With Dawn in California and Mallory out sick, the BSC is in bit trouble. They have too many jobs and not enough sitters. Kristy's a wreck.
When Jessi mentions that she has a friend at school who baby-sits, Kristy wants to try her out. Wendy seems like a good sitter. But is she good enough for the BSC? And is the Baby-sitters Club ready for a new member?
Summary[]
Subplot[]
Jessi along with Buddy decides to make Dawn a video; Mr. Braddock had donated his camcorder for the day and Mrs. Barrett had volunteered her living room as the set. They put on the play "Snow White and the Seven Zorbs" with the rest of the clients. Jessi also catches Margo Pike stealing.
Hello, Mallory, Jessi says that Squirt is 14 months old, yet, here she says he's two years old.
Ann M. Martin's Dear Reader Letter[]
Dear Reader,
In Jessi and the Bad Baby-sitter, Jessi’s new friend Wendy likes to baby-sit, but finds that she doesn’t want to commit to the rules and regulations set up by Kristy. So eventually she decides that the Baby-sitters Club is not for her. I think this was the right decision for Wendy — and for the Baby-sitters Club. The last thing any organization needs is a member who isn’t fully committed to it. One of the biggest problems I’ve faced as an adult is planning my time to keep up with all of my commitments. There are a lot of them, and I take them very seriously. Not only is there my writing, but I’ve started two foundations, and recently, I committed to a fifty-state tour to promote the Baby-sitters Club. In order to devote enough time to each of these things, I have to plan my schedule very carefully. Plus, I do like to have some free time. Now when I’m asked to join another organization, or to do anything that involves a big time commitment, I think very carefully before I say yes. Saying no isn’t easy, but I’d rather do that, than say yes and then not be able to do what I agreed to do. So the next time you’re thinking of starting something new, consider how you really want to spend your time. And make sure that if you say yes, you really mean it.
Trivia[]
Dawn still hates guns, even water guns
At the end of the book Shannon Kilbourne officially joins as the alternate officer to take over for Dawn.
The book credits: "Special Thanks to Beth Perkins for her creative input" in the front.
Stacey loves to get her hair permed (curled) and does it often.
Mallory feels constantly tired foreshadowing her getting mono in the next book.
Dawn has done every position in the club at least once.
Jessi thinks that Rosie Wilder is funny.
Mr. Hill ends up calling a different baby-sitter.
As the oldest of eight kids, Mallory's used to taking charge, and is not a bit shy about it.
Suzi can't say the word dwarfs
Suzi can take Marnie out of her play pen.
Buddy says that Laurel Kuhn is smart
Vanessa is at a funny age. At nine, she still needs a baby-sitter. But she’s mature enough to be a big help.
Vanessa is a big lover of trolls
Some Disney movies scare Mary Anne
Marilyn Arnold kisses Buddy Barrett on the cheek
Jessi is still friends with Wendy, even though her being a club member didn’t work out.
Shannon officially joins the club as alternate officer.
Nobody in the club was able to take a job with the Hills in chapter 3.
