11 Amazing Spy Books for Kids
What is it about spies that captivate the imagination of children? Maybe it’s a rite-of-passage. We went through the pirate phase, the Egyptian phase, and now we are in the spy phase. My boys have gotten into spying just recently, while Jackie’s boys have been reading spy books for years. We’ve rounded up our favorite spy books for kids and a few spy games to help continue the fun.
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Spy Books for Kids
Olivia The Spy by Ian Falconer
Everyone’s favorite pig is about to have a birthday…but will her penchant for eavesdropping lead to more than presents?
Olivia’s birthday is days away. Plans must be made. Who makes plans? Moms! Who simply must know the plans? Olivia, who is NOT above eavesdropping. But when she not-so-accidentally-but-kinda overhears her mom talking about her not-so-squeaky-clean-and-possibly-very-bad-behavior, Olivia’s imagination runs wild…because it sounds like not only will there be no birthday, but Mom might just be sending her to military school instead. What a BAD birthday that would be!
Spy Guy: The Not so Secret Agent by Jessica Young
Spy Guy is a spy—but not a very good one. He’s too loud, too squeaky, and in need of a good disguise. All Spy Guy wants is to figure out the secret to spying. But as the Chief says, that he must discover for himself. With a lot of trial and even more error, can Spy Guy figure out the secret to spying?
Alex Rider by Anthony Horowitz
They said his uncle Ian died in a car accident. But Alex Rider knows that’s a lie, and the bullet holes in the windshield prove it. Yet he never suspected the truth: his uncle was really a spy for
Britain’s top secret intelligence agency. And now Alex has been recruited to find his uncle’s killers . . .
Mac Undercover
Author: Mac Barnett
Illustrator: Mike Lowery
Year: 2018
Genre: Early Reader Mystery
Age: 7 – 10
More info: Mac B. Kid Spy #1
Plot
Mac B Kid Spy is an adorable series about a kid spy who works for the Queen of England! It’s a great series of books for an 8-year-old looking to step up their reading game. It’s almost a mix between a first-chapter book and a graphic novel.
Why Kirsten loves it
My reluctant reader ate this book up! We have a few books in the series and they are quite fun.
Find this book in: Best Books for 8-year-olds / Spy Books for Kids
The Candymakers
Author: Wendy Maas
Year: 2010
Genre: Middle Grade Mystery
Age: 8 – 12
More info: The Candymakers #1
Plot
I decided to read this book with my boys prior to our visit to Candytopia. It was a lovely take on life at a candy factory and felt almost like an updated version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 4 kids are competing to win a candy-making contest to have their creation mass-produced.
Why Kirsten loves it
The candy reminded me of Wonka’s Factory, but the whimsy and fun of the book reminded me a bit of Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. There are puzzles and secrets to unfold and descriptions of delectable delights. In short, it’s a fun read-aloud story that will leave you craving the next book in the series and a closet full of chocolate.
Find this book in: Books for Tweens / Best Books for 10-year-olds / Mystery Books for Tweens / Family Audiobooks / Best Middle Grade Fiction
Harriet The Spy
Author: Louise Fitzhugh
Year: 1964
Genre: Middle Grade Mystery
Age: 8 – 11
More info: Harriet the Spy #1
Plot
Harriet the Spy has been a classic children’s book for over 50 years. The 11-year-old is never without a notebook in which to write her observations. When the notebook falls into the hands of her friends, they all get very angry with Harriet. Will she be able to right her wrongs?
Why Jackie loves it
There is a reason this realistic fiction book for a 10-year-old has been adapted repeatedly for the screen. It’s got life lessons for every child.
Find this book in: Best Mystery Books for Tweens / Best Books for 9-year-olds / Realistic Fiction / Classic Books for Kids
Spy School
Author: Stuart Gibbs
Year: 2013
Genre: Middle Grade Mystery
Age: 9 – 12
More info: Spy School #1
Plot
The first book in Gibbs’s series is about Ben Ripley, a child CIA agent trying to defeat the evil organization Spyder. As he attends the secret junior CIA boarding school, he gets into loads of situations that put his espionage skills to good use.
