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Agents of the Wild #1
Operation Honeyhunt
When eight-year-old Agnes is signed up for SPEARS (the Society for the Protection of Endangered and Awesomely Rare Species), she has no idea of the adventures that lie ahead with her elephant-shrew mentor Attie (short for 'Attenborough').
Operation Honeyhunt sends them to the Brazilian rain forest, on a mission to save an endangered, dance-loving bee named Elton. Will Agnes pass the test and become a full SPEARS Agent?
Species in danger? Girl and shrew to the rescue!
Operation Honeyhunt sends them to the Brazilian rain forest, on a mission to save an endangered, dance-loving bee named Elton. Will Agnes pass the test and become a full SPEARS Agent?
Species in danger? Girl and shrew to the rescue!
Audible Audio
Published May 21, 2020
2 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Bell
81 books151 followersLondoner Jennifer Bell began working in children’s books as a specialist bookseller at Foyles, Charing Cross Road, one of the world’s most famous bookstores. After having the privilege of listening to children talk about their favorite books for many years, she started writing a book of her own on her lunch breaks.
For other authors with the same name, see Jennifer^^Bell.
For other authors with the same name, see Jennifer^^Bell.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 7, 2020
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
Eight-year-old Agnes Gamble lives with her Uncle Douglas in his flat on the twenty-sixth floor. Her parents, who were botanists, died a few years ago whilst on a rare-flower collecting trip in Australia.
Agnes has acquired their love for plants and animals but her uncle won’t allow her to have a pet so she has to make do with the wildlife outside. One afternoon she finds a talking Elephant Shrew sitting on her bed called Attie. He tells her he is a field agent from a group called SPEARS (Society for the Protection of Endangered and Awesomely Rare Species) and that he is there to recruit her for the agency.
Her parents used to be members of SPEARS and so Agnes jumps at the chance to walk in their shoes and help the animals, starting with Operation Honeyhunt.
Agents of the Wild is a fun, adventure-filled book following a young environmentalist who wants to protect the animals and the world. She just adores wildlife so she is keen to make a good impression and help out on the missions.
The book has some amazing artwork that really brings the story to life. With conservation and endangered animals as well as trying to save the planet at the forefront in society, especially with children (not including the recent virus), this book has come at a good time.
Overall, it is a wonderful read for any middle-grade child, especially those who are interested in conservation. The story has you turning the pages quickly wanting to keep up with the action and will give children something fun to read at a time when we could all do with a bit of relief.
Eight-year-old Agnes Gamble lives with her Uncle Douglas in his flat on the twenty-sixth floor. Her parents, who were botanists, died a few years ago whilst on a rare-flower collecting trip in Australia.
Agnes has acquired their love for plants and animals but her uncle won’t allow her to have a pet so she has to make do with the wildlife outside. One afternoon she finds a talking Elephant Shrew sitting on her bed called Attie. He tells her he is a field agent from a group called SPEARS (Society for the Protection of Endangered and Awesomely Rare Species) and that he is there to recruit her for the agency.
Her parents used to be members of SPEARS and so Agnes jumps at the chance to walk in their shoes and help the animals, starting with Operation Honeyhunt.
Agents of the Wild is a fun, adventure-filled book following a young environmentalist who wants to protect the animals and the world. She just adores wildlife so she is keen to make a good impression and help out on the missions.
The book has some amazing artwork that really brings the story to life. With conservation and endangered animals as well as trying to save the planet at the forefront in society, especially with children (not including the recent virus), this book has come at a good time.
Overall, it is a wonderful read for any middle-grade child, especially those who are interested in conservation. The story has you turning the pages quickly wanting to keep up with the action and will give children something fun to read at a time when we could all do with a bit of relief.
