The Secret of Stoneship Woods (Spy Gear Adventures)
Grade 4-8-This series is based on Spy Gear, the popular toy collection of electronic spying and espionage equipment. Brothers Jake and Lucas and their best friends Cyril and Lexi stumble upon an abandoned warehouse in the middle of the woods. Inside they discover an active spy station and a cache of equipment that includes listening devices and night-vision goggles. Curious about the mission of the station, they decide to use these high-tech tools to do some spying of their own, which puts them in the path of danger. The author's voice is evident as he makes a few bizarre asides and wisecracks and often instructs readers on what to pay attention to in the tale. His sense of humor is in keeping with the light tone of the book: this is a spy story that does not take itself too seriously. Not surprisingly, the electronic equipment is the main star; the plot is loose at best. Fans of Greg Farshtey's Bionicle series (Scholastic) will find much to appreciate here, although some might find the strong authorial voice confusing.-Kathleen Meulen, Blakely Elementary School, Bainbridge Island, WACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.