detroit. No wait, that’s the plot of 1983’s Mr. Mom. Shit. Uh, well… pretty much the same thing happens in this book, except it’s Watson Brewer, and he doesn’t lose his job, but he does have a heart attack. (He's fine.) Music Credits: “Fits” by Podington Bear “December” by Kai Engel “Thaw” by Kai Engel “Fearless” by TULE As always, special thanks to Baby Boy Scott Lamb for the intro music, and to Superbrat for the outro music. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jack-shepherd8/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here come the bridesmaids, and there goes our sense of basically everything that is right and decent, because Tanner decided we needed to read a Super Special, OUT OF ORDER, this week to make sense of whatever the hell is going on in our next BSC book, Kristy and Mr. Mom. So here we are at this "coast 2 coast wedding orgy," with plenty of brides but not quite enough bridesmaids, as Mary Anne is about to discover to her eternal dismay. All that being said, Ann is kind of burying the lede here, because something else is coming in this book, something that is vastly more frightening and dangerous than even the most diabolical of bridesmaids. Though, to be fair, if she’d called this one “Here Comes the Terror Clown,” it might have hurt the sales a bit. Enjoy! Music credits: “Beautiful Reasons,” by Jonny Easton “Carnival Lament,” by Robert Austin “Overture,” by Lionheart “The Prophecy,” by Fox Beat “Elegy of Death,” by Robert Austin Thanks as always to original Baby Boy Scott Lamb for the intro music, and t

This week’s book is a clear cry for help from the Primarch of Princeton herself, and Ann – if you’re reading this – we hear you! And if you’re open to notes, we want to let you know that writing a step-by-step guide on how to stalk children's books authors is maybe not the best approach for dealing with your isolation and loneliness. But we’re just humble podcasters. What do we know? Music Credits: “Swing Lo” by Podington Bear “Awaken from a Nightmare” by Dementia “DEAD_LINE” by daPlaque "Bow to Your Neighbor (Excerpt)” by Steven Arntson "Entrance to the Queen of Sheba for Two Oboes, Strings” by Georg Friedrich Händel "Holding Hands" by Podington Bear “My Sharona” MIDI Thanks to original Baby Boy Scott Lamb for the intro music, Baby Bee Kelsey for the “Jack Googles" theme, and Superbrat for the outro music. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jack-shepherd8/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Babies and Gentlemen of the jury – over the course of this episode, we are going to present you with nothing but the facts of the case. You’re going to hear about Logan’s deceitful charm, about Alan Gray’s clever ruse, about the witches who walk among us in plain sight, and about William Blake’s critical analysis of Paradise Lost. And when all is said and done, when you have heard all that there is to hear, when the truth has been brought into the light, you are going to have no choice but to mete out justice according to the sacred laws of our great Nation of Babies. You are going to have no choice but to ACQUIT MARY ANNE SPIER OF ALL CHARGES. Because Mary Anne has broken no rules, Baby Nation! Unless there is a rule against loving too much. Music credits: “Morning Walk,” by Jonny Easton “Mary Walks Into the Wrong House,” by Teknoaxe “The Prophecy,” by Fox Beat One Moment in Time midi La Bamba midi Thanks as always to original Baby Boy Scott Lamb for the intro music, and to Superbrat for the outro mus

This week, the boys navigate some choppy waters together because Claudia’s crazy aunt Peaches comes to town for an extended visit, and things get a little “very special episode” for a hot second. Tanner manages to give birth to something of his own, just beating out the Shepherd family’s little bundle of joy, and learns a lot of really terrifying jump rope rhymes that he’s excited to teach Lil’ Jack someday. Music credits: “We Make A Good Team” by Podington Bear “Chrysalis” by Podington Bear “Creepy Atmo” by David Szesztay "creepy girl chanting” by theartisticfellow “Hundred Years in Helheim” by Tri-Tachyon “Undone" (feat. Steklo) by Desmeon Thanks to original Baby Boy Scott Lamb for the intro music, Baby Bee Kelsey for the “Jack Googles" theme, and Superbrat for the outro music. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jack-shepherd8/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s another episode of your favorite show, The We Heart Kids Club Club, a podcast in which your hosts, Half Pipe and Weed Lord (oof, sorry, I think we’re stuck with this now) talk about the classic series of novels about Maggie Blume, Jill Something or other, and new babysitter, Dawn Read Schafer. This week, the boys make some sweet, sweet brain babies together, and before they go any further, they’d like to formally apologize both for the metaphor and for the horrifying results of that particular experiment. But the show must go on, and there's lots to talk about this week, including Dawn’s dad’s exciting love life, the battle between the Barretts and the DeWitts across the country in Stoneybrook, Connecticut, and the fact that Baby-Sitters Club Art Director Hodges Soileau may just have outdone himself this time … Music credits: “Teenage Freakout,” by Mules “Never Coming Back,” by Enya Hall “The Fate of the Galaxy,” by Luke West “Journey,” by Tom Spander “If I Could Fly,” by Jonny Easton Thanks to or

