Part of The Baby-Sitters Club, book 27
First published 1989
Jessi lands the babysitting job everyone wants when Derek Masters moves to Stoneybrook. The eight-year-old stars on a popular television sitcom, and the whole town buzzes with excitement about their celebrity neighbor. While classmates dismiss Derek as a spoiled brat, Jessi discovers he acts like any normal kid. He rides his bike around the neighborhood and snacks on junk food just like other children his age. But Derek also shares fascinating tales from his Hollywood life, complete with TV scripts and camera crews. As Jessi spends more time with her famous charge, she begins questioning her own priorities. Her usual activities of babysitting and ballet practice start feeling dull compared to the glamorous world Derek describes. The more she hears about television studios and acting, the more Jessi wonders if she might want to pursue stardom herself. She faces a choice between her established routines and the exciting possibilities that Derek's world represents.
Genres: fiction, family-life, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Stoneybrook
135 pages · Paperback · Apple