Spy School Goes North (Spy School #11) by Stuart Gibbs

What worked:

You can always expect plenty of action when reading any of the books in this series. This one opens with the kidnapping of Erica’s grandfather Cyrus followed by a high-speed boat chase while dodging icebergs and torpedoes. Ben Ripley is the main character and Erica’s boyfriend, and they’re constantly thrown into missions to save the world. Ben acts mostly as a narrator for what’s happening although he’s excellent at math and comes up with ingenious plans. The plot in this book involves the history of Russian-American tension in Alaska, which happens to be an important piece of land impacting control of the Arctic. It also reunites Cyrus with his Russian counterpart as they face off in another potentially world-saving conflict.

A big difference from previous books is that the CIA’s Spy School is officially closed but has secretly reopened with four students in Alaska. Surprisingly, the author includes information about the Arctic region in this humorous adventure including the wildlife found there. Yes, as the synopsis says, there are lots of bears ranging from black bears to polar bears. How about an island of noisy, flatulent walruses? Readers will learn that the largest wildlife preserve in the world is located in Alaska and happens to be the site of the plot’s exciting climax. Of course, it’s cold up there, even in the summer, and the climate becomes a factor in the story. The author artfully meshes Alaskan facts into the narrative to add realistic description to the setting.

Ben and his friends are training as CIA spies (Erica is a better spy than most adults) but they frequently solve problems in unexpected ways. Who would think of disabling security cameras by using chocolate cake frosting and Kodiak bears? Erica’s family has built-in drama from previous books which adds humor and unpredictability to the story. Her father isn’t as inept as in previous books and Cyrus isn’t as impressive and makes mistakes. Ben’s friend Zoe reveals that she’s feeling left out when it comes to dating so readers may expect there will be developments in this area. Ben’s nemesis throughout the series, Murray Hill, makes an unexpected appearance and manages to complicate the team’s plans. He doesn’t have a large part other than to add a new obstacle but the last page indicates he’ll have a larger role in the sequel.

What didn’t work as well:

Repeating a successful story format makes sense (don’t change if it ain’t broken) but it may cause longtime readers of the series to wish for something newer or more creative. The plot is still entertaining and interesting but readers pretty much know what to expect.

The final verdict:

Fans of the series will love this book as Ben and company find themselves involved in an international crisis. The amusing tone to the story keeps things from getting too serious and the change in Cyrus’s character is a nice addition. Overall, I recommend you give this book a shot.