Parents' Guide to

The Claudia Kishi Club

By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Docu for fans of Baby-Sitter's Club character; language.

Movie NR 2020 17 minutes
The Claudia Kishi Club Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

THE CLAUDIA KISHI CLUB is a celebration of the one Asian American character depicted in the popular The Baby-Sitter's Club series of children's books. The short film emphasizes how a seemingly small nod to the existence of Asian American girls who don't fit the usual stereotype could unleash the pride and creative energies of a generation of young Asian American boys and girls. Unlike pervasive images of quiet, scholastically high-performing, over-scheduled, genius kids, Claudia can't spell, gets bad grades (except for art), and loves to dress in attention-getting hipster fashions that express her "wild" nature. Interviewees, including Sarah Kuhn, Naia Cucukov, Gale Galligan, CB Lee, and Phil Yu, are all thankful for the depiction of an Asian American kid in whom they could recognize themselves. From Claudia they learned, "There is not just one way to be an Asian person."

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (2):

This short documentary is a charming, arts-and-crafty look at the way the title's Asian American character inspired and gave permission to young Asian American kids to be themselves. The painful alternative many say they faced was to always feel they were disappointments to parents who demanded straight As, virtuosity, and otherwise distinguished kids. Using a scrapbook-y, animated framing style between interviews, director Sue Ding mimics the creativity, energy, and vividness of Claudia, the inspiration for Asian American kids who read the books. The Claudia Kishi Club demonstrates that this is a rich subject that other filmmakers and writers can mine to create more documentaries and books.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the way kids learn from images and stereotypes presented in the media. How were the interview subjects in The Claudia Kishi Club influenced by and strengthened by positive qualities that Claudia embodied?

  • Why do you think some Asian American kids are told by their parents to "fit in" and not "create waves"? How do you think hearing such advice could affect kids growing up?

  • How do you think stereotypes are created? Why is it unfair to prejudge people before you know them?

Movie Details

  • On DVD or streaming: July 10, 2020
  • Director: Sue Ding
  • Studio: Netflix
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Run time: 17 minutes
  • MPAA rating: NR
  • Last updated: February 18, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate