The Babysitter (novel)
Encyclopedia
The Babysitter is a novel by R. L. Stine
published in 1989, which led to establish Stine as a prominent author in the children's horror
genre. It follows a simple premise of a babysitter who finds she is the next in a series of babysitting victims to a crazed killer. Three sequels of this book were published, The Babysitter II
on July 1991, The Babysitter III
on October 1993 and The Babysitter IV
on June 1995.
, a sixteen year old girl, takes a babysitting job for a child named Donny. While babysitting
, she gets menacing phone calls from someone and finds a threatening note in her backpack. She soon figures out that Donny's father, Mr. Hagen, was the one making those calls after finding a stash of newspaper clippings in his closet. Apparently, Donny had a sister when he was younger, but she died in an accident when a previous babysitter wasn't paying attention to her.
After Chuck, Jenny's love interest, comes over while she is babysitting, Mr. Hagen catches them kissing and becomes angry, having told Jenny never to invite over friends while she was babysitting, explaining how his daughter had died due to neglect. Mr. Hagen then offers Jenny a ride home, but she soon finds out that he is actually taking her out to a rock quarry that had been deserted for years. When they get out of the car, Mr. Hagen forces her to move to the edge of the quarry right beside a deep pit. He tries to push her, but he misses and falls to his inevitable death.
R. L. Stine
Robert Lawrence Stine , known as R. L. Stine, and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American writer. Stine, who is called the "Stephen King of children's literature," is the author of hundreds of horror fiction novels, including the books in the Fear Street, Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, and The...
published in 1989, which led to establish Stine as a prominent author in the children's horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
genre. It follows a simple premise of a babysitter who finds she is the next in a series of babysitting victims to a crazed killer. Three sequels of this book were published, The Babysitter II
The Babysitter II
The Babysitter II is a sequel to The Babysitter, a novel by R. L. Stine.-Plot summary:Jenny Jeffers is going through a period of distress and fear, as she has narrowly survived a murder attempt by Mr. Hagen, the crazed father of a babysitting charge, who tried to push her into an abandoned rock...
on July 1991, The Babysitter III
The Babysitter III
The Babysitter III is a 1993 young adult suspense novel by the American author, R. L. Stine. It has a sequel, The Babysitter IV.-Plot:...
on October 1993 and The Babysitter IV
The Babysitter IV
The Babysitter IV is a 1995 young adult suspense novel that was written by the American author R. L. Stine. It is the sequel and conclusion to the books The Babysitter, The Babysitter II, and The Babysitter III.-Plot:...
on June 1995.
Plot summary
Jenny JeffersJenny Jeffers
Jenny Jeffers is the main protagonist in the Point Horror Series of young adult suspense/horror novels by the American author R. L. Stine. Jenny would be the character that would form the base for his later works and success...
, a sixteen year old girl, takes a babysitting job for a child named Donny. While babysitting
Babysitting
Babysitting is the practice of temporarily caring for a child on behalf of the child's parents. Babysitting is commonly performed as an odd job by teenagers for extra money.-General:...
, she gets menacing phone calls from someone and finds a threatening note in her backpack. She soon figures out that Donny's father, Mr. Hagen, was the one making those calls after finding a stash of newspaper clippings in his closet. Apparently, Donny had a sister when he was younger, but she died in an accident when a previous babysitter wasn't paying attention to her.
After Chuck, Jenny's love interest, comes over while she is babysitting, Mr. Hagen catches them kissing and becomes angry, having told Jenny never to invite over friends while she was babysitting, explaining how his daughter had died due to neglect. Mr. Hagen then offers Jenny a ride home, but she soon finds out that he is actually taking her out to a rock quarry that had been deserted for years. When they get out of the car, Mr. Hagen forces her to move to the edge of the quarry right beside a deep pit. He tries to push her, but he misses and falls to his inevitable death.