Don't Forget to Come Back!

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Oh, to be left with a babysitter! The tribulations of staying home while Mom and Dad go out are humorously, thoughtfully brought to life by acclaimed children's book author Robie H. Harris and illustrator Harry Bliss.

In Bliss's sophisticated illustrations, which split Harris's text into narrative and speech bubbles, this amusing read shows a little girl attempting to persuade her parents to stay home with sly tactics and excuses, including "'3. And if you go out tonight, the biggest, baddest moose will walk into the kitchen -- and eat me all up!'" Mom and Dad are busy readying themselves for a night out, however, and while they provide reassurances that she's loved and that they'll come back, the girl makes up her mind to run away. But when Sarah the babysitter shows up, the girl begins to realize that her situation isn't all bad: After pizza with pepperoni and pineapple, toenail painting, and bedtime stories, she falls fast asleep. And of course, the next morning, she visits her parents as they snooze in bed and tells them all about her fun evening with Sarah.

A smart, marvelous read that fills a picture book gap about being with babysitters, this page-turner will keep kids giggling and ultimately leave them reassured. Bliss does a great job incorporating witty visual extras into his art, while Harris's text speaks loud and clear for, and to, children who have similar fears as this little girl. After sharing this with your little one, bringing in a babysitter should be no problem. Shana Taylor

ANNOTATION

When her parents go out for the evening, a little girl threatens to run off to Alaska but has a good time with the babysitter instead.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Guess what? The babysitter is coming!

That means:
1. Mommy and Daddy are going out
2. the feisty heroine of this book is not going out...
3. and she doesn't like that one bit!

Parents, kids, and babysitters alike will relate to -- and laugh at -- this all-too-familiar tale, wisely and wittily penned by an expert in child development and brought wickedly to life with detailed illustrations by a noted New Yorker cartoonist.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Treading on some familiar ground, Harris's (Happy Birth Day!) energetic story offers a voluble child's views about being left with a baby-sitter. Faced with the prospect of Mommy and Daddy going out for the evening, a girl pulls out all the stops to prompt a change in plans: "If you go out tonight, I'll get a very bad tummy ache-and I'll throw up!"; "If you really, really love me, you'll take me with you"; etc. The girl's logic, threats and bold entreaties don't sway the adults; and baby-sitter Sarah soon arrives. Since Sarah is "so-ooo cool," the young charge sheds her angry feelings during a night of fingernail painting and pizza. Harris gets all the childhood emotions right, and by creating parents who have seen it all before, she helps paint a humorous family portrait that many readers will recognize. Bliss (A Fine, Fine School) skillfully matches Harris's tone, simultaneously illustrating the heroine's wildly imagined scenarios and the reality of her unruffled parents' preparations for a night on the town. The ink-and-watercolor compositions depict some finely appointed rooms filled with artwork, as well as a cozy child's bedroom-a deft balance of homey-ness and sophistication. Ages 3-up. (Feb. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature - Beverley Fahey

Parents everywhere will recognize the scenario so skillfully and humorously depicted here. As her parents dress for a night on the town, a precocious little girl tries to thwart their plans. She reasons by telling them she is not a baby, she is a big girl, and babysitters are stupid. When that ploy fails she resorts to threats telling her parents that if they go out a thunderstorm will blow down the house, she will have a tummy ache and throw up, and a big bad moose will walk into the kitchen and eat her up. In spite of all her clever cajoling the parents remain non-plussed and reassure their daughter that they love her and will be there in the morning when she awakes. In typical child fashion the little girl vows not to be nice anymore and shuts herself in the closet. The dark closet is a bit too scary and so she gleefully returns hoping that her absence has changed her parent's plans. They, for their part, pat her on the head, welcome the babysitter and bid their little one goodbye. She has one more admonition, "Don't forget to come back!" Of course she has a grand time with the sitter eating pizza, painting her toenails, and putting on makeup like a clown.... and the moose never did get in the house. This universal emotion is perfectly captured and portrayed with the right mix of playfulness and drama. The oversize sophisticated cartoons show a comfortable middleclass family and include many deft touches of humor. Painting on the living room wall of a moose, and penguin (the little girl threatens to run off to the South Pole) extend the levity of the text. Dialog balloons move the narrative along at a brisk pace. The amusing resolution is very true to life and anxious preschoolers willbe comforted. This is a perfect read aloud for parents and babysitters to share with their charges. 2004, Candlewick Press, Ages 4 to 6.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-Harris takes on separation anxiety and leavens it with lots of humor. The story is told by a girl whose parents are dressing up for a night on the town. First, she tries reasoning with them ("1. I am NOT a baby. 2. I'm a BIG kid. 3. So I do NOT need a stupid babysitter!"), and then threatening them ("-if you go out tonight, the biggest baddest moose will walk into the kitchen-and eat me all up!"). Her parents stay calm, the sitter arrives, Mom and Dad leave, and the resolution builds gradually (and happily) from there. Bliss's beautifully executed watercolor cartoons are a perfect foil for this comic tale; they are understated, friendly, and deceptively simple. Harris draws a fine line with the parents' attitude and succeeds admirably; they listen to their daughter without any impatience or anger, yet not even the youngest listeners will think there's a chance they'll stay home. This story reassures children that someone will always be there, that their parents will come back when they say they will, and that the adults-not their offspring-are ultimately in charge. Getting this message across without undermining a youngster's self-respect is a real feat, and gives this book on a familiar topic a fresh tone.-Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews