Mary Anne and Too Many Boys is the 34th book in the original series of The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin.
Back Cover Summary[]
It's Sea City Part II when Mary Anne and Stacey return there as mother's helpers for the Pike family. The girls can't wait to catch some rays, stroll along the boardwalk...and baby-sit, of course!
But neither of them expects to meet up with her boyfriend from last summer. And to further complicate things, little Vanessa Pike has a crush on the cashier at Ice-Cream Palace— only he has a crush on Mallory!
Will a summer romance come between Logan and Mary Anne? Will an older boy break Vanessa's heart? Only one thing's for certain: There are too many boys in Sea City!
Summary[]
Stacey and Mary Anne went to Sea City with the Pike family for a vacation for the second time, but almost nothing goes as planned with some new and old faces, new and old romances, and much much more. will they be able to get through it all?
Subplot[]
Vanessa Pike has a crush on the boy Chris (12) at the ice cream stand in sea city and sneaks around. Mary Anne helps her deal with it when it's revealed he has a crush on Mallory, who is a year younger than him. In the end, Vanessa writes a poem saying thank you to Mary Anne.
Kristy stays in Stoneybrook because her mother wants the family to be together like last summer. She babysits Jackie Rodowsky at the Pool, when Jackie falls down. A lifeguard catches them.
Dawn loves visiting California, including her brother Jeff and father Jack. In fact, she wants to stay here forever. When Jack's soon-to-become wife Carol Olson brings in her old friend's children Julie (3) and Gregory (8 months) for a date, and Dawn and Jeff babysit the two children in exchange in watching a video of Indiana Jones. Jeff is good at babysitting as Dawn and impresses Julie by making a tower of cards, while Gregory takes a nap.
Jessi stays in Stoneybrook like Kristy does. Jessi babysits her sister Becca, her best friend Charlotte Johanssen, and little brother Squirt. Squirt puts Misty in Frodo's cage because Misty went out.
Characters[]
Mary Anne's Family
BSC Members
Kids
- Adam, Byron, Jordan, Vanessa, Nicky, Margo and Claire Pike
- Charlotte Johanssen
- Jenny Prezzioso (mentioned)
- Shea, Jackie and Archie Rodowsky
- Jeff Schafer
- Becca and Squirt Ramsey
- Sheila - little girl Toby and Alex were sitting
- Julie and Gregory - friends of Carol's kids
Teenagers
Adults
- Dee Pike
- John Pike
- Jack Schafer
- Carol Olson
- Mr. Schafer
- Mrs. Rodowsky
- Unnamed lifeguards
Locations[]
- Kishi House
- Sea City
- Stoneybrook Community Center
- California
- Mary Anne and Dawn's House
- Ramsey House
Pop Culture and Real-Life References[]
- Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford
- Howard Johnsons
- Batman
- The Wizards of Oz
Continuity and Inconsistencies[]
Continuity
- On page 16, Mary Anne recalls how she just burns and doesn't tan from Boy-Crazy Stacey.
- The signs that the Pikes see are the same from Boy-Crazy Stacey such as the purple cow, suntan girl, and Crabs for Grabs.
- Mary Anne recalls Stacey's crush on Scott Foley from Boy-Crazy Stacey.
- It's narrated that Jessi had a sitting job with lots of pets from Jessi Ramsey, Pet-sitter.
- Mary Anne mentions Pierre the handsome french guy from the ski lodge in Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation on page 70.
Inconsistencies
- Chris is 12, which would not be legal age to work at the ice cream place (he needs to be 16 or 18). This would only be okay if his parents owned the place and he's working limited hours, or maybe, a volunteering job.
- Claudia goes to Vermont for summer vacation, like she did last summer, but in Boy-Crazy Stacey she went to New Hampshire.
Ann M. Martin's Dear Reader Letter[]
Dear Reader,
In Mary Anne and Too Many Boys, Mary Anne finds herself torn between Logan and Alex. In the end, she realizes that Alex is the boy for her. Many kids write to me saying they are concerned because they don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend. While Mary Anne may be ready for a steady relationship, lots of kids her age are not! The truth is, many kids feel more comfortable being a friend instead of a boyfriend or girlfriend—like Mary Anne and Logan. Or Kristy and Bart. Sometimes knowing when you’re ready for a relationship can be confusing. The most important thing is always to do what feels right for you.
Trivia[]
- For summer vacation: Dawn is back in California for a few weeks and Claudia's going to Vermont. Only Jessi and Kristy in Stoneybrook together for a few weeks.
- Jessi takes care of Frodo for the Pikes while they are gone.
- Mary Anne thinks Stacey doesn't like very old fashioned things.
- Jobs scheduled but not seen: Jessi for Charlotte and Kristy for Jenny
- Alex and Toby are sitting for 14 kids as mother's helpers. They also babysat a little girl named Shelia.
- This is the last time we see Toby and Alex in the main series, Toby will later reappear in Stacey and the Boyfriend Trap.
- Stacey and Mary Anne weren't able to have time off baby-sitting together.
- On page 76 Mary Anne mentions that Stacey is looking pale foreshadowing her diabetic shock in Stacey's Emergency.
- Toby wins Mary Anne a purple hippo.
- This is the first time Margo gets sick from the trampoline.
- Squirt knows how to operate the hamsters cages.
- Mallory sleeps like an eggbeater and talks in her sleep.
- Mrs. Pike paid Mary Anne and Stacey with a check.
- Claudia and Stacey never had a chapter in this book.
Gallery[]