July 6, 2020
A very sweet illustrated mystery adventure with an ecological message. (6+)
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
May 19, 2020
This is a fun and great story with a brilliant message of conservation. ‘Agents of the Wild: Operation Honeyhunt’ is almost A5 in size and filled with very thick pages of text and illustrations. The book is quite heavy and has a lovely embossed cover. Agnes, who loves animals, lives with her uncle who really doesn’t. Unable to have a pet, she spends her time obvserving and studying animals in her local area. But one day an animal she wasn’t expecting turns up in her home, one dressed in a uniform, and tells Agnes she’s needed for a very special mission.
This is a funny and fun story for children. Agnes is like many children, fascinated by animals, the same way her parents were. As she ends up following the animal who came to her home, an elephant shrew named Attie, to the headquarters of a place called SPEARS, she embarks on an amazing adventure to save a very rare and endangered animal. I enjoyed reading this story, it was easy to get into right away and as soon as Agnes makes it to SPEARS some funny things start to happen. I enjoyed all the different animals she met and the various things she learned.
As the story progresses and ends up crossing to a different continent, we are introduced to several more animals who all play a part in the fun adventure Agnes and Attie go on. The story ends well, with an indication of future books and more adventures to come, and I especially enjoyed what is at the back of the book after the main story is finished. Although the tale is quite predictable, there’s a great message about conservation and, in this book in particular, a message about looking after the rainforest. There are some case files at the end of the book which give more details into the different animals mentioned in the story, information about the real animals (rather than their more comic versions in the story) and some great tips on how kids can help with spreading the environmental/conservation message. I really enjoyed these additions to the back of the book which make the story feel more important.
The illustrations are brilliant and really make the story more fun. Every double page has some sort of illustration on it with all the pictures being a mix of black, grey, white and green. I have to say I love the way Attie looks, as well as a lot of the other animals. The illustrations add more humour to the story and I can’t help but love the way Elton looks with all those glasses!
Overall this is a lovely book with a nice story and I am looking forward to reading the next adventure of Agnes and Attie and seeing what they will be doing next time. I haven’t given the book a full rating because although it has funny moments, it did feel a bit predictable and just not as good as some similar-style children’s books (maybe I just wanted to see a lot more of the funny bad guy), but overall it’s still a great story, with a great message which I did enjoy.
-Thanks to Walker Books for a free copy for review.
This is a funny and fun story for children. Agnes is like many children, fascinated by animals, the same way her parents were. As she ends up following the animal who came to her home, an elephant shrew named Attie, to the headquarters of a place called SPEARS, she embarks on an amazing adventure to save a very rare and endangered animal. I enjoyed reading this story, it was easy to get into right away and as soon as Agnes makes it to SPEARS some funny things start to happen. I enjoyed all the different animals she met and the various things she learned.
As the story progresses and ends up crossing to a different continent, we are introduced to several more animals who all play a part in the fun adventure Agnes and Attie go on. The story ends well, with an indication of future books and more adventures to come, and I especially enjoyed what is at the back of the book after the main story is finished. Although the tale is quite predictable, there’s a great message about conservation and, in this book in particular, a message about looking after the rainforest. There are some case files at the end of the book which give more details into the different animals mentioned in the story, information about the real animals (rather than their more comic versions in the story) and some great tips on how kids can help with spreading the environmental/conservation message. I really enjoyed these additions to the back of the book which make the story feel more important.
The illustrations are brilliant and really make the story more fun. Every double page has some sort of illustration on it with all the pictures being a mix of black, grey, white and green. I have to say I love the way Attie looks, as well as a lot of the other animals. The illustrations add more humour to the story and I can’t help but love the way Elton looks with all those glasses!
Overall this is a lovely book with a nice story and I am looking forward to reading the next adventure of Agnes and Attie and seeing what they will be doing next time. I haven’t given the book a full rating because although it has funny moments, it did feel a bit predictable and just not as good as some similar-style children’s books (maybe I just wanted to see a lot more of the funny bad guy), but overall it’s still a great story, with a great message which I did enjoy.
-Thanks to Walker Books for a free copy for review.
