Chester Keene Cracks the Code

Gr 3-7–Chester Keene doesn’t mess around; he can clock what’s happening around him faster than you can say “boo.” He’s a spy, because he believes his dad is one—that’s why he hasn’t been around in years, right? So when Skye approaches him at school and says she has a clue to a seemingly innocent scavenger hunt, Chester is willing to break his much-loved routine. He embarks on a mission that he’s convinced will bring him closer to his dad and help him fight back against a middle school bully, only to find his world changing faster than he can handle. Magoon explores the complex relationships of a single-parent family without flinching or tying a tight bow on the package. The story is well paced and will appeal to fans of realistic fiction and mysteries. Chester is a biracial boy who is white and Black; Skye is a biracial girl who is white and Japanese American.