The Assassin's Guide to Babysitting by Natalie C. Parker - OPTIONAL

The Assassin's Guide to Babysitting by Natalie C. Parker,  320 pages. Candlewick Press, 2025. $20

Language:  R (5 swears, 2 ‘f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (fighting, death)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO:  SEVERAL

17yo Tru Stallard has spent most of her life hiding who she really is. She isn’t just a normal teenager, she is one of the rare “bastions,” meaning her body is basically unbreakable. After surviving the attack that killed her parents, Tru has been raised and trained by Logan Dire, one of the world’s most legendary assassins. She’s learned how to fight, how to disappear, and how to stay alive.

When Tru agrees to take a simple babysitting gig for her friend’s family, she expects the hardest part to be keeping a toddler entertained. Instead, everything goes off the rails fast. The baby she’s watching, Thea, isn’t just a sweet one-year-old. She’s tied to a dangerous secret that powerful people would kill for. And suddenly Tru isn’t just babysitting… she’s running for her life with a baby on her hip.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book.  There is so much more to it than just a "babysitter on the run" story.  The book was fast paced and a fun thrill ride until the very end. Tru’s voice felt real, and the mix of superpowers, found family, and a low-key queer romance made the book really fun. I especially liked how the danger and humor balanced each other. That said, I did want more explanation of the world’s “Talents” and how everything worked. Overall, though, it was a high-energy, entertaining read that kept me turning pages.

Tru and Thea are presumed to be white.  Embry is Latin.

Jessica Nelson CTHS Librarian