Welcome Home, Mary Anne is the eleventh book in the Baby-sitters Club: Friends Forever series by Ann M. Martin.
Back Cover Summary[]
Mary Anne's been through some big changes lately. She has a new house and a new boyfriend-less life. Her stepsister Dawn is coming to stay for the summer, which is always fun. But this time Dawn is bringing a guest: Sunny, her best friend from California. Sunny's been going through changes that are even bigger then Mary Anne's: her mom just died, and she isn't ready to fully face it yet. How can Mary Anne and Dawn help her?
Summary[]
Mary Anne's house is finally complete and even better, her stepsister and stepbrother Dawn and Jeff Schafer are returning to Stoneybrook to the summer along with Dawn's best friend Sunny Winslow. Although Dawn and Mary Anne's friendship has changed, Sunny is different. Her mom Elizabeth died from lung cancer, and wants to flee. So, the three secretly go to New York City.
Jeff's friendship with the Pike Triplets also changed, so the Triplets and Nicky think of ideas to do in Jeff's bedroom, they also are building a rocket, too.
Finally, Mallory Pike returns to Stoneybrook after a two-week vacation of writing camp, and Sunny meets her for the first time in years.
Characters[]
Mary Anne's Family
Kids
Teenagers
- Sunny Winslow
- Cole West - high school student that Sunny flirts with
- Jason and Alex - Cole's friends
- Logan Bruno (mentioned)
- Ducky McCrae (mentioned)
- Carson (mentioned)
- Maggie Blume (mentioned)
Adults
- Dee Pike
- Betsy Winslow (mentioned)
- Paul Winslow (mentioned)
- Morgan Winslow (mentioned)
Locations[]
- Schafer/Spier House
- Washington Mall
- Stoneybrook Community Center (just the pool)
- Pike House
- Rosebud Café
- New York City
Pop Culture and Real-Life References[]
- The Wizard of Oz
- Star Wars
- Emily Dickinson
- Romeo and Juliet
- Homer and Marge Simpson
Continuity and Inconsistencies[]
Continuity
- Mary Anne recalls when Nicky Pike was hiding in the barn from The Ghost at Dawn's House.
- Mary Anne notes that she burns easy and never tans which first comes up in Boy-Crazy Stacey.
- This is the second time that we see Byron's handwriting since Baby-sitters on Board!.
- Dawn is still a little afraid of New York which is first seen in New York, New York!.
Inconsistencies
Trivia[]
- The barn is finally finished being built and Mary Anne with her family moves in out of the rental house.
- This is the only time Sunny Winslow visits Stoneybrook.
- The BSC isn't actively advertising for business and they don't have regular meetings.
- This is the first time we see the new Schafer/Spier house.
- Mary Anne's friendship with Dawn has changed since the latter moved.
- Jeff and the Pike boys plan on building a rocket that summer.
- Mary Anne was jealous of Dawn and Sunny's friendship.
- Sunny once had a teddy bear named Oogy.
- Logan and Mary Anne went to basketball games on dates.
- Most stores in Stoneybrook don't open until 10.
- Mallory goes away for a two week writing camp.
- Jeff hates living in Connecticut. Mary Anne notes that he's having a delayed reaction to the fire.
- The Pike triplets and Nicky help think of ideas for Jeff's room.
- Jordan and Adam Pike don't get embarrassed easily.
- Byron Pike gets embarrassed when he sees Mary Anne in a bathrobe.
- Jeff now has a superhero themed bedroom, which was originally Nicky's idea.
- Richard has a homemade crouton recipe (his specialty, according to Mary Anne).
- Dawn and Jeff once tried to make spaghetti sauce in the pressure cooker and made a huge mess. The kitchen "looked like a scene from a horror movie" according to Sharon.
- Dawn and Sunny once accidentally put salt in a birthday cake they were making for Dawn's dad instead of sugar.
- Sunny convinces Dawn and Mary Anne to sneak off to New York and they don't get caught for it.
- Stacey and Claudia don't have a plot in this book.
- Sunny asks Mary Anne what's it's like to not have a mom.
- Mary Anne notes that Abby and Sunny have the loss of a parent in common.
- Mallory shows up in the last chapter.
- Sharon has been known to put her keys in the refrigerator and potted plants.
- Dawn's new baby half sister is mentioned again, now named Grace.
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Everything Changes | #1 Kristy's Big News | #2 Stacey vs. Claudia | #3 Mary Anne's Big Breakup | #4 Claudia and the Friendship Feud | #5 Kristy Power! | #6 Stacey and the Boyfriend Trap | #7 Claudia Gets Her Guy | #8 Mary Anne's Revenge | #9 Kristy and the Kidnapper |#10 Stacey's Problem | #11 Welcome Home, Mary Anne | #12 Claudia and the Disaster Date | Graduation Day | ||
Other Series | ||
Baby-Sitters Club | Super Special | Portrait Collection | Mystery | Super Mystery | California Diaries | Baby-Sitters Little Sister | The Kids in Ms. Colman's Class |