Baby-sitters on Board! is the first book in the Baby-Sitters Club Super Special series.
Back Cover Summary[]
Kristy, Mary Anne, Stacey, Claudia, and Dawn are the luckiest baby-sitters in the world. This summer they're going on the greatest trip ever: a plane ride to Florida, a boat trip around the Bahamas, and then three days of fun — in Disney World!
Of course they have a million adventures. Claudia gets notes from a mysterious "Secret Admirer." Kristy, Mary Anne, and Stacey make some unusual new friends. Dawn has her first real romance. And they still have time for what they like best of all — baby-sitting!
Summary[]
The Pikes and the Brewers go on a trip where they take a plane to Florida, a cruise around the Bahamas, and 3 fun days in Disney World!
Chapter Narrators[]
- Kristy Thomas (1,8,14,23,24)
- Dawn Schafer (2,10,16)
- Mary Anne Spier (3,11,18)
- Mallory Pike (4,17)
- Karen Brewer (5,15,20)
- Claudia Kishi (6,13,22)
- Stacey McGill (7,12,21)
- Byron Pike (9,19)
Characters[]
Trip Attendees
- The Brewers - Watson Brewer, Elizabeth Thomas-Brewer, Karen Brewer, Andrew Brewer, Kristy Thomas, Sam Thomas, Charlie Thomas, David Michael Thomas
- The Pikes - Dee Pike, John Pike, Mallory Pike, Adam Pike, Byron Pike, Jordan Pike, Vanessa, Nicky Pike, Margo Pike and Claire Pike.
- Baby-sitters - Claudia Kishi, Stacey McGill, Dawn Schafer, Mary Anne Spier
Kids
- Marc Kubacki - a boy who uses a wheelchair who is taking a trip with his family before an upcoming risky surgery
Teenagers
- Timothy - Claudia's Secret Admirer
- Alexandra Carmody - a new "friend" of Mary Anne's, who lies about her family
- Parker Harris - a love interest of Dawn's
Adults
- Rudy Staples - a new friend of Kristy's
- Judith - woman who does Karen's nails at the beauty parlor
- Unnamed waiters d
Locations[]
- Stoneybrook
- Ocean Princess
- Disney World
Pop Culture and Real Life References[]
- Love Boat, I Love Lucy, The Odd Couple (tv shows)
- Harriet the Spy, Pride and Prejudice, Baby Island, The Princess and the Goblin (books)
- Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Centipede (games)
- Treasure Island (book and movie)
- Michael J Fox
- Michael Jackson
Continuity and Inconsistencies[]
Continuity
- Mr. and Mrs. Pike re-hired Stacey and Mary Anne to be mother's helpers, Kristy narrates that they hired them before in Boy-Crazy Stacey. This book also references Mary Anne is easy to sunburn, Stacey recalls seeing a New Jersey beach night sky, and the first time Margo Pike gets motion sickness.
- Dawn mentions that Stacey has a ping pong table set up in their basement, the table is mentioned in Good-bye Stacey, Good-bye.
Inconsistencies
- Kristy says that Watson arranged for their family to go on the trip to Florida because she’s never been anywhere. But in Mary Anne Saves the Day, Mary Anne says she once walked to school alone because Kristy and her family were in Florida for spring vacation (they left the day before vacation began).
- On page 15 Dawn says that Kristy would never wear a dress. Kristy has worn dresses before to a dance in Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls and to her mother's wedding in Kristy's Big Day.
Differences in the Reprints[]
This is a comparison between the 2022 US reprint and the 1991 UK edition.
- In the early editions, the page directly before Chapter 1 shows the hand-written Thank You letter (see below, Gallery). This letter is important to the story and it's a nice touch the novel starts by showing it in its entirety. For some reason, the letter in not shown at all in the 2022 reprint.
- Again, in the earlier editions, there are line drawings of the various photographs taken during the trip (there are a total of 10 in the 1991 UK edition, there may be only 8 in the 1988 US edition). None of the photographs are shown in the 2022 reprint, the only extra is the note, hand-written by Marc, sent to Stacey.
- See below in the Gallery for examples of these line drawings and hand-written letters.
- A different set of line drawings are shown in the UK edition compared to the US edition (in as much the images the Gallery do not match those in UK edition).
Trivia[]
- The front cover of the first edition says "Super Special" while the front cover of the second edition says "Super Special #1."
- A reprint was released on May 31, 2022.
- This book takes place between books #9 and #10 in the regular Baby-Sitters Club series.
- Although this book was released after Hello, Mallory, Mallory is still a sitting charge in this book and Jessi wasn't there on the trip because the book takes place between #9 and #10.
- On the dedication page it says: "This book is for Kate and Peter, very special friends."
- This is the first time Kristy gets on a plane.
- This is one of the few mentions of Robin within the series.
- This is the first time Margo Pike gets airsick.
- Vanessa isn't speaking in rhyme in this book.
- The triplets and Mallory were allowed to go off on the ship without an adult.
- Mallory says that she might be a writer one day and it's not definite what she wants to do yet.
- Mallory likes a music group called The Insects, one member is called Spider.
- Kristy lets Karen go off by herself to get her ear plugs.
- Karen and Hannie sometimes play a game called beauty parlor and fix their dolls hair.
- Karen mentions that Watson has taken her and Andrew to hotels in New York twice and Chicago. They ate once at an outdoor cafe in New York.
- Watson taught David Michael how to swim different strokes.
- Byron Pike likes to read classic novels and has read Treasure Island.
- Darien (a real life town in Connecticut) is close to Stoneybrook.
- The high school Timothy and Alexandra will go to competes against Stoneybrook High.
- Claudia and Dawn are about the same clothes size.
- Dee and John Pike have one of Viv and Vernon Carmody's albums.
- Mary Anne can't stand to see someone cry.
- Vanessa takes vitamin pills with her meals.
- All of Kristy's grandfather's have passed already.
- Chapter 24 has a letter from Marc and his parents saying that his operation was successful.