Tales Point Horror Book Club – The Babysitter II by R L Stine
#PointHorrorBookClub was created by author Juno Dawson in 2013. Juno announced in 2015 that she was no longer able to carry on so, with her blessing, I took over the reins.
So why not grab a copy and join the discussion with this months #PointHorrorBookClub
The Babysitter II by R L Stine
Are the Point Horror books we loved as a teenager still our favourites on a re-read? Have they not stood the test of time? After a hit of nostalgia? Or are you new to Point Horror and want to see what its all about?
Want to explore previous #PointHorrorBookClub posts? I’ve got you! Head to the main page here
Beware…….Spoilers Ahead
Jenny’s last babysitting job nearly ended in death. But she’s a survivor. She’s getting over it. The crazy guy who was after her is gone and she’s even got a new babysitting job. When she answers the phone, she hears a familiar voice, a voice from the past, from the grave.
The Tagline
Knock, Knock, Who’s there?…Don’t ask!
Okay ….so…What’s It All About?
So Jenny Jeffers is back! In the sequel! Back with her wild imagination and her constant talking out loud to herself! And to be honest….very much the same Jenny as we met before! Jenny is seeing a shrink due to being so traumatised by previous events with Mr Hagen…. You would think after the Babysitter 1 she would look for a career change….but….well nope…good old Jenny goes back to the job that nearly got her killed and traumatised her for life…babysitting. But this time it will be different…a 10 year old can’t be that difficult to look after right? RIGHT?! WRONG!
“Is he some kind of monster or something?”
A monster?
OMG! Yes! Eli is a nightmare not even dressed like a daydream as Taylor Swift would say! More on Eli later!
But that’s when the phone calls start!
Mysterious phone calls and strange goings on?
Yes! Someone is out to get Jenny…again! Who could it be?! With whispery phonecalls, dead trantulas, being chased around car parks, streets and the mall someone is out to get her? And they seem to know all of Mr Hagens old tricks….is Mr Hagen back from the dead and coming to get her?!
Dum Dum DUUUUUUMMMMMM!
The Girl
“I’m not the same person”
This is a quote from the main lady herself Jenny! She hasn’t really changed …not really…she still talks to herself like all the time and runs from everything….well except the shrink whos ripping her off but more on that later.
Jenny also has an usual scream….
“YAAAAAAAII!”
Eli
Yes this little cherub *coughs* gets a section alllll to himself!
OH.MY.DAYS!
With a goofy high pitched laugh, an IQ of over 180 that made poor old Jenny feel dumb, three tarantulas and a home made mobile phone (quite a feat back in the 90’s) Eli the tantrum throwing evil genius brat was something else!
In a kind of way I loved him as a character, but oh how I would have him constantly in the naughty corner if he was my child!
Also I think he actually fancied Jenny…calling her at home and hugging her a lot near the end of the book….this is NOT the Eli we came to hate during the course of the book! Look what love does to you Eli! Turns you normal! We want evil genius brat Eli back! In a weird kind of way….
That included fake blood and pretending to be dead to scare the babysitter after one of many strops and you know…just for a laugh like you do.
And don’t even get me started on his parents Mr and Mrs Wexner who let their 10 year old watch horror films for fun hoping that he will get blood and gore out of his system that way! Scenes of Eli enjoying the blood spattered murder scenes and laughing every time someone got killed! And not watching the end as he doesn’t like watching the bad guy get caught! OMG! What were they trying to raise!!! I’m actually horrified! *thinks of Damien from the Omen*
I did admire his love for Stephen King though! Credit where credit is due I guess!
The Love Interest
Oh dear…was he really a love interest? Cal? The Hawaiian shirt loving, scratched up Dodge Dart Car, scar on chin, I’m no good at anything but I secretly am really Cal!
Meeting in a mall over rap and pop-rock cassettes and chasing poor “everyones coming to get me” Jenny into a corner and then after two sentences and the promise of ice cream bagging a date with her! You gotta respect the boy! Well except his ideas of dates were not the best dates ever really were they….a dead party with lots of snogging couples and a beer keg, roller skating…swimming in the quarry, meeting Jenny by the dark and unlit clothing bins in a car park….one can only dream for such a romantic man….oh wait!
