Mary Anne and Miss Priss

Reach for this book if your child is struggling to connect with a peer who seems overly rigid, or if they feel frustrated by someone whose personality is the polar opposite of their own. Mary Anne Spier, usually the shy and quiet one of the Baby-Sitters Club, finds herself babysitting a young girl named Jenny Prezzioso who is the ultimate Miss Priss: meticulous, fussy, and resistant to any kind of messy fun. This story is an excellent tool for discussing patience and the realization that we do not have to be best friends with everyone to treat them with kindness and respect. It highlights the emotional labor of finding common ground when interests clash. For parents, it offers a gentle way to talk about social expectations and the value of seeing things from another person's perspective, all within a familiar, middle-school-appropriate setting.