Mac B. Kid Spy: Mac UndercoverMac Barnett
Mike Lowery, Illustrator
Orchard, 2018 160 pages
Grades 2-5
Adventure/Humor/Graphic Hybrid
Children's literature's funnyman, Mac Barnett, turns to
"real" stories from his 1980's childhood, when he worked as a spy for
the queen of England. An introduction puts the story in a historical context,
explaining what the KGB is and how Russian spies were a dangerous threat at
that time. We then see young Mac getting the life-changing call and flying over
to England for a briefing from the Queen. The coronation spoon has been
stolen from the tower of London and it is up to Mac to retrieve it.
The queen arms him with one of her Corgis, a secret identity kit, some
dried out biscuits (cookies) and a written excuse for his teacher. He is led to
France, where he witnesses an art heist and meets the country’s president
and, finally, to Russia for a big showdown. A trade is made, a truce is called,
and the day is saved, although a cliff-hanging ending suggests another
adventure isn't far behind.
Perfect for readers just cracking into chapter books, Barnett offers a fun and exciting story perfect for fans of Captain Underpants. Certainly of high interest, this new series is silly and punny, yet does not rely on potty humor or poor grammar. Readers may even learn something along the way as Mac jumps headfirst into adventure and unravels the clues with his Corgi sidekick. Boys, especially, will be attracted to this volume and will eagerly await the next installment. The cartoon-like illustrations are plentiful and use two bonus colors: yellow and blue, which made matters confusing when the queen mentions her purple dress. I read an advanced reader's copy and hopefully this will be corrected by the finished product. The story reads quickly, the action never flags and at times the writing is down-right clever, making this new series a welcome addition to a crowded genre.
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