CHANDLER, AZ (July, 2018) – The Baby-Sitters Club series was a literary staple of an entire generation of young readers. Ann M. Martin’s books about adolescent friends Mary Anne, Kristy, Claudia, Stacey, and their charges dominated bookshelves from the late 1980s through the 1990s, becoming one of the most popular young adult series of all time. “I heard from a lot of kids that the club members were like friends to them,” says Martin. The Baby-Sitter’s Club has continued in the form of a television show, a movie, and most recently, graphic novels by Raina Telgemeier and Gale Galligan based on Martin’s original stories. Later this month, there will be a special edition release of the first six books of the series in a collectible The Baby-Sitter’s Club tin case. Martin discusses the enduring popularity of the series and her more recent titles in the August issue of Story Monsters Ink.

            Lauren and Tony Dungy also took the field to talk about their new sports-themed children’s book series. Lauren, a former teacher and early childhood education specialist, and Tony, a former NFL player, NBC sports analyst, NFL Hall of Fame member, and retired Super Bowl-winning head coach, want to get kids excited about reading. Austin Plays Fair and Maria Finds Courage are the first two books in the new Team Dungy series. “It’s very important to get kids reading early because we know that reading is going to help them in every area of their lives,” says Lauren. “Ideally, they’ll develop a love of reading that will lead to a lifetime of learning.”

The August issue also includes interviews with Vanessa Marshall, who voices Gamora on Disney XD's Guardians of the Galaxy; Children's book authors Tim McCanna, Fiona Basile, and Linda Kranz; Maceo Smedley, who stars in Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger; and young adult author Jennifer Rose, who offers life lessons for Autistic teens.

To read the full interviews or learn more about Story Monsters Ink, visit www.StoryMonsters.com, email info@storymonsters.com or call 480-940-8182.