The Nanny Diaries

Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Nanny is finishing her education in child care at NYU. She needs to support herself as she completes college. She takes a job with the X family to care for Grayer, their four-year-old son. It is scheduled as part time to coordinate with the other caregiver some time off and to work around her class schedule.

After the interview and tour of the posh Park Avenue apartment, Nanny picks up Grayer. The next thing she knows, the other caregiver is now the former caregiver. Mrs. X has very strict rules for Grayer - no naps, no late afternoon juice, French lessons, tennis lessons, no touching her mink coat, no eating in the bedroom to spread crumbs...the list is lenghty and changeable.

Soon Nanny is accepting other errands for Mrs. X. She has become more than Grayer's caregiver. She accompanies them to Halloween parties. She assists with household errands. Nanny is hired help that is involved with the family. She learns family secrets best unknown.

This is a biting, witty book about the rich eschelon of New York City. Mr. X is a work-a-holic with a huge income. Mrs. X is the social wife, keeping up with charities, business parties, and occasionally their son. It is a cute, easy read. I often chuckled at Nanny's descriptions of a world beyond my comprehension. It is an expose type tale written from the hired help's point of view. The authors, former nannies themselves, say this is pure fiction. It is not based on anyone or any real incidents. Maybe not, but the book has a ring of funny truth.

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella