DETECTIVE BABY

A girl with an odd gift reluctantly becomes a babysitter.

Newly appointed the dance team captain at her school, Jenny Newhouse is responsible for fundraising for new uniforms, and she’s chosen, somewhat impractically, to stash all the money in her purse. When the purse goes missing, she decides to secretly replenish the funds by taking babysitting gigs. Though she doesn’t particularly enjoy hanging out with babies, she has a spectacular skill for childcare: She can understand baby talk! Her first client, sporting a fedora, stands up in her crib and boldly introduces herself as “Rosie Woodson. The world’s first detective baby!” Soon, this amusing odd couple are mixing crime-solving work with stroller walks, ice cream treats, and playground time. As the main mystery—the case of Jenny’s missing purse—steadily approaches its solution, the sleuthing duo encounter a delightful, diverse cast of schoolmates and suspects, among them Jenny’s best friend, Vesper; her potential crush, Marco; her nerdy twin brother, Dave; and her nemesis, Chloe, captain of the cheerleading team. The cartooning is buzzy and bright; the pastel pink and purple palette is effervescently cute, and characters’ faces are playfully imbued with manga-style emotions (big eyes and broad reactions aplenty). While the mystery itself is engaging, Rosie and her baby pals are irresistible, the true stars of the show. Jenny and Rosie have pale skin and red hair; there is some diversity among their community.

A promising, character-driven series starter featuring the cutest supporting cast imaginable.