Dawn's Big Date is the 50th book in The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin.
Back Cover Summary[]
Mary Anne and Dawn are so excited. Logan's cousin Lewis is finally coming to town, and Mary Anne is busy planning the perfect double date. But now Dawn is staring to get worried. She's written letters to Lewis, but she's never had a boyfriend before. What if Lewis doesn't like her?
That's when Dawn decides she needs a new image. New clothes, new hairstyle, and lots more makeup. Maybe she could even learn how to flirt a little. But will Lewis and the rest of the Baby-sitters like the new Dawn?
Summary[]
Dawn and Mary Anne do one more date with the boys, where Lewis learns why Dawn changed her image. Dawn also manages to convert Lewis to health food.
Subplot[]
The BSC first sits for the Hill Family and learns that Norman has been bullied about his weight. The BSC helps him out with the bullying and making sure he eats healthy.
Characters[]
Dawn's Family
BSC Members
Kids
- Norman Hill
- Sara Hill
- Adam, Byron, and Jordan
- Elizabeth - Sara Hill's friend and neighbor
- Brittany - Norman's pen pal (mentioned)
- Teddy - Norman's friend
- Charlotte Johanssen (mentioned)
Preteens
- Quint Walter (mentioned)
- Ben Hobart (mentioned)
Teenagers
- Logan Bruno
- Lewis Bruno
- Pete Black
- Arthur Feingold - boy that Claudia likes (mentioned)
- Travis (mentioned)
- Bart Taylor (mentioned)
- Sue Archer - cool girl at SMS
Adults
- Mr. and Mrs. Hill
- Dee Pike (mentioned)
- Peaches Benedict (mentioned)
- Dr. Johanssen (mentioned)
- John Ramsey (mentioned)
- Ms. Harris - Dawn's science teacher
- Natalie Barrett (mentioned)
- Madeleine Prezzioso (mentioned)
- Mrs. and Mr. Bruno
Locations[]
- Schafer/Spier House
- Kishi House
- New York City (mentioned)
- Hill House
- Stoneybrook Middle School
- La Guardia Airport
- Zingy's (mentioned)
- Unnamed movie theater
- Bellair's (mentioned)
Pop Culture and Real-Life References[]
- The Little Mermaid is one of Sara's favorite movies.
- Dawn, Mary Anne, Logan and Lewis all go to see Gone With the Wind.
- The Marvel Encyclopedia of Super Heroes
Continuity and Inconsistencies[]
Continuity
- Dawn remembers Logan and Mary Anne breaking up in Mary Anne vs. Logan.
Inconsistencies
- Dr. Johanssen is mentioned to be a pediatrician when she's mentioned to be a general practioner or stationed in the E.R. otherwise.
- Mary Anne is noted to be good at bowling in this book despite not liking sports.
- In chapter 7, Dawn misses the school bus because she needs extra time getting ready for school due to her new look. However, in all the other books, it’s said that all of the BSC members (except for Kristy) walk to school.
- Dawn says that no boys have really liked her romantically, but Parker Harris liked her.
- Dawn notes that Sarah's room looks the way Sharon's might have when she was a young girl.
Ann M. Martin's Dear Reader Letter[]
In Dawn’s Big Date, Dawn has a new pen pal, Logan’s cousin Lewis. I remember how much fun it was to get mail when I was young. Now, as you might imagine, I get lots of mail — about 17,000 letters a year from kids who read the books I write. After my first book came out, I received just a few letters every year. I was able to answer those letters personally. But now I get almost fifty letters a day, so several people help me answer them. It’s fun! If kids ask questions about baby-sitting, we send them a sheet of baby-sitting tips. If they ask about writing, we send them a sheet of writing tips. Lots of times I get letters from kids who are writing as a school project. Right now a popular project is making an author quilt. The students send blank squares of fabric to authors and ask the authors to sign the squares and return them. Then the squares are sewn together to make a quilt for their classroom or school. One of the funniest requests I get is from kids who are making a garbage wall! They ask authors to send them an item of trash from their wastebasket. Then they collect the “famous” trash and display it on the bulletin board. Several classes have also written to me asking to send them old socks or sneakers! Now I hold on to all of my holey socks so I can send them out when kids ask for them. (Don’t worry—they’re clean.) As you can see, I really enjoy getting mail—and hearing from my readers.
Trivia[]
- Dawn's first time chewing gum is on page 78 and wears lots of make up for the first time.
- This is not the first time Dawn has changed herself for a boy; the first time was in Baby-sitters on Board! and then in Dawn and the Older Boy.
- If the Pike Triplets dress alike Dawn would have a hard time telling them apart.
- The BSC called their crushes on New Years Eve.
- This is the first appearance of the Hill Family.
- Dawn's favorite Stoneybrook restaurant is Cabbages & Kings.
- Mrs. Bruno is a backseat driver.
- Jessi sits for a kid who is allergic to tomato sauce.
- Mary Anne's a good bowler.
- Dawn tries to make people eat healthy food.
- Lewis kisses Dawn.
- Norman didn’t like the way the BSC rotates sitters.
- Claudia read Norman’s letter without his permission, even though the BSC has a strict rule about respecting their clients’ privacy.