Keep Out Claudia

by Ann M. Martin

Book Overview

Why don't the Lowells want Claudia to sit for them? Claudia becomes the target of prejudice when the Baby-Sitters Club takes on a new client who doesn't like Claudia because she's Japanese. A serious... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0590456571
• ISBN13: 9780590456579
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: Scholastic
• Length: 10 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.3" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Sad, but very educational!

I just read Keep Out Claudia, and it was an interesting book. The BSC have new clients named the Lowells. Mary Anne baby-sat for them and the 3 kids (Mackie, Caitlin, Celeste) are good as gold even though she noticed Mrs. Lowell kind of stared at her before saying hello to her. And Mary Anne thought the kids asked her too many questions. Then Claudia came to baby-sit the Lowells and Mrs. Lowell wasn't very polite to her. Claudia didn't know why. Then the kids were laughing at her and were trying to get away with sneaking extra snacks. Then Mrs. Lowell called the club and said she didn't want Claudia to baby-sit anymore. Later, Claudia found out that the Lowells didn't like the fact that she was Japanese. Then Jessi went to babysit the Lowells and Mrs. Lowell told her she didn't need a sitter after all and forgot to tell her. She had a strange expression on her face and shut the door in Jessi's face without another word. Later, Jessi found out that Mrs. Lowell didn't like the fact that she was black. Kristy went to babysit for the Lowells next to investigate why Jessi and Claudia were turned away. After questioning the kids, she made a shocking discovery that the Lowells were prejudiced. Then Mrs. Lowell called the club and requested blonde, blue-eyed baby-sitters. Kristy told them that Stacey and Dawn were busy, but she told her she could send Logan, their backup baby-sitter. Mrs. Lowell told Kristy that boys don't baby-sit. Then Kristy told her she might be free if she isn't babysitting her adopted Vietnamese sister. Mrs. Lowell suddenly didn't need a sitter and hung up. Then the club was organizing a children's band in the neighborhood and was playing songs from Fiddler on the Roof. (a musical about Jewish people in 1940's Russia) Mrs. Lowell didn't want her kids to be in the band when she found out they were playing Fiddler on the Roof songs. Her kids were sad when they couldn't play and they snuck out to the concert to watch. It's too bad that prejudice still exists in our country. What's worse is that the children learn it from their parents and they grow up to be prejudiced. Why can't we all get along? Everyone is different and special in their own unique way. The world wouldn't be great if everyone was the same. But the book teaches that prejudice hurts people. I give the book 5 stars.

this book is well written

I'm not really 9, but I was when this book was issued.I used to be a huge baby sitter club fan and though I'm in college now, I still read some of the books time to time. Keep Out Claudia was my first baby sitters club book and I'd been hooked since. The descriptions of the band rehearsals and the Lowells was well written, and when I was reading it, I could feel the hurt Claudia, Jessi and the rest of the club felt towards Mrs Lowell's prejiduce. And I also feel that a rainbow is nothing without all the beautiful colours, just the way this world is nothing without all the beautiful people of different races, colours and ethnicity. We could all learn a lesson from this book about how prejiduce is irrational, especially for children. Buy it today

~Cheztnut's Review~

This book talks about how a new client for the BSC, doesn't like anyone who isn't well-- caucasin. Claudia comes to sit for the kids, and they rudely take advantage of her. Then when Jessica (an african american girl) comes to sit for them to see how bad they really are, their mother changes her mind and says that they don't need a sitter after all, only because Jessi is black. Then she calls the next day and ask for a blond haired blue eyed sitter, and they send Dawn. She works out fine, and they ask for her again, but Dawn is busy, so they send Mary-Anne who is brown haired. But Mary-Anne works out fine too.I think this book shows us about racial issues. Think about it.--Cheztnut--

Japanese and African-American discriminated

I really loved this book. The family let Claudia sit for thier kids but they didn't like her. Jessi is the only one free the next time and the woman slams the door in her face when she sees Jessi. Then she has the nerve to call and ask straight out if they have anyone blonde haird and blue eyed. My best friend is black and the book really give a great view.

A Great Book

I think Keep Out Claudia is an excellent book, it talks about a new client that wants the BSC to baby-sit for their three kids, but then, Claudia was free to baby-sit for the new client, but Claudia isn't blonde hair and blue eyed, so the client turns her away. And guess who else wasn't blonde hair and blue eyed in the BSC? That's right, Jessi can't either. So the new client turns down Claudia and Jessi, but this won't work out.