Abby and the Best Kid Ever is the 116th book in The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin.
Back Cover Summary[]
When Lou McNally was last in Stoneybrook, she was the Worst Kid Ever. Now she's back...and Abby is going to be her baby-sitter!
Abby is prepared for the worst. But instead of acting like a holy terror, Lou is a perfect angel. In fact, Abby thinks Lou is being too perfect.
Is the new Lou too good to be true?
Main Plot[]
All of the schools in Stoneybrook are submitting projects to the exhibition for black history month. Abby ropes in some of the clients to help with her project.
Subplot[]
Corrie and Sean Addison are moving to Seattle and Nate and Joey Nicholls move in to their old house.
Characters[]
Abby's Family
BSC Members
Kids
- Lou McNally
- Sean Addison
- Corrie Addison
- Hannie, Linny, and Sari Papadakis
- Jackie, Shea, and Archie Rodowsky
- Jordan, Adam, Byron, Vanessa and Nicky Pike
- Nate and Joey Nicholls
- Karen Brewer (mentioned)
- Becca Ramsey (mentioned)
- Mel Tucker (mentioned)
Pre-teens
Adults
- Mr. Papadakis (mentioned)
- Ms. Bernhardt
- Sarabeth McNally
- Mr. McNally
- Ms. Feld - children's librarian
- Mr. and Mrs. Nicholls
- Ms. Kellogg - member of the historical society
- John Pike
Locations[]
- Stoneybrook Community Center
- Kishi House
- Stevenson House
- Stone's Barn (mentioned)
- Addison House
- McNally House
- Stoneybrook Public Library
- Stoneybrook Historical Society
- Stoneybrook Middle School - just the hill outside of it
Pop Culture and Real-Life References[]
- Twinkies, Hershey Hugs (junk food)
- Wilma Rudolph, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, Jesse Owens, Henry Box Brown, Harriet Tubman (real people)
- Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Tale of Two Cities (books)
- Negro Baseball League
- Underground Railroad
- Uncle Tom's Cabin
- Nancy Drew
- Apple & Eve (brand)
- 60 Minutes
- Diane Sawyer
- Arnold Schwarzenegger
Continuity and Inconsistencies[]
Continuity
- Sean still plays tuba which is first brought up in Mallory and the Dream Horse.
- Claudia recalls when the Addisons were there when Mimi died in Claudia and the Sad Good-bye.
- It's narrated that Hannie and Lou didn't really get along at the end of Kristy and the Worst Kid Ever.
- On page 67 Jenny's "Miss Priss" phase from Mary Anne and Miss Priss is brought up.
Inconsistencies
- Vanessa is noted to have to wear her mother’s glasses (without the lenses) on page 85 when she should have her own prescription ones.
- This book seems to ignore being set after Mary Anne and the Library Mystery because although Sean is mentioned to be a troubled boy, his fire antics are not mentioned here. The Addison's are moving, so there is not a possible way for the events in that book to occur after these.
Ann M. Martin's Dear Reader Letter[]
Dear Reader,
Abby and the Best Kid Ever is the second book in which Lou McNally appears. She was first introduced in #62 Kristy and the Worst Kid Ever. So many readers asked for another book about Lou that I finally wrote one. My editors and I are always surprised to see which new character strikes a chord with readers. Another character who, like Lou, appealed to kids was Danielle Roberts, who appeared first in #48 Jessi's Wish and then, after lots of requests from readers, in #82 Jessi and the Troublemaker. Another character who has appealed to readers is Susan Felder from #32 Kristy and the Secret of Susan. So far, Susan hasn’t had another book of her own, but she will make an appearance in Super Special #15, Baby-sitters' European Vacation!
There are some other newer characters my editors and I like a lot. So far they have appeared once, but we hope someday to bring them back. One of them is Amy Porter, Dawn’s cousin, from #87 Stacey and the Bad Girls. Mara, Kyle, and Brenda from Stacey and the Mystery at the Mall might also show up again. Unfortunately, we probably won’t see Corrie and Sean Addison again, since they are moving out of Stoneybrook. Sometimes it’s sad to see characters go, but it’s great to meet new ones.
Trivia[]
- This is the return of Lou McNally since she appeared in Kristy and the Worst Kid Ever.
- This is the final appearance of the Addison Family in the main series when they move to Seattle Washington.
- This is the first appearance of the Nicholls Family in the series.
- Abby volunteered to be part of the exhibition to get extra credit.
- It's noted that Claudia is the baby-sitter closest to the Addisons.
- Abby's not the best student but she's not a slacker.
- Happy shares the same name as the dog from Seventh Heaven which was in its second season when this book was published.
- Lou would love Abby to give her a soccer lesson.
- Claudia plans on leaving Stoneybrook "in the next couple of years" (presumably after graduation) for New York or Paris.
- There's an Amazon Moving Company that helps the McNally's move in.
- Lou calls Abby's project a "big important middle school project."
- Stacey reads Finances for Dummies.
- Abby's project is a 60 minutes style documentary with the clients.
- Linny and Jay become friends.
- Abby does not know who she will live with if something happens to their mom.
- Anna sleeps until 8 normally.
- Abby did not want to move and tried to convince her mother not to take a promotion.
- Abby got an A on her project.
- Jessi is not really mentioned much in this book.