Nanny X

by Madelyn Rosenberg

Overview

What kind of a nanny wears a motorcycle jacket, mirrored sunglasses, and a straw hat with flowers on top? When ten-year-old Ali and eight-year-old Jake find out that an odd woman who calls herself Nanny X is going to care for them, they're worried. They see her speak into a diaper. Even weirder, the diaper actually seems to be answering her. Everything begins to make sense when the kids discover Nanny X's secret identity. It turns out that Ali, Jake, and their toddler sister are in for a wild ride as they help Nanny X with a mysterious mission.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823432523
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	07/08/2014
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	112
Lexile:	690L (what's this?)
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Madelyn Rosenberg is a journalist and children's book author. Her most recent book was Canary in the Coal Mine which was called "endearing and original" by Kirkus Reviews and was a Society of School Librarians International best book of the year. She lives in the Washington DC area.

Editorial Reviews

07/14/2014
Ten-year-old Ali Pringle, her eight-year-old brother, Jake, and their baby sister, Eliza, have a new nanny, one who shows up in a motorcycle jacket and gardening hat, is obsessed with canned fish, and knows an awful lot about them. Ali and Jake soon discover that Nanny X is a special agent for Nanny Action Patrol (NAP) and she needs their help. The mayor is threatening to build a factory in a local park, and after he’s hit on the head with what appears to be a rock during a protest, Ali and Jake try to prove the innocence of Ali’s classmate Stinky. Armed with Nanny X’s devices—such as a self-destructing phone hidden in a diaper—they investigate a scheme that involves everything from coconuts to stolen diamonds. Rosenberg (Canary in the Coal Mine) offers a quick, fun romp dotted with advanced vocabulary to intrigue and challenge growing readers. Eliza and Jake’s alternating narratives and Nanny X’s off-kilter leadership entertain in a feel-good story about getting the chance to be a hero. Ages 7–10. Agent: Susan Cohen, Writers House. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"Rosenberg captures the spirit of a zany tween movie full of outrageous adventures, cartoonish bad guys, and kids who end up helping save the day in an unexpected way. A good choice for readers looking for a mystery that’s not too scary or intense."—Booklist
 
"a quick, fun romp dotted with advanced vocabulary to intrigue and challenge growing readers."—Publishers Weekly
 
"Buffoonish bad guys with foolish plans for power nicely balance the hints of real danger in this light, fast read. Both narrative voices are distinct, and the action, while not exactly believable, is realistically presented. A fun and funny blend of Spy Kids and Mary Poppins."—Kirkus Reviews
 
"Nanny X provides an humorous story about an unexpected hero. The narration alternates between Alison and Jake, giving an interesting change in perspective. A solid addition to a popular genre."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2014-06-25
Lots of nannies are special; this one is a special agent.When Jake and Alison's mom returns to work as a lawyer, they, their toddler sister, Eliza, and their enthusiastic dog, Yeti, get a new nanny. Nanny X arrives clad in a motorcycle jacket and straw hat; fifth-grader Alison is not impressed, but Jake is intrigued. Both are a bit grossed out by what's in their lunch sacks: peanut butter-and-anchovy sandwiches. When she takes the kids to attend a rally to save their neighborhood park from becoming a factory, the mayor is beaned by what appears to be a rock. One of Alison's friends is accused, and Nanny X swings into action, revealing that she's a member of the Nanny Action Patrol. Alison's skepticism deepens, but as the gadgets come out of the diaper bag (baby-bib GPS tracker, sippy-cup listening device) and the investigation continues, she's slowly won over. Can the kids and Yeti help Nanny X halt a major crime? Alison and Jake alternate narration duties in Rosenberg's tale of neighborhood espionage in suburban Washington, D.C. Buffoonish bad guys with foolish plans for power nicely balance the hints of real danger in this light, fast read. Both narrative voices are distinct, and the action, while not exactly believable, is realistically presented.A fun and funny blend of Spy Kids and Mary Poppins. (Fiction. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews