Action

Category: ReviewAuthor: Stuart GibbsGenres: Action, Middle Grade, Spy ThrillerSeries: Spy SchoolCan a normal, average kid become a superstar secret agent? Maybe not, but it’ll be fun to watch him try! Ben Ripley may only be in middle school, but he’s already pegged his dream job: C.I.A. or bust. Unfortunately for him, his personality doesn’t exactly scream “secret agent.” In fact, Ben is so awkward, he can barely get to school and back without a mishap. Because of his innate math skills, Ben isn’t surprised when he is recruited for a magnet school with a focus on science—but he’s entirely shocked to discover that the school is actually a front for a junior C.I.A. academy. Could the C.I.A. really want him? Actually, no. There’s been a case of mistaken identity—but that doesn’t stop Ben from trying to morph into a supercool undercover agent, the kind that always gets the girl. And through a series of hilarious misadventures, Ben realizes he might actually be a halfway decent spy…if he can survive all the attempts being made on his life!Spy School is a book that I think should be offered by most librarians to any Middle School aged boy. Gibbs did a great job putting together a “page turner” of a story. I highly recommend it for the mystery and wry humor that runs throughout the book. If I have to equate it to another book, I’d suggest it’s similar in a way to Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. Well done.