Secret Agent

It's no secret. This is a good read. Kids, and some adults, will find the plot twists good. Not nasty, a plus for younger readers, but interesting enough to hold their attention,

My ten year old daughter and I read this together. At least we tried to. When it was time to close the book and make dinner, she just plowed on without me, reading straight through for several hours until she reached the last page. She loved the story and the characters, especially Lucinda. What a strong, smart role model for middle school girls! From the well-drawn descriptions of New York City, to the thoughtfully crafted relationships between parent and child, and the fresh, funny voice of the narrator, this book has it all. We hope there will be more adventures for Kyle and Lucinda!

Secret Agent tells the story of Kyle Parker, a high school freshman living in New York City, and how he plots to get his father's rejected manuscript published in an effort to save his parents' marriage. Using his circle of friends and all their pooled talents, Kyle figures how to infiltrate the world of high-stakes publishing. Kyle and his friends are some of the most likeable juvenile characters in fiction. Kyle himself channels a bit of Ferris Bueller -- only much less selfish -- as he navigates New York. His sidekick, Lucinda, has a dash of Harriet the Spy-gone modern as she trails editors, cases office buildings and helps Kyle lay out their multi-step plan. Breaking into Kyle's dad's safe for a manuscript copy is one problem, but getting it into the hands of the hottest editor in the city is another thing entirely. New York is filled with interesting people, and Kyle's life is filled with characters who all figure in his plans. The grandmotherly cleaning lady, the dogwalking client with the double life, the perceptive bookshop owner, all pop in and out of the book in delightfully overlapping ways. Robyn Freedman Spizman and Mark Johnston use an interesting narrator in this book, one that can jump around and look into the future and into various characters' minds all at the same time. This takes a bit of getting used to but ultimately is very satisfying. For example, it's great to know that the young editor who innocently assists Kyle in an office break-in has a boyfriend who will find a vaccine for the West Nile virus, one day in the future. It's great the way the writers play with the future, with characters' inner-thoughts, and yet keep the story going in a fairly straightforward way. So many books fail in their endings. This book manages an honest, fulfilling conclusion. Kyle's wishes may or may not come true, but he has gained big victories. The conversation he has with his father in the last chapter makes it worth reading the entire book. It defines what parents and children want from each other, without being corny or obvious. A surprise hit, but a book that kids and parents won't want to miss.

Secret Agent is a great adventure story. The main characters Kyle and Lucinda are regular kids. Yet they pull off a super caper. I liked it as an adult; the kids loved it. Just read it. Its a five star book for sure.

This is an intelligent and funny yarn. The pace is swift and steady, the characters are well developed and the basic story had me from page one. I particularily liked the author's off-beat writing style. My kids loved it and so did I. Is there sequel coming?