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Don't Give Up, Mallory! is the 108th book in The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin.

Back Cover Summary[]

Mal's thrilled with the subject of the new Short Takes class: Children's Literature, her favorite! But when the course begins, she couldn't be more disappointed. It's all discussion and no writing, which she hates. When she does raise her hand, the teacher, Mr. Cobb, ignores her.

It doesn't seem possible, but before long, Mal is certain: Mr. Cobb is favoring the boys. Mal knows that's wrong. It's not fair to her or any of the other girls. But is Mal brave enough to stand up for her rights?

Main Plot[]

"Mallory is delighted when the subject of the new Short Takes class turns out to be children's literature, but she is bitterly disappointed by the new young teacher, Mr. Cobb, who unintentionally favors the boys in the class, until Mallory decides to stand up for her rights."

Subplot[]

Mallory and the rest of the sixth grade class representatives have a spirit week to raise money for a class gift to the school. Mallory realizes one sixth grade class was supposed to get a student lounge but the money went to repairing the school. They donate the money to get the student lounge.

Characters[]

Mallory's Family

BSC Members

Kids

Pre-Teens

Teenagers

Adults

Locations[]

Pop Culture and Real-Life References[]

  • Marguerite Henry
  • Princeton
  • Charlotte's Web, Where the Wild Things Are, The Polar Express, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, Make Way for Ducklings, The Wreck of the Zephyr, Goodnight Moon, Animalia (books)
  • Dinosaurs
  • Jurassic Park
  • John Philip Sousa and the Stars and Stripes Forever
  • Raffi
  • Elvira
  • Frankenstein
  • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Continuity and Inconsistencies[]

Continuity

  • Mallory is still the sixth grade secretary which first happened back in Kristy for President.
  • Mallory recalls when she got mono, won best overall fiction, and got her ears pierced on page 4.
  • Kristy recalls All the Children of the World from Keep Out, Claudia! on page 23.
  • Amelia Freeman's death and the memory garden is remembered on page 51.
  • Mrs. Pike still has to wake Vanessa twenty minutes before the other kids so Vanessa will be on time for school.

Inconsistencies

  • In chapter 6, Mal says she's going to Short Takes as her last class of the day, but then they go to lunch.

Ann M. Martin's Dear Reader Letter[]

Dear Reader,

In Don’t Give Up, Mallory, Mallory gets to take a class in children’s literature, and she is very excited about it at first. I can see why. I have always loved children’s books. I loved my own when I was a child, and even now I am always discovering new favorites. I like to browse in bookstores and libraries, and find interesting new books as well as stories I enjoyed when I was little.

On my shelves are lots of the books I had when I was a child. They are well loved, and well read. I’m looking at the bookshelves in my office now and I can see my copies of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang, Misty of Chincoteague, Blueberries for Sal, Pippi Longstocking, Beady Bear, and lots of others.

One of the exciting things for me about being an author is getting to meet other authors. Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to meet Judy Blume, Madeleine L’Engle, and R.L. Stine, among others. And one of my closest friends is Paula Danziger. In fact, we’re writing a book together now. Books and reading have always been an important part of my life — just as they are for Mallory.

Trivia[]

  • Lindsey DeWitt is part of the girl scouts.
  • Mallory got straight As in school.
  • Buddy Barrett thought of the idea of creating a band to march in the parade.
  • Previous sixth grade classes raised money for trees and shrubbery, chalk for classrooms, and library books.
  • Mallory says that the triplets can take care of themselves.
  • The BSC's sixth grade class raised money to get a trampoline for the gym.
  • There was a harsh winter five years ago. Most of the BSC members would’ve been 8 at the time; Mallory and Jessi (even though she was still in Oakley) would’ve been 6.
  • Benny Ott has a sister.
  • The assistant principal gets on the dunk tank.
  • Woody Jefferson and Trevor Sandbourne are friends.
  • Next year Kristy just plans on watching the Memorial Day Parade.
  • Mallory gets her first B+.
  • All of the books mentioned in this books also has their authors mentioned.
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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