Ben Ripley is astounded when he’s whisked off to the secret CIA-run spy school outside Washington, D.C. The boarding school for kids from sixth through twelfth grades trains America’s future spies. But there’s a mole in the school, leaking secrets to enemy governments, and Ben discovers he’s been hand-picked to attend not because he’s great spy material, but to set a trap. The CIA has created a false profile indicating Ben is a brilliant cryptologist, making him a target for would-be assassins. Trying to avoid being kidnapped or killed, Ben finds his only ally—and in fact the one person who seems able to outsmart both enemy spies and school and CIA officials—is über-student Erika, daughter of the dashing and famous American spy Alexander Hale. Stuart Gibbs’s over-the-top story has elements of Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, and the movie Spy Kids¸but the result is an original blend full of action, adventure, and abundant humor. (Ages 9–12)

Can an undercover nerd become a superstar secret agent? Maybe not, but it'll be fun to watch him try

Ben Ripley may only be in middle school, but he's already pegged his dream job: C.I.A. or bust. Unfortunately for him, his personality doesn't exactly scream "secret agent." In fact, Ben is so awkward, he can barely get to school and back without a mishap. Because of his innate nerdiness, Ben is not surprised when he is recruited for a magnet school with a focus on science--but he's entirely shocked to discover that the school is actually a front for a junior C.I.A. academy. Could the C.I.A. really want him?

Actually, no. There's been a case of mistaken identity--but that doesn't stop Ben from trying to morph into a supercool undercover agent, the kind that always gets the girl. And through a series of hilarious misadventures, Ben realizes he might actually be a halfway decent spy...if he can survive all the attempts being made on his life