My Mom Is A Spy

September 1, 2022
The peaceful life Idris shares with his mum is upended when her boyfriend, David Garc�a, and his daughter, Luc�a, come to stay for half term. Though Idris knows his mom is a worker in a paper clip factory, Luc�a is convinced that she is really a spy. Idris is skeptical, but Luc�a, a spy enthusiast herself, becomes more suspicious when three pangolins are stolen from the zoo where her veterinarian dad works. And, even more strangely, on a trip to the zoo the next day, Idris' mum seems to be associating with a vulturelike man named Victor. After Mum goes missing, Idris works with Luc�a to find her and uncover the mystery of the stolen pangolins. Idris must come to terms with the realization that his mother has been keeping a secret from him, but, when they are reunited, she assures him her parental love was never in doubt. In this book, the first of a new adventure spy series, veteran author McNab and TV personality and veterinarian French have created a fast-paced spy caper complete with good guys to root for, nefarious villains, and plot twists. An animal lover, Idris is a relatable narrator; his interactions with Philby, Luc�a's dog, and Budi, an unhappy and withdrawn ape, will resonate with readers. Some British vocabulary appears but will be easily understood through context. Idris and his mother appear light-skinned in the illustrations; Luc�a and her father are cued as Latine. Thoroughly entertaining and suspenseful. Kids will eagerly await the next volume. (Fiction. 8-10)

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October 31, 2022
Idris and Lucía must combine their veterinarian and secret agent skills to save Idris’s mother from a sinister fate in this laugh-out-loud chapter book series opener by McNab (Payback) and British TV personality and veterinarian French. Idris is certain that his boring mother, Sarah, who works at Bingo Blott’s Paperclip Factory, can’t be a spy. But secret agent enthusiast Lucía, the daughter of his mother’s boyfriend, David, insists that Sarah’s humdrum job is a cover for a double life as a covert operative. Idris isn’t convinced; moreover, he believes that David’s job as an exotic animal veterinarian at Central Zoo is way cooler than being a spy. As an aspiring vet, Idris is thrilled when Sarah suggests a visit to the zoo, but Lucía—armed with her spy bag, which includes spare batteries for her hearing aid—is more interested in unraveling the mystery behind three recently disappeared pangolins. The two tweens come together, however, when Sarah is kidnapped by a malevolent zookeeper. Energetic b&w illustrations by Reed (Flea Seeks Dog), which depict fast-paced action and render zoo animals with lively expressions, enhance this spry adventure. Idris and Sarah cue as white; Lucía and David are Latinx. Ages 7–10.