February 21, 2021
Jeg ville så gerne kunne give denne bog flere stjerner, for idéen er super god. Den falder bare til jorden for mig. Skiftene er bratte, bl.a. gik det slet ikke op for mig at Agnes og Attie var ombord på et fly, før de var landet og jeg måtte gå nogle sider tilbage for at se, om jeg havde overset noget. Skriftstørrelsen er forholdsvis stor, samme størrelse som "Det hemmelige rige" af Rosie Banks, men ordene er betydelig sværere. Jeg har det lidt svært ved at Agnes er otte år, når den forventede alder for læseren er 9 år. Det er nok blevet valgt på baggrund af at bogen også kan bruges højtlæsning.
Jeg kan ikke se sammenhængen mellem de meget lange ord; kamuflageteknikker, regndråbelinsebælte, albatrosfly, mm. i forhold til skriftstørrelsen.
Resten af anmeldelsen kan I læse på min bogblog " bogbien.wordpress.com " - jeg håber I vil kunne lide den.
Jeg kan ikke se sammenhængen mellem de meget lange ord; kamuflageteknikker, regndråbelinsebælte, albatrosfly, mm. i forhold til skriftstørrelsen.
Resten af anmeldelsen kan I læse på min bogblog " bogbien.wordpress.com " - jeg håber I vil kunne lide den.
March 24, 2022
I personally love this book and is very good because they go on a mission and go on adventures and is a good ending. However the chapters are very long so I f you only have a short time to read then don’t bother with it. I have this book 4 stars because the characters were strange in it and they could also talk witch is a little bit strange. But overall I love this and would recommend this to a person who has a lot of time on there hands to read this. If this was out of 10 I would definitely rate this book a nine out of 10. However the girl is only 8 years old and has to go to school but she has lots of time to solve to mystery. In this book it’s good when Agens and her pet both get stuck in the net and fall for the trap. In comparison to all the other books I have read it’s very unique and different but it’s very good because you can expect a different thing to happen every time you read a book that’s the same genre as a other book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2020
My kids really enjoyed this.
I had mixed feelings.
The characters are one dimensional - the villain literally has a twirly mustache and dopey sidekicks. The main character, Agnes, has been orphaned. Why is there such a strong trope that child characters can only do great things if their parents are dead? She could have easily pursued her SPEARS career in memory of a missing uncle rather than dead parents.
I didn't love the one dimensional characters but I loved the bee. He really stole the show.
I didn't like that Attie recruited Agnes to SPEARS by breaking into her bedroom and coercing her into going with him (by invoking the memory of her dead parents); I did like that Agnes at least asked questions of Attie rather than going off with him blindly.
I liked all the nature facts included in the story, like that you shouldn't feed ducks bread. I loathed the bit at the back trying to get kids to save the planet. Telling children to discuss deforestation with their friends and pester their parents to buy certified sustainable bananas and coffee is, at best, counter-productive. At worst, it is likely to distress and upset. They are children, who have exactly no power over mass forest clearing and illegal logging on another continent. Why are you telling them that there are terrible things in the world that they have no control over and can have no impact on? What *possible* good could you expect to result from that? It would have been infinitely better to say that part proceeds of the book are going to aid an appropriate charity, or that the book is printed with some kind of eco-friendly dyes, or tell the story of a real life rescue and suggest the kids draw a picture of the amazing rescue.
The illustrations are really lovely.
I had mixed feelings.
The characters are one dimensional - the villain literally has a twirly mustache and dopey sidekicks. The main character, Agnes, has been orphaned. Why is there such a strong trope that child characters can only do great things if their parents are dead? She could have easily pursued her SPEARS career in memory of a missing uncle rather than dead parents.
I didn't love the one dimensional characters but I loved the bee. He really stole the show.
I didn't like that Attie recruited Agnes to SPEARS by breaking into her bedroom and coercing her into going with him (by invoking the memory of her dead parents); I did like that Agnes at least asked questions of Attie rather than going off with him blindly.
