Part of The Baby-Sitters Club, book 77
First published 1994
Dawn accepts what seems like a straightforward job. She will spend time with Whitney, a twelve-year-old girl with Down syndrome, serving as her companion. Dawn expects this to be work like any other. Instead, she discovers something she did not anticipate. Whitney becomes a real friend. The two girls connect in ways Dawn never imagined possible. But this genuine friendship creates a problem Dawn did not foresee. She worries constantly about what will happen if Whitney discovers the truth. Will Whitney understand that Dawn was hired to spend time with her? Will she feel hurt or betrayed? Dawn struggles with whether to tell Whitney about the paid arrangement. She fears that revealing this information might damage their friendship. The job that started as simple work has become complicated by authentic care and connection.
Genres: family, friendship, contemporary, young-adult, disability
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
145 pages · Paperback · Apple