Title:
Carter, Ally. Cross my heart and hope to spy. Hyperion Books, 2007. ISBN 9781615585199.
Summary:
Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy is a contemporary realistic fiction mystery book. Cammie Morgan is a sophomore at an exclusive all-girls school called The Gallagher Academy. It also happens to be a spy training school. This year, however, the school is invaded by…boys. In an attempt to train operatives to work with the opposite sex, Gallagher Academy has teamed up with Blackthorne, a spy training school for boys. During the semester, Cammie befriends Zach. When the alumni list, which contains all names of spies trained at Gallagher, is stolen, Cammie, Zach, and friends must team up to recover the disk before it is sold to the enemy. Can the Gallagher Girls and Blackthorne Boys discover the culprit before it’s too late?
Analysis:
I thought this book was a pretty good book. Even though the girls are at an exclusive school, they still go through situations that other girls do- such as shyness in meeting boys, jealousy, picking on each other, etc. One difference is, of course, the classes offered. A normal high school would not have classes on covert operations, leave girls in the middle of Washington D.C. with no directions except to make it to a designated location by 5:00 without any “enemy” operatives following you, or classes in explosives. One thing I did not like about the book is that it is a sequel. Some sequels can refer back to the first book, give enough relevant information about the story, and make it pertain to the second. This book did not do that. The references to the first novel gave little information, did not always pertain to the story, and were mentioned so frequently, that it was frustrating.
The characters were realistic enough in the way they talked to each other, tried to solve their problems, and even in Cammie’s relationship with her mother. Cammie’s mom is the head of the school and an ex-spy, so the relationship is not typical, yet they eat dinner together on a regular basis and try to maintain a sense of normalcy. The good vs. evil plot comes in to play when the list of names is stolen and Cammie is accused because she was not where she was supposed to be. Readers must work through the clues, conversations and actions of the characters to discover who the real culprit is. There is no real violence in the story. Role-playing, hand-to-hand combat techniques, and weapons training is part of the story, but no one gets hurt. One problem that is dealt with in an interesting way is the boy/girl relationship. Most girls and boys feel uncomfortable around the opposite sex. They usually feel as if they are the only ones that are experiencing the lack of confidence, strange feelings, etc. However, in this book, the boys and girls have been brought up in boarding schools, studying special curriculum. They have not had the chance to be around the opposite sex on a regular basis. This book shows that working together, trust, and learning about the opposite sex is a challenge to all.
Reviews:
VOYA April 2008
It is always a little nerve wracking to read the sequel to a book one truly enjoyed. Happily this reader was able to turn the last page with a smile and an excited, anxious feeling about waiting for the next Gallagher Girl book. There is still plenty of suspenseful action and supportive female friendships, but this time, how a girl spy can learn to flirt with a boy (spy) gets more attention. Because Cammie is a girl who has great spy skills, her awkwardness and cluelessness when she is around boys should give anyone hope. It is difficult to imagine what teen girl would not want to read-and reread-this second book in a butt-kicking series.
School Library Journal
Chick lit? You bet, but it's well written and well plotted. Cammie and her friends are admirable, and there's enough intrigue and G-rated romance to satisfy teens and tweens.
Awards:
New York Times Bestseller
Publishers Weekly Bestseller
Connections:
To read Cross my heart and hope to spy and other books online, visit http://www.onread.com/book/Cross-My-Heart-And-Hope-to-Spy-191684
To find out more about the author visit http://www.allycarter.com/
To learn how to become a spy visit https://www.cia.gov/
If you liked this book, you might enjoy:
Masterpiece by Elise Broach
The E-mail mystery by Carolyn Keene
The ruby in the smoke by Philip Pullman
Gilda Joyce, the ladies of the lake by Jennifer Allison
Sammy Keyes and the curse of Mustache Mary by Wendelin Van Draanen
Picture:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9781423100065&imId=34490428
