Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Clever idea, clumsy start to silly spy-kid humor series.
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Why Age 8+?
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What's the Story?
Twelve-year-old Jonathan Murray is so utterly unmemorable, people he's known his whole life can't remember his name. He's not only surprised to learn he's been tapped for a top-secret spy program, he's baffled as to why they'd want him. But Jonathan and his classmate are naturals for the League of Unexceptional Children, comprising kids who seem to live in the world's blind spot. The vice president has been kidnapped by the Seal, who's trying to break into the federal government's mainframe. And in extraordinary circumstances like this, the fate of the world rests on utterly ordinary kids.
Is It Any Good?
The idea of turning utter ordinariness into an extraordinary asset is clever, but a lurching, nonsensical plot and weak characters keep this book from rising above average. Some witty lines and gleefully absurd humor can't rescue THE LEAGUE OF UNEXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN, the start of a new series about kids who are like "white rice, there but never focused on" who are recruited to save the world.
Quirky characters soon grow tiresome, and the humor wears especially thin concerning female characters: Shelley is a ditsy chatterbox, the agent managing her consistently calls her "doll," the kidnapped vice president's wife is a loud-mouthed hysterical "dame," and the president's female chief of staff is inept. But flashes of smart writing -- including witty exchanges and very funny quotes opening each chapter -- show promise.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the appeal of stories about kids as spies. What makes this formula so appealing?
What are these characters' strengths?
Do you think too much attention is paid to high achievers?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Humor
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : October 20, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 240
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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