A few weeks ago, I posted the nominees and winners of the Children’s Choice Book Awards for 2013. Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead made the Fifth To Sixth Grade Finalists list, and after finishing the novel, I can understand why.
The Premise
Georges, the s is silent, struggles with typical middle school issues, such as annoying bullies and the persistent feeling that he doesn’t fit in anywhere. His father, an architect, has recently lost his job, and Georges and his parents have moved to an apartment in Brooklyn. There Georges meets Safer, a boy his age who is unique in many ways, especially because he’s a self-proclaimed spy. Safer wants Georges to help him with a “mission”.
Why It’s So Good
Liar and Spy pulls you in with quirky characters and snappy dialogue. Here’s a snippet. In this scene, Safer, the “spy”, is teaching Georges how to break into an apartment using a credit card.
“You’ve done this before?” I guess I finally know how Safer left me that note under my pillow.
Safer looks at me scornfully. “Of course.”
Maybe Safer has no conscience at all.
“I’m not sure we should do this,” I say. Because I’m sure we shouldn’t do this.
“It’s normal to be a little scared, Georges.”
“I’m not scared.” Though it has crossed my mind that a person could go to jail for the kind of thing that Safer is planning.
Besides wit, Liar and Spy also has depth. The novel includes thoughtful commentary on life and adversity, as well as a few motifs. For example, throughout the book, Georges mentions a print by Georges Seurat, his namesake, that hangs in his living room. Georges relates the tiny little dots of the pointillist painting to events in his life; they all add up to create a bigger picture. There is good stuff going on, and Stead packs a few surprises into the ending that will have you thinking about the book long after you close the cover.
Liar and Spy is great summer reading for the older elementary / middle school crowd. My 13-year-old enjoyed it and agreed with me that it was like “John Green for younger readers”. (Meaning it has the same intelligence and wit without the young adult content.) On our recent road trip, my family started listening to Stead’s best-selling novel, When You Reach Me. My eleven year old has read it and says it’s awesome. Unfortunately, I don’t like the narrator of the audio book (too whiny) and the story bounces around a lot. I might finish it in “traditional” form.
Have you read Liar and Spy or any other of Stead’s novels? Can you share another middle grade summer reading recommendation?
Thanks for sharing!
Julia
I LOVED When You Reach Me. I think it’s one of the best books ever for young readers. I can appreciate that audio isn’t the best format for it though. Do try it in paper.
I’m going to put Liar and Spy on my summer reading list. :-0
Great Debbie! Yes, I think audio just might not work well for this book. I will take your advice and try it on paper.
I just finished A Long Walk to Water about the problems in Sudan. Linda Sue Park based the novel on a true story of Salva, one of the Lost Boys in the 1990s. I had tears streaming down my face at the end of the book. It is definitely appropriate for 13+.
Thanks Mary! This sounds like a perfect book for my 13 year old son who probably is ready to know a little more about the troubled parts of the world and how lucky he truly is. Great suggestion.
I’m finally getting around to my summer reading list and started Gone Girl this week. Yep, I’m at least two years behind on all the must-reads! Thanks for sharing so many great reading recommendations. These will be great when our girls graduate to higher reading levels!
I haven’t read Gone Girl yet either, so you’re not alone. I’d love to hear what you think of it. A lot of people think it’s excellent- a real page turner with plot twists, etc. I just don’t want anything too dark…
I’ll let you know what I think. So far it’s pretty good! I thought of you while I was reading it today. ‘Oubliette’ seems like a perfect Wondrous Word!