What This Book Is About
Sara Martinez is a twelve-year-old foster kid in Brooklyn with a gift for hacking. When she breaks into the New York City foster care system to expose her corrupt foster parents, she expects to be celebrated. Instead, she ends up in a juvenile courtroom facing years of detention. That's when a mysterious man named Mother appears and offers her a deal: join a secret team of kid spies working for MI6, the British Secret Intelligence Service, or go to jail.
Sara soon finds herself on a remote Scottish estate with four other young recruits from around the world: Paris, Sydney, Rio, and Kat. Each has a unique skill. Each has a troubled past. Together they form the City Spies, trained to go places adults cannot and solve cases that conventional agents miss. Their first mission takes them to Paris, where they must stop a dangerous hacker from unleashing chaos. A New York Times bestseller, City Spies is a globe-trotting, fast-paced thriller packed with code names, disguises, and breathless escapes that will have readers turning pages late into the night.
Available at Popular bookstores, Kinokuniya, and the Singapore National Library.
Why UWC Chose This Book
City Spies is international-mindedness in action. The five young protagonists come from different countries, speak different languages, and bring different cultural perspectives to every mission. They must learn to trust each other, communicate across differences, and leverage their diverse strengths to succeed. For students at UWC and other international schools, this mirrors the collaborative, multicultural environment they experience every day.
The book also rewards careful, analytical reading. Each mission involves puzzles, codes, and logical deduction that engage students' critical thinking skills. At 400 pages, it builds serious reading stamina, while the short chapters and cliffhanger endings keep even reluctant readers hooked. The ongoing series provides natural motivation for continued reading, making City Spies an excellent gateway to longer, more complex novels.
Reading Level Guide
Too long and challenging at A2. The 400 pages and spy terminology require solid reading stamina. Start with The Wild Robot first.
Perfect difficulty. Action-packed chapters and short cliffhangers make 400 pages fly by.
An exciting, easy read at B2. Try The War That Saved My Life or Masterminds for more challenge.
Other UWC Recommended Books for This Grade
Not sure if this book is right for your child? Take our free English assessment to find their CEFR level, then choose books that match.