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The Baby-Sitters Club #4
Mary Anne Saves the Day
The megahit series returns to charm and inspire a new generation of baby-sitters! The classic BSC stories relaunch with a fresh look just as a brand-new prequel hits stores.
The girls of the BSC are in a huge fight, and Mary Anne feels caught in the middle. She isn't usually a leader in their group, but when the club leaves her alone to deal with a sick child, Mary Anne knows it's time to take charge.
The girls of the BSC are in a huge fight, and Mary Anne feels caught in the middle. She isn't usually a leader in their group, but when the club leaves her alone to deal with a sick child, Mary Anne knows it's time to take charge.
176 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1987
291 people are currently reading
2373 people want to read
About the author
Ann M. Martin
1,114 books3,061 followersAnn Matthews Martin was born on August 12, 1955. She grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, with her parents and her younger sister, Jane. After graduating from Smith College, Ann became a teacher and then an editor of children's books. She's now a full-time writer.
Ann gets the ideas for her books from many different places. Some are based on personal experiences, while others are based on childhood memories and feelings. Many are written about contemporary problems or events. All of Ann's characters, even the members of the Baby-sitters Club, are made up. But many of her characters are based on real people. Sometimes Ann names her characters after people she knows, and other times she simply chooses names that she likes.
Ann has always enjoyed writing. Even before she was old enough to write, she would dictate stories to her mother to write down for her. Some of her favorite authors at that time were Lewis Carroll, P. L. Travers, Hugh Lofting, Astrid Lindgren, and Roald Dahl. They inspired her to become a writer herself.
Since ending the BSC series in 2000, Ann’s writing has concentrated on single novels, many of which are set in the 1960s.
After living in New York City for many years, Ann moved to the Hudson Valley in upstate New York where she now lives with her dog, Sadie, and her cats, Gussie, Willy and Woody. Her hobbies are reading, sewing, and needlework. Her favorite thing to do is to make clothes for children.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/annmma...
Ann gets the ideas for her books from many different places. Some are based on personal experiences, while others are based on childhood memories and feelings. Many are written about contemporary problems or events. All of Ann's characters, even the members of the Baby-sitters Club, are made up. But many of her characters are based on real people. Sometimes Ann names her characters after people she knows, and other times she simply chooses names that she likes.
Ann has always enjoyed writing. Even before she was old enough to write, she would dictate stories to her mother to write down for her. Some of her favorite authors at that time were Lewis Carroll, P. L. Travers, Hugh Lofting, Astrid Lindgren, and Roald Dahl. They inspired her to become a writer herself.
Since ending the BSC series in 2000, Ann’s writing has concentrated on single novels, many of which are set in the 1960s.
After living in New York City for many years, Ann moved to the Hudson Valley in upstate New York where she now lives with her dog, Sadie, and her cats, Gussie, Willy and Woody. Her hobbies are reading, sewing, and needlework. Her favorite thing to do is to make clothes for children.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/annmma...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 415 reviews
October 12, 2019
OIGAN YA. Necesito que Elle Fanning narre otros 5 libros de esta serie porque oficialmente estoy: encariñada. I need all of them. JAJAJAJA.
May 19, 2020
Mary Anne saves the day, also known as the one where Mary Anne finally develops a backbone.
I'm amazed at how well I remember these stories, given that it's been 20 years since I read them. In this one, we have the members of the Babysitters Club falling out over who gets to sit for Mrs Newton's new baby. The resulting argument leads to none of the girls being friends any longer, and the future of the club is in jeopardy. At school, Mary Anne starts to come out from the shadows and make her own friend - new kid Dawn. And it's only as Mary Anne has to look after a sick child that her father realises just how grown up and responsible she is, and starts to let go.
There's a lot of angst and drama in this episode (which is surprisingly very realistic) with plenty of sticking out of tongues and name calling. I also love how Mary Anne idolises Stacey's dress sense, describing her as being super sophisticated because she has a set of earrings (for pierced ears, obviously), one of which is a dog and the other a bone. Stacey really is 80s fashion personified. And I know that reading this as a 12 year old, I was all over that styling.
I had definitely forgotten just how strict Mary Anne's father was (and I had forgotten he was a lawyer), not allowing Mary Anne to, essentially, grow up. I understand it must have been hard for him to let go - the last memories he has about his wife are from Mary Anne as a baby, and he's clearly struggling to relinquish this - but honestly, he is a complete control freak in the early books. Dawn's mother is clearly a good influence.
I also love Jenny P. She was always my favourite of the sitters kids, with her total disregard for her mother's fashions (I'm living for the bows and lace dresses) and temper tantrums. She's a girl after my own heart.
I'm amazed at how well I remember these stories, given that it's been 20 years since I read them. In this one, we have the members of the Babysitters Club falling out over who gets to sit for Mrs Newton's new baby. The resulting argument leads to none of the girls being friends any longer, and the future of the club is in jeopardy. At school, Mary Anne starts to come out from the shadows and make her own friend - new kid Dawn. And it's only as Mary Anne has to look after a sick child that her father realises just how grown up and responsible she is, and starts to let go.
There's a lot of angst and drama in this episode (which is surprisingly very realistic) with plenty of sticking out of tongues and name calling. I also love how Mary Anne idolises Stacey's dress sense, describing her as being super sophisticated because she has a set of earrings (for pierced ears, obviously), one of which is a dog and the other a bone. Stacey really is 80s fashion personified. And I know that reading this as a 12 year old, I was all over that styling.
I had definitely forgotten just how strict Mary Anne's father was (and I had forgotten he was a lawyer), not allowing Mary Anne to, essentially, grow up. I understand it must have been hard for him to let go - the last memories he has about his wife are from Mary Anne as a baby, and he's clearly struggling to relinquish this - but honestly, he is a complete control freak in the early books. Dawn's mother is clearly a good influence.
I also love Jenny P. She was always my favourite of the sitters kids, with her total disregard for her mother's fashions (I'm living for the bows and lace dresses) and temper tantrums. She's a girl after my own heart.
January 27, 2023
4.5 stars. The one where everyone in the BSC is mad at everyone else!
I couldn’t help but find it completely adorable that the main way the girls “fight” during this time, aside from pointedly ignoring each other that is, is to stick their tongues out at each other. Way harsh, guys!
I couldn’t help but find it completely adorable that the main way the girls “fight” during this time, aside from pointedly ignoring each other that is, is to stick their tongues out at each other. Way harsh, guys!
October 18, 2018
Oh gosh, I am on Nostalgia Row this week because once I went back and re-read the first three books, I couldn't help myself-I needed to re-read more. I said it already and I will say it again, this series was a childhood favorite and even reading them all these years later, I just find myself cozy and satisfied.
Mary Anne takes centre stage here, living with her widowed father, her mother Alma died of cancer when she was a baby, Mary Anne is fighting for a bit more independence. She's also fighting with her fellow babysitters too. Apparently, I did forget how much these girls fought with each other, but having been a 12/13 year old girl and having taught that age group, the drama is real.
So with her friends not talking, Mary Anne is pretty lonely at school. Soon she meets Dawn Schafer a California girl who is a new student, having recently moved to the area with her divorced mother and younger brother. Soon Mary Anne and Dawn realize their parents were high school sweethearts and they start planning around for a reunion to happen. But will Mary Anne be able to make things right or is the BSC doomed forever? It is also in this book that Mary Anne takes on a new babysitting charge, an only child named Jenny that is dressed more like a doll than a child, but I love how sensitive Mary Anne sees the good in Jenny and in her parents too. I had also forgotten that Mary Anne's Dad was a lawyer.
Mary Anne takes centre stage here, living with her widowed father, her mother Alma died of cancer when she was a baby, Mary Anne is fighting for a bit more independence. She's also fighting with her fellow babysitters too. Apparently, I did forget how much these girls fought with each other, but having been a 12/13 year old girl and having taught that age group, the drama is real.
So with her friends not talking, Mary Anne is pretty lonely at school. Soon she meets Dawn Schafer a California girl who is a new student, having recently moved to the area with her divorced mother and younger brother. Soon Mary Anne and Dawn realize their parents were high school sweethearts and they start planning around for a reunion to happen. But will Mary Anne be able to make things right or is the BSC doomed forever? It is also in this book that Mary Anne takes on a new babysitting charge, an only child named Jenny that is dressed more like a doll than a child, but I love how sensitive Mary Anne sees the good in Jenny and in her parents too. I had also forgotten that Mary Anne's Dad was a lawyer.
January 4, 2021
Only three books after Kristy had her great idea, it’s time for The BSC and the Great Dummy Spit, A.K.A., Welcome to the Party, Dawn! Kristy, Claudia, Stacey and Mary Anne have a doozy of a fight during a BSC meeting after Kristy breaks one of the most important BSC rules: When you answer a call for a babysitting job you must offer the job to everyone else, not simply take it yourself. Or else!
