The Baby-Sitters Club Wiki
The Baby-Sitters Club Wiki

Mallory and the Dream Horse is the 54th book in The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin.

Back Cover Summary[]

Mallory loves horses. She loves reading about them. She loves writing about them. And most of all, she loves daydreaming about them.

Then Mallory's parents agree to let her take professional riding lessons. It's a dream come true! Mallory is so excited she can hardly concentrate at the BSC meetings anymore. But then the lessons begin and Mallory discovers that dreaming about horses can be a lot more fun than actually riding them.

Summary[]

Mallory signs up for horse riding classes and gets over enthusiastic, due to her love of horses. The other kids in the riding classes don't seem to want to be her friend, due to her being overenthusiastic.

Subplot[]

Nina Marshall becomes attached to a blanket when she first starts preschool because she misses being at home. Meanwhile, the Pikes put on a talent show with the whole neighborhood called Stars of Tomorrow.

Characters[]

Mallory's Family

BSC Members

Kids

Pre-teens

  • Allison Anders - student in Mallory's riding class
  • Megan - student in Mallory's riding class
  • Kyle - student in Mallory's riding class
  • David - student in Mallory's riding class
  • Amber - student in Mallory's riding class
  • Kelsey - student in Mallory's riding class
  • Signe - student in Mallory's riding class

Adults

  • Mrs. Marshall
  • Lauren Kendall - Mallory's riding instructor
  • Dr. Johanssen (mentioned)

Locations[]

Pop Culture and Real-Life References[]

  • Yankee Doodle Dandy Song - State anthem of Connecticut
  • Misty of Chincoteague books
  • Black Beauty
  • The Black Stallion (film)
  • Lassie
  • Shirley Temple in The Little Princess
  • The Nutcracker
  • Tarzan
  • Barbies
  • Star Search
  • Kensington Stakes
  • Sesame Street
  • Nintendo

Continuity and Inconsistencies[]

Continuity

Inconsistencies

  • Mallory says that this is her first time getting riding lessons, however, she mentions riding at Camp Mohawk. She also mentions riding western style before and this is English style.
  • Mallory's doctor is Dr. Calloway in this book when the family pediatrician is Dr. Dellenkamp.
  • In chapter 15, Mallory says Becca "both [she and Charlotte] of them had sworn they would never appear on the stage again" despite never being apart of the pageant. Charlotte was part of a beauty pageant in Little Miss Stoneybrook ...and Dawn, but she got stage fright during the talent competition and went home early.
  • In chapter 5 (Mallory’s first riding class), she says there are eleven other people in the class. In chapter 11 (Mallory’s last riding class), the class is said to have six students.

Ann M. Martin's Dear Reader Letter[]

Dear Reader,

Mallory Pike loves horses, and when I was younger, so did I. I took riding lessons at a stable outside of Princeton, New Jersey, called Hasty Acres. My favorite horse was named Mr. Chips. He was very gentle, and I tried to ride Mr. Chips at every lesson. My least favorite horse was Sky High, who was as big as he sounds, and rambunctious, too. All year we prepared to appear in a show in the spring. And all year I tried to ride Mr. Chips at every lesson. However, when we were assigned horses to ride in the show, I was assigned Sky High. I was terrified! But I rode him anyway, and I won third place. Although I didn’t continue my riding lessons, I did continue to love horses. And every now and then, I still go out for a ride — most recently, while on vacation in Santa Fe.

Trivia[]

  • This book confirms there is only one Pike listed in the phone book.
  • Mallory's dream is to be a writer and live on a ranch with horses in this book.
  • It takes Mallory a little less then twenty minutes if she rides her bike to get to Claudia's house.
  • Mallory's dream horse is an Arabian with a beautiful head and delicate nostrils. He was nearly all white, with a white mane and tail and a light dappling of gray that made his coat look like marble.
  • Sean Addison can play Old MacDonald on the tuba.
  • Buddy is part of Cub Scouts.
  • Haley can twirl a baton.
  • A lot of the students in Mallory's riding class went to the same school. Its name isn’t mentioned.
  • Kristy is late to call a meeting to order in chapter 13.
  • Kristy was once hit in the face by a baseball when she was at bat and it took her nearly a year to stop flinching every time the pitcher threw the ball.
  • This book’s working title was Mallory's Dream Horse as advertised on her bookmark.

Gallery[]

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)