Parents' Guide to

Spy School, Book 1

By Tracy Moore, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Clever, fast-paced mystery mixes spy thrills and teen drama.

Book Stuart Gibbs Mystery 2012
Spy School, Book 1 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 10+

Based on 10 parent reviews

jossnot
jossnot Adult
April 23, 2021
age 13+

ugh

The author does a great job of generating page-turning suspense and interest, but the references to girls and their "hotness" was so SO incessant. By about 20% of the way in to the story, Ben's friend calls him on his cellphone to brag that he got ice cream with Ben's crush, to which Ben says there's a girl at his new school who's hotter anyway and he'll take a picture of her the next time he sees her and text it to his friend as proof. There's so much ickiness just in this exchange that I gave up on the book there and returned it. (And there is a weird amount of swearing that makes it hard to tell what age this is even supposed to be for.)

This title has:

Too much swearing
3 people found this helpful.
Ctr2020
Ctr2020 Adult
December 27, 2019
age 9+

Disturbed my daughter with the cursing

Three chapters into the book my daughter had come across several curse words which were totally unnecessary . She was enjoying the book so it was unfortunate that this interrupted her reading and made her feel uneasy to continue.

This title has:

Too much swearing
2 people found this helpful.
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Nerdy, awkward Ben Ripley has just been recruited to a top secret spy school for future CIA operatives, but why? Is he a master cryptologist without even knowing it, or just a patsy who's decent in math? Unfortunately for him, there isn't much time to answer that question, or do much studying. Under the guidance of suave older spy Alexander, his new friend Murray the slacker, and the enigmatic and beautiful fellow student Erica, he'll face assassins, bullies, top secret projects, and a labyrinth of secret passages. Along the way, he'll have to learn who's for real, why he's really there, and how to get out alive.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10 ):
Kids say (39 ):

SPY SCHOOL's a fun, fast-paced read for middle schoolers up to teens. Author Stuart Gibbs manages to drop in the kind of allusions to old-school spy films and TV shows from James Bond to Mission Impossible, while believably inhabiting the real-world concerns of teens: fitting in, being attractive to the opposite pants, not being mortified in front of your peers every five seconds.

It traffics in the tropes of the genre -- weapons, danger, fisticuffs -- but Gibbs does it with such humor, nonchalance, and smarts that the reader feels in on the joke. Kids who identify as nerds or brainiacs will enjoy a book where being smart and quick-witted are an asset worthy of instant popularity, and the author doesn't talk down to them or shy away from using a sophisticated vocabulary (word of the day: soporific). Parents can appreciate the positive messages about intelligence, and a strong female heroine in Erica, who outfoxes everyone she comes into contact with.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Spy School portrays undercover work vs. how it appears in the movies. What have you seen about spying on TV or in films? How does it compare with Ben Ripley's experience?

  • Some characters in the book often "play dumb" to disarm their potential enemies. Have you ever been tempted to downplay your intelligence or skill to fit in or get your way? What happened? What was the outcome?

  • Spy School simultaneously plays on the nerdy stereotype while dispelling it. Read more about stereotypes in media here.

  • Go online to learn about real-life careers as a government agent.

Book Details

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