Having just reread the first three books, I found it quite interesting that it’s Kristy accidentally breaking this rule that’s the precursor for all of the drama that follows. Claudia and Stacey have both been guilty of exactly the same infraction (Mary Anne wouldn’t dare break a rule at this point so we won’t point any fingers at her). The other BSC members have been various shades of peeved because of these BSC blunders but nothing like the argument that follows Kristy’s mistake.
But, hey, let’s look at the bright side. At least we now know what the BSC really think of each other:
* Kristy is the “biggest, bossiest know-it-all in the world”
* Claudia is a “stuck-up job-hog”
* Stacey is a “conceited snob”
* Mary Anne is a shy little baby.
Actually, given the amount of conflict in this book, it surprises adult me that this was the book that sucked me in. Sure, it was the first one I read so it’s always going to hold a special place in my heart, but I’m the type of person who avoids conflict as much as possible. On the surface it doesn’t seem like the type of book kid me would have loved but I know I did. I’ve read it so many times!
I think what sealed the deal for me was Mary Anne herself. I saw shy, sensitive me in her and the fact that she stood up to people in this book, despite this, made her kind of heroic in my eyes. She had the courage that I wanted and the backbone I hoped was growing in me. And we both love The Parent Trap (the original Hayley Mills version), except I can’t remember now if I fell in love with it before I met Mary Anne or because of her.
Besides all of the time we spend watching our favourite babysitters pretty much hating each others’ guts, we are also introduced to our California girl. Mary Anne meets Dawn on her second day at Stoneybrook Middle School. The start of their friendship is somewhat dodgy, though, with Mary Anne lying to her off the bat.
While the four current BSC members are shooting daggers across the cafeteria at each other with every glance, Mary Anne (in her infinite wisdom) decides that rather than telling Dawn the truth about their bust up, she’ll say her friends are absent from school that day. And the day after. And the day after …
In this book it’s alleged that we babysit for David Michael Thomas, Karen and Andrew Brewer, Jamie (Hi-hi!) and Lucy Newton, Charlotte Johansenn, Nina and Eleanor Marshall, all eight Pike kids at once (😱) and a new girl, Jenny Prezzioso. However, we don’t get to attend most of these jobs with the girls because apparently they’re all too mad to even talk about them.
So, the random bits and pieces that stood out to me during this reread:
Mary Anne is in battle mode for much of the book, also engaging in some traditionally un-Mary Anne-like behaviour with Dawn and her super strict father. This is the man whose rules include not allowing his twelve year old daughter to wear pants to school because, um, reasons?
Kristy misses a BSC meeting. Did you ever think you’d live to see the day?
Dawn has a VCR at her house, which was a pretty big deal in the 80’s. For those of you who are too young to know what a VCR is, they’re how we watched movies at home in the olden days, before DVD’s, Blu-rays or streaming were invented. If you rented a movie, you absolutely had to rewind the video cassette before returning it to the video store, lest you incur the wrath of the teenager working there.
[image error]
My Mimi commits a cardinal sin: she calls Mary Anne “my Mary Anne”. Claudia is decidedly unimpressed.
Further proof that time is in fact still moving forward: The BSC members are invited to Jamie (Hi-hi!) Newton’s fourth birthday party.
Movie in a book: Mary Anne and Dawn watch The Parent Trap. Come to think of it, Mary Anne and Dawn pull a bit of a Parent Trap move on their parents.
Books in a book:
* Mary Anne reads A Wrinkle in Time.
* Vanessa Pike reads The Phantom Tollbooth.
* The younger Pike kids put on a Peter Rabbit play.
* Nicky and Vanessa Pike are reading Pippi Longstocking.
* Mary Anne has Blueberries For Sal, The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin and Caps For Sale in her Kid-Kit.
About the cover: Jenny’s hair ribbons are supposed to be white, not blue. She is also supposed to be asleep when Mary Anne takes her temperature. Close enough, though. I love the original covers!
Next BSC read: Our newest member, Dawn, makes her mark. I loved Dawn’s new-old home when I was growing up. I hope it’s as creepy and quirky as I remember.
Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com
Having just reread the first three books, I found it quite interesting that it’s Kristy accidentally breaking this rule that’s the precursor for all of the drama that follows. Claudia and Stacey have both been guilty of exactly the same infraction (Mary Anne wouldn’t dare break a rule at this point so we won’t point any fingers at her). The other BSC members have been various shades of peeved because of these BSC blunders but nothing like the argument that follows Kristy’s mistake.
But, hey, let’s look at the bright side. At least we now know what the BSC really think of each other:
* Kristy is the “biggest, bossiest know-it-all in the world”
* Claudia is a “stuck-up job-hog”
* Stacey is a “conceited snob”
* Mary Anne is a shy little baby.
Actually, given the amount of conflict in this book, it surprises adult me that this was the book that sucked me in. Sure, it was the first one I read so it’s always going to hold a special place in my heart, but I’m the type of person who avoids conflict as much as possible. On the surface it doesn’t seem like the type of book kid me would have loved but I know I did. I’ve read it so many times!
I think what sealed the deal for me was Mary Anne herself. I saw shy, sensitive me in her and the fact that she stood up to people in this book, despite this, made her kind of heroic in my eyes. She had the courage that I wanted and the backbone I hoped was growing in me. And we both love The Parent Trap (the original Hayley Mills version), except I can’t remember now if I fell in love with it before I met Mary Anne or because of her.
Besides all of the time we spend watching our favourite babysitters pretty much hating each others’ guts, we are also introduced to our California girl. Mary Anne meets Dawn on her second day at Stoneybrook Middle School. The start of their friendship is somewhat dodgy, though, with Mary Anne lying to her off the bat.
While the four current BSC members are shooting daggers across the cafeteria at each other with every glance, Mary Anne (in her infinite wisdom) decides that rather than telling Dawn the truth about their bust up, she’ll say her friends are absent from school that day. And the day after. And the day after …
In this book it’s alleged that we babysit for David Michael Thomas, Karen and Andrew Brewer, Jamie (Hi-hi!) and Lucy Newton, Charlotte Johansenn, Nina and Eleanor Marshall, all eight Pike kids at once (😱) and a new girl, Jenny Prezzioso. However, we don’t get to attend most of these jobs with the girls because apparently they’re all too mad to even talk about them.
So, the random bits and pieces that stood out to me during this reread:
Mary Anne is in battle mode for much of the book, also engaging in some traditionally un-Mary Anne-like behaviour with Dawn and her super strict father. This is the man whose rules include not allowing his twelve year old daughter to wear pants to school because, um, reasons?
Kristy misses a BSC meeting. Did you ever think you’d live to see the day?
Dawn has a VCR at her house, which was a pretty big deal in the 80’s. For those of you who are too young to know what a VCR is, they’re how we watched movies at home in the olden days, before DVD’s, Blu-rays or streaming were invented. If you rented a movie, you absolutely had to rewind the video cassette before returning it to the video store, lest you incur the wrath of the teenager working there.
[image error]
My Mimi commits a cardinal sin: she calls Mary Anne “my Mary Anne”. Claudia is decidedly unimpressed.
NO FAIR. So there.Tales from Stoneybrook Central Time: Lucy Newton, who was born during book #3, isn’t two months old yet but at least it proves that Stoneybrook Central Time isn’t slowing down a great deal yet. I wonder how many years these girls remain roughly the same age for.
Further proof that time is in fact still moving forward: The BSC members are invited to Jamie (Hi-hi!) Newton’s fourth birthday party.
Movie in a book: Mary Anne and Dawn watch The Parent Trap. Come to think of it, Mary Anne and Dawn pull a bit of a Parent Trap move on their parents.
Books in a book:
* Mary Anne reads A Wrinkle in Time.
* Vanessa Pike reads The Phantom Tollbooth.
* The younger Pike kids put on a Peter Rabbit play.
* Nicky and Vanessa Pike are reading Pippi Longstocking.
* Mary Anne has Blueberries For Sal, The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin and Caps For Sale in her Kid-Kit.
About the cover: Jenny’s hair ribbons are supposed to be white, not blue. She is also supposed to be asleep when Mary Anne takes her temperature. Close enough, though. I love the original covers!
Next BSC read: Our newest member, Dawn, makes her mark. I loved Dawn’s new-old home when I was growing up. I hope it’s as creepy and quirky as I remember.
Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com
December 28, 2025
Después del anterior libro, pensé que este se pondría mejor y, no. El conflicto principal es bastante decepcionante y me pareció muy inmaduro.
