Claudia and Mean Janine

Book #7, Graphix #4,  Netflix S1 E6

Original Book - Writer: Ann M.Martin

Graphix Book - Illustrator: Raina Telgemeier

Netflix Series - Director: Linda Mendoza,  Writer: Jade Chang

Basic plot

Claudia finds it difficult to get along with her sister Janine and this is made worse when her beloved grandmother, Mimi has a stroke, after Claudia and Janine have a big fight. Claudia tries to help Mimi with her recovery and her and Janine talk things out, becoming closer. Mimi recovers enough that she can come home.

Things that are kept the same

• Claudia is frustrated with her sister Janine, always using big words she doesn't understand.
• Claudia agrees to play trivia game with Janine and Mimi, for Mimi's sake but ends up having argument with Janine. Mimi complains of being tired and goes to bed. The girls then hear a thud from upstairs and rush to help.
• Mimi is taken to hospital, she has had a stoke.
• Claudia and the BSC make Get Well Soon cards for Mimi.
• Claudia's first visit with Mimi in hospital doesn't go so well.
• Mimi has trouble speaking, mixes up words and reverts to talking some Japanese words.
• Claudia and Janine both want to help Mimi and have a talk coming to a better understanding of each other.
• Mimi is able to come home.
• Graphix only - the BSC run a playgroup during this time and they help at Lucy Newton's christening.
  

Things from other books 

• [Graphix only] Janine tutoring Claudia on a stormy night, Claudia tries to talk to Janine about storms but gets frustrated (Original Book 2) 
• [Graphix only] Claudia and Janine find some common ground, and Janine also admits to hiding junk food in her room. (Original  Book 2) 
• [Graphix only] Claudia is drawing a portrait of Mimi, in the graphix she also includes the family but Mimi is still at the centre. (Original  Book 2)
• [Graphix only] Kristy and Dawn have a heart to heart in Dawn's barn and Kristy gives er the role of alternate officer (Original  Book 5)
• [Netflix only] Claudia makes a collection of junk food art for an art show (Original Book 49)
  
  

Things that are changed 

• The Graphix as this was meant to be the last book in the series, combines some things from other books, like Claudia's frustration with Janine tutoring her and tries to wrap up some other plots, like Dawn and Kristy becoming friends and talk of Mallory Pike joining the club after she helps with the playgroup. 
• Some other timeline changes because of the book order, at the start of book school is just finishing up for Summer, Kristy's mom has not got married and at the end they say it has been a year since the BSC formed.
• Some scenes taken directly from the book are given a different context, as this is now before Dawn and Kristy become friendly, in the Graphix we see her rolling her eyes at Dawn's suggestions.
• Some improvements in the Graphix, Claudia and Janine have a fight while she is sitting for Jamie and Lucy, in the original book Claudia raises her hand to Janine unprovoked. In the Graphix she doesn't raise her hand and Janine makes more antagonistic comments about babysitting not being worthwhile.
• In the Netflix series as well the timeline is a little different as Kristy's Big Day is moved later, so like the Graphix Elizabeth and Watson are not married yet.
  
• The Netflix series while the main plot is similar it doesn't follow the same subplots, there is no playgroup or christening. In fact this is the first episode with no babysitting shown.
• The series instead builds on subplots from previous episodes. Claudia and Stacey after talking to Richard again help redocorate Mary Anne's room. MA feels there is something missing and discovering that the Humpty Dumpty painting belonged to her mom as a child rehangs it, along with pictures of her mum.
• There is more boy/relationship subplots in this episode. Richard and Sharon have stopped seeing each other. Mary Anne talks to Logan for the first time, Claudia asks Trevor's advice on her paintings and Stacey gets the hang out with Sam in a big group.
• After Mimi's stroke the Thomas' and Spiers' come over with dinner. Afterward the kids make get well card for Mimi (rather than the playgroup). Sam draws a blender and Kirsty sarcastically comments "because noting says get well soon like a blender" (which did make me laugh).
• Claudia is also taking part in an art show, she does painting of junk food, like a later book in the original series.
• Because of this being set in modern time, instead of Mimi moving to America after the war as an adult, she was a child in America during the war and was put in Japanese internment camp, Manzanar.
• Janine's knowledge and Claudia's drawing helps them figure out this is what Mimi has been trying to talk about as those old memories.
  

Final Thoughts

A lot of differences here across the mediums but the heart of the story still the same. I always thought Claudia had the interesting family dynamic, and liked her close relationship with Mimi, so this comes across in both these. Not sure how many books the Netflix series is going to be able to cover so it was cool to see Claudia's junk food art. A nice addition to the Graphix is bonus feature with Raina explaining the process of adapting the book to graphic novel format. It was a nice initial wrap-up for the Graphix but I'm glad they decided to continue with more.

Timeline

Original Series	Graphix	Netflix Series
1. Kristy’s Great Idea         Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey form the Babysitters Club. Kristy babysits the Brewers for the first time. Stacey meets and has a crush on Sam Thomas.   Stacey tells the club she has diabetes.	1. Kristy’s Great Idea Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey form the Babysitters Club Kristy babysits the Brewers for the first time. Stacey meets and has a crush on Sam Thomas. Stacey tells the club she has diabetes.	1.     Kristy’s Great Idea  Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey form the Babysitters Club 1st appearance of Logan Bruno (not named until episode 2)
2.  Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls Claudia has a crush on Trevor Sandbourne. Claudia struggles academically in school.	2. The Truth about Stacey The BSC find out about rivals - The Babysitters Agency. Kristy has the idea for Kid-Kits.  1st appearance of Mallory Pike Stacey makes up with her New York friend Laine.	2. Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls Kristy babysits the Brewers for the first time. Claudia has a crush on Trevor Sandbourne. Claudia struggles academically in school. The BSC find out about rivals - The Babysitters Agency.
3.    The Truth about Stacey The BSC find out about rivals - The Babysitters Agency. Kristy has the idea for Kid-Kits. 1st appearance of Mallory Pike Stacey makes up with her New York friend Laine.	3. Mary Anne Saves the Day 1st appearance of Dawn Schafer. Mary Anne and Dawn find out their parents dated in high school. Dawn joins the BSC.	3. The Truth about Stacey Kristy has the idea for Kid-Kits Stacey meets and has a crush on Sam Thomas.  Stacey tells the club she has diabetes.
4.    Mary Anne Saves the Day 1st appearance of Dawn Schafer. Mary Anne and Dawn find out their parents dated in high school. Dawn joins the BSC.	4. Claudia and Mean Janine Mimi has a stroke	4. Mary Anne Saves the Day 1st appearance of Dawn Schafer. Mary Anne and Dawn find out their parents dated in high school.
5.    Dawn and the Impossible Three Dawn becomes alternate officer.	5. Dawn and the Impossible Three Mallory Pike joins the BSC as junior officer.	5. Dawn and the Impossible Three Dawn joins the BSC. Dawn becomes alternate officer.
6. Kristy's Big Day Will be discussed later	6. Kristy's Big Day	6.  Claudia and Mean Janine Mimi has a stroke
7. Claudia and Mean Janine Mimi has a stroke