SUPER SECRET SUPER SPIES

Brilliant kids use their combined brain power to creatively solve obstacles and save the world.

Life has taught tech genius Maddie Robinson to be creative and resourceful. When her parents disappeared on a polar research trip, Maddie moved into a one-bedroom apartment with her older married cousin. They don’t have a lot, but they make do. So Maddie is gobsmacked when her abilities attract the attention of a mysterious, strangely nondescript man who opens the door to a hidden world run by the Illuminati, a benevolent secret society whose members have had a hand in changing history. She is whisked off to an international summer camp on a tropical island where gifted young people from around the globe are given special training to follow in the footsteps of illustrious Illuminati. Maddie and her new best friends, Caleb and Lexi, are challenged along with the others to combine their skills to solve increasingly dangerous problems. Futuristic tech gadgets give a science-fiction touch to this adventure novel. While Maddie’s resourcefulness and the story’s focus on a girl engaging in STEM problem-solving are compelling and the nonstop action will appeal to reluctant readers, those seeking emotional depth and well-rounded character development will be disappointed. Maddie and most other main characters are assumed White; Caleb is brown-skinned.

A fast-paced STEM twist on the chosen one trope.