El Club de las Niñeras se pelea y no se hablan entre ellas. Entonces, Mary Anne decide compartir tiempo con otra niña llamada Dawn, pero eso a las otras niñeras no les gusta y empieza un ciclo de infantilerías que no para.
Las chicas actúan de una forma muy inmadura, y aunque entiendo su actitud por su edad, el drama me pareció un poco exagerado. Te pasas la mitad del libro esperando a que el problema se vuelva más serio o que la razón de la pelea sea más importante, pero nunca sucede.
Lo que lo salvó de ser realmente insufrible fue el otro conflicto: cuando Mary Anne está cuidando a Jenny Prezzioso, quien de repente se pone muy enferma con fiebre alta. Mary Anne se da cuenta de la gravedad de la situación e intenta contactar a los padres de Jenny, los señores Prezzioso, pero no responden al teléfono.
Mary Anne, junto a Dawn, a pesar de estar asustadas, mantienen la calma y trabajan juntas. Y las dos llaman al 911 para poder llevar a Jenny al hospital. Muestran mucha responsabilidad y rapidez por parte de ambas.
Al final, las niñeras se reconcilian e incluyen a Dawn en el club, ya que demostró mucha valentía con la situación a la que se enfrentó con Mary Anne.
En general, un libro que si tiene peso en la trama ya que introduce un nuevo miembro al club de las niñeras.
Y yo se que no tiene nada que ver pero, no puedo dejar de mencionar a Mimi; es tan linda con las chicas. Quiero ver mucha más participación de ella en los siguientes libros.
Terminado el 5 de agosto de 2025
El Club de las Niñeras se pelea y no se hablan entre ellas. Entonces, Mary Anne decide compartir tiempo con otra niña llamada Dawn, pero eso a las otras niñeras no les gusta y empieza un ciclo de infantilerías que no para.
Las chicas actúan de una forma muy inmadura, y aunque entiendo su actitud por su edad, el drama me pareció un poco exagerado. Te pasas la mitad del libro esperando a que el problema se vuelva más serio o que la razón de la pelea sea más importante, pero nunca sucede.
Lo que lo salvó de ser realmente insufrible fue el otro conflicto: cuando Mary Anne está cuidando a Jenny Prezzioso, quien de repente se pone muy enferma con fiebre alta. Mary Anne se da cuenta de la gravedad de la situación e intenta contactar a los padres de Jenny, los señores Prezzioso, pero no responden al teléfono.
Mary Anne, junto a Dawn, a pesar de estar asustadas, mantienen la calma y trabajan juntas. Y las dos llaman al 911 para poder llevar a Jenny al hospital. Muestran mucha responsabilidad y rapidez por parte de ambas.
Al final, las niñeras se reconcilian e incluyen a Dawn en el club, ya que demostró mucha valentía con la situación a la que se enfrentó con Mary Anne.
En general, un libro que si tiene peso en la trama ya que introduce un nuevo miembro al club de las niñeras.
Y yo se que no tiene nada que ver pero, no puedo dejar de mencionar a Mimi; es tan linda con las chicas. Quiero ver mucha más participación de ella en los siguientes libros.
Terminado el 5 de agosto de 2025
February 5, 2019
Mirror, Mirror at the Mall, Who is the Freaking WORST of ALL?
Let me tell you about Mary Anne. Mary Anne lives in the shadow of everyone around her. Her father treats her like a child. Her best friend, Kristy, is a confident, intelligent alpha. Her other friends, Stacey and Claudia, are also confident, beautiful, fashion-forward young women. The healthiest relationship she has in the story so far is with Claudia's grandmother, Mimi, with whom she discusses their shared passion for needlework.
Mary Anne wears pigtails because her father makes her. She wears what her father picks out. She does what Kristy wants to do. All the while she fawns over the glamorous lives she perceives those around her have, particularly Stacey, gorgeous, blonde, a New York City native who might as well be Carrie friggin' Bradshaw as far as Mary Anne is concerned. Mary Anne admits at the beginning of this book that she wants to be Stacey "except for the diabetes, of course".
Of course. Like all people who envy others while making no effort to improve themselves, Mary Anne doesn't actually want to be Stacey. She wants to be Ideal Stacey, a person that doesn't exist.
Mary Anne is doomed to obscurity, preferring self-pity over action. Although she hates it, she is safe in her prison of mediocrity. She plays the meek victim to her father’s demands and her friends’ strength and wears that victimhood like a badge. The more this book tried to explore her situation and make me sympathize, the more insufferable she became. I’ve joked about hating Kristy’s nastiness, but Mary Anne is the true object of my loathing.
Why? Because I see her. And reading this book make me feel like Ann Martin could see me. Although our lives are different, Mary Anne and I are cut from the same cloth, and looking in the mirror at a version of myself with terrible pigtails was such a gross experience.
We both avoid confrontation to the point where we let ourselves suffer rather than asserting ourselves just a little. We both tend to rely heavily on one person as a social outlet. We both have trouble reaching out to people and tend to assume that those we don’t know well don’t want us around. We idolize glamorous people to the point of envy. We half ass taking care of our appearance and cultivating a style and image and then slaver over, yet silently resent those who try. God, I could just punch her in the mouth.
But if I’m being honest — and I’m slightly embarrassed that I am — watching Mary Anne take a few piddly steps towards owning her situation was pretty inspiring to me. She confronted her dad, she made a new friend, and she resolved the babysitters’ completely juvenile month-long argument over literally nothing. In the end she got to stay out a little later on weekends, and she got to take her hair down. It’s the first step in her self-actualization. And she can fuck right off.
But you know what? After I read that book, I picked up my phone and sent messages to people I hadn’t talked to in a long time. I made a promise to myself I’d clean out my bedroom closet and get all my clothes organized so I stop wearing the same 4 shirts every week. (That’s my Saturday afternoon.) And I went and paid my bills and did my freaking taxes and finally began planning my itinerary for the week I am spending alone in Scotland next month. And it’s just a little bit because of friggin’ Mary Anne.
I don't subscribe to the popularly parroted notion that hatred is an altogether negative emotion. Unchecked hatred, sure. Hatred mixed with fear, definitely. But I have an absolute belief in the power of hatred to bring us together, help us protect each other, and be a driver towards change. Some people deserve to be hated for the things they do and how they treat others.
Even on a personal level, that hypocritical hatred for someone whose qualities match our own can be a major force to better ourself. The best part about shining a light on something is that now we have to face it. And to face it is to understand it and hopefully to change.
Just remember to be nice. You can hate someone without being horrible to them, especially when you understand where that feeling is coming from. If Mary Anne weren't fictional, I wouldn't be calling her names.
But Mary Anne is fictional. So until she stops being relatable for all the wrong reasons and completes her journey into confident womanhood, I reserve the right to hate on the dowdy little doormat. And I will do it with aplomb, but also with apologies.
I'm sorry, Mary Anne. I'm sorry you're the fucking worst. I'm sorry the best thing you've ever done is bring Dawn into the Baby-sitters Club -- yet another member who is cooler and prettier than you. And I’m sorry taking your hair out of those ratty pigtails didn’t instantly turn you into Sofia Vergara. (Try running a brush through it next time.) I’m sorry. You have my sincerest apologies and bleeding sympathies.
As Jean Paul Richter wrote:
So with that, I go silent. Girl, bye.
*******************
Homework: Examine yourself. Find someone you hate and do not punch them in the mouth.
<< #3: The Truth About Stacey
#5: Dawn and the Impossible Three >>
Wenn wir einen Menschen hassen, so hassen wir in seinem Bild etwas, was in uns selber sitzt. Was nicht in uns selber ist, das regt uns nicht auf.While I do not at all agree with this first quotation -- uttered by one of Hesse's characters and not the man himself -- as a universal, it is an appropriate launching point to dive into the second quote, which I penned just over a month ago. I would like to apologize to Mary Anne and explore what induced me to make such a hateful comment. I would not, however, like to retract it.
[When we hate someone, we hate something in them that resides in ourself. What isn't a part of us doesn't upset us.]
-- Herman Hesse, Demian
Mary Anne is human drywall.
-- Me, 2018
Let me tell you about Mary Anne. Mary Anne lives in the shadow of everyone around her. Her father treats her like a child. Her best friend, Kristy, is a confident, intelligent alpha. Her other friends, Stacey and Claudia, are also confident, beautiful, fashion-forward young women. The healthiest relationship she has in the story so far is with Claudia's grandmother, Mimi, with whom she discusses their shared passion for needlework.
Mary Anne wears pigtails because her father makes her. She wears what her father picks out. She does what Kristy wants to do. All the while she fawns over the glamorous lives she perceives those around her have, particularly Stacey, gorgeous, blonde, a New York City native who might as well be Carrie friggin' Bradshaw as far as Mary Anne is concerned. Mary Anne admits at the beginning of this book that she wants to be Stacey "except for the diabetes, of course".