Whenever I think of Cal and Jenny this is who I kept picturing…I don’t even know why!? Help me!
The Gang
Wrestler Chuck was back in the sequel with his goofy Huck Finn grin but after being dumped by Jenny was not taking it well at all …even wrestling poor Jenny to the floor! NO CHUCK! JUST NO!
New friends Rick, the good looking jock with curly black hair and a goofy smile and serious Claire who was very tall and thin who according to Jenny was not really pretty, but she would be one day (ouch! harsh! Jenny! Harsh!) were nice little stocking fillers of friends. Rick stole the limelight from Claire a lot with his failed attempt to snog Jenny and THAT tennis match! Rick Vs Cal…..Death by tennis ball! Ding Ding! Or maybe because his shorts were too tight?!
Then we have Dr Schindler….oh dear oh dear! I really started to wonder why Jenny kept going back to him. He spent more time looking at his watch with money signs in his eyes and telling Jenny she was basically crazy….but remember the word crazy is not allowed in his office! Jenny said herself that he made her feel worse after each session! WHY GO BACK JENNY!? WHY?! Especially with his expressionless face and sleeping pill pushing ways! *shudders*
Oh well I suppose we can forgive him really…after all as Jenny kept telling us he really didn’t look like a shrink (?!). Remember he was too handsome, too young, too tanned, too tall with wavy coppery hair, blond eyebrows and startling green eyes. Little bit picky don’t you think Jenny?! But rest assured he had the diplomas to prove he was the real thing!
Fashion Faux Pas
Tie Dye was all the rage in the 90’s – I loved my tie dye skirt and I’m so glad it made an appearance in this book with Jenny wearing a tye dyed t-shirt that Mrs Gurney thought was very pretty. And we all now what Mrs Gurney finds pretty don’t we!
I loved the faded Bart Simpson t shirt and jean cuttoffs mentioned also.
I also loved how little bratt Eli wore a Turtle Power t-shirt and green spandex cycle shorts! Not so badass now are you Eli? Eh?
I cannot begin to pass over this topic without mentioning good old Mrs Gurney and her….GLASSES! Yep bright red plastic framed glasses dotted with rhinestones! A must for anyone trying to attract a sexy shrink or turn into a psycho killer!
Is it me or did everyone else imagine Dame Edna Everage or was it just me?
And as for that picture of me circulating on twitter! Mrs Gurneys style glasses rule ok! Plus it was world book day so that’s my excuse!
Dialogue Disasters
Not so much a dialogue disaster but definitely a special mention and hats off to R L Stine for getting this classic point horror line in within the first 10 pages of the book!
“Then I heard the cracking sound his body made when it hit the rocks below” “I still hear that sound. Crack. Like an egg breaking”
Yep there it is…Point Horror book club member Billy will be happy 🙂
“Oh No! If we’re late Uncle Bill will take away my shoehorn!”
The end of the world for poor Rick! To live life without a shoehorn! Oh the horror!
“Small puddles of water glistened across the pavement like hundreds of glowing eyes”
*cries for Mommy*
“I’m all alone, Jenny thought. I can do anything. I can dance, I can sing! The whole glowing fresh world is mine!”
You go Jenny! Dance like no ones watching!
“She wanted to make him bleed”
I give you two guesses as to who this is about!
Body Count
0 – well except a dead tarantula I guess, but nope Stiney keeps the body count at zero!
Is it scary?
Hmmmm not reeeaaaalllyyy…well I didn’t think it was…but Stiney does a fab job of flesh corroding descriptions that make you look twice at that spag bol you’re about to eat!
Did the best friend do it?
Hurrah! No! Yay! But it was a tiney weeny bit guessable. Although I remember being shocked by the reveal as a teen! It was those glasses that gave it away! Tell tale sign! Although I really did want it to be Eli! Is that bad of me?
Some Mild Peril?
Meh? What mild peril when it’s quite amusing reading about Jenny running around arms flapping and her imagination running wild….surely comic genius!?
Is it any good?
