- This article is about the original novel. For the graphic novel, see Kristy's Big Day (Graphic Novel). For the Netflix episode, see Kristy's Big Day (episode).
Kristy's Big Day is the sixth book in The Baby-Sitters Club series. The graphic novel, adapted and illustrated by Gale Galligan, was the sixth overall and was published in 2018.
Back Cover Summary
Kristy's mom is getting married, and Kristy's a bridesmaid. The only trouble is, fourteen little kids are coming to the wedding, and they all need baby-sitters. Here comes the Baby-sitters Club!
Stacey, Claudia, Mary Anne, Dawn, and Kristy think they can handle fourteen kids. But that's before they spend five days changing diapers, stopping fights, solving mix-ups, righting wrongs...and getting sick and tried of baby-sitting!
One thing's for sure: This is a crazy way to have a wedding. But it's a great way to have a lot of fun!
Main Plot
Kristy is a bridesmaid at the wedding and the club sits for 14 children of the guests, which causes much chaos.
Subplot
Kristy's mother gets married and Kristy struggles to find her mother the perfect gift. David Michael ends up buying a goldfish for her.
Characters
Kristy's Family
- Kristy Thomas
- David Michael Thomas
- Sam Thomas
- Charlie Thomas
- Karen Brewer
- Andrew Brewer
- Elizabeth Thomas-Brewer
- Watson Brewer
- Nannie
Extended Family
- Aunt Colleen Miller
- Uncle Wallace Miller
- Aunt Theo Meiner
- Uncle Neal Meiner
- Luke Meiner
- Emma Meiner
- Beth Meiner
BSC Members
Kids
- Katherine, Patrick, Maura, and Tony Fielding - children of Watson's friend
- Jody Jones - kid Andrew knows (mentioned)
- Jamie Newton
- Jenny Prezzioso (mentioned)
- Charlotte Johanssen (mentioned)
- Claire and Margo Pike (mentioned)
- Tina - child in a local playground group
- Kids at the SES playgroup
Teenagers
- Alan Gray (mentioned)
- Austin Bentley (mentioned)
- Pete Black (mentioned)
- Dorianne Wallingford (mentioned)
- Fran - counselor at the SES local playground group
Adults
- Dr. Johanssen (mentioned)
- Lisa and Seth Engle
- Tom Fielding
- Mrs. Fielding
- Mimi Yamamoto
- Mr. Gates - local barber
- Mr. Pratt - local barber
- Tabitha Porter (Morbidda Destiny)
Locations
- Brewer House
- Thomas House
- Kishi House
- Stoneybrook Public Library
- Harry's Brook
- Stoneybrook Elementary School - just the playground
- Embassy Theater
- Barbershop
Pop Culture and Real-Life References
- Goodwill
- Ramada Inn
- Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss, Little Women, Winnie-the-Pooh, Mary Poppins, Where the Sidewalk Ends (books)
- Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse (cartoons)
- TV Guide
- Sesame Street, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (TV shows)
- Frankenstein
- Tide Laundry detergent
- A&P
- I Married a Witch, Bride of Frankenstein, The Wizard of Oz (movies)
Continuity and Inconsistencies
Continuity
Inconsistencies
- On the 1995 front cover illustration, Karen is wearing her pink glasses. But she didn’t get glasses until Karen's School Picture, and that takes place after this book.
- In older editions on page 35, Seth and Lisa Engle are named Kendall and Sheila (no last name); this is most likely a placeholder name.
Differences in the Reprints
- The price of inflation: In the 2020 Edition, the hourly rate for the Baby-Sitter Club seems to be $5 / hour. This can be confirmed in Chapter 4 where Kristy's Mom offers the five BSC members a total of $1,000 for 40 hours of work. In an earlier edition (the UK 3-book collection series from 1998), the hourly rate is stated as $3 / hour, making the total come to $600. In the 2018 Graphic Novel, the actual hourly rate is avoided altogether by Kristy's Mom offering "Double the usual club rate". The 2020 edition reads "That comes to two hundred dollars for each of you for the week". The original edition reads "That's three dollars an hour apiece, which comes to a hundred and twenty dollars for each of you for the week".
Ann M. Martin's Dear Reader Letter
Dear Reader,
Ever since I wrote Kristy’s Big Day, it’s been one of my favorite books in the Baby-sitters Club series. It was a lot of fun to write because of all the kids involved in the story. Plus, I think weddings are fun to write about! I also liked Kristy’s Big Day because it’s a family story, and it marks a change—not only in Kristy’s life, but in the series. When Kristy’s mother marries Watson, Kristy acquires a stepfather, and Karen and Andrew become important characters in the books. In fact, Kristy’s little stepsister Karen was becoming such an important character, and I enjoyed writing about her so much, that it was around this time that I began to consider giving her a series of her own. A year later, the first Baby-sitters Little Sister book, Karen's Witch, was published.
Trivia
- By 1995 Ann M. Martin chose this as her favorite book of the series.
- Karen still has a fear of Morbidda Destiny.
- Charlie wants to try the wine and Elizabeth tells him that he can try it when he turns 21.
- Karen showed Andrew what a wedding is by getting dressed up and kissing Boo-Boo.
- Kristy is a bridesmaid, Charlie gave his mom away, Karen is the flower girl, David Michael is the ring bearer, and Sam is Watson's best man. Only Andrew didn't want to participate.
- The wedding is the first time Kristy wears heels.
- Jobs scheduled but not seen: Mary Anne for Jenny, Mary Anne for Charlotte, Claudia for Claire and Margo,
- Reasons the BSC has not to take jobs include: Dawn and Jeff visit their grandparents and Stacey goes for a doctor’s appointment.
- Kristy looks great in yellow according to Mary Anne.
- The last day of school in Stoneybrook is June 19th. At Stacey's old private school the last day was the day before Memorial Day weekend.
- The final fling is just mentioned but Mary Anne and Dawn didn't go, Claudia went with new student Austin Bentley, Stacey with Pete, and Kristy with Alan. Only Dorianne Wallingford was alone.
- Richard and Mary Anne take Sharon and Dawn out for dinner.
- Seth and Lisa go to England for a week.
- 3 dollars an hour is only slightly more then the BSC makes an hour.
- An emergency club meeting is held in chapter 5.
- The Kishi's keep soda in the house despite their junk food ban.
- Starting in chapter 6, the chapter start labeling how long it is until the wedding.
- This is the one of the few times Kristy mentions her father's mother.
- This is the first time the BSC visits Watson's house.
- Watson and Elizabeth went to Vermont for their honeymoon.
- This book only has 14 chapters.
- Kristy was late for a BSC meeting in chapter 3.