Thirteen-year-old Cody Saron has never lived in one place longer than a few weeks, and has never attended a regular school. Growing up on the run with his father, an undercover agent for the CIA, Cody has traveled the entire globe; he speaks five languages, and he has two black belts. What Cody isn't prepared for is...junior high.When the danger surrounding Cody's dad heats up, Cody is sent to stay with the aunt he's never known, Jenny, in her small Connecticut suburb. Cody has no idea how to fit in with other kids, how to handle his first crush, or how to make it through a day of classes.
Review
It has been the summer of books that suprised me! When I first got this book I had a completely different idea of what it was about. I was thinking it would be a book about a young boy who was a genius or something and works for the CIA on some "teen spy team"! WRONG! Yes the CIA is in the story, but it's Cody's father that works with them not Cody. And yes Cody knows a lot about spying, fighting and CIA type stuff (and we see him use it), but it's more than that.
Cody has to live with his aunt while his dad works out some problems they are facing. While living there we find out how both dangerous and sheltered Cody's life has been. Dangerous because he knows how to take down a grown man with his bare hands. Sheltered because he has no clue how to be a kid. He wears suits all the time and hasn't ever really watched tv. I felt his embarrasement and frustration as he struggled to fit in - the teasing from the students was pretty realistic. At the same time he's trying to figure out if he's mad at his dad for limiting his life or grateful. I could feel how torn he was. I, in parts, wanted to find his dad and YELL AT HIM for raising Cody the way he did. I guess it was the mom in me! Inbetween all this, there is suspense and tension as Cody worries that the men after his dad will come after him. These two part are well mixed.
I'll leave it at this: Yes it has action. Yes it has humor. And yes it has heart. A fun read. I'll definately recommend it to my 7th graders.
Lexile 570
Middle Grade
Review
It has been the summer of books that suprised me! When I first got this book I had a completely different idea of what it was about. I was thinking it would be a book about a young boy who was a genius or something and works for the CIA on some "teen spy team"! WRONG! Yes the CIA is in the story, but it's Cody's father that works with them not Cody. And yes Cody knows a lot about spying, fighting and CIA type stuff (and we see him use it), but it's more than that.
Cody has to live with his aunt while his dad works out some problems they are facing. While living there we find out how both dangerous and sheltered Cody's life has been. Dangerous because he knows how to take down a grown man with his bare hands. Sheltered because he has no clue how to be a kid. He wears suits all the time and hasn't ever really watched tv. I felt his embarrasement and frustration as he struggled to fit in - the teasing from the students was pretty realistic. At the same time he's trying to figure out if he's mad at his dad for limiting his life or grateful. I could feel how torn he was. I, in parts, wanted to find his dad and YELL AT HIM for raising Cody the way he did. I guess it was the mom in me! Inbetween all this, there is suspense and tension as Cody worries that the men after his dad will come after him. These two part are well mixed.
I'll leave it at this: Yes it has action. Yes it has humor. And yes it has heart. A fun read. I'll definately recommend it to my 7th graders.
Lexile 570
Middle Grade
It sounds like a great book and a little different that the other stuff out there. Great review!
ReplyDeleteGreat review! This sort of reminds me of A Date With the Mob or is it the Son of the Mob. Where his whole family is mob bosses and such but he doesn't want to be and he meets this girl he really likes only her father is investigating his family. It was a really cute read. I'll have to pick this up whenever I see it.
ReplyDeleteNice review. :) I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteRecently found this site while searching about Pseudonymous Bosch. Still don't know who s/he is. I thought Alibi Junior High was a great book, having previously read other books by him and authors like him. Planning to eventually buy this book, asking for Barnes and Noble gift cards for my b-day!
ReplyDelete