Not the best point horror, but Eli stole the show for me! And again classic point horror and along the lines of urban myths of babysitters, phone calls and scares…what’s not to love!
Big shout out to the magazine to beat all magazines! Sassy Magazine! *checks on ebay…I have to have a copy!!!*
Final Thought
I want to remind you all of the description / vision Jenny had of Eli after meeting his parents but before meeting the little brat!
“She pictured a monster waiting for her at the top of the stairs, a short, hunched creature with bulging red eyes and an open, drooling mouth, giggling hideously to himself, waiting to pounce on her the second she came into view”
Enough said Jenny! Respect! For once your imagination was so spot on!
ELI = DAMIEN!
Over to you!
As well as your thoughts on the book here are some questions to consider.
- Your thoughts on Eli? What will he grow up to be?
- Is the Babysitter II a worthy sequel?
- Team Rick or Team Cal?
- Describe your ideal glasses to beat Mrs Gurney’s!
- Would you employ Jenny?
Feel free to pop me a comment using the reply button at the top of the page
Or
Use the #PointHorrorBookClub on Twitter on Instagram, follow PHBC on Instagram @talespointhorrorbookclub or even follow me @chelleytoy … lets have a good old Point Horror chat!
Want to explore previous #PointHorrorBookClub posts? I’ve got you! Head to the main page here
Thanks for joining and don’t answer the phone it may be Eli! *evil laugh*
Hmm…well…you see…
I’m stuck how to start discussing BS 2; perhaps the fact the it can be shortened to ‘BS’ is appropriate! Given that pretty much any of the red herrings would’ve made for better villains than the actual villain, I finished this month’s book feeling somewhat ripped off – especially now the quarry’s filled with water! *sigh* no more egg cracking…they’re right; you can’t go home again! And Uncle Bob Stine probably should have kept this thought in mind when he thought about penning a sequel. All the best parts of BS 1 really can’t be used in a follow-up; it kinda felt like he was doing a bad cover version of his own story. Ever the optimist, I’m keen to see what BS 3 brings!
Question time!
Eli, Eli, Eli…10 years old, reading horror, watching horror, it’s all so clear isn’t it? BS 2 was written in 1991 – my vote is that mid 30s Eli is one of us: a fellow PHBC kid!
No, not a worthy sequel. Zombie Hagen could’ve worked. Ditto p***ed off, grown up Donny, but the receptionist?
Team Cal. Who’s got time for the ‘I only want you ‘coz someone else does’ routine? Rick had his chance – I think he blew it with his shoehorn jokes!
Keeping things rolling with the rap tapes, I could see some of Flavor Flav’s glasses getting the job done! Yeahhhhhh boyeeeee!!
Jenny does think $5 an hour is good money, so that’s a plus, but the odds are high that workplace health and safety will need to get involved, which is a drag. Would I trust her with my son? No. Keeping my grass short? Maybe. Hmm…’The Lawnmower’, not a bad title for a PH book!
Hi Mark! I love theory that Eli is now one of us! Who could it possibly be?! *looks over shoulder*. I agree that Zombie Hagen or a grown up Donny so would have been better than the receptionist with previous stalking tendencies! I’m loving your Flavor Flav glasses! Very cool! lol. Looking forward to reading you The Lawnmower story! Sounds positively shredding! :). Don’t forget to vote for next months read…..
Hiya gang; it’s good to be back!
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this month’s nostalgia trip – The Babysitter II is the only entry in Bob Stine’s quadrilogy that I didn’t vividly remember fom the first time round – and on reflection I think it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Mark’s right, there’s an awful lot of rehashing of ideas from first time round, but on the other hand I still really like feisty Jenny, and some of the supporting characters – Schindler, Eli and the Wexlers especially – were PH gold.
In the thumbs-up column, Stine’s writing still holds up way better than most of the Point Horror authors we’ve encountered, we get a mention of egg-cracking cliff-plunges before the first chapter has even finished, and although Jenny’s no astrophysicist she’s far sassier and funnier than our usual heroines. I’d still be mates with her, though I was sad that slaggy Laura from the first book didn’t make an appearance. The plot ticks along at a decent pace, too. I mean, I could have done without at least two of the interminable zombie Hagen dream sequences, but the line-up of suspects had me guessing for most of the book (shockingly, I was pointing the finger at Schindler until very late in the game).
