A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting, Book 1
By Mandie Caroll,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Babysitters fight monsters in fun horror-lite tale.
Add your rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
In A BABYSITTER'S GUIDE TO MONSTER HUNTING, first-time babysitter Kelly fails to stop monstrous Toadies from kidnapping little Jacob, whose nightmares are so strong they come to life. In desperation, she calls Jacob's regular babysitter, Liz, who turns out to be a part of a secret society of monster-hunting babysitters. Liz lets Kelly tag along as the local babysitters crew search for him. They discover that the Toadies are in league with the Boogeyman, who plans to harness the power of kids like Jacob to turn the world into a never-ending, monster-populated living nightmare. All seems lost when Liz is carried away into the night sky by the Boogeyman and the other babysitters fall into the mouth of a giant octopus. Kelly must face her fear and self-doubt to have any hope of saving little Jacob, her friends, and really, the world.
Is It Any Good?
This funny and creepy book has all the elements of a great Halloween read for older kids. Kelly and the monster-hunting babysitters are all impressive in their own right, and have moments of fear and doubt like real people. And illustrations by Vivienne To add to the fun. The scary scenes in A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting are quite scary -- with monsters abducting terrified children and trying to kill the babysitters -- but also pretty tame in their fantasy violence, with little blood or gore. Most appealing to middle grade readers, perhaps, is that really young kids, tweens, and teens are the only hope for saving the world.
Yet, Kelly falls flat at times, reverting to boy crazy and self-interested when it's not appropriate. And the story fails its two characters of color, who seem like they are there to check the diversity box. While one is more developed and complex than the other, neither ends up feeling fully realized or authentic. Excessive product mentions (including Jansport, Facebook, Uggs, Instagram, Amazon, Reef sandals, SpongeBob SquarePants, and more) mar what is otherwise a fun and spooky read.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the scariness of A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting. Why do you think many kids like scary stories? How did the scary scenes affect you? What can you do to avoid being too scared while reading or watching TV or movies?
Kelly has a lot of doubts about herself and has negative thoughts about herself on occasion. How does she manage to feel better about herself? What can readers learn from Kelly about believing in yourself and your abilities?
Do the kids in the Princess Pack seem like realistic middle schoolers? What can you do to stop bullying behaviors at your school?
Book Details
- Author: Joe Ballarini
- Illustrator: Vivienne To
- Genre: Horror
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Friendship , Great Girl Role Models , Middle School , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
- Publication date: June 20, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 352
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: January 31, 2020
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate