Graphic Novel Book Review on BABYMOUSE BAD BABYSITTER Written by: Holm, Jennifer L. Illustrated by Mathew Holm

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Holm, Jennifer L. 2015. BABYMOUSE BAD BABYSITTER. Ill. Mathew Holm. New York. Random House. ISBN 978-0-307-93162-7.

PLOT SUMMARY

Babymouse wants a new scooter but she has no money. She takes up Babysitting and becomes “BabyPoppins.” With each job she takes on, she faces a mishap and learns along the way how to work with the children she is caring for. She learns to read baby hunger cues and how to entertain toddlers at the cost of broken vases and painted walls. She becomes a recommended babysitter and comes across a timid and shy owl who is reluctant to make friends on the playground. With BabyMouse’s help he comes out of his shell and with time she earns enough money to buy her long-awaited scooter. It was more than what she expected as it was earned and not given. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Babymouse being a fictional character, helps the reader care about her as she faces mishaps and experiences that only make her a better babysitter. The reader follows her journey and experiences successes and failures with feelings of excitement and despair. As the story moves along from a nursery rhyme to her baby sitting adventures we see important details in the illustrations which elaborate on the giant squid attacking the cradle up at the tree top or the baby’s screams echoing across America with the statue of liberty clenching her teeth from the loud noise. The author’s style of writing is unique and truly resonates with the upper elementary audience as it is silly and playful which is entertaining to the audience. The story sets a theme of hard work, persistence and patience while the ending is a happy one of hard work that pays off as Babymouse earns her scooter. 

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Horn Book Guide, 10/01/15

Horn Book Guide (Fall 2015): “ The story is funny, touching, and Satisfying, and Babymouse’s pinktastic daydream scenes are a trip.” 

Connections: 

This graphic novel lends itself to a money making project that can tie into personal financial literacy. 

Learning about jobs that give you income and learning how to spend and save money by using your skills to do a job is very important and relatable through this book. 

Giving students the opportunity to create a business idea can motivate them to look into using their skills for their own personal growth. 

Other books in this graphic novel series:

Holm, Jennifer L. BABYMOUSE. 20, BABYMOUSE GOES FOR THE GOLD. ISBN 978-1-51812-725-0

Holm, Jennifer L. BABYMOUSE. 18, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABYMOUSE. ISBN 978-1-329-98432-8

Hold, Jennifer L. BABYMOUSE. 17, EXTREME BABYMOUSE. ISBN 978-0-329-96097-1