Speaking of Schindler, who do I write to to get this guy struck off? Sure, I can’t listen to someone wanging on about their boring old dream without rolling my eyes either, but then I’M NOT A THERAPIST. Not only was he entirely uninterested in poor Jenny’s obvious impending mental collapse, his insistence on loading her up with pills and accusing her of inventing her stalker must at the very least have amounted to a significant dereliction of duty. No thank you Dr Schindler, your last-minute realisations and eleventh-hour apologies are not welcome here.
Which brings me to Chuck. Or, as I like to call him, What-the-fuck-Chuck. Because seriously, what is even UP with that guy? Sure, he was obnoxious and annoying in the first book, but these days he’s a bona fide stalker who straight up ASSAULTS JENNY IN THE STREET. Jenny, hun, when a guy smacks your head off a kerb, it’s probably not advisable to take the ignore-him-and-he-might-go-away approach. Jeez, no wonder this girl’s jumping at shadows.
And yet, what’s even more shocking is the fact that Chuck wasn’t even the most unpleasant character. I speak, of course, of lil bastard Eli, aka Bratzilla. Because wow. I don’t even know where to start. Remember when Screech on Saved by the Bell had a self-built, fully-sentient robot living in his bedroom, and everyone acted like it was totally unremarkable? Well, Eli built a motherphunking functioning mobile phone. By himself. From knowledge in his 10 year-old head. And Jenny’s all, ‘Wow, that’s kinda smart or whatever, I guess’. I’m sorry, have we all lost our damn minds? I realise he’s meant to be super-bright, but that’s some Xmen-power shit right there. Jesus, can he fire lasers from his eyeballs too? Control the weather?
But putting aside the fact that he basically has magical powers, he’s also the worst human being in the history of literature. What a total jerk. The crying, the strops, the vileness followed by clingy, emotionally-blackmaily hugs, the conveniently-unresolved shoving of Claire down the stairs. Bleurgh, if I were Jenny I would have straight-up killed him, like, thousands of times. Like you Michelle, I did enjoy his turtle power tshirt and green spandex bicycle short ensemble, though. I would wear the hell out of that.
Okay, question time.
1. See above. He will grow up to be Superman’s arch-nemesis.
2. I think Stine gets away with it, but only just. That he managed to spread the idea across two more sequels is the really terrifying thing (spoiler alert: book IV has an actual ghost in it *says nothing*).
3. Well, Rick throws the word ‘spaz’ around like it’s the 1800s, but Cal takes Jenny to an actual orgy on their first date, so it’s kind of a tough call. I guess Rick, on account of the comedy tennis rage.
4. I actually loved Mrs Gurney. Frankly, she was more sympathetic than most of the book’s non-psychopath contingent. I’d wear the exact same glasses as her, then take her for cocktails.
5. Are you crazy? She’d be filling my house with lunatics and weirdos by the end of week one, then accusing me of trying to kill her. No thank you, Jenny. No thank you.
Great post as ever, Michelle! I totally missed, “small puddles of water glistened across the pavement like hundreds of glowing eyes”, which is absolute GOLD.
Whoop, looking forward to seeing how this month’s poll turns out. Looks like puntastic Driver’s Dead’s in the lead at the moment…
Glad you thought the same as me Paul about the Dr….I think Stiney may have some hang ups over shrinks don’t you think? And yes I have to admit the whole Chuck scenario was super creepy and quite shocking for a point horror where everything is normally quite…well point horrorish, but that was quite a serious side and possibly a bit too much for a point horror do you think?
I completely forgot about Eli aka Bratzilla pushing Claire down the stairs! Good call! And yes I can imagine how much awesomeness you would bring to those green spandex bicycle shorts and turtle power t-shirt Paul……you rock!
And what’s this I read ….The Babysitter 4 has a ghost in it…..I am fully intrigued! Can’t wait to explore that one in a future point horror book club!