Why Jackie loves it
In each book of the series, Ben and his fellow agents tackle a new problem. They take place at various new locations as the series progresses. It’s already 13 books deep and every pick from the series is a fun choice for a mystery-loving tween.
Find this book in: Best Books for 9-year-olds / Mystery Books for Tweens / School Books
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II
Author: Liza Mundy
Year: 2018
Genre: Young Adult Nonfiction
Age: 9 – 13
Plot
This fascinating book tells the story of the code girls, the women who worked to decode messages during WWII. They worked incredibly hard to save the men on the frontlines, yet their work has been largely overlooked. Mundy shines a light on their story, which was almost lost completely.
Why Kirsten loves it
It was a truly fascinating read! I loved finding out about the trials and tribulations of the real-life heroes of the war. I love the kids version of the same WWII non-fiction book too.
Find this book in: WWII Books for Kids / Best Books for 13-year-olds
Greenglass House
Author: Kate Milford
Year: 2016
Genre: Middle Grade Mystery
Age: 9 – 12
More info: Greenglass House #1
Plot
The Greenglass House is an inn for smugglers and the winter season means it’s supposed to be quiet for Milo, the owner’s child. But instead, guest after guest checks in for the holidays, and items go missing around the inn. Soon, Milo and the chef’s daughter, Meddy, are off searching for the guests’ connection to the inn, uncovering secret after secret along the way.
Why Kirsten loves it
This mystery reminded me of Harry Potter in some ways. A child is trying to uncover the secrets of Greenglass House, a hotel for smugglers and spies before the adults do. I chose this as a family read-aloud and it was wonderful.
Find this book in: Best Ghost Books / Best Winter Books / Terrific Hotel Novels / Best Mystery Books for Tweens / Best Family Audiobooks / Books With Colors in the Title / Christmas Chapter Books / Best Books for 11-year-olds
The Mysterious Benedict Society
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
Year: 2007
Genre: Middle Grade Mystery
Age: 9 – 12
More info: Mysterious Benedict Society #1
Plot
This delightful story is about a group of extremely gifted children who are sent to spy on an evil organization. Together, these genius kids use logic and quick thinking to accomplish their secret mission without being caught! The children in the Mysterious Benedict Society must infiltrate the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened to uncover a plot to control the minds of citizens around the world.
Why Kirsten loves it
I read this story to my boys at bedtime and it was the perfect read-aloud. We all enjoyed the complexity of the story and the silly scenarios. Years later, we watched the Disney TV adaptation as well!
Why Jackie loves it
This is the first middle-grade book in a series that is geared toward older kids. It was funny and interesting and extremely clever.
Find this book in: Middle Grade Mystery Books / Books About Puzzles / Books like KOTLC / Secret Society Books / Best Gifts for 10-year-olds / Best Books for a 10-year-old / Books With Neurodivergent Characters
Harry Potter and the Art of Spying
Author: Lynn Boughey and Peter Earnest
Year: 2017
Genre: Nonfiction
Age: 8+
Plot
Did you realize how much spying was featured in the Harry Potter book series? Hagrid, Snape, Wormtail, The entire Order of the Phoenix…. all of them are spies! This book uses examples from HP to teach real-life spy techniques.
Why Kirsten loves it
My family and I came across this at the Spy Museum in Washington D.C. Being the Harry Potter-obsessed family we are, we had to bring it home. It’s filled with interactive activities for kids to complete as they read!
Find this book in: Best Books for 12-year-olds / Books About Harry Potter
Spy Activity Books
If your child is anything like mine, they will want to play spies immediately after finishing one of these books. Indulge their creativity with some of these amazing activity books and games.