This week the boys become intimately familiar with the work of Suzanne Weyn, or should I say, Suz-ANN! Have any of you ever seen Ann and Suzanne in the same room at the same time? Didn’t think so. Nice try, Ann, but we’re on to you. Stacey is back in the dog house, Claudia is back to being eternal sad, and the Pikes continue to deliver the best burns in the business. Music Credits: “Nocturne Op 15 No 3” by Podington Bear “That Kid in Fourth Grade Who Really Liked the Denver Broncos” by Chris Zabriskie "Cut The Check” by Spitfya x Desembra As always, special thanks to Baby Boy Scott Lamb for the intro music, and to Superbrat for the outro music. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jack-shepherd8/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finally, the episode everyone has been waiting for – a 1-hour extravaganza devoted exclusively to BSC fan favorite character Michael P. Trout (the computer science teacher that Jessi has in this one book and who never appears in the series again). We get into all things Trout this week, answer all your burning Trout questions, and speculate, briefly, about whether Trout died for our sins so that we may all be saved. For folks who aren’t Trout superfans, never fear, because Tanner manages to shoehorn the Stormlight Archive into this, and Jack, not to be outdone, gets a whole minute on T.S. Eliot before anyone can stop him. And of course, there’s dolls, dinosaurs, and a truly sick burn on Claudia. Music credits: “Letting Go,” by Nicolai Heidlas “Morning Walk,” by Jonny Easton “Best Dramatic Music Ever,” by JonathanChiu21 “Through the Woods We Ran,” by Vindsvept “Stardust,” by Foxbeat “Super Circus,” by Kevin MacLeod “Reflection,” by Whitesand Thanks to original Baby Boy Scott Lamb for the intro music,

Happy belated birthday, Ann! Jack and Tanner got you a present! It’s this podcast. Sorry. This week, the boys find common ground with Warhammer 40k/classical antiquity, and a new love for potential sentient canine and BSC ghostwriter, Nola Thacker. And Ann's isn’t the only birth worth celebrating this week, because Nola also brings about the existence of FIRE this week by introducing a purging flame to the Sitterverse. Also, Jack’s cigarette smoking is becoming a problem. Jack, if you’re reading this, please get help. Music Credits: "The Beacon” Teaser by Neumannfilms “Sad Piano Theme” by Gravy Beats “Hollaback Girl” MIDI “Fireburst” by ANGL “Overture” by Lionheart As always, special thanks to Baby Boy Scott Lamb for the intro music, and to Superbrat for the outro music. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jack-shepherd8/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the "Jahnna N. Malcolm Hate Podcast," a podcast in which two small-minded men viciously, slanderously, and unfairly malign the beloved children’s literature of the entity known as Jahnna N. Malcolm, whose only crime is their deep love for one another and for making the world a better place by entertaining children and enriching their lives. In slightly better news, Mallory’s back in action, but the Baby-Sitters are still down one, and The Dolls are gaining power as they tighten the noose on the sleepy little town of Stoneybrook. And Baby Nation: If you learn one thing from this podcast, learn this: Don’t. Trust. Dolls. Music credits: “Empty Promise,” by Chad London “Love Potion,” by Fasol Prod “Carnival Lament,” by Robert Austin “Snowbird,” by The Wolf "Theme From 'The Fly,'" by Howard Shore Thanks as always to original Baby Boy Scott Lamb for the intro music, and to Superbrat for the outro music. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jack-shepherd8/support Le

