The Babysitter from Another Planet

Arriving via spaceship to care for her charges, the titular babysitter is a far cry from the unearthly menaces of 1950s sci-fi movies. She not only has a kind, patient face topped with a floating moonlike orb, she also creates an entire meal, including cupcakes, with her eyes; explains homework by conjuring up 3-D forms from thin air; and plays antigravity games before bedtime. Why would anyone want the usual teenage human babysitter? The book is really a series of spreads around a premise—the slight narrative arc doesn’t move much beyond bedtime or into the intricacies of alien sitters for hire—but the familiar ritual turned cosmic is a lot of fun to regard. As many kids know, spending the evening with a great babysitter really does feel out of this world. Bright digital pictures by Savage (Little Plane Learns to Write) have a reassuring sense of symmetry and solidity, with midcentury modern stylings, seemingly inspired by a vintage issue of House Beautiful, that grown-ups will surely appreciate. Ages 4–8. [em](Feb.) [/em]