Thrilling Middle Grade Books About Spies

Ben Ripley’s life does a 180 when he gets an invitation to work for the CIA, only to find out that it was a case of mistaken identity because someone on the inside has a secret ploy against the agency. With a new crush roping him into an undercover mission to unravel the plot, Ben discovers that he’s actually not half-bad at being a spy. Ages 10+

Twelve-year-old Sara Martinez is a hacker bouncing from foster home to foster home in Brooklyn, New York. After getting arrested for hacking into the NYC foster care system to expose her foster parents as criminals, she meets a man named Mother, who gets her to join a team of kid spies operating out of a base in Scotland. As Sara adjusts, the team prepares for their first mission in Paris, France, even as Mother is working hard to find his two kids lost as a consequence of a previous mission. This is an excellent start to an exciting mystery series that both kids and adults can enjoy. Ages 9+

Bea is a child of spies living in the Pangean Hotel, a sanctuary for spies. Her dad is a hotel chef and her mom is a former assassin turned peacekeeping spy. Bea really wants to become a spy, but her mom wants her to lead a normal life–and really, Bea isn’t sure she can be a spy because she hasn’t gotten her “Knack” yet. Knacks are special skills that every spy gets at some point in their life. Bea’s mom has a gun Knack and her best friend Tommy has a cleaning Knack. But everything changes when Bea gets her Knack and a new girl moves into the hotel with her family, bringing a bounty hunter, more danger, and a real look into the spy life for Bea. I listened to this one on audio, and with Jesse Vilinsky as the narrator, this book really sings on audio. It’s very entertaining and feels like a step behind the City Spies series. The shorter length and younger (quirkier, funnier) voice make it a better fit for younger audiences, although there are guns and knives. All in all, a highly entertaining, cinematic series starter that kids will love. Ages 10+

12-year-old Katrina has had a long line of names beginning with letters of the alphabet A-K so far. Her last two names were Ivette and then Joanna. Her whole life as she remembers, her parents have been moving her from city to city and changing their names after every move. When they move this time, Katrina finds a new friend named Parker and a slip-up on her part leads to both her parents being kidnapped, leaving her to fend for herself with Parker’s help. Things begin to unravel when she discovers that her parents are not in the Witness Protection Program like they claimed to be, but rather that they’re on the run. This is an engaging middle grade spy book with a clever female protagonist trying to piece together her identity. Ages 10+

This book, all about a girl who gets sent to a private boarding school, only to discover that it’s a cover for a girls’ spy school is surprisingly funny, action-packed, and full of heart. I recommend the audiobook, which is beautifully done. Ages 10+

This London-set thriller about a boy who’s roped into joining a group of spies after his uncle (and guardian’s) death is suspenseful and especially fun on audio. Ages 10+

This historical mystery combines the literary prowess of author Ruta Sepetys with Steve Sheinkin’s narrative skills as we follow two siblings during WWII in England trying to find their missing mother and help the British army defeat the Nazis. With two teenage protagonists, this one straddles the line between middle grade and YA, although the content is more middle grade than YA. It is gripping, hard to put down, and brilliantly plotted. Hand to fans of fast-paced mysteries, whether or not they love historical fiction. Ages 10+

This hilarious spy story of a boy recruited by the Queen of England to retrieve England’s crown jewels is ridiculous in the best way. The illustrations and humor in this one make it perfect for young readers who love funny chapter books. Ages 7+

I LOVED this young graphic novel about three groups of kids (the bigs, the guild of middles and onlys, and the league of littles). Although the story focuses on the league of little’s first mission, we quickly see how the bigs and middle play into the plot. The League of Littles set out to help a lastborn who loses her older sister’s hamster, but they run into some unexpected complications. Can they make the rescue? This story is so out there, but it’s also a lot of fun and perfect for the lower middle-grade group who like realistic graphics with a touch of humor and adventure. The illustrations are gorgeous and make this story all the more engaging to read. There’s also the spy element, complete with individual case files, similar to those found in the City Spies books. I’ll definitely be following this series closely! Ages 7+

This series feels like the closest readalike in terms of globetrotting, suspense and enjoyment level, and spy hijinks. The main difference is that it stars one girl. Charlie Thorne is a genius tween recruited by the CIA to help stop a terrorist group from accessing a potentially destructive equation by Albert Einstein. It’s fabulous on audio and great for mature 5th graders and middle schoolers. Ages 10+

Three orphaned girls end up at the Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls, expecting an utterly dreary existence, but fall into a school that trains girls to solve mysteries and fight bad guys. As they investigate the mystery of a missing woman in their city, more secrets come to light and the girls fight to save the day without losing their lives. This whimsical, engrossing middle grade mystery with a hint of the fantastical is perfect for fans of Millicent Quibb and Lemony Snicket. Gorgeously illustrated with black and white imagery and footnotes in every chapter, it’s an absolute delight to read aloud and sure to be beloved by younger and older middle grade readers alike. Ages 10+
.

This is an entertaining graphic novel about cousins Maya and Riley (Black and Muscogee), who end up living with their grandmother when Maya’s parents are deployed, and Riley’s parents move back in with her grandmother. At school, the girls quickly realize that their vice principal is suspicious, slashing arts, robotics, and any budgets possible in favor of increasing the number of detention classrooms. With their grandmother’s advice about using their voices firm in their mind, the girls hatch a plan to expose VP Balderdash’s schemes. I loved many things about this series starter, including the natural, subtle way both girls share about their heritage and how they find home and community with their grandmother. This is also super short (under 200 pages), and the superhero and planning scenes feel like something out of a Spy Kids movie. Ages 8+

This book is set in modern times but follows two best friends (soon-to-be sixth graders) who stumble upon a family heirloom of Nancy Strong Smith. In solving the mystery, they learn a ton about Revolutionary period history. The story is under 200 pages long, and I think younger kids in grades 3+ will like it as a read-aloud because of the mystery element. Still, it also fills a gaping hole for historical fiction set in the Revolutionary period. Ages 9+