Zeke Bartholomew

Gr 4–7—Zeke is a seventh-grade nerd (with a love of all things Bond, James Bond) who invents gadgets. Nothing exciting ever happens to him until a case of mistaken identity causes him to be kidnapped instead of cool kid turned traitor, superspy Derek Lance. The bad guys can't keep resourceful Zeke down for long, though, especially when he is joined by girl superspy Agent Sparrow. The two fight to prevent Operation Songbird, the activation of a subliminal mind-control device disseminated via music video, from creating an army of kids under the control of the megalomaniac bad guy, Le Carre. There are mishaps, injuries, and some bickering between the professional, highly trained Sparrow and the amateur Zeke, but in the end, they build a relationship based on mutual respect. The action moves along at a brisk enough pace to keep even reluctant readers engaged. With the exception of the villains, who are stereotypically evil, Pinter's characters demonstrate an emotional depth that adds a realistic element to the over-the-top plot. If readers suspend disbelief and go along for the action-filled ride, they'll laugh, relate to, and root for Zeke. The bad guys are ultimately defeated, but Derek vows revenge and Zeke is sent off to spy training camp, so he'll be ready for the next adventure in the series. Encourage readers to pack their bags and be ready.—Cindy Wall, Southington Library & Museum, CT