Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead
Reviewed by JenniferRatings
Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content
LANGUAGE
VIOLENCE
SEXUAL CONTENT
ADULT THEMES
Ratings Explanation
Language: One instance of “damn” and one OMG expression.
Adult Themes: When the story begins, Georges’s family has lost their home and moved into a small apartment. Georges is teased at school because of his name. Mild bullying. Georges lies to his Dad.
Synopsis
Georges (the s is silent) takes some grief at school from the 7th grade bully about his name. But Georges is named after Georges Seurat, the painter, and at home he looks at the large “Sir Ott” painting in the living room and remembers that it’s important to get the big picture in life, not just look at all the tiny dots.
It’s hard to get the big picture, though, when you’ve moved out of your really cool house, school is a drag, and your Mom’s never home because she’s picking up extra shifts at the hospital. Then Georges meets Safer and his quirky family, becomes Safer’s first spy recruit and starts his first spy assignment: surveillance on Mr. X, the man in the building who only wears black, never speaks, and carries large suitcases. As the mission to discover just what Mr. X is up to escalates to (almost) criminal proportions, Georges wonders how far he will go for his only friend.
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead is a family favorite so I had to read (actually listen to) Liar & Spy. There were a couple of things about this book that won my heart. The first was Bob English who draws. This character is never referred to as Bob or Bob English, but always Bob English who draws. Bob English who draws is committed to alternative spelling practices, for example the word ghoti=fish. How you ask? Well, gh as in laugh, o as in women, ti as in nation and there you have it – fish! As the story progresses Bob English who draws makes less and less sense, but Georges likes him more and more. I love it!
Then there is the use of my favorite knock knock joke in the world.
“Knock knock!”
“Who’s there?”
“Interrupting Cow”
“Interrup-“
“Moo!”
Sometimes funny, sometimes a little sad and with a surprise at the end, Liar & Spy is definitely worth your family’s time. Recommended for ages 9 and up, but middle school students will enjoy it because it is about kids their own age. Discussion topics: friendship, loyalty, honesty and why it is important not to be pressured into doing anything you think is wrong.