Rating: 
Summary: A good read but not THAT good.
Review: I thought this "novel" was a real page turner, and I loved to hate the antagonistic Mrs. X right along with Nanny as she pulled one nefarious stunt after another. However, I grew frustrated with several elements of the book, which is why I have taken off two stars:
1) The names. Would it kill the authors to come up with a name for "Nanny"? Jane. Sue. Mary Lou. They don't have to name her after themselves; just give her a generic name to make it easier on the rest of us. If it was JUST Nanny, or JUST the Xs with the fake names, then I could deal. But to even give "Harvard" a pseudonym is taking the point too far. Who cares what your boyfriend's name is? Why does he need shielding too?
2) The Nanny. I don't care how mean and evil your employers are. Drinking on the job is NEVER okay. Drinking on the job when you work with KIDS is INSANE. No self-respecting Nanny would behave that way, and any that did deserves firing, at the very least. I work with kids, and I know that you need all five of your senses plus like three more. And everything about you needs to be in full awareness in order to handle children. You can't be intoxicated, you can't be impaired. Showing Nanny as the type to drink on the job made her a less sympathetic character, as did her flagrant abuse of the rules set down by Grayer's mom. Mrs. X is nutty, but she IS his mom, and if she doesn't want him eating pizza, then he shouldn't be allowed to have it. Period. Also Nanny flirting with men non the job and calling people on her work cell phone and getting so upset about a Nanny cam . . . silly! People have to protect their kids.
3) The spinelessness. THERE ARE OTHER JOBS IN THE WORLD! Work at a fast food place. Walk dogs. Increase your financial aide. Ask your obviously rich grandmother for assistance. If you hate being a Nanny, then QUIT! I hated seeing Nanny fail time after time to stick up for herself and just put her freakin' foot down and REFUSE to be MISUSED and ABUSED. At some point, you have to draw the line, not just toe it, expecting Christmas bonuses.
4) THE ENDING!! After MONTHS of abuse and the FINAL STRAW of being grossly UNDERPAID by the nefarious Mrs. X, Nanny finally exacts her revenge . . . and then retracts it. She erases the tape. She doesn't contact the family to get the money she's owed. She doesn't file a lawsuit. She just takes the puppy and quietly walks out of their lives. It was the most disappointing ending to an otherwise good book I've ever read. A complete let down. Add that to the fact that there was no resolution to the Harvard romance and no real resolution to Nanny's job situation, and you've got a bunch of loose strings POSING as an ending. I know it's based on real life and real life doesn't always wrap up like that, but honestly, if you're advertising your book as a novel, then you've got to have all the trappings of a novel, and that includes a beginning, a middle, and an end, dudes.
All in all, I don't feel this book wasted my time. I paid full price for a brand new copy, which is a rarity for me, because usually I only buy used books unless it's just released and I can't wait to read it. I waited for years to see this in a used book store and finally gave up and just bought it. Luckily, I don't feel my thirteen bucks went to waste, so that's good enough for three stars.
