Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

I generally read the books I gift to my kids at Christmas-time BEFORE I gift them; I made an exception for Mac Undercover (Mac B., Kid Spy #1) in 2020 because hey, MAC BARNETT, and because I was probably getting desperate for a good fit for my son. (If you haven’t read any of Barnett’s picture books, well–what are you waiting for?!) I noted quite a while ago that it was available in audio; last week I decided to take the plunge and listen to it, since I could use my son’s copy to view the plentiful illustrations afterwards. It was so much fun that I promptly borrowed the second one–that would be The Impossible Crime (Mac B., Kid Spy #2)–and finished listening to it yesterday. (I still have some illustrations to view, but I’m hoping to manage that before bed.) Folks–these are fabulous. They are fast-paced and hilarious with a generous sprinkling of random details about growing up in the 1980s (among other things), and Barnett himself narrates the audios. If you have an elementary school boy, give these books to him posthaste (an underused word!); ditto if you have an elementary school girl who likes spy stories. After all, what 3rd or 4th grader doesn’t want to daydream about the Queen of England calling him/her up to do her the favor of retrieving–or protecting–the crown jewels, with one of her corgis as company? In England, in Russia, in Ireland–Mac cracks me up everywhere!