Spy School Goes Wild

Spy School #12

by Stuart Gibbs

In the twelfth book in Stuart Gibbs’s New York Times bestselling Spy School series, superspy middle schooler Ben Ripley gets lost on a perilous mission with one of his greatest enemies.

Ben Ripley is recruited for a top secret mission to bring down his nemesis, Murray Hill, once and for all. But when things go horribly wrong, Ben ends up lost in an extremely dangerous wilderness with Murray—and confronting a new, devious enemy—with none of his friends to help him. Now, Ben must figure out how to survive and deduce what evil plan his new enemy is plotting in time to thwart it.

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Adventure, Fiction, Espionage, Childrens, Audiobook

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 24, 2024

Reviews

[ari [gin’s vrsn 🩵] [semi ia]]

i’m 16 but i will proudly read this book

[yumi ౨ৎ˚₊ ... ( ia ) · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty good but took me ages to get through for some reason 😔

🐍‧₊˚ pre-read┆br this with my brother!! we both love this series, so i'm really excited! ty my bro for br with me ❤️❤️

[Shari · Rating 1 out of 5]

My 15 year old daughter has enjoyed this series since she was 12. We picked up this latest installment of the Spy School series up at our local library for a quick read for her while on Christmas break.

All I have to say, is that the title should read Spy School Goes Gay...

Why?!? Why do authors feel the need to write their liberal agendas into their story lines? Is it necessary to have a young girl (13-14!) enter into a homosexual relationship? The irony of it all is the cover of the book, the spy entangled and wrapped up in by a huge serpent.

Stay clear of this series and author if you have Christian values and morals.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook

This is such a fun series! The characters are great and I love reading about their adventures. I can't wait to go back and re-visit through the audio version.

Loved re-visiting through the audiobook!

[Rubi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stuart Gibbs does it again!
I had SO much fun reading this! Also loved that for a good chunk of the book Ben went solo and did a GREAT job!
For several novels Ben relied heavily on his girlfriend Erica but this time he really held his own. So proud 🥹
Of course, the gang does reunit against Murray....again lol
You guys will never guess who turns Ben in to the enemies 😳🙊 lol

[ang · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4 ⭐️ zoe getting a gf was a pleasant surprise

[caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

dane brammage family lore continues

[Keira Mc · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always a 10/10 for me
Each book in this series is always an amazing mix of creativity, entertainment, humor, and learning (I learn things every time, clearly a ton of research went into these books). I know it's a kids book, but seriously anyone could read and enjoy this series

[Brok3n · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spy School in Africa

As I wrote previously, this is the Spy School formula

Spy School novels have a formula. We have Ben Ripley, a gifted kid who achieves excellent results by not being stupid, Ben's friends who are well-intentioned and sometimes competent, and the ever-expanding dysfunctional Hale family made up of the World's worst spies, who believe themselves to be the World's best spies, including toothsome teen sisters Erica and Trixie Hale. Gibbs picks a setting (frequently this is the site of a vacation or a sight-seeing visit he made), then makes up a silly James Bond-esque plot to play out there, with jokes! The main questions one asks on picking up a new Spy School book are "Where will it happen?" and "How will character relationships change?"

In the previous novel, Spy School Goes North, we picked up a new team member, Svetlana Shumovsky, whom Gibbs describes as "the Russian version of Erica", meaning that she's a super-competent child spy.

The setting of this particular installment, Spy School Goes Wild, is Africa, mostly Botswana. It is not based on one particular Gibbs family vacation -- rather, as Gibbs explains in his Acknowledgements, he has been on African safaris several times. Gibbs manages to strand Ben with his feckless nemesis Murray Hill in the African wilderness with elephants, impalas, and hippopotamuses and leave them to survive somehow. This section was a lot of fun. After that, as expected, Ben's support team (Svetlana included) finds him and they go on to foil an evil plot.

This is one of the better Spy School novels, in my opinion. If you like the rest, you'll enjoy this.

Blog review.

[Río · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun addition to the story


As always, Gibbs weaves a solid tapestry of goofy scenes, ridiculous characters, educational elements, and political themes

I enjoyed learning more about geographical and political features, as well as some notes about wildlife that Ben encounters in his trek and different methods for responding to wild animals (depending on the animal)

This story includes many elements, including:
~ visits from old "friends"
~ wilderness survival skills (how do you get hydrated when there are no bodies of water?)
~ details on how inefficient diamond mining is
~ Erica calling Cyrus out on his poor driving skills
~ conversations on the negative impact of poaching
~ larger-than-life descriptions that are surprisingly just actually-the-size-in-real-life descriptions (did you know the wheelbase of BelAZ dump trucks are 8 meters tall? that is over 26 feet tall just for the wheels)
~villains who are actually villainous (vocab words include eviscerate and disembowel)

One note that I particularly appreciated came in a conversation between Ben and Murray regarding motivations. Murray makes it clear that he does bad things because he chooses to. He was not forced to because of a misunderstanding, nor was he pushed into it by a rough upbringing. Rather, he clearly stated that he does it because he wants to. He wants the potential to be wealthy, and nearly any collateral damage is worth it to him. In contrast, we see the other adolescent spies willing to do what they believe is right, even when it actively puts them in harm's way. This includes acknowledgement of impacts on both humans (social/economical) and nature (habitats, species).


