• Age: 10 to 14
• Grade: 5 to 9
• Reading age: 7 to 12

font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=-1>Fifteen-year-old Andrew has cool parents: his mother_s job is to discover and test electronic surveillance gear and covert law enforcement equipment; while his father is an environmental biologist and cook. What vaults Andrew and his family into action is a new guy, Brian Fiske; he shows up in their small village of Aylesworth with a very dark secret. Brian and his family are in the witness-protection program and are now in relocation. However, when the mobsters that Brian_s family have put into prison come looking for revenge and kidnap them, the adventure is on. Armed only with their intelligence and high-tech gadgetry, Brian and Andrew must find a way to foil the kidnapers and find safety. Andrew_s instincts - along with his mother_s electronic skills and his father_s biological savvy - lead him on a suspenseful rescue mission that could end up in success or disaster. The measure of success will be in their ability to take responsibility for others and act quickly.

 

Allison Maher is a former manager of a company that invented spy gear. She now resides on a small farm in rural Nova Scotia. Her first novel for young readers, I, The Spy, was shortlisted for the Red Cedar Award in 2008-2009.

Allison Maher's profile page

I, The Spy

Fifteen-year-old Andrew’s parents have cool jobs. His mother tests and discovers electronic surveillance gear and spy equipment, and his father is an environmental biologist and cook. When new guy Brian Fiske and his family move to town with a dark secret, Andrew is vaulted to action. Brian and his family are in the witness protection program, but the people they helped put in prison are looking for them. Andrew must use all of his intelligence and high-tech gadgetry to save Brian and his family, and to get to them before the kidnappers get them to their destination.

This debut YA novel from Allison Maher will have boys on the edge of their seats. Perfect for the wannabe spy, kids will envy the “toys” that Andrew has at his fingertips. From start to finish this is a high action story, and the incorporation of these technologies into the novel add to the interest level.

At the same time however, the use of shifting perspective does not work as fluidly as it should for this type of story. Shifting from Andrew’s first person narration to the third-person for Brian, it occasionally becomes confusing and choppy. As well, the plot is a bit too improbable, and older readers may find it difficult to swallow their disbelief that the kidnappers would overlook Brian’s backpack full of spy equipment, or that he could so easily escape his bindings without notice. Andrew’s daring plot for rescue is exciting storytelling, and propels the action forward, but is again, somewhat unrealistic.

These difficulties should not however deter reluctant readers from picking up and enjoying the story. It is well written and interesting, and should find wide appeal with today’s high-tech kids.

I, The Spy

Andrew’s courage and instincts – along with his parents’ electronic surveillance skills and biological savvy – are put to the test on a suspenseful mission against mobsters.