BABY SITTER

A toddler’s first evening with a babysitter receives a relentlessly positive spin in this entry in the First Time series. The curly-headed moppet looks a little dubious but soon relaxes with the ponytailed teenager. The text, similar to many from this publisher, does not differentiate between speakers, a device that here will challenge readers: Just exactly who is saying what in “Let’s clear up all the toys. This is heavy!” and other like exchanges? For this particular topic, some explicit acknowledgment of the anxiety a child might be experiencing at the prospect of a babysitter is desirable, though the generally upbeat presentation is, overall, appropriate. Other books include Sleepover (ISBN: 978-1-84643-280-4), Nursery (ISBN: 978-1-84643-281-1) and Big Day Out (ISBN: 978-1-84643-282-8). (Board book. 2-4)