How to Babysit a Grandma

January 13, 2014
Reagan and Wildish follow their bestselling How to Babysit a Grandpa with another sly how-to that guides readers through the finer points of babysitting one’s grandparent. The narrator offers suggestion after suggestion for how to make a sleepover at grandma’s go off without a hitch, from visiting the park to having singalongs, reading, and watching for the first star at night. Wildish’s cheery digital illustrations smooth over any potential moments of anxiety (such as when “grandma” might be “missing your mom and dad” at night) with lots of soft smiles and evidence of the close bond between this grandmother and granddaughter. Ages 5–8. Author’s agent: Jamie Weiss Chilton, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Vicki Willden-Lebrecht, the Bright Agency.

April 1, 2014
Reagan and Wildish create a humorous follow-up how-to tale in this companion to How to Babysit a Grandpa (2012). "When you babysit a grandma, if you're lucky...it's a sleepover at her house." A committed, pigtailed girl is excited to take on this huge responsibility. A narrative set in conventional black type explains the pacing of the day, and a more informal purple style is utilized for notes or lists of ideas to be considered by a babysitter. The book has a busy look, with some pages containing multiple vignettes showcasing the duo's visit to the park or playing inside, while other, double-page spreads allow readers' eyes to linger on the pair's quieter moments, such as when they eat dinner, gaze at the stars or make shadow puppets on the wall. Parents and children alike will giggle at all the things the granddaughter has planned, along with her helpful pointers. Foods do taste "yummier" with sprinkles, and shouting "Ta-dah!" does make someone feel special after they have dressed up. After a jam-packed day of fun, morning comes and with it, "the hardest part: goodbye time." This silly take on role reversal will have preschoolers and early-elementary children plotting their own babysitting jobs. (Picture book. 4-8)

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February 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 2-In a companion to Reagan's How to Babysit a Grandpa (Knopf, 2012), a young girl heads over to her grandma's house for a sleepover babysitting session-with the child providing clear and humorous instructions to readers on how to care for a grandma. The to-do list contains many choices for Grandma to select from, including a walk to the park, reading, taking photos, playing dress-up, and adding sugary sprinkles to her meal items. The child wisely allows plenty of time for Grandma to look at the pages while reading a book, peek at the stars, and choose the best spot to sleep. Any grown-up who has calmly been the object of a child's flights of fancy will chuckle at the scenarios, as Grandma, never mugging or rolling her eyes, participates fully and patiently in all of her granddaughter's ideas. The full-color digital art is bright, and sharp-eyed children will delight in the details, including the silly antics of Grandma's dog. While this book breaks no new ground, the charm of its premise and the clear bond between the generations will have kids and grandparents giggling together.-Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI

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