3 Reasons Why You Should Read R.I.P. Nanny Tobbins by Lucie Stevens

What’s the book about?

When Nanny Tobbins fell off a horse and broke her neck, the grown-ups told nine-year-old Albertine she’d never see her beloved governess again. But it simply isn’t true. For every night, when the clock strikes twelve, Nanny returns to the nursery.

Yet in her new ghostly state, Nanny Tobbins quickly causes chaos in the household — and the timing couldn’t be more inconvenient. Albertine’s stepmother is struggling to settle in, and Papa is much occupied working with Prince Albert on the Great Exhibition.

To make matters worse, the grown-ups don’t believe in ghosts at all, leaving Albertine to take the blame for Nanny’s unruly antics.

How will Albertine restore peace to her home before the unthinkable occurs

Recommended for: 

Ages 9+

Three reasons to read it: 

1. Nine-year-old Albertine isn’t your average kid. She’s brave, clever and totally unfazed by her ghostly ex-nanny throwing ghost tantrums in the nursery. She’s stuck between grown-ups who don’t believe her and a poltergeist who won’t behave. Albertine’s mission? Restore peace to her haunted house before everything goes completely bonkers. And trust me, it totally will.
2. While Albertine’s dealing with a ghost, her papa is busy helping Prince Albert prepare for the Great Exhibition, a real event full of wild inventions, steam-powered magic and royal secrets. It’s like slipping into a world where history mixes with fantasy, and every corner hides a new surprise. There’s science, mystery and a dash of Victorian chaos. YES PLEASE.
3. At its core, R.I.P. Nanny Tobbins is about love that lingers, even after death. Nanny Tobbins may be a ghost, but she’s also still Albertine’s guardian, and she’s not ready to leave just yet. Their bond is touching, funny and just a little sad in the most beautiful way. You’ll laugh, you’ll cheer, you might even cry (ghost tears, obviously). It’s a story about family, even when things get weird. Really, really weird.

Buy a copy of R.I.P. Nanny Tobbins here.

About the author:

Lucie Stevens is a children’s writer who grew up in a semi-rural area of Dharug Country, north-west of Sydney. After working in Australian publishing houses for many years, she moved to Berlin, where she helped make education outreach programs for the UK and European Space Agencies. Now, having resettled in Gadigal Country, Sydney, Lucie works as a freelance editor for NGOs and not-for-profit organisations. She has authored and co-authored several books for the education market, on topics ranging from mudlarks to Mars. R.I.P. Nanny Tobbins is Lucie’s first novel for children.