BENJAMIN MCFADDEN AND THE ROBOT BABYSITTER

by Timothy Bush ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 1998

In a futuristic tale from Bush (Three at Sea, 1994, etc.), Benjamin's parents go out for a night on the rings of Saturn, leaving him in the care of Babysitter, a robot who is preprogrammed for bedtime at 8:00, with no cookies, no milk, and no sense of humor. Benjamin uses his recently acquired computer skills to reprogram his caretaker. At first, the evening is a blast, filled with games, reading, and junk food. However, while Benjamin tires, Babysitter seeks more fun. It constructs robots made of game pieces, basketballs, and pie slices, while Benjamin desperately calls the Babysitter Helpline; just as the lady there is about to give him the password to reboot the robot, Babysitter yanks the phone from Benjamin's hand. Bush's skillful drawings create a space-age household that is as fun to explore visually, for many of the same reasons, as Ted Dewan's The Sorcerer's Apprentice(1998). Order is restored in the nick of time; readers will share Benjamin's relief that the returning parents never suspect the chaos that reigned moments before.

Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1998

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Crown

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1998

Categories: CHILDREN'S