Y’know, when you think about it, R.L is really trying to make a point about the destructive nature of jealousy. Rick V Cal, Chuck v Everyone, and of course, Jenny v The Receptionist. Even Eli showed a level of jealousy when he felt he wasn’t getting Jen’s full attention. So perhaps I’ve been a touch harsh in my initial post, maybe there is a thematic difference between the tales!
Paul raises a good point; exactly when does / will Chuck’s behaviour cross the line from lovesick to intervention order? My girl Shannon was at least getting mixed signals from Scotty – Jenny couldn’t be clearer in her message to Chuck! When he threw her to the ground, the atmosphere definitely got a tad rapey – Do you reckon R.L toyed with the idea in an earlier draft? The set up was certainly there.
We need to talk about Cal a bit more – all the bad boy traits are there – mystery past, strange scar, WAAAY too touchy about simple comments; He’s probably got more bubbling under the surface than Travis from ‘The Watcher’. Where do you think Cal was before in the months leading up to his arrival in town?
Wow Mark! I totally see what you mean here. I never thought about it like that, but yes a definite jealousy is destructive theme in the book!
I really found the whole Chuck thing, chucking Jenny on the floor and standing over her rather disturbing to be honest, but not in a he’s the twist at the end kind of way, but more questionable as to why Stiney put something like that in the book with no relevance to the story in a kind of way other than to make him look stalkery and guilty.
So true about Cal also….defiantly an undeveloped character….and agree very much missing a whole back story like Travis in the Watcher…. I like to think that he was chucked out of every school he ever attended for being far to good at everything and pretending not to be….or that he will appear in the Babysitter 3 and turn out to be Mr Hagens long lost son out for revenge!!!
PS – I love how Shannon is still your girly!
Maybe Cal being too good at everything is a clue? Maybe he’s an undercover cop – y’know 21 Jump Street style? Could explain the mystery past and the scar? BS 1 had an undercover cop, maybe Cal was written to throw readers off?
I think you may have cracked the case there Mark! 100% an undercover cop!
Hey All,
I thought I would check in with this one! Coincidentally, I took this one with me on a dull work trip to Bulgaria of all places (they definitely don’t have Point Horror in Sofia, but its lack of recognition also meant I could wield it in all manner of public places and not be judged) and so I can put my thoughts into the discussion without having to re-read 🙂
I did really like this one – I think out of all the point horror titles, if a set were going to be made into the typical “teen horror” movie, The Babysitter series must surely be worthy of the title. Each edition reads like a novelisation of Scream or something!
I totally agree with everything written so far! Creepiest kid ever, plus dumb teen decision to go right back into the job that previously nearly killed her, creepy house, dark nights, dodgy therapist… all your typical Point Horror hallmarks are there!
I remember reading this really quickly for some reason. The font is a bit bigger in this one, so did it feel much shorter to you guys too? I demand a 1000+ page sequel, Stine!
But definitely an enjoyable, if predictable read. Also this one felt “extremely” 90s – I know they all are, but this one really stood out for lots of nostalgic references.
Looking forward to next month, and I am off to vote on the poll now. Only one more PHBC and I will be in the US of A! Obviously I am extremely well prepared for my life in America having read all these books, as we all know what an accurate reflection of Americans they are. No babysitting jobs or jocks for me!
Timmmmmmmmm!!! Yay! Thanks for joining in 🙂
Fab comments and yes it was quite a quick read *coughs and Billy*.
And even if your in the USA you can still join in with the coolest club…..like ever in the whole of clubs EVER! he he he
Wishing you all the luck with your move….you never know there may be a Shannon waiting for you….in the shadows!!!
Votes are in for next months read….the winner is Drivers Dead by Peter Lerangis!
Thanks! And of course, I will still be checking in 🙂
*bursts loudly into quiet and dignified conference room precariously carrying a caramel latte, with a man bag slung haphazardly over my shoulder, a Waitrose Bag for Life halfway up my other arm, my tie all askew and a little bit of shaving foam behind my ear*
Sorry I’m late guys, what a journey!
So, first things first. LOVE all the comments. As Meat Loaf once said, you took the words right out of my mouth. I’m sure you all pictured my glee at the egg cracking death finale of BS1 being mentioned only a mere five pages in… literally el oh el’d when I read that!
