Mac B. Kid Spy (Book 3): Top Secret Smackdown by Mac Barnett

Rating: Not for me

Reading level: Mid-Late Elementary

At first I was thinking it would be ok if we just skipped chapter one. But then near the end he starts describing Father Thames, a river God in England. And that was it for me. The bad outweighs the good on this one. If you do let you kud read it, consider having them skip Chapters 1 and 30.

Possible Concerns (including spoilers).

• Mac lies for his mom and to her. (Chapter 1)
• Paganism. Mac described Father Thames, a friendly river God in England.
• Boyfriend without honor? Mac’s mom and her boyfriend are in a fight. Mac makes comments about how the boyfriend is usually watching TV on a Saturday morning, which loosely suggests sleeping together?
• Mac is bored. I get annoyed when kids are bored. Get up and do something!
• Video games. Mac plays video games a lot and is still bored. Go outside, Mac!
• Superstition. The queen worries about crows being stolen. She says if people believe it, it’s true.
• Stereotypes/ Racisim. The enemy is from the KGB, the security agency of the Soviet Union. It might be good to have conversations with your kid about how not all people with a Russian accent are evil, as this book leans into stereotypes a bit that way.

The bad outweighs the good for me on this one. See also my review of Book 1 and Book 2.