Rioko Kishi (neé Yamamoto) is the wife of John Kishi, the mother of Janine and Claudia Kishi, the daughter of Mimi Yamamoto and the sister of Peaches Benedict.
Biography[]
Rioko and her parents left Japan when she was very young as mentioned in Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls. She has been married to John for twenty years according to Claudia in Kristy's Great Idea. Wanted to keep Mr. Kishi all to herself when she first met him in The Mystery at Claudia's House. Like her husband, she is very conservative.
She has a good relationship with Claudia, even though she disapproves of Claudia reading Nancy Drew books and eating junk food. She insists on accompanying Claudia to meet her date at Rosebud Café in Claudia and the Perfect Boy. She keeps her daughters' birth announcements in the table beside her bed in Claudia and the Great Search.
In Claudia and the Terrible Truth, Rioko helps Mrs. Nicholls and her children get away from an abusive husband.
In Claudia's Big Party, she was invited to attend a library convention in Chicago. There were some speakers she was anxious to hear. She was sent in the places of Mr. Christian, the representative from southern Connecticut, due to back surgery.
She gives a speech about the first amendment in defense of Ted Morley's job in Kristy Power!.
Claudia mentions that her mother has her own recipe file in Claudia and Crazy Peaches.
She helped take care of Maureen Spencer when she came down with pneumonia in Stacey's Choice.
Rioko checked up Claudia sitting for the Perkins in Snowbound. She helped looked for Chewy when he was missing. She volunteered to stay with Claudia but Claudia told her that she would be fine for the night.
Job[]
Rioko is the head librarian at the Stoneybrook Public Library. Comes up with the idea for the library crafts fair and raises funds. It's mentioned that she's certified to teach elementary school in Connecticut in Claudia and the Great Search.
In Kristy Thomas, Dog Trainer, Claudia mentions that her mother has an assistant that makes great chocolate chip cookies.
Trivia[]
- Claudia's birthday is her ATM code and has 500 dollars of emergency money locked in a chest in Claudia and the Great Search.
- In Claudia and the Sad Good-bye, Mimi passed away and Rioko delivered the eulogy at her funeral.
- Rioko has a habit of shouting last minute instructions to Claudia as she goes down the block.
- Rioko is very organized.
- In Claudia and the Terrible Truth, Claudia says that she has a cup of tea as soon as she gets home from work.
- She has a friend, Mona, that's a social worker in Claudia and the Terrible Truth.
- The Hatt Family is a family friend in Claudia and the Lighthouse Ghost.
- She wears jewelry that Claudia has made for her like in Claudia and the Mystery in the Painting.
- In Claudia's Big Party, it's mentioned that she and Peaches are just as different as Claudia and Janine.
- She has a friend that works at the Stoneybrook Middle School library.
- In Claudia and the Disaster Date, Rioko told Claudia that she wanted to become a writer but didn't feel talented enough to write a novel so she became a librarian.
Media Portrayals[]
TV Series (1990)[]
In this version she is played by Freda Foh Shen. She is only in one episode Dawn and the Haunted House.
The Baby-Sitters Club (web series)[]
She is played by actress Diana Bang. In this version they changed her name to Kimiko. She's shown to be stricter then her book counterpart.