Kristy's Great Idea

Ann M. Martin

42 pages 1-hour read

Ann M. Martin

Kristy's Great Idea

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1986

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Kristy is a twelve-year-old, outgoing seventh-grader who lives in Stoneybrook with her mother and three brothers. She gets the idea to start the Baby-Sitters Club after seeing her mother frantically search for last-minute childcare. As the club's founder and president, she demonstrates strong leadership and business skills. She struggles to accept the presence of her mother's new boyfriend, preferring her family dynamic to remain unchanged.

Key Relationships

Best Friend of Mary Anne

Friend and Partner of Claudia

Friend of Stacey

Daughter of Kristy's Mom

Older Sister of David Michael

Younger Sister of Charlie

Younger Sister of Sam

Resistant To Watson

Babysitter of Karen

Babysitter of Andrew

Owner of Louie

Claudia is an artistic, fashion-forward seventh-grader who lives across the street from Kristy and Mary Anne. She serves as the vice president of the Baby-Sitters Club, hosting meetings in her bedroom because she has her own private telephone line. She frequently clashes with her parents over her schoolwork and feels overshadowed by her highly academic older sister.

Key Relationships

Friend of Kristy

Friend of Mary Anne

Close Friend of Stacey

Younger Sister of Janine

Mary Anne is a quiet, reserved girl who lives next door to Kristy. Her mother died when she was an infant, and she lives under the strict rules of her overprotective father. She serves as the secretary of the Baby-Sitters Club, using her excellent listening skills to manage their scheduling and record-keeping.

Key Relationships

Best Friend of Kristy

Friend of Claudia

Friend of Stacey

Daughter of Mr. Spier

Babysitter of Karen

Stacey is a stylish, cosmopolitan girl who recently relocated to Stoneybrook from New York City. She takes on the role of treasurer for the Baby-Sitters Club, utilizing her strong budgeting skills. She deflects questions about her past and avoids eating certain foods, leading some members of the club to suspect she is hiding something.

Key Relationships

Close Friend of Claudia

Friend of Kristy

Friend of Mary Anne

Romantic Interest of Sam

Supporting Characters

Kristy's Mom is a divorced, working mother who balances her career with raising four children. She acts with patience and understanding toward Kristy's impulsive behavior. She dates a wealthy man named Watson, bringing new changes into her family's routine.

Key Relationships

Mother of Kristy

Mother of David Michael

Mother of Charlie

Mother of Sam

Romantic Partner of Watson

Watson is a wealthy, divorced man dating Kristy's mother. He lives in a large home and shares custody of his two young children, Karen and Andrew. He makes consistent, friendly efforts to connect with Kristy and her brothers, despite Kristy's initial hostility.

Key Relationships

Romantic Partner of Kristy's Mom

Mother's Boyfriend of Kristy

Father of Karen

Father of Andrew

David Michael is Kristy's six-year-old brother. His frequent need for childcare serves as the catalyst for the creation of the Baby-Sitters Club. He is agreeable and highly accustomed to being watched by various teenage girls.

Key Relationships

Younger Brother of Kristy

Son of Kristy's Mom

Younger Brother of Charlie

Younger Brother of Sam

Charlie is Kristy's eldest brother. He plays football and stays busy with his own teenage life, generally maintaining an easygoing attitude toward the changes happening in his family.

Key Relationships

Older Brother of Kristy

Son of Kristy's Mom

Older Brother of David Michael

Brother of Sam

Sam is Kristy's older brother. He appears mostly in the background of the Thomas household until he meets the new girl from New York, Stacey, and decides to hang around the house more often.

Key Relationships

Older Brother of Kristy

Romantic Interest of Stacey

Son of Kristy's Mom

Older Brother of David Michael

Brother of Charlie

Karen is Watson's highly talkative five-year-old daughter. She possesses an incredibly active imagination and has strong opinions about her parents' divorce and her father's potential remarriage.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Watson

Older Sister of Andrew

Charge of Kristy

Charge of Mary Anne

Fearful Neighbor of Mrs. Porter

Owner of Boo-Boo

Andrew is Watson's young son. He stands in stark contrast to his loud sister, preferring to remain quiet and expressing anxiety over the shifting dynamics of his parents' divorce.

Key Relationships

Son of Watson

Younger Brother of Karen

Charge of Kristy

Janine is Claudia's older sister. She is considered a certified genius by her family, which places a heavy burden of expectation on Claudia. She focuses heavily on academics and intellectual pursuits.

Key Relationships

Older Sister of Claudia

Mr. Spier is Mary Anne's father. Having lost his wife when Mary Anne was a baby, he raises his daughter alone using a very strict set of rules to keep her safe and modest.

Key Relationships

Father of Mary Anne

Mrs. Porter is Watson's next-door neighbor. She maintains her garden and dislikes it when animals trample her flowers. Karen firmly believes she is a witch named Morbidda Destiny.

Key Relationships

Neighbor of Karen

Enemy of Boo-Boo

Boo-Boo is Watson's overweight, grumpy cat. He acts aggressively toward anyone he does not know and frequently wanders into the neighbor's yard, causing trouble.

Key Relationships

Pet of Karen

Hostile Charge of Mary Anne

Antagonist To Mrs. Porter

Louie is the Thomas family dog. He spends time with the children when they play outside near their home.

Key Relationships

Pet of Kristy