Mary Anne and Camp BSC is the 86th book in The Baby-Sitters Club series.
Back Cover Summary[]
The Baby-sitters are running a day camp for kids in Stoneybrook. Campers will do art projects, go on field trips, and even put on a circus show. Then Mary Anne's father announces that he will be going away for two weeks on business. Great! Mary Anne, Dawn, and Dawn's mother can't wait to be "bachelor girls."
But things are not turning out the way Mary Anne had thought. She misses her father a lot. The kids at Camp BSC are choosing sides against each other. And then Mary Anne sprains her ankle.
Will Mary Anne cheer up in time to enjoy the rest of Camp BSC?
Summary[]
Subplot[]
Alicia Gianelli is afraid to be left without her mom and doesn't want to participate.
Characters[]
Mary Anne's Family
- Richard Spier
- Sharon Spier
- Mary Anne Spier
- Dawn Schafer
- Jeff Schafer (mentioned)
BSC Members
Kids
- Jordan, Adam, Byron, Vanessa, Nicky, Margo, and Claire Pike
- Bobby and Alicia Gianelli
- Karen and Andrew Brewer
- Jamie Newton
- Matt and Haley Braddock
- Hannie and Linny Papadakis
- Nancy Dawes
- Marilyn and Carolyn Arnold
- Becca Ramsey
- David Michael Thomas
- Ricky Torres
- Natalie Springer
- Chris Lamar
- Jackie Rodowsky
Adults
- Mrs. Papadakis (mentioned)
- Mrs. Gianelli
- Mrs. Towne (mentioned)
- Lyman Bruno (mentioned)
- Watson Brewer (mentioned)
- Mrs. Stone
- Mr. Braddock
- Cecelia Parker (mentioned)
- Dee Pike (mentioned)
- John Ramsey
Locations[]
- Pike House
- Schafer/Spier House
- Kishi House
- Stone Family Farm
- Bowling Alley
Pop Culture and Real-Life References[]
- The Wizard of Oz
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Plan 9 from Outer Space, Girls! Girls! Girls!(movies)
- Elvis Presley
Continuity and Inconsistencies[]
Continuity
- Stacey is still not friends with the BSC since their fight in Stacey vs. the BSC.
- Mary Anne recalls the art show from Claudia and the Genius of Elm Street, Claudia's personals from Claudia and the Perfect Boy, Jessi dancing in Swan Lake from Jessi and the Superbrat, Mary Anne and Logan breaking up in Mary Anne vs. Logan, and Mallory being class secretary from Kristy for President.
- Karen, Ricky, Natalie, Chris, Hannie, Linny, and Nancy went to the circus camp in Karen's Big Top.
Inconsistencies
- In the first chapter where Richard announced his trip he was going to Cincinnati. Later in the book, it's mentioned that he's going to Cleveland.
- Mary Anne mentions that Dawn had experiences with a ghost cat, when it was Mallory in Mallory and the Ghost Cat. Though Dawn did go over to the Craines house to run "tests" to see if the ghost cat really was a ghost. This could be what Mary Anne is referring to.
- Dawn is supposed to be neat, however, she gets the house messy.
- In her notebook entry, Kristy refers to the Stoneybrook Academy kids as the SMS kids, when it should be called SA kids.
- Dawn eats meat in this book, specifically turkey dogs.
Ann M. Martin's Dear Reader Letter[]
Dear Reader:
In Mary Anne and Camp BSC, the campers prepare to put on a circus. I have always loved circuses. This is because my father loves them. He took my sister Jane and me to lots of circuses when we were growing up. Everything from small local ones to the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus in New York City. Because I like the circus so much, I decided to put one on one day for the kids in my neighborhood. My friend Beth and my sister were going to be in the circus, too. Beth and I were about seven at the time, and Jane was about five. It was a hot summer day and we decided to hold the circus in our garage. We spent all morning making tickets to the show and selling them door to door. But in the afternoon when the audience showed up, we realized that we had forgotten to plan the circus. We were very embarrassed and quickly threw together a little show which was not at all rehearsed. Despite this, my enthusiasm for the circus was not dampened. And even today I still enjoy a trip to the big top!
Trivia[]
- This is the first time Richard goes on a long trip for work.
- Kristy's dad has a "new family" out in CA, which is likely his second wife and maybe step-children or another child.
- Vanessa can whistle loudly.
- The Stone Farm is being converted to an organic farm.
- Dawn never wraps her lunch sandwiches in plastic wrap.
- Mary Anne likes to keep her stuff neat and Mallory just likes knowing where things are.
- Mary Anne thinks Jeff eats meat sometimes.
- Mary Anne keeps tissues in her pockets.
- Karen, Ricky, Natalie, Chris, Hannie, Linny, Nancy, and Bobby all went to a circus camp. However, Bobby went to a different one.
- Alicia Gianelli has never been parted from her mother before and this was her first time.
- Dawn, Sharon, and Mary Anne enjoyed watching Buffy.
- Lyman Bruno has binoculars from when he was a kid.
- Marilyn has a good ear.
- Kristy and Mary Anne both don't like sprouts.
- They serve turkey dogs at the camp because Dawn won't eat pork or beef hot dogs.
- Mallory tells a really scary ghost story.
Gallery[]