The tie-dyed shirt and green spandex shorts made it into my notes as well. Did boys honestly wear spandex in the 90s? I don’t remember myself or any of my friends doing so! Teenage Mutant Hero (censored from Ninja) Turtles though I do. And in fact I had them on my lunch box until Jurassic Park came out.
Let me focus on a moment on our good friend Chuck, who I think I said should have been killed off in the original. It was a literal “wtf” moment when he started physically attacking Jenny in the street. I had to re-read the passage a couple of times to make sure my brain wasn’t just making it up! So out of place and just plain weird! Not sure what Stiney was thinking but maybe the industrial tie-dye fumes got to his head a bit. Very disappointed he was killed off in the sequel. Here’s hoping he gets a sufficient egg crack death in BS3.
Did anyone else’s book have an advert in the middle for mirror spy glasses? This is what I would reform end to Mrs Gurney.
Speaking of whom… did not see that coming. The only hint was when she referred to Dr Schindler as Dr Gurney, but that made me think he was her psycho son she was covering for! I honestly thought it was Schindler, especially when Jenny had her “JB Fletcher” moment of piecing everything together in the last ten minutes!
Eli. I need to talk about Eli. I love this kid and yes lol, he probably is one of us now! I thought he might have been Donny or some relative of Mr Hagen’s. I mean that kid had serious issues and his ‘rents are just turning a blind eye to it! And um… HE PUSHED CLAIRE DOWN THE STAIRS!! Why was nothing done about that. I hope she didn’t drop the bag of M&Ms as she fell as that would have been an unfortunate waste.
Cal… meh. I thought he was Donny too. I know it’s customary to include a couple of red herrings but wasn’t every single character one? The bizarre tennis match between Rick and Cal, Schindler, the Wexners, Eli, Claire (don’t worry you’ll be pretty eventually when you can afford plastic surgery), Mrs. Gurney, zombie Hagen…
Poor Jenny. I can’t wait for Babysitter 3, I really can’t. I think that was the first PH I ever read (just like me to start on the third one in a series lol). Can’t remember any of it though.
Great write up Chelle and loved reading everyone’s thoughts. Until April!
Goat! So glad you made it! Loving the thoughts! Interesting how a few of us didn’t guess that Mrs Gurney was the twist ….I thought the Mr Gurney gave it away, but I think I may have remembered this from reading it many years ago.
Yes kinda looking forward to the Babysitter 3 in a strange kind of way – may be I will add to the Poll for May’s read and see what happens?
Don’t forget every one ….its Drivers Dead for April! Annnndddd Peter Lerangis favourite my tweet about it! *hi fives!* ….. and I have a fab guest post (hopefully) about point horror from author Lou Morgan….check out her book Sleepless which is part of a new horror series called red eye….she writes scary books!
Oh and Billy…..you so have green spandex shorts….your denial was very suspicious!
Typed on my phone lol.
*wasn’t killed off
*recommend to Mrs Gurney
Ooh, just catching up on all the comments. LOVE the idea that Cal might be an undercover cop (or an undercover Donny; Billy, that crossed my mind too), though if that is the case, he’s even wkrse at his job than Dr Schindler. Maybe we get more of him in Book 3 (or maybe Jenny bins off all of her acquaintances after each psycho encounter. Frankly, she can do better than Rick and Clare).
Looking forward to more Lerangis, though I remember being disappointed by Driver’s Dead first time round. As I recall, it’s no Yearbook.
Good luck in the states, Tim! Don’t be a stranger. (And definitely don’t be CazCoo’s The Stranger. That would be weird).
Chelle, surely you can use you Blog fame to get Mr. Lerangis to provide a little comment for the next PHBC? Then it’d totally be James who? 😉
I think we need to work through the other BS books this year – the more we talk about them, the more curious I get as to the plots of parts 3 & 4. Surely, JJ doesn’t take ANOTHER babysitting job – I mean, geez, paper route, phone sex operator, YA author – any job but more babysitting! Then again, in part 2 she was getting $5 an hour…and that’s $5 American. Cash.
Hmmmmmm my plotting begins lol