How a former special education teacher became a global literary phenomenon for young readers

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before she created the iconic Baby-Sitters Club, Ann M. Martin spent her days teaching children with learning disabilities. Her transition from the classroom to the editorial desk at Scholastic sparked a career that has sold millions of books, blending personal experience with a lifelong passion for storytelling.

Born in 1955 in Princeton, New Jersey, Ann M. Martin displayed a precocious interest in writing, dictating stories to her mother before she could even hold a pen. Her path to becoming a prolific author was paved by a deep-seated interest in child development. After graduating from Smith College in 1977, where she studied early-childhood education and child psychology, she taught at the Plumfield School in Connecticut. Working with students aged 8 to 13 who struggled with autism and dyslexia provided the foundational empathy that would later define her fictional characters.

Martin’s professional life took a turn toward publishing when she transitioned from teaching to working as an editorial assistant. While employed at Scholastic, she launched The Baby-Sitters Club in 1986. The series became a massive success, with Martin personally penning the first 35 volumes before the publisher introduced ghostwriters to maintain the series' momentum. Her ability to capture the authentic voices of young people is often attributed to her background in education and her commitment to portraying female characters as strong, independent individuals.

Beyond her commercial success, Martin has maintained a focus on literacy and social causes. In 1990, she co-founded The Lisa Libraries to distribute books to under-served communities and established the Ann M. Martin Foundation to support education and animal welfare. Her later work has shifted toward standalone novels, many set in the 1960s, which have garnered critical acclaim, including a Newbery Honor for A Corner of the Universe. Today, she continues to oversee adaptations of her work, including the 2020 Netflix series, while living a quiet life in the Hudson Valley.

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