Teen Volunteer Review: The Assassin’s Guide to Babysitting

Teens can submit book reviews as part of our teen volunteer program! Visit the Teens page for details.

Today's volunteer review by Elizabeth is of The Assassin's Guide to Babysitting by Natalie C. Parker.

Tru’s life is the farthest possible from normal. Indeed, Natalie C. Parker’s protagonist hides many surprises from everyone: her friends, her crush, and the secret organisation called Underhill. If any part of her veritable past is discovered, Tru risks assassination. Her adoptive father is the only person who knows the entire truth. He also happens to be a professional assassin who is training Tru to defend herself from killers who want her dead because of her rare and dangerous power. In fact, in The Assassin’s Guide to Babysitting it is considered normal to have special abilities, but total invincibility like Tru’s is definitely abnormal. However, even with this particularity, she attends school, has friends and babysits. When a group of deadly assassins crashes a sitting job, Tru is forced to flee with a toddler and her friends who still do not know her real identity. Navigating truth and lies, this hero tries to change Underhill's view of invulnerable bastions like her.

The Assassin’s Guide to Babysitting is a breath-catching read because of its unpredictability. Not only does it feel like Tru has no concrete plan, she really does not, which makes each chapter a rollercoaster of last-minute decisions and revelations. The entire conflict of Parker’s novel originates from the unexpected and the impromptu. This creates a unique situation for Tru and her crew, who do not have the time to meticulously work their way through the threat posed by assassins. There are no generic moments in this book! On the other hand, because of the rich fantastical world in which The Assassin’s Guide to Babysitting is set, there are many fictional elements that can be confusing at the beginning including characters, history and powers. It takes concentration and some attention to details to completely enjoy the book. Overall, Parker’s novel is thrilling but occasionally overwhelming, and generally a great read for teens who love developed make-believe worlds and constant action.