EJ Spy School: Deep Water

EJ Spy School: Deep Water by Susannah McFarlane, illustration by Dyani Stagg (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $7.99
ISBN 978-1-92193-164-2
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Swimming day at school is coming up and 8 year old Emma Jacks does not want to go. She is scared of deep water. Luckily for her she gets a call from SHINE, the top secret agency where she is training to be a spy. As EJ10, she takes the mission tube and zips off to another spy class - at the beach. If she wants to earn her underwater spy badge she is going to have to face her fears of the deep water after all.

EJ10 is trained in underwater spy work with the help of Bubbles the dolphin. Then they set off to clean rubbish which is polluting the sea. But when Bubbles is trapped, is EJ10 ready to dive deep to save her new friend?

The EJ Spy School series is written for beginner readers. The text has large font, basic words and short chapters. The content is exciting, mission based and mostly focusses on overcoming fears, environmental concerns and rescuing animals. There are plenty of fun spy gadgets too.

The pictures are sweet and often used in the place of text – to illustrate what is worn underwater or to show EJ’s spy profile. Young girls will love this series.

 

EJ Spy School - Secret Spy

EJ Spy School - Secret Spy by Susannah McFarlane, illustrated by Dyani Stagg (Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $7.99
ISBN 978-1-92193-162-8
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

 EJ10, also known as Emma Jacks, an eight year old school girl, is super excited when her spy watch beeps. It means she is being called back to Shine Headquarters for another spy school lesson. This time she is introduced to the lab and all Shine's fantastic spy tools. Assigned some cool gadgets, EJ sets off to follow the clues she has been set. But then her lesson becomes a real mission. Is she ready? A kitten is relying on her now.

EJ Spy School is a new series written for beginner readers based on EJ12's earlier recruitment to the Shine Agency - a spy agency dedicated to righting any wrongs caused by their rival agency, Chaos.

Animal rescue is the main focus in all the adventures Emma and her friends have. This and the top-secret nature of the missions they face has huge appeal for EJ12's readership. This younger version is perfect for younger girls wanting to join this world of adventure, mystery and animals. 

EJ Spy School - Puppy Alert

EJ Spy School - Puppy Alert by Susannah McFarlane, illustrated by Dyani Stagg (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $7.99
ISBN 978-1-92193-163-5
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

 Emma Jacks, a ten year old schoolgirl has an exciting secret. She has a secret identity, EJ10, and is a spy in training with the Shine Agency.  At spy school she learns about breaking codes, following clues and other skills a good spy needs. In Puppy Alert her training is especially fun. EJ10 is learning about animal rescue. And it is a thrilling lesson, following clues around the giant indoor training centre at Shine Headquarters. Her mission is to rescue five hidden puppies.

Puppy Alert is part of the EJ Spy School series, written for beginner readers based on a McFarlane's well established and popular EJ12 Girl Hero series. This younger version goes back two years earlier, to when Emma was recruited and trained for work in the Shine Agency.

The EJ Spy School series incorporates large, easy font, short chapters, subjects which appeal to young girls and simple story lines which take place over a short time period, all features which make this series a good starting point for beginner readers who would like to join in EJ12's exciting world of missions, adventure, fun and animal rescues.

The illustrations are sweet and do more than just decorate and break up the text for easier reading. They also work with the text conveying meaning not stated in words. This helps to build a bridge between picture books young readers are used to, and the chapter books they are striving for.