Of course. Like all people who envy others while making no effort to improve themselves, Mary Anne doesn't actually want to be Stacey. She wants to be Ideal Stacey, a person that doesn't exist.
Mary Anne is doomed to obscurity, preferring self-pity over action. Although she hates it, she is safe in her prison of mediocrity. She plays the meek victim to her father’s demands and her friends’ strength and wears that victimhood like a badge. The more this book tried to explore her situation and make me sympathize, the more insufferable she became. I’ve joked about hating Kristy’s nastiness, but Mary Anne is the true object of my loathing.
Why? Because I see her. And reading this book make me feel like Ann Martin could see me. Although our lives are different, Mary Anne and I are cut from the same cloth, and looking in the mirror at a version of myself with terrible pigtails was such a gross experience.
We both avoid confrontation to the point where we let ourselves suffer rather than asserting ourselves just a little. We both tend to rely heavily on one person as a social outlet. We both have trouble reaching out to people and tend to assume that those we don’t know well don’t want us around. We idolize glamorous people to the point of envy. We half ass taking care of our appearance and cultivating a style and image and then slaver over, yet silently resent those who try. God, I could just punch her in the mouth.
But if I’m being honest — and I’m slightly embarrassed that I am — watching Mary Anne take a few piddly steps towards owning her situation was pretty inspiring to me. She confronted her dad, she made a new friend, and she resolved the babysitters’ completely juvenile month-long argument over literally nothing. In the end she got to stay out a little later on weekends, and she got to take her hair down. It’s the first step in her self-actualization. And she can fuck right off.
But you know what? After I read that book, I picked up my phone and sent messages to people I hadn’t talked to in a long time. I made a promise to myself I’d clean out my bedroom closet and get all my clothes organized so I stop wearing the same 4 shirts every week. (That’s my Saturday afternoon.) And I went and paid my bills and did my freaking taxes and finally began planning my itinerary for the week I am spending alone in Scotland next month. And it’s just a little bit because of friggin’ Mary Anne.
I don't subscribe to the popularly parroted notion that hatred is an altogether negative emotion. Unchecked hatred, sure. Hatred mixed with fear, definitely. But I have an absolute belief in the power of hatred to bring us together, help us protect each other, and be a driver towards change. Some people deserve to be hated for the things they do and how they treat others.
Even on a personal level, that hypocritical hatred for someone whose qualities match our own can be a major force to better ourself. The best part about shining a light on something is that now we have to face it. And to face it is to understand it and hopefully to change.
Just remember to be nice. You can hate someone without being horrible to them, especially when you understand where that feeling is coming from. If Mary Anne weren't fictional, I wouldn't be calling her names.
But Mary Anne is fictional. So until she stops being relatable for all the wrong reasons and completes her journey into confident womanhood, I reserve the right to hate on the dowdy little doormat. And I will do it with aplomb, but also with apologies.
I'm sorry, Mary Anne. I'm sorry you're the fucking worst. I'm sorry the best thing you've ever done is bring Dawn into the Baby-sitters Club -- yet another member who is cooler and prettier than you. And I’m sorry taking your hair out of those ratty pigtails didn’t instantly turn you into Sofia Vergara. (Try running a brush through it next time.) I’m sorry. You have my sincerest apologies and bleeding sympathies.
As Jean Paul Richter wrote:
Der grösste Hass ist, wie die grösste Tugend und die schlimmsten Hunde, still.
[The greatest hatred is, like the greatest virtue and the worst dogs, silent.]
So with that, I go silent. Girl, bye.
*******************
Homework: Examine yourself. Find someone you hate and do not punch them in the mouth.
<< #3: The Truth About Stacey
#5: Dawn and the Impossible Three >>
Read
July 28, 2016I found 8 BSC books in my library's free book bin so I took it upon myself to bring them all home with me.
I started with this one. I have no regrets.
I started with this one. I have no regrets.
January 20, 2010
when i was a kid, i was never into mary anne's character. i couldn't relate to all the shyness & crying, & it's no fun to read a book all about a shy character that cries all the time. i started reading the babysitters club series the month they started being published, & my dad took me to the bookstore every month so i could pick up the newest book (well, every three months at the beginning). this is the first of the mary anne books & damn...even the cover is a yawn. mary anne's got braids & a golden cable-knit sweater & a plaid maxi-skirt. good thing the series is based in connecticut & not utah, or i'd think she was taking the temperature of her eldest child borne by her aging mormon husband or something.
however, when i got older (like mid-20s) & re-read the series, the mary anne books were pretty awesome. i appreciated their tenor in a whole different way. in fact, even though the books where primarily written by a revolving cast of ghostwriters according to their schedules & thematic abilities, each narrator seems to have a slightly different tone, & mary anne's is a lot more badass than it seemed when i was a kid. i kind of love the scene where she loses her temper with her father, says he is her jailer, & runs away to her room. i also appreciated it because it involved one of the babysitters acting like a normal kid for once. these books taught me a lot about thinking before i spoke, bargaining for privileges with my parents, etc, but it's pretty unrealistic for them to be that mature & thoughtful all the time. i like seeing them fuck up sometimes. & i love richard now. he could have flipped his lid & used mary anne's outburst as justification to continue his stern fatherly ways, but instead, he realized that he needed to lighten up & give her a little more credit.
the "day" mary anne "saves" is the day she sits for jenny prezzioso, who spikes a fever of 104. mary anne can't find an adult to take jenny to the hospital, so she calls for an ambulance & does everything right--leaves a message at the gymnasium where mr. & mrs. prezzioso are seeing a basketball game (oh, the days before cell phones--makes me wonder how they'll change that in the forthcoming re-issues), locks the door, gets jenny's coat & mittens on, etc. jenny is diagnosed with strep throat & mr. prezzioso gives mary anne (& dawn, who is introduced in this book) a $10 bonus.
dawn is introduced here after the babysitters have some ridiculous huge fight (i miss the BSC fights--they happened a lot in the beginning of the series & then it was fairly smooth sailing until stacey started hanging out with the "bad girls") & mary anne doesn't have anyone to sit with at lunch. in this book, dawn is described as "not as exactly pretty, but pleasant." nice. not so much with the "gorgeous" california casual individual that is rammed down our throats later. i miss how the start of the series was occasionally fairly realistic.
okay, time for dinner.
however, when i got older (like mid-20s) & re-read the series, the mary anne books were pretty awesome. i appreciated their tenor in a whole different way. in fact, even though the books where primarily written by a revolving cast of ghostwriters according to their schedules & thematic abilities, each narrator seems to have a slightly different tone, & mary anne's is a lot more badass than it seemed when i was a kid. i kind of love the scene where she loses her temper with her father, says he is her jailer, & runs away to her room. i also appreciated it because it involved one of the babysitters acting like a normal kid for once. these books taught me a lot about thinking before i spoke, bargaining for privileges with my parents, etc, but it's pretty unrealistic for them to be that mature & thoughtful all the time. i like seeing them fuck up sometimes. & i love richard now. he could have flipped his lid & used mary anne's outburst as justification to continue his stern fatherly ways, but instead, he realized that he needed to lighten up & give her a little more credit.
the "day" mary anne "saves" is the day she sits for jenny prezzioso, who spikes a fever of 104. mary anne can't find an adult to take jenny to the hospital, so she calls for an ambulance & does everything right--leaves a message at the gymnasium where mr. & mrs. prezzioso are seeing a basketball game (oh, the days before cell phones--makes me wonder how they'll change that in the forthcoming re-issues), locks the door, gets jenny's coat & mittens on, etc. jenny is diagnosed with strep throat & mr. prezzioso gives mary anne (& dawn, who is introduced in this book) a $10 bonus.
dawn is introduced here after the babysitters have some ridiculous huge fight (i miss the BSC fights--they happened a lot in the beginning of the series & then it was fairly smooth sailing until stacey started hanging out with the "bad girls") & mary anne doesn't have anyone to sit with at lunch. in this book, dawn is described as "not as exactly pretty, but pleasant." nice. not so much with the "gorgeous" california casual individual that is rammed down our throats later. i miss how the start of the series was occasionally fairly realistic.
okay, time for dinner.
May 16, 2022
My favourite reread so far. I love Mary Anne sticking up for herself and showing her dad that she's responsible and mature!! Also epic friend fight!! And ... enter Dawn!!
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July 24, 2025
Oh Mary Anne... you sweet, denim-clad paragon of order!
In Mary Anne Saves the Day, our favorite shy treasurer finally gets her moment to shine, proving that sometimes the quiet ones really do have all the answers (and a surprisingly effective way with a stray cat).
