The Doublecross: (And Other Skills I Learned as a Superspy)

Gr 4–6—Twelve-year-old Hale Jordan has always dreamed of being a superspy like his parents. But even though he excels at all the classes at SRS (the Sub Rosa Society, the secret agency where he lives with his family), the other students call him Hale the Whale, and he struggles to meet the physical requirements to become a junior agent. When his parents disappear during a mission and SRS seems unwilling to save them, Hale uses all of his spy skills to infiltrate the League, a notorious rival agency. Once inside the League offices, though, he finds that they are filled with old equipment and only one remaining spy. The League's director tells him that they are a government agency that has lost most of its funding and that the real evil organisation is SRS. Confused, Hale taps into his own agency's files, and discovers that they have marked his parents to be eliminated on sight. With the help of two kids from the League (Ben, an inventor, and his sister Beatrix, a computer wiz), Hale takes on the dangerous role of double agent to uncover and undermine SRS's plans. Together they discover a plot to kidnap and recruit some of the most talented kids in the world. Hale is a quick-thinking and daring underdog, with an impressive arsenal of skills and spy tricks. The supporting characters are quirky and likeable, such as Ben, whose inventions include a jelly bean that turns people purple, and Ben's uncle, Clatterbuck, who disguises himself as a lumber truck driver and a watermelon farmer. The book ends on a satisfying note but leaves plenty of room for future sequels. VERDICT Fast-paced, funny, and full of unexpected plot twists, this spy novel will easily appeal to middle grade adventure fans.—Ashley Larsen, Pacifica Libraries, CA --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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