Overall, a fun addition to the series. Plus, with Murray having a larger role in this book, we get to have his goofy nature in addition to Ben's reflections. We see the contrasts in their characters and are given space to reflect on that. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about new lands, cultures, and socioeconomic issues while seeing Ben apply his spy skills in a new setting

~~

If Gibbs wants to keep writing these stories, I will probably continue enjoying them. If he stops, I think that this one works. Either way, this ends at a decent point for stopping or continuing (in case 12 books is enough for you). If you enjoyed the previous books, you will enjoy this one as well

[Amanda N · Rating 1 out of 5]

My kids 15 and 12 have read this series over and over but no more. Our 15 yr old came to us and shared there is a girl/girl relationship in soy school goes wild and in book spy school goes north.
Sad our other kids will miss out on what could have been a fantastic series. Disappointed I mistakenly thought Stuart Gibbs books were agenda free.

[Shashwat Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guilty pleasure, can’t give these less than 5 stars.

[Ken Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome book! I love the new mastermind Rufus Shang. I heard that the last book will come out and I am excited to read it! However with a few adjustments Stuart Gibbs could have made it the last book.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes I had to read the new one in this series too and what of it. He does seem to be tackling more real life issues in the recent books like conspiracy theories, climate change, environmental destruction for profit which he has been getting hate for. I think it’s cool to introduce kids to these topics in a low stakes way. So yeah good in that regard, but other than that just another Spy School story.

[R.J. Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was definitely one of my favorite in the series! The plot twists like the principal betraying Ben and Ben meeting Trixie at the hotel made it even better! Can’t wait for the next book!

[Jonathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Low key boring

[Caroline Gaines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah i rated a book meant for kids 12 and under 5 stars and what about it
Honestly this was one of my favorite ones

[the fifth annual farkle family fiesta · Rating 4 out of 5]

****minor spoilers but it’s like spy school you know what’s gonna happen****

first of all the amount of books in the series on the back now is scary omg i am not the demographic for this book anymore

i liked this one it’s normal it’s good i want to see what’s next dane family tree goes crazy it’s my favorite

now back to my new favorite topic zoe and svetlana
so like they were gone for a lot of it which i was very thankful for because it feels so forced and awkward i can’t stand it once again the author does not handle it well but the straight romances are also kinda badly written so there’s some excuse what i mostly want to talk about is bro really had a two book setup for one punch line. i giggled.

UPDATE:
i just realized stuart gibs lowkey handled the topic of modern slavery better than gay people

[Lizzie Crayola · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a very interesting twist! I loved seeing Ben fend for himself and the growth he’s experienced since book 1.
Favorite part:
Ben and Murry discover they are in Africa.
Murry: “do you know what country?”
Ben: “that’s easy, each country’s rocks have a different flavor. Lick one and find out.”
Murry: “this one tastes like dirt”
Ben: “then we’re in Lybia”
Murry: “really?”
Ben: “no you idiot.”

[Irma L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was objectively decent. But as someone who has been reading this series for over half a decade... it really did feel like a circlejerk most of the time I was reading it. Like, ALL the characters were involved and doing their stereotypical things.

I am saddened by how dirty Cyrus was done by Stuart. I'm also disappointed that this is probably like the REAL end of Murray's active involvement in the series. No offense, but the parts he wasn't in felt boring as hell. When he came back at the end I felt an immense amount of joy

The setting was nice. I don't think we needed another few villains introduced- Rufus and Soren come off as very one-dimensional and forgettable.

Overall it's a 4/5. 1 star taken away because this book was so odd lol

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going from Hanya Yanagihara, Bertrand Russell, Ayn Rand, and Oscar Wilde to Stuart Gibbs is whiplash. At this point, reading the newest Spy School book each fall has become a tradition. I am ridiculously excited for this experience. I should feel guilty, but as Ocean Vuong has said, "I never feel guilty about reading."

RTC!

[eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

12 books later and spy school still hits

[Alyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I’m done with the Spy School series. This one was tough to get into, and then I ended up listening to it as my library hold expired. It was a good run while it lasted.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, so much fun! You enter this knowing that the kids are a pretty cohesive unit, lately expanded to include Svetlana; that Murray Hill is likely at least one of the nemesis, along with others; that it will be a lighthearted improbable read where these kids will likely save the world again; and that the question isn’t so much whodunit but what did the baddies do this time! Oh and how does the author manage to make this hysterical unrealistic story so superficially probable? I am addicted to this series and can’t wait for the next one!

In this one, the main character, Ben Ripley, is essentially kidnapped from the wilds of Alaska (read to find out how the baddies manage that!) and is by himself for a substantial part of the story. Meaning that he discovers that he can manage just fine without his super capable girlfriend, Erica. While they remain an item and likely grow even closer, his ego needed this reassurance that he is capable on his own. Please write faster Sir! I realize you are a single father (tragically) and raising two children, but I respectfully point out you got this retired grandmother addicted to this series, which is your fault! Read in order to be able to keep track of the various relationships and who the baddies are!

[Gabbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg I finished this yesterday and it was so good!! And the plot twists… my jaw dropped when the principal betrayed Ben, I mean I know he didn’t like him, but I didn’t expect him to turn him over to Murray, then turned Murray over to the enemy as well lol. I was also shocked when Trixi was at the hotel when Ben got there 🤣

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stuart Gibbs does it again! Love his books. This one did not disappoint. Can't wait to see where he goes with the series from here. The end memo has my 11yo son and I anxiously awaiting the next installment.

[Analie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another funny, laugh-out-loud installment. I had a couple small quibbles but still enjoyed the story. For example, the author's comment that English is the language evil is most spoken in seemed odd. 4.5 stars

[Aarnav Baddam · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the more boring books in the series

[Ari Cohen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book!

I really liked the ending so I gave this 4 stars!

Thanks Stuart Gibbs!

[Nadia Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has almost every spy school fan could want, Ben being a jerk, and Murray being a raspberry. It is hilarious and action packed. I suggest that you take your time reading because it could be a lot, speaking from a kid point of view. If you love animals like Erica and likes to see Zoe humiliate Murray when he tries to ask her out this is a good book for u.