Mary Anne's unwavering logic and a dash of sensible ingenuity show that sometimes, saving the day is less about grand gestures and more about knowing where the first-aid kit is.
It's a delightful reminder that even the most understated among us can be heroes, especially if there's a pet in peril.
In Mary Anne Saves the Day, our favorite shy treasurer finally gets her moment to shine, proving that sometimes the quiet ones really do have all the answers (and a surprisingly effective way with a stray cat).
Mary Anne's unwavering logic and a dash of sensible ingenuity show that sometimes, saving the day is less about grand gestures and more about knowing where the first-aid kit is.
It's a delightful reminder that even the most understated among us can be heroes, especially if there's a pet in peril.
February 22, 2022
The original handful of Baby-Sitters Club books are interesting because they're setting up everyone's personalities, but still somehow manage to feel a bit off, as the characters did develop more as the books went along.
This is the book where we first meet Dawn and she's described like this:
"The girl smiled back. She wasn’t exactly pretty, I decided, but she was pleasant, which was more important.
Shocking to me, because I remember Dawn always being described as really pretty.
This is also the book where Mary Anne finally stands up to her dad, who allows to her take her hair out of her braids (damn dad, took you long enough,) and stay up later to babysit. It's Mary Anne's first book and honestly, it's a pretty huge one, since everything we've been told about her as a character previously sort of morphs and changes. The BSC gets in a (month long!) fight and acts honestly totally irresponsible. She finds herself meeting new people and becoming a more take charger babysitter. It's pretty great.
But seriously, the girls act so unbelievably in this one -- I do not believe for one second that Kristy would just not attend meetings or that Stacey would throw a wet napkin in Claudia's face or that they'd act like brats on babysitting jobs. I know they're 12 but c'mon! I don't think it's ever quite this comically ridiculous in any other books going forward.
This is the book where we first meet Dawn and she's described like this:
"The girl smiled back. She wasn’t exactly pretty, I decided, but she was pleasant, which was more important.
Shocking to me, because I remember Dawn always being described as really pretty.
This is also the book where Mary Anne finally stands up to her dad, who allows to her take her hair out of her braids (damn dad, took you long enough,) and stay up later to babysit. It's Mary Anne's first book and honestly, it's a pretty huge one, since everything we've been told about her as a character previously sort of morphs and changes. The BSC gets in a (month long!) fight and acts honestly totally irresponsible. She finds herself meeting new people and becoming a more take charger babysitter. It's pretty great.
But seriously, the girls act so unbelievably in this one -- I do not believe for one second that Kristy would just not attend meetings or that Stacey would throw a wet napkin in Claudia's face or that they'd act like brats on babysitting jobs. I know they're 12 but c'mon! I don't think it's ever quite this comically ridiculous in any other books going forward.
January 5, 2022
My first babysitter club book, I always wanted them but never got them. Loved how the story was going. Great and nostalic times. Good read for the day.
January 7, 2016
main plot: the baby-sitters get in a fight after calling each other a bunch of mean names. mary anne befriends the new girl, dawn schafer, and discovers that her dad and dawn's mom are high school sweethearts. titular side plot: mary anne shows she is responsible by keeping a level head when new client jenny prezzioso has a 104 degree fever. she starts to take control over her life, leading to her dad letting her baby-sit later hours and stop wearing braids.
highlights:
-another reference to alexander kurtzman (in this case, he is wearing a three piece suit to school). he was previously referenced in Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls.
-mimi's description of humpty dumpty, when mary anne asks if she knows who he is: "Oh, yes. He is the shattered eggman."
-mary anne being a minor-league badass
-intro to the richie/sharon plotline, troo luvv lasts 4ever, etc.
-claudia blasting a cheesy song while mary anne is trying to answer bsc calls. "DUM-DE-DUM-DE-DUM DUM. CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU-OU-OU-OU-OU. DE-DOOO. DE-DOOO. MY LIFE IS YOU-OU-OU-OU-OU."
no claudia outfits! AGH. there are three other outfits, though. here is mary anne's dream outfit:
-Just once, I'd like to go to school wearing skintight turquoise pants. Stacey's "island" shirt with the flamingos and toucans all over it, and maybe bright red, high-top sneakers.
two jenny prezzioso outfits:
-She was wearing a frilly white dress trimmed with yards of lavender lace and ribbon, matching lavender socks, and shiny black patent leather Mary Janes. Her hair had been curled, and was pulled back from either side of her face by barrettes from which long streamers flowed.
-She was wearing a pale blue dress with a white collar and cuffs. Her tights were white. Her shoes were white. Her hair ribbon was white.
two snacks in claudia's room:
-ring dings in her pajama bag
-chewing gum under the quilt on her bed
mean things the girls call each other:
-conceited snob (mary anne on stacey)
-stuck-up job-hog (mary anne on claudia)
-biggest, bossiest know-it-all in the world (mary anne on kristy)
-shy little baby (stacey on mary anne)
on the girls' bedroom walls:
-kristy: posters about the Olympics and pictures of gymnasts and football players.
-claudia: her own art (is that narcissistic?)
-stacey: poster of NYC at night, poster of the Empire State Building, map of Manhattan (does she wear an I <3 NY shirt every day too?)
-mary anne: framed picture of her parents and her when she was a baby, framed picture of humpty dumpty, framed pictures of characters from alice in wonderland (all frames are pink)
highlights:
-another reference to alexander kurtzman (in this case, he is wearing a three piece suit to school). he was previously referenced in Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls.
-mimi's description of humpty dumpty, when mary anne asks if she knows who he is: "Oh, yes. He is the shattered eggman."
-mary anne being a minor-league badass
-intro to the richie/sharon plotline, troo luvv lasts 4ever, etc.
-claudia blasting a cheesy song while mary anne is trying to answer bsc calls. "DUM-DE-DUM-DE-DUM DUM. CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU-OU-OU-OU-OU. DE-DOOO. DE-DOOO. MY LIFE IS YOU-OU-OU-OU-OU."
no claudia outfits! AGH. there are three other outfits, though. here is mary anne's dream outfit:
-Just once, I'd like to go to school wearing skintight turquoise pants. Stacey's "island" shirt with the flamingos and toucans all over it, and maybe bright red, high-top sneakers.
two jenny prezzioso outfits:
-She was wearing a frilly white dress trimmed with yards of lavender lace and ribbon, matching lavender socks, and shiny black patent leather Mary Janes. Her hair had been curled, and was pulled back from either side of her face by barrettes from which long streamers flowed.
-She was wearing a pale blue dress with a white collar and cuffs. Her tights were white. Her shoes were white. Her hair ribbon was white.
two snacks in claudia's room:
-ring dings in her pajama bag
-chewing gum under the quilt on her bed
mean things the girls call each other:
-conceited snob (mary anne on stacey)
-stuck-up job-hog (mary anne on claudia)
-biggest, bossiest know-it-all in the world (mary anne on kristy)
-shy little baby (stacey on mary anne)
on the girls' bedroom walls:
-kristy: posters about the Olympics and pictures of gymnasts and football players.
-claudia: her own art (is that narcissistic?)
-stacey: poster of NYC at night, poster of the Empire State Building, map of Manhattan (does she wear an I <3 NY shirt every day too?)
-mary anne: framed picture of her parents and her when she was a baby, framed picture of humpty dumpty, framed pictures of characters from alice in wonderland (all frames are pink)
July 30, 2021
Before I get to my actual review, a quick disclaimer: Ever since I learned that Netflix was reimagining one of my favorite childhood book series, I had decided that I would be embarking on a re-read of this series, reliving a series of books that helped to shape me into a voracious reader. I am so excited to embark on this travel back in time. I don't expect to be mentally stimulated -- I mean, I'm not exactly a pre-teen middle-schooler these days -- but I make no apology for choosing to enjoy this series from the perspective of adulthood. Don't expect me to have any sort of psychoanalyst or feminist sermonizing on the appropriateness of the situations or the effects on a young girl reading these books; there's plenty of that to go around already. I'm here for the nostalgia and the meander down memory lane.
**********
Mary Anne was always my favorite because I identified with her quiet nature in so many ways. If you want to know what I was like in my adolescent years, subtract the super strict rules, and I was pretty much Mary Anne. Also, much like Mary Anne, I grew to stand up for myself when I need to, although not at quite a so tender age.
What I liked about Mary Anne Saves the Day:
The "other side" of Mary Anne - I love when she finally gets angry and stands up for herself. I feel that so deeply in my soul.
The believability - The way Ms Martin captured the Big Fight was so accurate for a group of middle school girls that I could feel my inner child wincing in recall.
