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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[]

Characters[]

Trip Attendees

Kids

  • Marc Kubacki - a boy who uses a wheelchair who is taking a trip with his family before an upcoming risky surgery

Teenagers

Adults

  • Rudy Staples - a new friend of Kristy's
  • Judith - woman who does Karen's nails at the beauty parlor
  • Unnamed waiters d

Locations[]

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.

Gallery[]

Interior Illustrations[]

Other Images[]

Baby-Sitters Club Books
The Summer Before | #1 Kristy's Great Idea | #2 Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls | #3 The Truth About Stacey | #4 Mary Anne Saves the Day | #5 Dawn and the Impossible Three | #6 Kristy's Big Day | #7 Claudia and Mean Janine | #8 Boy-Crazy Stacey | #9 The Ghost at Dawn's House | #10 Logan Likes Mary Anne! | #11 Kristy and the Snobs | #12 Claudia and the New Girl | #13 Good-bye Stacey, Good-bye | #14 Hello, Mallory | #15 Little Miss Stoneybrook... and Dawn | #16 Jessi's Secret Language | #17 Mary Anne's Bad-Luck Mystery | #18 Stacey's Mistake | #19 Claudia and the Bad Joke | #20 Kristy and the Walking Disaster | #21 Mallory and the Trouble with Twins | #22 Jessi Ramsey, Pet-sitter | #23 Dawn on the Coast | #24 Kristy and the Mother's Day Surprise | #25 Mary Anne and the Search for Tigger | #26 Claudia and the Sad Good-bye | #27 Jessi and the Superbrat | #28 Welcome Back, Stacey! | #29 Mallory and the Mystery Diary | #30 Mary Anne and the Great Romance | #31 Dawn's Wicked Stepsister | #32 Kristy and the Secret of Susan | #33 Claudia and the Great Search | #34 Mary Anne and Too Many Boys | #35 Stacey and the Mystery of Stoneybrook | #36 Jessi's Baby-Sitter | #37 Dawn and the Older Boy | #38 Kristy's Mystery Admirer | #39 Poor Mallory! | #40 Claudia and the Middle School Mystery | #41 Mary Anne vs. Logan | #42 Jessi and the Dance School Phantom | #43 Stacey's Emergency | #44 Dawn and the Big Sleepover | #45 Kristy and the Baby Parade | #46 Mary Anne Misses Logan | #47 Mallory on Strike | #48 Jessi's Wish | #49 Claudia and the Genius of Elm Street | #50 Dawn's Big Date | #51 Stacey's Ex-Best Friend | #52 Mary Anne + 2 Many Babies | #53 Kristy for President | #54 Mallory and the Dream Horse | #55 Jessi's Gold Medal | #56 Keep Out, Claudia! | #57 Dawn Saves the Planet | #58 Stacey's Choice | #59 Mallory Hates Boys (and Gym) | #60 Mary Anne's Makeover | #61 Jessi and the Awful Secret | #62 Kristy and the Worst Kid Ever | #63 Claudia's Freind Friend | #64 Dawn's Family Feud | #65 Stacey's Big Crush | #66 Maid Mary Anne | #67 Dawn's Big Move | #68 Jessi and the Bad Baby-sitter | #69 Get Well Soon, Mallory! | #70 Stacey and the Cheerleaders | #71 Claudia and the Perfect Boy | #72 Dawn and the We Love Kids Club | #73 Mary Anne and Miss Priss | #74 Kristy and the Copycat | #75 Jessi's Horrible Prank | #76 Stacey's Lie | #77 Dawn and Whitney, Friends Forever | #78 Claudia and Crazy Peaches | #79 Mary Anne Breaks the Rules | #80 Mallory Pike, No. 1 Fan | #81 Kristy and Mr. Mom | #82 Jessi and the Troublemaker | #83 Stacey vs. the BSC | #84 Dawn and the School Spirit War | #85 Claudia Kishi, Live From WSTO! | #86 Mary Anne and Camp BSC | #87 Stacey and the Bad Girls | #88 Farewell, Dawn | #89 Kristy and the Dirty Diapers | #90 Welcome to the BSC, Abby! | #91 Claudia and the First Thanksgiving | #92 Mallory's Christmas Wish | #93 Mary Anne and the Memory Garden | #94 Stacey McGill, Super Sitter | #95 Kristy + Bart = ? | #96 Abby's Lucky Thirteen | #97 Claudia and the World's Cutest Baby | #98 Dawn and Too Many Sitters | #99 Stacey's Broken Heart | #100 Kristy's Worst Idea | #101 Claudia Kishi, Middle School Dropout | #102 Mary Anne and the Little Princess | #103 Happy Holidays, Jessi | #104 Abby's Twin | #105 Stacey the Math Whiz | #106 Claudia, Queen of the Seventh Grade | #107 Mind Your Own Business, Kristy! | #108 Don't Give Up, Mallory! | #109 Mary Anne to the Rescue | #110 Abby the Bad Sport | #111 Stacey's Secret Friend | #112 Kristy and the Sister War | #113 Claudia Makes Up Her Mind | #114 The Secret Life of Mary Anne Spier | #115 Jessi's Big Break | #116 Abby and the Best Kid Ever | #117 Claudia and the Terrible Truth | #118 Kristy Thomas, Dog Trainer | #119 Stacey's Ex-Boyfriend | #120 Mary Anne and the Playground Fight | #121 Abby in Wonderland | #122 Kristy in Charge | #123 Claudia's Big Party | #124 Stacey McGill... Matchmaker? | #125 Mary Anne in the Middle | #126 The All-New Mallory Pike | #127 Abby's Un-Valentine | #128 Claudia and the Little Liar | #129 Kristy at Bat | #130 Stacey's Movie | #131 The Fire at Mary Anne's House
Super Specials
#1 Baby-sitters on Board! | #2 Baby-sitters' Summer Vacation | #3 Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation | #4 Baby-sitters' Island Adventure | #5 California Girls! | #6 New York, New York! | #7 Snowbound | #8 Baby-sitters at Shadow Lake | #9 Starring the Baby-sitters Club #10 Sea City, Here We Come! | #11 The Baby-sitters Remember | #12 Here Come the Bridesmaids! | #13 Aloha, Baby-sitters! | #14 BSC in the USA | #15 Baby-sitters' European Vacation
Portrait Collection
Stacey's Book | Claudia's Book | Dawn's Book | Mary Anne's Book | Kristy's Book | Abby's Book
Other
The Baby-Sitters Club Notebook (1987) | The Baby-Sitters Club Postcard Book (1991) | Trivia & Puzzle Fun Book (1992) | Ann M. Martin: The Story of the author of the Baby-sitters Club (1993) | The Baby-Sitters Club Guide to Babysitting (1993) | The Baby-Sitters Club Chain Letter (1993) | The Baby-Sitters Club Secret Santa (1994) | Audio Books on Cassette Tape (1994-5) | BSC Movie Novelization (1995) | The Complete Guide to the Baby-Sitters Club (1996) | Autograph Book (1998) | BSC Graphic Novels (2006-present) | We Are the Baby-Sitters Club: Essays and Artwork from Grown-Up Readers (2021) | Welcome to Stoneybrook: A Guided Journal (2021) | The Official Coloring Book (2023)
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