When Kristy's friend, Bart, decides that he wants to be her real boyfriend, Kristy is afraid to tell him that she does not feel the same and enlists the help of Mary Anne for courage in expressing herself. Ann M. Martin is the creator of The Baby-sitters Club, which has more than 190 million books in print, making it one of the most popular series in the history of publishing. Her novels include A Corner of the Universe (a Newbery Honor Book), Belle Teal, Here Today, A Dog's Life, On Christmas Eve, and the Main Street and Family Tree series, as well as the much-loved collaborations P.S. Longer Letter Later and Snail Mail No More, with Paula Danziger. Ann lives in upstate New York.