Good little life lessons tucked between the pages - How to sincerely apologize. How to respectfully stand up for yourself. How to navigate a babysitting emergency.
What I didn't care for:
Not a thing! This was always one of my favorites from this series. There was enough drama, enough giggles, enough plot development. I wouldn't change a thing.
A couple of additional thoughts:
Thing the first - That scene at Jamie Newton's birthday party actually made me cringe.
Thing the second - There were several references to mobile phones. I had to actually Google whether there were really mobile phones when this book was written in 1987. Apparently there were (the big brick style phones), but I am stunned that so many of the adults seemed to have one. I mean I was 11 years old in 1987 and I did live in Connecticut, where fictional Stoneybrook is located, but I did not know a single person who owned one, much less half my neighborhood! Stoneybrook must be affluent!
This book stood the test of time against my memory. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this one. My original 4-star rating stands.
**********
Mary Anne was always my favorite because I identified with her quiet nature in so many ways. If you want to know what I was like in my adolescent years, subtract the super strict rules, and I was pretty much Mary Anne. Also, much like Mary Anne, I grew to stand up for myself when I need to, although not at quite a so tender age.
What I liked about Mary Anne Saves the Day:
The "other side" of Mary Anne - I love when she finally gets angry and stands up for herself. I feel that so deeply in my soul.
The believability - The way Ms Martin captured the Big Fight was so accurate for a group of middle school girls that I could feel my inner child wincing in recall.
Good little life lessons tucked between the pages - How to sincerely apologize. How to respectfully stand up for yourself. How to navigate a babysitting emergency.
What I didn't care for:
Not a thing! This was always one of my favorites from this series. There was enough drama, enough giggles, enough plot development. I wouldn't change a thing.
A couple of additional thoughts:
Thing the first - That scene at Jamie Newton's birthday party actually made me cringe.
Thing the second - There were several references to mobile phones. I had to actually Google whether there were really mobile phones when this book was written in 1987. Apparently there were (the big brick style phones), but I am stunned that so many of the adults seemed to have one. I mean I was 11 years old in 1987 and I did live in Connecticut, where fictional Stoneybrook is located, but I did not know a single person who owned one, much less half my neighborhood! Stoneybrook must be affluent!
This book stood the test of time against my memory. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this one. My original 4-star rating stands.
July 7, 2020
While I actually started reading around age 3 (thank you, my Granny's Dick and Jane books!), this series is what I remember most about loving to read during my childhood. My sister and I drank these books up like they were oxygen. I truly think we owned just about every single one from every one of the series. We even got the privilege of meeting Ann M. Martin at a book signing, but of course little starstruck me froze and could not speak a word to my biggest hero at that time. Once in awhile if I come across these at a yard sale, I will pick them up for a couple hour trip down memory lane, and I declare nearly nothing centers and relaxes me more!
April 3, 2007
Nothing defines my preteen era more than The Babysitter's Club. OH, how much I would like to list all 179 books that I read. Instead, I will only add this one as it was the first one I read. I bought it by chance at one of those mobile book fairs that came to school every few months. Do they still have those things? They were great.
August 22, 2022
3.5 stars.
Kristy is such a bitch and I love her. 😂 Read via audio (narrated by Elle Fanning).
Kristy is such a bitch and I love her. 😂 Read via audio (narrated by Elle Fanning).
April 30, 2021
Fun and quick read. I loved Mary Anne's character development though, I definitely wasn't expecting that!
December 19, 2019
I am on a quest to revisit my childhood reading favorites. When I was a child, I loved the Babysitters Club books. I devoured them. I read those, along with the Super Specials, Mysteries, Little Sister books, etc. In fact, I still have all of them to this day in paperback. They were such a big part of my love of reading, I could not part with them. So now that they have come out on Audiobook, I had to check them out. As it turns out, I am not too old to enjoy The Baby-sitters Club. It kind of feels like going home again.
Mary Anne Saves the Day is book 4 in the Baby-sitters Club series. In this book, there is drama. Lots and lots of drama. All of the girls of the BSC are fighting. Mary Anne makes a new friend. There is a medical emergency with a child that Mary Anne is babysitting. She handles it very maturely and responsibly, but is it enough to prove to Mary Anne's father that she is growing up and should be allowed additional privileges?
This book has been my least favorite while revisiting my childhood favorite series. I think I am too old for all of the juvenile fighting and behavior portrayed in this book. I had very little patience for it.
This book is a quick listen and is only 3 hours and 6 minutes. The narrator does a good job.
I still love the nostalgia and am ready to listen to book 5!
Mary Anne Saves the Day is book 4 in the Baby-sitters Club series. In this book, there is drama. Lots and lots of drama. All of the girls of the BSC are fighting. Mary Anne makes a new friend. There is a medical emergency with a child that Mary Anne is babysitting. She handles it very maturely and responsibly, but is it enough to prove to Mary Anne's father that she is growing up and should be allowed additional privileges?
This book has been my least favorite while revisiting my childhood favorite series. I think I am too old for all of the juvenile fighting and behavior portrayed in this book. I had very little patience for it.
This book is a quick listen and is only 3 hours and 6 minutes. The narrator does a good job.
I still love the nostalgia and am ready to listen to book 5!
January 27, 2018
Definitely a highlight in early BSC. I've said before how much I love Mary Anne taking charge, and it's true. I love seeing her grow, not just through the first few books, but even through this book on its own. (Like when she gets home five minutes late from the Pikes - I really like how she learns that yes, she should have phoned her dad to let him know she'd be a little late.) I also really like the inclusion of Dawn, and the start of her friendship with Mary Anne. It is hilarious, however, that the BSC gets in that mega fight literally in the first chapter of the book. Not even any buildup, just zero to a hundred in the span of a chapter.
Bonus - This book has 16 chapters! That shocked me, I'm so used to the formulaic 15-chapter BSC.
Edit 1/27/2018 - I just remembered that Ann M Martin was originally asked to only write four Baby-sitters Club books, so this would have been the last of them. It actually would have been a decent ending to the short series, and definitely leaves you wanting more. Of course, we all know how that turned out, what with all the spinoffs and tv series and movie...
Bonus - This book has 16 chapters! That shocked me, I'm so used to the formulaic 15-chapter BSC.
Edit 1/27/2018 - I just remembered that Ann M Martin was originally asked to only write four Baby-sitters Club books, so this would have been the last of them. It actually would have been a decent ending to the short series, and definitely leaves you wanting more. Of course, we all know how that turned out, what with all the spinoffs and tv series and movie...
December 28, 2008
I got this off BookMooch as I never got the chance to read it as a child and it was the first Mary Anne book. A very sweet story, and definitely one of the better novels written by Ann herself, not the ghostwriters. It had a good message in it and was a nice read. 10/10
July 9, 2023
Jess' 2023 BSC Re-Read
Plot: Hell yeah! It's time for my girl Mary Anne to shine! Relegated to bit parts in the first three books, Mary Anne proves she's no shrinking violet here. We get a good glimpse into her home life--her strict lawyer father is deeply overprotective, and despite Mary Anne being mature and responsible, she's still treated like a little girl. After an emergency involving a client, she's able to prove to her father she's ready to grow up.
(Though, it makes me wonder, was my 2018 edition of the book poorly modernized a little? I swear they allude to cell phones being turned on or off, unless they are referring to car phones in some way).
We also get the first big BSC infight, which is a hilariously classic pre-teen girl fight about absolutely nothing. This forces Mary Anne to be more independent and not rely on Kristy's boldness at school. This also allows her to meet my girl Dawn, who makes her debut here all the way from sunny California.
Mains
Kristy: Kristy is so mean to poor Mary Anne in this one. She's so stubborn. I didn't like her at all here.
Mary Anne: This book cemented Mary Anne as my favorite character. There's so much depth and growth here that even little Jess picked up on years and years ago. She's not yet ready to deal with the fact that her father is still deeply mourning her mother and sees Mary Anne as an extension of her. In future books, Mary Anne will show more interest in learning about her mom. But in this book, she just wants to learn about herself. As a shy kid myself, Mary Anne was a total inspiration.
Claudia: Claudia gets an interesting little bit of characterization. She's the first to make up with Mary Anne, only to turn on her again when she sees Mary Anne bonding with her grandmother Mimi. We see how Claudia feels isolated from her own family and is possessive of the love and attention she gets from Mimi.
Stacey: Practically nonexistent. That's okay, she just had a great book.
Dawn (!!!)
Side Characters: New clients the Prezziosos (mom, dad, and little Jenny) make their first appearance. Jenny is a bit of a terror in her lacy dresses and frills, and her mom is a total pill. Mary Anne's father, Richard, and Dawn's mother, Sharon, have a tiny subplot involving their high school romance. And the BSC almost has a meltdown at poor Jamie Newton's fourth birthday party when their big fight comes to a head (and Mary Anne has to take charge).
