Nanny Returns

October 5, 2009
Nan revisits 721 Park, home of the moneyed but morally bankrupt Xs, and the boy she guiltily left behind in their inept care in this smart and sassy sequel to The Nanny Diaries
. And though Nan has grown up a bit, married “Harvard Hottie” Ryan and traveled the world, the plight of the rich and stupid continues, as does Nan’s new crusade to save former charge Grayer and his younger brother Stilton, renovate a crumbling East Harlem mansion and stick it out at a soulless Manhattan private school. Outcomes are deeply uncertain, though Nan is nothing if not a natural-born cheerleader: “I know what I’m worth. Because I care for these kids, I do, right down to my toes,” she says of her young charges in and out of school. There’s still one fear, however—whether she’ll ever be able to make the leap from nanny to mommy. McLaughlin and Kraus leave no dry eyes as they once again wield a razor-sharp wit that cuts down the most uppity mortals even as it lifts up their vulnerable children. You could safely bet your first born that this’ll be another smash hit.

January 25, 2010
Susan Bennett slips naturally into the role of Nan in this sequel to The Nanny Diaries
. Nan, a former nanny, has been drawn back into the problematic life of her now teenage charge, Grayer, while simultaneously juggling a stressful job, a more stressful home renovation, and a faraway husband. Bennett perfectly conveys Nan’s determination to do everything right and fix everyone’s lives—and her consequent anxiety and guilt. Bennett creates a variety of believable characters from Hispanic maids to upper-class socialites, but some of her voices within the same category aren’t as clearly defined: for example, Mrs. X’s shallow socialite friends tend to blur together. Overall, however, Bennett’s narration is excellent: she draws the listener into the story, revealing the characters’ emotions and flaws and keeping the pacing brisk and entertaining. An Atria hardcover (Reviews, Oct. 5).