Secret Agent [Paperback]

Robyn Freedman Spizman (Author), Mark Johnston (Author)

Book Description

LISTEN UP PEOPLE, because we've got a problem here. It's time to get really worried, and by that I mean majorly concerned, about Kyle Parker. he used to be a cool guy. Okay, not the smartest kid at school or the best looking, but he could always hold his own. Until recently. Until he failed to notice that Lucinda (who, btw, is really hot) has been following him around for weeks. Or that a volleyball was coming straight for his face during gym. But can you blame him at a time like this?

In case you haven't heard, Kyle's mom kicked his dad out of the house. Why? Because of a book. Kyle's dad's book. The one he's been writing and can't get published. Which means he can't make any money. Which means he can't support his family. So it's the big D. Divorce. Unless Kyle can pull a fast one and fake out the most famous editor in New York City.

How?

By going undercover. Secret. Top secret. That's right. Kyle Parker is about to become his dad's secret agent. So pay attention because he's going to need all the help he can get.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-10–Kyle, a New York City high school freshman, is willing to do almost anything to keep his parents together. Convinced that their separation is due simply to his father's obsession with a book he has written, the boy enlists an oddball collection of friends as "secret agents" to help get Dad's senior romance published. The vast array of semi-developed characters includes a flamboyant yet seclusive writer whom no one knows is really a famous "female" author, a dead but influential editor, an unexpectedly wonderful old bookseller who "adopts" Kyle's dad, a classy senior editor whom the kids need to impress, and a bevy of buddies. Through Kyle's persistence and increasing ability to perceive connections and utilize them, the teens manage to lift the manuscript from Dad's hiding place, start a "buzz" throughout New York's publishing industry about the fabulous writer "everybody's" talking about, but no one can find–and secret the manuscript to the senior editor in a ruse involving a "recommendation" from her deceased mentor. Though the journey is circuitous, the characters excessive, and the narrative unsettling (the story is told by an omniscient observer who is afflicted with a severe case of teen speak), it becomes a strangely compelling adventure in which readers root for Kyle's success.–Mary R. Hofmann, Rivera Middle School, Merced, CA --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. After Kyle Parker's parents separate, he decides to try to get them back together. The key, he thinks, is to find a publisher for the novel that his dad has been laboring over for many years at the family's financial expense. Calling in a host of reinforcements, including his young neighbor, Lucinda, who is remarkably cognizant of the inside politics of the New York publishing world, Kyle and his friends concoct a series of events designed to attract the attention of a prominent New York editor. Their adventures, which take them throughout Manhattan to publishing offices, a chic restaurant, and a trendy hair salon have unexpected pay-offs. The title may disappoint young readers expecting to find an espionage story, but those who stick with the novel will be rewarded with a quirky tale about resourceful young people and an amusing and elaborate sting operation at its core. Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (May 23, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416918620
• ISBN-13: 978-1416918622
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,092,540 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fresh, funny adventure, October 10, 2005

By 

Lydia Dishman (Greenville, SC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Secret Agent (Hardcover)

My ten year old daughter and I read this together. At least we tried to. When it was time to close the book and make dinner, she just plowed on without me, reading straight through for several hours until she reached the last page. She loved the story and the characters, especially Lucinda. What a strong, smart role model for middle school girls! From the well-drawn descriptions of New York City, to the thoughtfully crafted relationships between parent and child, and the fresh, funny voice of the narrator, this book has it all. We hope there will be more adventures for Kyle and Lucinda!

5.0 out of 5 stars The secret is out, July 4, 2009

By 

wroxton (Amenia, New York United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Secret Agent (Hardcover)

It's no secret. This is a good read. Kids, and some adults, will find the plot twists good.
Not nasty, a plus for younger readers, but interesting enough to hold their attention,

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, Refreshing, Inspiring: Pick your Accolade, this Book is Simply Wonderful, July 14, 2005

By 

Amy Senk "Read it, Loved it" (Orange County, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Secret Agent (Hardcover)

Secret Agent tells the story of Kyle Parker, a high school freshman living in New York City, and how he plots to get his father's rejected manuscript published in an effort to save his parents' marriage. Using his circle of friends and all their pooled talents, Kyle figures how to infiltrate the world of high-stakes publishing.

Kyle and his friends are some of the most likeable juvenile characters in fiction. Kyle himself channels a bit of Ferris Bueller -- only much less selfish -- as he navigates New York. His sidekick, Lucinda, has a dash of Harriet the Spy-gone modern as she trails editors, cases office buildings and helps Kyle lay out their multi-step plan. Breaking into Kyle's dad's safe for a manuscript copy is one problem, but getting it into the hands of the hottest editor in the city is another thing entirely.

New York is filled with interesting people, and Kyle's life is filled with characters who all figure in his plans. The grandmotherly cleaning lady, the dogwalking client with the double life, the perceptive bookshop owner, all pop in and out of the book in delightfully overlapping ways.

Robyn Freedman Spizman and Mark Johnston use an interesting narrator in this book, one that can jump around and look into the future and into various characters' minds all at the same time. This takes a bit of getting used to but ultimately is very satisfying. For example, it's great to know that the young editor who innocently assists Kyle in an office break-in has a boyfriend who will find a vaccine for the West Nile virus, one day in the future. It's great the way the writers play with the future, with characters' inner-thoughts, and yet keep the story going in a fairly straightforward way.

So many books fail in their endings. This book manages an honest, fulfilling conclusion. Kyle's wishes may or may not come true, but he has gained big victories. The conversation he has with his father in the last chapter makes it worth reading the entire book. It defines what parents and children want from each other, without being corny or obvious.

A surprise hit, but a book that kids and parents won't want to miss.