Overall: One of my favorite books in the series and one of the most character-driven, which is something that kindled my love for reading as a child. I remember whole passages from this book since I read it so many times.
Also, the Netflix TV adaptation of this episode of excellent and modernizes it so well. Jenny (called Bailey in the show) is trans and Mary Anne has to advocate for her in the hospital. I love how the show takes on the performative femininity of Jenny and her mother and has it make sense in a very different way.
Plot: Hell yeah! It's time for my girl Mary Anne to shine! Relegated to bit parts in the first three books, Mary Anne proves she's no shrinking violet here. We get a good glimpse into her home life--her strict lawyer father is deeply overprotective, and despite Mary Anne being mature and responsible, she's still treated like a little girl. After an emergency involving a client, she's able to prove to her father she's ready to grow up.
(Though, it makes me wonder, was my 2018 edition of the book poorly modernized a little? I swear they allude to cell phones being turned on or off, unless they are referring to car phones in some way).
We also get the first big BSC infight, which is a hilariously classic pre-teen girl fight about absolutely nothing. This forces Mary Anne to be more independent and not rely on Kristy's boldness at school. This also allows her to meet my girl Dawn, who makes her debut here all the way from sunny California.
Mains
Kristy: Kristy is so mean to poor Mary Anne in this one. She's so stubborn. I didn't like her at all here.
Mary Anne: This book cemented Mary Anne as my favorite character. There's so much depth and growth here that even little Jess picked up on years and years ago. She's not yet ready to deal with the fact that her father is still deeply mourning her mother and sees Mary Anne as an extension of her. In future books, Mary Anne will show more interest in learning about her mom. But in this book, she just wants to learn about herself. As a shy kid myself, Mary Anne was a total inspiration.
Claudia: Claudia gets an interesting little bit of characterization. She's the first to make up with Mary Anne, only to turn on her again when she sees Mary Anne bonding with her grandmother Mimi. We see how Claudia feels isolated from her own family and is possessive of the love and attention she gets from Mimi.
Stacey: Practically nonexistent. That's okay, she just had a great book.
Dawn (!!!)
Side Characters: New clients the Prezziosos (mom, dad, and little Jenny) make their first appearance. Jenny is a bit of a terror in her lacy dresses and frills, and her mom is a total pill. Mary Anne's father, Richard, and Dawn's mother, Sharon, have a tiny subplot involving their high school romance. And the BSC almost has a meltdown at poor Jamie Newton's fourth birthday party when their big fight comes to a head (and Mary Anne has to take charge).
Overall: One of my favorite books in the series and one of the most character-driven, which is something that kindled my love for reading as a child. I remember whole passages from this book since I read it so many times.
Also, the Netflix TV adaptation of this episode of excellent and modernizes it so well. Jenny (called Bailey in the show) is trans and Mary Anne has to advocate for her in the hospital. I love how the show takes on the performative femininity of Jenny and her mother and has it make sense in a very different way.
July 12, 2016
The first big blowout fight among the baby-sitters, and the crazy lengths they go to just to run their club while they aren't speaking. This is an interesting juxtaposition of the baby-sitters seventh grade immaturity, and their dogged persistence, and ingenuity in adjusting their business model to accommodate that immaturity. I borrowed this from my best friend when I was in second or third grade.
Things I remember from reading this as a kid:
That fight! I just loved the drama of it. I'm sure a lot of the meanness went over my head when I was young, but how quickly the members are divided against each other still stands out in my mind.
I felt a deep, deep sympathy for Claudia, who is so hurt when she hears Mimi calling Mary Anne "my Mary Anne". As a child I always wanted to be the favorite of someone, and the bond between Mimi and Claudia is so special that I remember feeling completely on Claudia's side when she gets angry with Mary Anne.
I did not envy Mary Anne at all, having to grow up in that stiff, awkward house with such a stuffy father.
I was really excited to discover this book was the introduction to Dawn.
Things I've considered since reading this as an adult:
Mary Anne's mental "apology" letters to her friends are so hilarious! ("I'm really, really sorry you called me a shy little baby. I hope you are sorry too," and "I'm sorry you're the biggest, bossiest know-it-all in the world, but what can I do about it? Have you considered seeking professional help?") My amusement at these letters must be the reason why I cannot send notes (or in this age, texts) of apology without sounding really sarcastic.
Several times later on in the series, Kristy is upset that Mary Anne becomes so close to Dawn. I wonder if it was always in the back of her mind that Mary Anne became such good friends with Dawn while she was fighting with Kristy. Like maybe, if she never had fought with Mary Anne, Mary Anne would never have become friends with Dawn, which meant she never would have found out about Dawn's mother being her father's ex-girlfriend, and their parents might never have gotten married, keeping Mary Anne dependent on Kristy for many more years to come. I can't imagine this thought did not enter Kristy's crafty, smart mind, and I like that the series never mentions it. If this thought does occur to Kristy, she doesn't seem to dwell on it.
I think the fight between the baby sitters is so well done. In seconds they go from being the best of friends, to stabbing each other with the flaw that hurts them the most. It's a perfect way to depict adolescent girls, and the reason why they are so vicious to each other. It helps that they make up in the end.
I think it's funny to read the characters that become such an important part of the series for the first time. In this book, Dawn seems to have such extreme feelings -- she is either super happy to have Mary Anne over to her house, or very sad and quiet about her parent's recent divorce, or furious with Mary Anne for lying to her about fighting with her friends. Of all these emotions, I think the happiness one seems false, but even the anger one doesn't strike me as an angry Dawn of later in the series, when she seemed more sulky and passive aggressive. Later on, I think of Dawn as being intense, and a little maudlin. She doesn't have much of a sense of humor, and she is interested in things that don't inspire much happiness. She has some dark ideas (like breaking in Shawna's locker in Claudia and the Middle School Mystery) and she likes her ghost stories a little too much (The Ghost At Dawn's House, The Baby Sitters At Shadow Lake), and much later in the series, she becomes one of the narrators of the darker California Diaries spinoff series, dealing with her friend's abusive relationships, and eating disorders. In this first introduction to Dawn she comes across as pretty happy despite her recent hard times.
Mary Anne's father, Richard, still reads as an awkward person to have grown up with. His rules about looking nice for mealtimes, and not letting Mary Anne redecorate her room seem old-fashioned for someone his age. I could imagine Mary Anne being raised by grandparents, or even great-grandparents who have this mentality, but it seems odd for someone Richard's age (as referenced by his high school yearbooks, I imagine he graduated in about 1961). Later in the series, when the baby sitters have to write their autobiographies for a school project Mary Anne writes about watching Sesame Street with her father every day, and I just can't fit the Richard of that book, with the Richard of this book. I know the series makes a big deal about how he loosened up and got a better sense of humor when he married Dawn's mother, but Mary Anne's childhood memories of him still don't match the stiff, humorless man of this book. Maybe he got really strict and intense as she got closer to puberty?
In the book I read as a child I distinctly remember Mary Anne's mother was named Abigail because I thought it made her sound as old-fashioned as Mary Anne's father, and I pictured them all as a scary Puritanical family in the 1600s. (I probably read The Witch of Blackbird Pond around the same time.) Later in the series, Mary Anne's mother is referred to as Alma, which also makes her sound like a Puritan, and for a long time I assumed it was a nickname for Abigail, because why else would Mary Anne's mother have two different names? Now I understand that someone, somewhere screwed up, and didn't remember that Mary Anne's mother had been given a name in Mary Anne Saves the Day. In the version I just reread Mary Anne's mother is referred to as Alma, so it must have been a later printing.
I didn't realize that this book not only introduced Dawn, but also the social-climbing, phony Prezziosos.
Things I remember from reading this as a kid:
That fight! I just loved the drama of it. I'm sure a lot of the meanness went over my head when I was young, but how quickly the members are divided against each other still stands out in my mind.
I felt a deep, deep sympathy for Claudia, who is so hurt when she hears Mimi calling Mary Anne "my Mary Anne". As a child I always wanted to be the favorite of someone, and the bond between Mimi and Claudia is so special that I remember feeling completely on Claudia's side when she gets angry with Mary Anne.
I did not envy Mary Anne at all, having to grow up in that stiff, awkward house with such a stuffy father.
I was really excited to discover this book was the introduction to Dawn.
Things I've considered since reading this as an adult:
Mary Anne's mental "apology" letters to her friends are so hilarious! ("I'm really, really sorry you called me a shy little baby. I hope you are sorry too," and "I'm sorry you're the biggest, bossiest know-it-all in the world, but what can I do about it? Have you considered seeking professional help?") My amusement at these letters must be the reason why I cannot send notes (or in this age, texts) of apology without sounding really sarcastic.