Welcome to another installment of the We ♥ Kids Club Club, a podcast in which your two hosts, Weed Lord and Half-pipe, discuss the works of Peter Lerangis and Ann M. Martin: The We ♥ Kids Club books. This week, there's a new character in Palo City, a naughty dingleberry named Dawn Schafer who creates trouble everywhere she goes with her militant environmentalism, hatred for love, and willingness to steal and lie her way back home. Palo City, California hasn't had a character this explosive since the Fire Elementals came to town. Music Credits: "Teenage Freakout” by Mules "The Beach! The Beach!" by Holy Coast Theme from “The X-Files" “Best Wishes” by Mike B. Fort “Haunted” by Jamie Evans "Hanging By A Moment” MIDI “Breathing” MIDI “Sex and Candy” MIDI “Lightning Crashes” MIDI “Kiss from a Rose” MIDI As always, special thanks to Baby Boy Scott Lamb for the intro music, and to Baby Bee Matt for the outro music. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/s

Y’all, the boys were pretty sauced for this episode. But that’s OK because it’s a Little Sister, Little Episode, where things are fast, loose, fun, and frisky. And despite all of that speed and friskiness, Jack and Tanner pull off some hard-hitting investigative journalism about the cold case of the missing Delaney family, a thoughtful and informed discussion about the state of modern bone medicine, and a poignant analysis of Karen Brewer's complex and morally fraught relationship with "Icky" Ricky "The Tower" Torres. Also, Jack says the phrase “mediate our experience” about 50 times, so brace yourselves. Audio credits: “Voyage,” by Whitesand Thanks as always to original Baby Boy Scott Lamb for the intro music, and to Superbrat for the outro music. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jack-shepherd8/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If there is such a thing in the world as a Perfect Boy, what would he be like? Would he be like Rand al Thor, from Robert Jordan’s tedious and bloated Wheel of Time saga? Would he be like Robyn or Rand Miller, the brothers behind the 1993 graphic adventure puzzle video game Myst? Or would he be more like Gary Gygax himself, the troubled but brilliant creator of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing experience? Claudia’s too busy assembling what may be her most ambitious outfit ever to do real justice to these questions about the Perfect Boy, so Jack and Tanner do their very best to muddle through on her behalf. Major, MAJOR spoilers for the movie Seven, starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and the head of Gwyneth Paltrow. Music credits: “Nothing,” by Joachim Henrich “Myst Theme,” by Robyn Miller “Overture,” by Lionheart “Mammoth,” by Vonikk “Don’t Leave Me,” by Lionel Schmitt "I Will Follow You Into The Dark” MIDI “Caress Me Down” MIDI Thanks as always to original Baby Boy Scott Lamb for the intro music

This week, two inept hosts who WERE NOT born during a storm NOR during a Super Bowl game try their very best to describe and discuss a Baby-Sitters Club book written by two beautiful storm-touched souls. And there’s no sign more clear that Jack and Tanner are starting to lose their credibility than the fact that they’re “coming around” on Stacey. Can you believe that?! Stacey meets a new boy called Robert, and together, they drain the swamp and dismantle the corrupt establishment that is SMS’s sports program. They’re real nine-one-ones. (nine-elevens?) Music Credits: "Mad World” MIDI "From This Moment On” MIDI “Fernando" MIDI “The Chase” by George Downes / www.georgedownesmedia.com “Feelings” by BOIRIA & ColBreakz "I Will Follow You Into The Dark” MIDI “Caress Me Down” MIDI “Overture” by Lionheart As always, special thanks to Baby Boy Scott Lamb for the intro music, and to Superbrat for the outro music. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jack-she

Welcome to “Pike Check,” our hit new BSCC-spinoff podcast about how ridiculously handsome Mallory’s dad John Pike is. We think this one has a lot of legs, just like John. This episode also contains the definitive diss track that the BSC ghostwriter known as “The Entity Known as Jahnna N. Malcolm” has had coming for about 30 years now, as well as a shocking new revelation about the mysterious events of June 10 and their meaning in Ann’s life. Also, Mallory is not well and the BSC is down to a DANGEROUS 5 members. We get into it. Possible spoilers for The Fly. Music credits: “Reflection,” by Whitesand “Passive Aggressive,” by Soundwell Music “Further Investigation,” by Teknoaxe “Don’t Leave Me,” by Lionel Schmitt “Epic EDM Club Dance,” by Higbie “Love Potion,” by Fasol Prod Thanks as always to original Baby Boy Scott Lamb for the intro music, and to Superbrat for the outro music. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jack-shepherd8/support Learn more about your ad choices