I Spy with my Little Eye....

Good day.
A pleasure to make your acquaintance.
My name is the Reader...the Insatiable Reader...and I'm here to bring you your latest assignment.  Your reading mission should you choose to accept it is to check out my latest read of which I am about to divulge.  It's a family friendly tale of family, business...and spies.  Are you game?  Good.. I knew I could count on you. Today's book of choice is...

BIG BOYS DON'T SPY!
by
K.E.M. Johnston

Once upon a time in the shadow of CIA headquarters, there lived a boy and his family.  Things were going well for the suburbanites until fate reached out and snatched one of their central core unit members...his father.  Without his gentle guidance, things felt a bit off...and despite the valiant efforts of his mother, they were going under fast.  You see, a few weeks back the up and coming advertising business run by the couple was on the right track to making its mark in the world but somehow clients have started running to their competitor.  The strange part?  The ads or jingles concocted are amazingly similar to the ideas first conceived with their business.  Hmm. Something is fishy in Washington, D.C. and I'm not talking about the politics. Good thing her son is an expert in covert ops, no?

His name is Wand....Will Wand.  His aim is to save his families business from going under, expose his meddling U.K. cousin for the double agent she is and have a great excuse to use his extensive arsenal of spy gear while honing his abilities.  All in a day's work, wouldn't you say?  Little does he know just all he'll uncover when things are said and done...

I must say, for the length of the story, as it's a mere 129 pages long, this was quite an adventure! We get to know the Wand family rather well in a short expanse of time...from Will the spy expert to Nick the underachiever with a hidden agenda (it's a good one, promise), from Mom with her drive to keep the family together to Tristan the "gold miner" (of the green variety ...hey, he's only 5) and wannabe secret agent...even Penelope Jane Whimplebottom his English cousin visiting on break (and a good example that not all spies happen to be boys).  It's a full house and a lively one at that but loveable nonetheless...and you're invited right into the fold.  Despite their differences its apparent, they are a family through and through and will do anything for one another.  When things get dodgy, they work together to expose those creating the disturbance ...even if it's not quite who they imagined (plot twist...dun dun dun....)

The memory of Will's father is alive and well in their thoughts and actions but also in Will's extensive spy set up.   Seriously!  He's got the whole house wired; combine that with his knowledge on "bugs", his cousin's code skills (cool stuff by the way, definitely will spark further study), and this is one family you do not want to mess with. 

In summary, a short and sweet spy adventure with a twist or two along the way well worth investigating. Author K.E.M. Johnston did a great job of presenting a plausible story for readers of all ages that ties things up nicely while leaving enough room for speculation.  Younger readers will see themselves in Will and Penelope (perhaps even Tristan), maybe even discovering a previously hidden interest in the world of espionage (keep those James Bond books and films at the ready).  Older readers will enjoy the "sibling" rivalry and antics that follow along with the creative solutions employed to expose the perps.  In short, one mission you should gladly accept if presented with the chance to experience it first hand.

Review copy received courtesyof author K.E.M. Johnston.  (THANKS!) For more information on this title as well as her current happenings, feel free to visit her online (http://www.kemjohnston.com).  This book was published in 2010 by Kitsune Books (http://www.kitsunebooks.com).

Until next time....happy reading!