Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus. 2002. Read by Julia Roberts.
Abridged. 3 tapes. 5 hrs. Random House Audio. 0-553-71475-9. $25.00.
Cardboard, plastic; content notes. SA
Roberts is very good at believably reproducing the voices of the
narrator Nanny, her young charge, Grayer, whom she nicknames Grover,
wealthy Mrs. X and other members of the cast. Grover sounds like a
four-year-old, Mrs. X is imperious and patronizing, and Nanny comes
across as flabbergasted at the behavior of the Park Avenue matron who
seems to be the epitome of the idle rich. Anyone who has ever been a
mother's helper, au pair, nanny or possibly even just had the
not-too-glamorous job of baby sitting will relate to Nanny's plight
as she is on the one hand exploited and on the other involves herself
with loving and caring for little Grover. Mrs. X is wrapped up in
herself and her endless buying sprees as well as obsessing over having
the newest thing. She spends time conferring with her Long-Term
Development Consultant on matters ranging from handling what she
believes will be her four-year-old's devastation at not getting
into the right private school and getting every bit of Nanny's time
and energy without paying her what she's worth. Alternates between
humor and pathos. Since this is an abridgment, there are gaps, but on
the whole, enough is enough. Entertaining. Mary I. Purucker, Beverly
Hills P.L. Beverly Hills, CA
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