Review Detail

Gabby is such a good babysitter that movie stars will fly her to Florida to watch their children, so it's no surprise when the mysterious Edwina shows up and offers Gabby an out-of-this-world babysitting opportunity... literally. Edwina is part of the Association Linking Intergalatics and Earthlings as Neighbors and needs someone who can babysit the children of visiting aliens. When Gabby does well with Philip, who is a giant, gelationous blob who just wants to be loved and played with, Edwina promises to keep in touch and line up other jobs for her. This is important to Gabby, because her mother is struggling to make ends with Gabby and her sister after the death of her father in the military when Gabby was quite young. Gabby plays the French horn, and would like to attend a good music school if her family could afford it, and she sees working for A.L.I.E.N. as her ticket to this life. When Edwina next materializes, she has Wutt, an alien princess, for Gabby to watch. The downside? Wutt is being targeted by an anti-alien group, and if anything happens to Wutt, her family might vaporize the Earth. No pressure, especially since Gabby has school as well as a concert to attend while tending to Wutt. Complications ensue when a substitute teacher seems to surmise Gabby's secret, and Wutt's safety is imperiled at every turn. Can Gabby keep herself and Wutt safe and be prepared for the French horn solo in the concert?

Sometimes that action got a bit too goofy and over-the-top for me. Gabby's mother's brief appearance was hectic, and the confusion between the words "what" and "Wutt" reminded me of the Abbott and Costello "Who's On First" routine, but younger readers won't be familiar with that and will find the pacing to be perfect.