I liked all the nature facts included in the story, like that you shouldn't feed ducks bread. I loathed the bit at the back trying to get kids to save the planet. Telling children to discuss deforestation with their friends and pester their parents to buy certified sustainable bananas and coffee is, at best, counter-productive. At worst, it is likely to distress and upset. They are children, who have exactly no power over mass forest clearing and illegal logging on another continent. Why are you telling them that there are terrible things in the world that they have no control over and can have no impact on? What *possible* good could you expect to result from that? It would have been infinitely better to say that part proceeds of the book are going to aid an appropriate charity, or that the book is printed with some kind of eco-friendly dyes, or tell the story of a real life rescue and suggest the kids draw a picture of the amazing rescue.
The illustrations are really lovely.
October 21, 2020
Some people are at one with nature and the heroine in this story is definitely at home in the ‘wild’.
Eight-year-old Agnes Gamble loves animals but her Uncle Douglas (not actually her uncle) refuses to let her have a pet. Instead she makes do by observing and visiting the wildlife in the park, feeding the squirrels and the geese.
One day she arrives home to find an elephant shrew in her bedroom, an animal who is part of a secret wildlife agency called SPEARS (The Society for the Protection of Endangered and Awesomely Rare Species) who help protect rare and critically endangered species. Attenborough, the elephant shrew, introduces Agnes to the world of SPEARS and soon Agnes finds herself learning the the skills of combat, disguise and mechanics in preparation for her first mission.
When a rare bee gets lost during a relocation, Agnes is sent to the Atlantic Forest to reunite the bee with its hive. But she is not the only one who is after the bee. Axel Jabheart, the illegal insect collector, is busy planning his own mission to get the bee. Can Agnes follow in the footsteps of her parents and become a successful SPEARS agent…
Operation Honeyhunt is a delightful adventure story full of humour, heart and with great messages about conservation and loving and respecting nature. The narrative is filled with fascinating animals and highlights the importance of protecting endangered species and the human responsibility in preserving habitats and ecosystems.
Superb artwork in shades of green - love that it is in keeping with the whole environment and nature theme - adds plenty of enjoyment to the story and features on every double page. At the end of the book there are mission case files, information on specific endangered species and tips for what kids can do to help protect at risk animals.
This is just the start of Agnes’ ‘wild’ exploits and she’ll be back on another mission in Agents of the Wild: Operation Icebreaker.
Recommended for 6+.
Eight-year-old Agnes Gamble loves animals but her Uncle Douglas (not actually her uncle) refuses to let her have a pet. Instead she makes do by observing and visiting the wildlife in the park, feeding the squirrels and the geese.
One day she arrives home to find an elephant shrew in her bedroom, an animal who is part of a secret wildlife agency called SPEARS (The Society for the Protection of Endangered and Awesomely Rare Species) who help protect rare and critically endangered species. Attenborough, the elephant shrew, introduces Agnes to the world of SPEARS and soon Agnes finds herself learning the the skills of combat, disguise and mechanics in preparation for her first mission.
When a rare bee gets lost during a relocation, Agnes is sent to the Atlantic Forest to reunite the bee with its hive. But she is not the only one who is after the bee. Axel Jabheart, the illegal insect collector, is busy planning his own mission to get the bee. Can Agnes follow in the footsteps of her parents and become a successful SPEARS agent…
Operation Honeyhunt is a delightful adventure story full of humour, heart and with great messages about conservation and loving and respecting nature. The narrative is filled with fascinating animals and highlights the importance of protecting endangered species and the human responsibility in preserving habitats and ecosystems.
Superb artwork in shades of green - love that it is in keeping with the whole environment and nature theme - adds plenty of enjoyment to the story and features on every double page. At the end of the book there are mission case files, information on specific endangered species and tips for what kids can do to help protect at risk animals.