Rating: 
Summary: Couldn't put it down
Review: My sister-in-law was a nanny for several years, so when I saw this book, I had to get it for both of us. Every story she ever told me has unfolded in this 306 page book. The authors, former nannies themselves, have a disclaimer at the front of the book stating that the characters written are completely ficticious and not based on any particular past employer. This must be why the main character's name is simply "Nanny", and her employers are "Mr. and Mrs. X". Nanny has just been hired by the wealthy Xes to look after their son Grayer. She is to replace the old nanny, who had the audacity to request a week off to visit her sick sister in Australia. Nanny is just looking to keep her rent money coming in while completing her senior year at NYC, but soon finds that she is drawn to poor little Grayer, who at times can be a pill, but for the most part is just a poor little rich kid who wants his parents to notice him. Mrs. X spends most of her time shopping, planning dinner parties (in the hopes that her absentee/workaholic husband just might spend time with them), and volunteering on several committees. Nanny is used to the explicit demands Mrs. X requests for Grayer, and is not surprised when Mrs. X constantly asks her to do extra chores she wasn't hired for (like picking up Mrs. X's dry cleaning, picking up about 12 different items for a 30 people dinner party, or even escorting Grayer and the Xes to a fancy executive Halloween bash dressed as a giant Teletubby- one of the funniest passages in the book). Or, she'll show up 2 hours past the time she told Nanny she'd be home, leaving Nanny little more than 15 minutes to get to a school to give a speech that will determine whether she passes or fails. Nanny feels it's worth it, though, when the envelope of cash comes at the end of the week ("most nannies are paid under the table", she tells us). Even so, Nanny gets more than she bargained for when, at the Halloween bash, she and Grayer walk in on Mr. X and his Chicago executive (whom the book simply calls "Ms. Chicago")making out. Mr. X acts as if mothing is amiss, and Nanny is left to question whether or not she should report this infidelity to his wife. Slowly, Mrs. X begins to get her own suspicions, and Grayer begins to fall apart under the obvious cloud of neglect and dread that his father has stirred up. Nanny wants to run, but feels obligated to navigate these treacherous adult waters for Grayer, hoping things will calm down on their own. Meanwhile, she's also fallen for a Harvard student that lives in the Xes building, leaving Mrs. X to treat her badly and hurl rude comments at her because she is jealous of the happiness Nanny is finding with a guy. Hhhmph! How can Nanny tread through these tumultuous waters and still graduate from NYC? You'll have to find out for yourself. I read this book in less than 48 hours because I couldn't wait to find out what outrageous thing Mrs. X would come up with next. After listening to my sis-in-law's horror stories, I found that I wasn't surprised about the Xes shannanigans. All in all, a very interesting look into the frustrating world of raising someone elses children under extreme conditions.
Rating: 
Summary: Funny!!
Review: The Nanny Diaries reminds me of myself when I baby-sit. I enjoyed this book, and I think you would too! Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus were once nannies for over thirty families. They have been through the good and the bad. They express the main character, Nanny, like any other nanny out there; she has her own life. Many parents seem to forget that. When Nanny takes the job to be Grayer's nanny, she is in for a surprise. Nanny ends up working far more than what she signed up to do. One week she has to sleep with their child, Grayer, for a week while they are away. Mrs. X fired her last nanny because she wanted to get off a week early to be with her family she hardly sees. Now Nanny can't make the trip the family (and Nanny) was planning for months, just because she had to go to her graduation ceremony.
Nanny has taught me a few good pointers in childcare. For example; what to do when you want to get a good impression, you ask the child what they like to do in their spare time, what their favorite toys are, play with them, and most importantly; cook well! She is a nice and caring nanny. Every child she nannies, she takes them in like one of her own. She would do anything for the child, but the parents; she would only do for cast.
Rating: 
Summary: What happens when CRAPPY writers get book deals?
Review: This book. It is to literature what Star is to magazines - just a general peek into the upper crust. It is full of FLAT characters, including the protagonist. All rich women are this way! All rich women's husbands are that way! All innocent nannies are innocent nannies that really care for kids!
Not good at all, and baaaaadly written.
Rating:
Summary: Captivating
Review: What is it like in the inner circle of Manhattan? How happy are 'the ladies who lunch'? The Nanny Diaries is more than just a look into the world of nannying. This insightful book gives perspective into what is really going on in the elite world of Prada, Gucci, and trophy wives. Ever wonder how heartless people are made? The Nanny Diaries may have found the answer. An intriguing read, The Nanny Diaries will have you laughing-out-loud, filled with rage, and crying---sometimes all at once. The relationship that grows between Nanny and her charge, Grayer, is truly commendable. Nanny's patience and strength are admirable. As a young woman, about the same age, I respect Nanny's character and ability. Her mothering skills far outweigh those of Grayer's own mother. The Nanny Diaries is a tale of companionship, love, bonds and courage. You will be shocked at the self-centeredness of some characters, and overwhelmed by the selflessness of others. Enjoy this read, it promises to fill you with many emotions. At first, I had a bit of a problem with the lack of character names, but once you get past that, the book is truly wonderful. You won't even notice after a while, don't let that turn you off from The Nanny Diaries. 6/7/02
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