Mary Anne Saves the Day is the fourth book in The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin. Mary Anne has never been a leader, but when the BSC gets in a huge fight, she's left alone and the BSC might fall apart unless she does something fast. Will the new girl help The Baby Sitters Club or ruin it?
There is a big fight between the Baby Sitters Club members! Mary Anne hates arguments and is really upset. Not one of the members is speaking to another BSC member. Mary Anne has to eat lunch by herself — until Dawn Schafer, the new girl (at school and in the town) asks to sit down! The two become friends and Kristy is jealous. The BSC members fight for over a month. When Mary Anne has to handle an emergency on the job without any help from the BSC — things get complicated. Mary Anne has to learn to stand up for herself — starting with her over-protective father.
BSC Fight
During a meeting of the Babysitters Club, Mary Anne and Kristy are both available for a job baby-sitting Karen and Andrew. Mary Anne lets Kristy have the job. Mrs. Newton calls needing a sitter for Jamie and Lucy. Kristy takes the job without bothering to check who is available. Claudia then calls her a job hog. Stacey then points out to Claudia that she does it lots of times, and before you know it, all three are at each others' throats. Stacey reminds everyone that she's from New York and doesn't need shy little babies (Mary Anne), stuck-up job hogs (Claudia), and bossy know-it-alls (Kristy) as friends. This causes Mary Anne to cry. Kristy then tells her to shut up and calls her a crybaby. Mary Anne then snaps and calls everyone mean names and runs home and cries. She then angrily prepares dinner for herself and her father. Her father then comes home and they ask god to watch over Alma (Mary Anne's deceased mother). Then she escapes to her room and decides not to tell her father about the fight. She thinks about calling Claudia, since Claudia didn't say anything mean directly to her. She is, however, not allowed on the phone after dinner. When she is ready for bed, she tries to apologize to Kristy using the flashlight code that they use. Kristy simply pulls her shade down. Then Mary Anne realized how angry Kristy was.
Sub Plot
After the BSC makes up, Mary Anne asks Dawn to join The Baby Sitters Club, and she accepts! Will Dawn be a good club member? Is she responsible enough? Nothing Dawn can't prove! Mary Anne and Dawn also discover that their parents knew each other in high school and they dated! Can Dawn and Mary Anne rekindle the love that they shared that ended tragically?
Back Cover
Mary Anne has never been a leader of the Baby-sitters Club. She's left that up to Kristy... or Claudia... or Stacey. But now there's a big fight among the four friends, and Mary Anne doesn't have them to depend on anymore.
It's bad enough when she's left alone at the lunch table at school. But when she has to baby-sit a sick child without any help from her friends, Mary Anne knows it's time to take charge.
The Baby-sitters Club is going to fall apart unless somebody does something — fast. Maybe it's time for Mary Anne to step in and save the day!
