Top Secret Smackdown (Mac B., Kid Spy #3): Volume 3

"Exciting action sneakily infused with points about the relationship between reality and story, delivered by a narrator who can claim with literal truth that he saved the day "on porpoise."

"Mac, kid spy international, is back! On special assignment from the Queen of England herself, Mac drops everything back in the United States to assist in a missing raven caper in which the Russians may be involved. This short chapter book, with a familiar graphic style from previous volumes, does not disappoint. Mac travels all the way to Iceland to track down spies and the Queen's beloved corgis somehow get entangled in the adventures as well. Silly high jinks ensue as Mac saves the day in this third installment. VERDICT Highly recommended for fans of the series, this title features more of…

An instant New York Times Bestseller

"Barnett opens his casebook again -- this time to solve a classic locked-room mystery... Almost every page contains Lowery's illustrations, loosely drawn and garishly colored in green and orange, which give the whole affair a zany feel that is much enhanced by the narrative with its running gags. Kudos to a pint-size Poirot, pre-Mustache!"

"Barnett's signature dry wit and snappy back-and-forths, particularly between the ingenuously sincere Mac and the standoffish Queen, keep the story steadily moving forward; a convoluted historical account of Colonel Blood's attempted robbery... Lowery's cartoony spot art, in black, green, and orange, provides additional historical and cultural information and frequently supports the narrative."

"Barnett and Lowery team up again in this second outing of international espionage mystery with royal overtones... this is a nifty mystery for young readers and a worthy sequel to the first."