The Master Spy Handbook: Help Our Intrepid Hero Use Gadgets, Codes & Top-secret Tactics to Save the World from Evil Doers

by Rain Newcomb, Jason Chin (Illustrations)

The huge success of Spy Kids and other similar movies makes it children love watching young agents who are smart enough and tough enough to beat the bad guys?and they fantasize about doing it themselves. That’s why they’ll be thrilled to hear about Agent O, the world’s most top-secret secret agent. No one knows Agent O’s true identity? especially that O is still a kid! And budding sleuths can get in on the fun, because this fully-illustrated handbook gives them the opportunity to help Agent O fight a criminal mastermind, crack the codes that reveal a perilous scheme for world domination, and make all sorts of cool gadgets and disguises.

Genres: Nonfiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2005

About the author

Rain Newcomb is a faculty member at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Cloquet, Minnesota. Previously, she taught at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is equal parts mystery fiction about Detective O chasing after an Evil Doer bent on world domination through Videogames and cheese (??) and non-fiction utilizing creative ideas to show tones of different codes, ciphers, signals, and naturally spy/detective lingo and know-how (like disguises, decoys, alarms, secret ink, the old switcheroo)

The activities in this book are so much fun.
Despite its cheezy (no pun intended) story, the activities are PERFECT for anyone who is an educator, librarian or homeschool parent.

Similar fandoms would be something like Spy Kids or Dick Tracy or the book, Spy School.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

My absolute favourite when I was a kid

[Donna Sanders]

Newcomb, M. (2005). The master spy handbook: Help our intrepid hero use gadgets, codes & top-secret tactics to save the world from evildoers. New York : Lark Books

Citation by: Donna Johnson

Type of Reference: Handbook

Call number: Ref 327.12

Content/Scope: This 96 page book details 50 actual tactics used by spies, in an appealing narrative form with facts and techniques interspersed throughout. Suitable for students in grades 4-7.

Accuracy/Authority/Bias: Rain Newcomb is an English professor who has written multiple books on experiments, crafts, and writing.

Arrangement/Presentation: The book features 50 spy techniques presented in narrative form, with the codes and ciphers becoming more difficult throughout the book. The illustrations are dramatic and visually appealing.

Relation to other works: Students love mystery and experiment books, but this book would be unique in the LMC by combining both into one volume.

Accessibility/Diversity: Experiments and codes can be performed by any student.

Cost: $17.95

Professional Review: Rochman, H. (2006). The master spy handbook: Help our intrepid hero use gadgets, codes & top-secret tactics to save the world from evildoers. Booklist Online. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com.libsrv....

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a summary of all the "secret agent" games I used to play as a child--it has substitution codes, invisible ink recipes, and tips for spying on people in general. It's an amusing read.

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like the secret agent and the villain.