Short Synopsis
The Nanny Diaries meets The Help in a riveting debut novel that follows an idealistic young woman as she leaves Trinidad for a new life in New York City—as a nanny.

Full Synopsis
Minding Ben invites listeners into the private world of one of the anonymous West Indian babysitters who have peopled the lives of so many young urban families for decades. Grace left Trinidad for New York with hopes for a better life and education. As she struggles to adjust to her new life—and to determine just what shape her American Dream will take—Grace finds work as a nanny for the unconscionable Bruckners, a job that pays meager wages for its demanding and humiliating responsibilities.

At the mercy of her employers, and unprepared for the playground politics within the West Indian babysitting community, Grace nevertheless carries the day as she navigates the complicated world of America with strength and perseverance. Minding Ben offers a rarely seen account of the immigrant experience in this strong, compassionate, and insightful narrative.

"In her first novel, Brown, herself an immigrant who worked as a nanny, brings alive both Grace's quest to be independent and her resourcefulness in dealing with the condescension of Manhattan's elite." ---Booklist

"[A] troubling and touching novel." ---Publishers Weekly

"Brown is a new voice with much to offer." ---Kirkus

"Revealing New York's melting pot at its most complicated, this interesting first novel is told from the perspective of someone who has been there and done that. Brown drew from her personal experience as a young immigrant nanny, and her story is fascinating, tender, and heartbreaking." ---Library Journal Starred Review

Library Journal Review