Several times later on in the series, Kristy is upset that Mary Anne becomes so close to Dawn. I wonder if it was always in the back of her mind that Mary Anne became such good friends with Dawn while she was fighting with Kristy. Like maybe, if she never had fought with Mary Anne, Mary Anne would never have become friends with Dawn, which meant she never would have found out about Dawn's mother being her father's ex-girlfriend, and their parents might never have gotten married, keeping Mary Anne dependent on Kristy for many more years to come. I can't imagine this thought did not enter Kristy's crafty, smart mind, and I like that the series never mentions it. If this thought does occur to Kristy, she doesn't seem to dwell on it.
I think the fight between the baby sitters is so well done. In seconds they go from being the best of friends, to stabbing each other with the flaw that hurts them the most. It's a perfect way to depict adolescent girls, and the reason why they are so vicious to each other. It helps that they make up in the end.
I think it's funny to read the characters that become such an important part of the series for the first time. In this book, Dawn seems to have such extreme feelings -- she is either super happy to have Mary Anne over to her house, or very sad and quiet about her parent's recent divorce, or furious with Mary Anne for lying to her about fighting with her friends. Of all these emotions, I think the happiness one seems false, but even the anger one doesn't strike me as an angry Dawn of later in the series, when she seemed more sulky and passive aggressive. Later on, I think of Dawn as being intense, and a little maudlin. She doesn't have much of a sense of humor, and she is interested in things that don't inspire much happiness. She has some dark ideas (like breaking in Shawna's locker in Claudia and the Middle School Mystery) and she likes her ghost stories a little too much (The Ghost At Dawn's House, The Baby Sitters At Shadow Lake), and much later in the series, she becomes one of the narrators of the darker California Diaries spinoff series, dealing with her friend's abusive relationships, and eating disorders. In this first introduction to Dawn she comes across as pretty happy despite her recent hard times.
Mary Anne's father, Richard, still reads as an awkward person to have grown up with. His rules about looking nice for mealtimes, and not letting Mary Anne redecorate her room seem old-fashioned for someone his age. I could imagine Mary Anne being raised by grandparents, or even great-grandparents who have this mentality, but it seems odd for someone Richard's age (as referenced by his high school yearbooks, I imagine he graduated in about 1961). Later in the series, when the baby sitters have to write their autobiographies for a school project Mary Anne writes about watching Sesame Street with her father every day, and I just can't fit the Richard of that book, with the Richard of this book. I know the series makes a big deal about how he loosened up and got a better sense of humor when he married Dawn's mother, but Mary Anne's childhood memories of him still don't match the stiff, humorless man of this book. Maybe he got really strict and intense as she got closer to puberty?
In the book I read as a child I distinctly remember Mary Anne's mother was named Abigail because I thought it made her sound as old-fashioned as Mary Anne's father, and I pictured them all as a scary Puritanical family in the 1600s. (I probably read The Witch of Blackbird Pond around the same time.) Later in the series, Mary Anne's mother is referred to as Alma, which also makes her sound like a Puritan, and for a long time I assumed it was a nickname for Abigail, because why else would Mary Anne's mother have two different names? Now I understand that someone, somewhere screwed up, and didn't remember that Mary Anne's mother had been given a name in Mary Anne Saves the Day. In the version I just reread Mary Anne's mother is referred to as Alma, so it must have been a later printing.
I didn't realize that this book not only introduced Dawn, but also the social-climbing, phony Prezziosos.
August 27, 2018
The girls of the babysitters club have a fallout! Can the club still run with everyone fighting and not talking to each other? And Mary Ann meets a new girl named Dawn. So what does that mean for her friendship with Kristy? This was a cute story , I just didn’t like that the girls where so mean to each other over a small little thing so that’s why I gave it 3 stars.
November 20, 2020
In the very first chapter the four members of The Baby-Sitters Club have a massive out-of-character and out-of-nowhere fight that leaves none of them talking to each other. This outrageous setup scenario leads to a fairly entertaining and interesting installment in the series. The introduction of new character Dawn is a nice bonus.
April 2, 2021
This series is such a throwback and just one that I will always love. I love slowly rereading them throughout time. They’re short so they’re quick reads. It’s some of the rare time that I read an ebook because I don’t pick up ebooks normally. But this series is the perfect series to read through ebook.
I love looking back at this series now that I’m older. As a 27 year old it’s very different because they’re only 12 and these books are old themselves.
I love the life lessons you learn through these books and the things that these books could show and still show kids. Many have babysat in their day and what’s nice is that it shows kids who might themselves become babysitters life lessons and things to learn. But also just growing up in general and having a great friend group.
I love this group of friends. They’re just so timeless and good.
I love looking back at this series now that I’m older. As a 27 year old it’s very different because they’re only 12 and these books are old themselves.
I love the life lessons you learn through these books and the things that these books could show and still show kids. Many have babysat in their day and what’s nice is that it shows kids who might themselves become babysitters life lessons and things to learn. But also just growing up in general and having a great friend group.
I love this group of friends. They’re just so timeless and good.
March 1, 2022
i loved this book the ending was my favorite
May 25, 2013
FINALLY I got to finish this! It's a bittersweet feeling, really. What a fantastic book. I don't know if it's nostalgia or if it's the writing or a combination of both, but I was so impressed by it, especially as an adult. I thought it was great when I read it twenty-odd years ago, and my opinion hasn't changed.
These books are out of print and this one just happened to be in a freebie pile. My friend snatched it up for me (thanks Diana!) and I'm so happy she did. Now I'm also incredibly disappointed that it will be virtually impossible for me to find any other in the series, in French, for purchase. I have most of them in English but it's not the same. In the French version the kids are in Canada. Kind of makes me like it a little more. Mentions of Hull, Toronto, and Montréal gave me a tiny thrill.
About the story: very well written account of the thoughts of a 12-year-old (from what I remember of that age). The petty fights that feel like the end of the world, the longing to belong, the fear and courage that come in the face of an emergency, the fear and courage that come in the face of confronting a parent about changes you hope for. I have already recommended the book to my older daughter in hopes that she will recognize that the feelings and perspective that she has is mirrored in millions of other girls and have been dealt with and surmounted in the past and can be overcome again.
Now to comb the internet for any of the other books in the series available for purchase... here's hoping!
These books are out of print and this one just happened to be in a freebie pile. My friend snatched it up for me (thanks Diana!) and I'm so happy she did. Now I'm also incredibly disappointed that it will be virtually impossible for me to find any other in the series, in French, for purchase. I have most of them in English but it's not the same. In the French version the kids are in Canada. Kind of makes me like it a little more. Mentions of Hull, Toronto, and Montréal gave me a tiny thrill.
About the story: very well written account of the thoughts of a 12-year-old (from what I remember of that age). The petty fights that feel like the end of the world, the longing to belong, the fear and courage that come in the face of an emergency, the fear and courage that come in the face of confronting a parent about changes you hope for. I have already recommended the book to my older daughter in hopes that she will recognize that the feelings and perspective that she has is mirrored in millions of other girls and have been dealt with and surmounted in the past and can be overcome again.
Now to comb the internet for any of the other books in the series available for purchase... here's hoping!
August 6, 2017
I never really liked Mary Anne much when I was younger. I thought she was a boring character with a boring background and a boring life.
While that's still true, I actually really enjoyed her character in this book. You can tell Ann M Martin intended for this to be the last book in the series - Mary Anne really grows up and becomes her own character, and the story ends on a satisfying high.
But it was still...well...boring. Basically, the BSC get into a massive fight and fued for weeks and weeks. I must admit, as immature as it was it seemed incredibly accurate for a group of twelve year olds. Mary Anne decides to stand her ground and, well, fight back a bit too. In it she makes a new friend all on her own and realises she can be her own person without Kristy and the BSC.
In summary, I could appreciate what Ann M Martin did with this story, but it wasn't the type of drama I personally enjoy, and found myself yawning once or twice throughout.
While that's still true, I actually really enjoyed her character in this book. You can tell Ann M Martin intended for this to be the last book in the series - Mary Anne really grows up and becomes her own character, and the story ends on a satisfying high.
But it was still...well...boring. Basically, the BSC get into a massive fight and fued for weeks and weeks. I must admit, as immature as it was it seemed incredibly accurate for a group of twelve year olds. Mary Anne decides to stand her ground and, well, fight back a bit too. In it she makes a new friend all on her own and realises she can be her own person without Kristy and the BSC.
In summary, I could appreciate what Ann M Martin did with this story, but it wasn't the type of drama I personally enjoy, and found myself yawning once or twice throughout.
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