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Spy School
Last updated Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Author: Stuart Gibbs
Date of Publication: 2012
ISBN: 1442421827
Grade Level: 5th (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Jan. 2026
Synopsis:
Like many kids, Ben Ripley imagines life as a secret agent would be pretty awesome - so when he learns he's been recruited to the C.I.A.'s top secret Academy of Espionage, it sounds too good to be true. And it is.
From the moment he arrives - and ends up in the middle of an enemy attack - Ben finds Spy School is going to be far more difficult, dastardly and dangerous than he expected. Even worse, he soon discovers that he hasn't been recruited to become a top agent - instead, he's been brought in as bait to catch a devious double agent. Now, Ben needs a crash course in espionage so that he can catch the mole, prove his worth, and get the girl. It won't be easy, but it'll be a very fun - and very funny - ride.
| Note to readers: |
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This is a very funny book. One 10 year old reader said, ”It is great because it shows how you don't have to be anyone special to do great things. Another reason is because it will quite literally make you fall out of your chair in a fit of laughter.”
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| Discussion topics for before reading: |
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Do you have a favorite spy movie or TV show?
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Do you think being a spy would be fun?
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What do you think would be the most difficult thing about being a spy?
Vocabulary:
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Espionage: Spying; gathering secret information.
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Infiltrate: To enter secretly.
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Clandestine: Secret, done secretly.
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Surveillance: Close observation.
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Ruse: A trick or deception.
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Debonair: Smooth, confident, charming.
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Nonchalant: Unconcerned, cool.
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Incredulous: Unbelieving.
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Nefarious: Wicked, evil.
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Inauspicious: Unpromising, unlucky.
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Transpire: To happen, occur.
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Circumvent: To go around.
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| Discussion topics for during/after reading: |
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• If you were Ben, what would you think of the idea of being a spy?
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Why is Ben an unlikely spy, and what makes him a good one anyways?
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What do you think about the other kids at the spy school?
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Does the book teach you things about being a spy?
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| Special activities: |
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Do the Word Search
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*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions.
You can use them, but you don't have to use them.
You can expand upon them, or add your own twist.
Remember, though, that the focus of your time should
not be on the development and execution of a craft;
the focus should be on the read-aloud and the
enjoyment of the book!
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