From School Library Journal
Gr 3-5 The four 12-year-old girls who comprise ``The Baby-sitters Club'' are worried about a robber whose pattern involves first calling the possible victim and then remaining silent. The girls, responsible babysitters, are at the same time gossipy girls who are variously at odds with members of their families, their schoolwork, and above all, boys. It is one of the latter who turns out to be Claudia's ``Phantom caller,'' brave enough to dial, but too shy to ask her to the dance. Martin sometimes writes as her audience would (Claudia ``goes'' rather than ``says,'' for instance). Claudia is an underachiever, but gifted in art; she has a brilliant sister she doesn't like; and she is Japanese. She should be an interesting and complex character, but she is hardly distinguishable from the other three babysitters. This contrived story is one of those ephemeral paperbacks that can easily be forgotten. Carolyn Jenks, Oyster River Elementary School, Durham, N.H.
Copyright 1987 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
