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Unabridged Digital Audiobook
Runtime: 6 hours, 6 minutes
Read by Gibson Frazier
Grownups love a good spy thriller—whether it’s James Bond or Jason Bourne. But in the Spy School series by Stuart Gibbs, it’s the kids’ turn to go on a mission. And in the audio edition of Evil Spy School, a young spy finds himself working with the enemy.
The story catches up with 12-year-old spy-in-training Ben Ripley as he’s starting his second year at the CIA’s secret spy school. But when a game of Capture the Flag goes wrong and Ben accidentally blows up the principal’s office, he’s expelled. Not exactly thrilled by the prospect of going back to normal school, Ben is intrigued when he’s approached by the CIA’s arch enemy, SPYDER. Ben has no interest in turning evil, but he suspects that he’s been given a great opportunity to go undercover, so he accepts the opportunity to become a villain.
This spy-kid adventure follows Ben from his transition from aspiring good guy to (possibly) undercover bad guy. Ben is a likable character—brilliant at math yet, like any other kid his age, he’s a little bit awkward and definitely insecure. He isn’t a suave Bond-in-training—not like some of the other characters. He doesn’t quite trust his abilities and his intuition—unless a mathematical equation is involved—and he’s uncomfortable dealing with other people (especially cute girls). And young readers—especially boys—will be able to relate to his challenges and insecurities.
Ben’s story isn’t necessarily action-packed, but it’s smart and suspenseful—and it’s certainly entertaining. Gibbs has a great sense of humor, and he’ll keep listeners chuckling. Even grown-up readers will find themselves laughing out loud from time to time at Ben’s misadventures. Admittedly, though, the setup is a bit sketchy. SPYDER takes Ben on a little too quickly—and he accepts a little too easily. And the evil characters seem quite a bit less than evil. Of course, it’s not easy to write about real evil in a book that’s meant for kids; that would be too scary. So Gibbs finds a way to make his villainous characters more selfish and opportunistic and mildly annoying than truly evil. And those slightly-wicked characters add both humor and danger to the story.
If you’re heading out on a road trip with an adventurous young boy, this middle-grade audiobook is worth picking up from your local library. He’ll love the character and his undercover mission—and you’ll enjoy the humor, too.
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