This is just the start of Agnes’ ‘wild’ exploits and she’ll be back on another mission in Agents of the Wild: Operation Icebreaker.
Recommended for 6+.
March 6, 2020
Agnes Gamble is a wildlife whizzkid who is recruited to be a field agent by a top secret organization called SPEARS—The Society for the Protection of Endangered and Awesomely Rare Species. Her first assignment is an expedition to the Atlantic Forest in South America to rescue a rare bee. Operation Honeyhunt brilliantly combines a funny, fast-paced story with a wealth of fascinating facts about animals and an important message about conservation.
December 1, 2021
This is a great fun adventure. I love all the characters and the wide array of animals we are introduced to. It’s well written, great paced and full of action. The illustrations in this book are beautiful. I love the conservation element. Plus, at the end of the book it gives children their own mission and tells them how they too can help with animal conservation and sustainability. This is a series I will be continuing with.
July 5, 2025
A beautifully illustrated book targeting the lower end of the middle grade audience. It's got the same secret agent family legacy vibes as Greenwild and Agatha Oddly, featuring a main character that may not have the best qualifications for the challenge, but who has the right attitude to go out and meet that challenge head on.
I loved the ecology angle and focus, turning a rather formulaic setup into a novelty with character, and a subtle lesson on environmentalism. Absolutely recommend!
I loved the ecology angle and focus, turning a rather formulaic setup into a novelty with character, and a subtle lesson on environmentalism. Absolutely recommend!
September 19, 2024
God og spændende fortælling om en pige, der skal træne til at blive agent for en hemmelig dyrevelfærdsorganisation, som har speciale i særligt truede dyrearter. Er især vild med opfordringen, sidst i bogen, til at leve mere bæredygtigt, men også have samtaler om klima og bæredygtighed med ens omgangskreds.
April 17, 2020
I absolutely adored this lower primary novel. A wonderful adventure with so many vivid descriptions and important discussion points, this book will make an excellent read aloud for lower primary students. Gorgeous illustrations as well.
September 2, 2024
My Son has enjoyed this as his bedtime story! We've already got the second one to start ASAP and are looking forward to it. He says he gives it 6 out of 5 stars 🌟 🤣♥️ we have loved the illustrations and he loves all things animal related and learning about different kinds of animals.
February 25, 2020
Disclosure I work for the publisher.
Fantastic read for eco, and animal conscious kids!
Fantastic read for eco, and animal conscious kids!
June 20, 2020
Just finished reading this to my Year One class and they loved it.
July 6, 2020
Good environmental message for children.
March 3, 2021
This was such a cute, fun little story following orphan Agnes who loves gets to go on a mission with the hope of getting to become a SPEARS agent. Along the way she meets a colourful cast of animal characters.
I really did enjoy this story. I loved the simplicity of it and I look forward to the next book in the series.
I really did enjoy this story. I loved the simplicity of it and I look forward to the next book in the series.
March 16, 2021
My son really enjoyed this book, and so did I. Its a good way to make children aware endangered species too.
January 1, 2022
Rollicking read and full of animal facts
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January 3, 2022Agent i naturens tjeneste. Mange sjove detaljer og finurlige påfund. Feks pandaen der er ekspert i at kamuflerer sig. Om at være modige. Meget naturviden lagt ind i bogen. Lidt påduttende
May 21, 2024
Love love love! This new series is such a cool series mixing true animal facts and rescue agent missions
June 26, 2023
A secret society of ecological protectors are recruiting. Orphan Agnes, bored with her apartment life with her uncle loves animals. When a uniformed Elephant shrew turns up in her room, she gets the adventure she craves. Learning about her parents, training in combat, camouflage and piloting. There’s a useful gadget for animal language translation and she’s off on her test mission. I loved the extra confidential files at the end with animal info, map and ideas. Green black and white illustrations add to the reading experience. Large print. Recommend for ages 6-9y.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews