Liar & Spy

I read Stead's When You Reach Me when it came out, just before it won the Newbery Medal. I liked it, but I didn't love it. So I figured going in to this one that I would probably like it but not love it. I was wrong. I loved it. I'm not sure if it was the characters, Georges and Safer their families or if it was the plot revolving around spying on one's neighbors and lying to one's family/friends, but I strongly suspect that I just loved the book as a whole. With a beautiful combination of character development and plot movement I found myself really interested in reading about Georges and his struggles with moving, bullies, and a new friend he doesn't 'get.' Stead also throws in a plot twist that I really did not see coming that really changed the way I saw the book and the story as a whole. It left me stunned and thoughtful. In my mind I went back and thought about the way Georges had been acting and how things turned out to be very different than I thought. It made me think about the way humans jump to conclusions so easily and so very often turn out to be wrong. I found this a beautifully written and surprisingly complex story despite what originally seemed like a fairly straight-forward plot. I really liked the writing. For me a well-written book is a book where the writing flows so smoothly that I pay little attention to it because I am so engrossed in the story. Liar & Spy is one of those books.

This book is marketed for an age range from middle school students (the two key characters are that age) to young adults. However, I feel that this is a book for all ages. It covers quite well some themes that are important to all.One is bullying. The narrator, Georges (with an s), is bullied in his seventh grade class. Two bullies mock him and physically intimidate him. Of course, this kind of thing is traumatic at the moment, although Georges develops strategies to cope. And it seems to me that childhood bullying readily leads to serious problems later in life. People who intimidate others because of their ethnicity or religion are bullies. Employers often bully their employees.Another theme is parenting. Both of the central characters have good parents. These parents are actively involved in their children's lives. They make an extra effort to show their concern.In addition to these themes, there's a murder mystery that may not be what it seems. This mystery is tied to yet another important theme: the nature of friendship and how people develop strategies to make friends.There are elements that are rather light and silly. I enjoyed this part of the book, but some may not.Rebecca Stead's novel is flawlessly written. I would recommend it to anyone from a third grader with strong reading skills to a retired person.

"When You Reach Me" is one of my all time favorite books, so, as good a book as it is, I couldn't give "Liar and Spy" also by Rebecca Stead five stars.When I first read "When You Reach Me," it felt like Stead had reviewed my own childhood and come up with a story just for me. The connection the book had to "A Wrinkle in Time" felt personal.I did not have the same connection to "Liar and Spy" but that doesn't mean that it's not a beautifully crafted work of fiction. It is a book about connecting the dots, the literal dots of a painting, the dots that a group of bullied children use to pull themselves together, the dots that protect us from the lies we tell ourselves and the lies we tell others.The central mystery was predictable, but that was okay, because it's always "how" a story is told that makes it special.And this book is special. Another winner for Rebecca Stead.

I read with my 5 1/2 year old daughter every night before bed. She loved this book. I thought it was great as well. There is a bit of mystery involved, but at its core this is a book about friendship.

Liar & Spy looks like and begins like a simple realistic fiction story, but it is very complex and deals with some pretty deep themes. Rebecca Stead has a gift for creating events that are much more than they seem, characters that are more than they seem, and subtle themes that are important to middle grade readers. When Georges moves into an apartment building, his first friend is an odd boy his age named Safer. Georges is not sure what to make of the pushy, stubborn Safer, but since he has only one option for a close-by friend, he tries to overlook Safer's peculiarities and focus on Safer's confidence and sense of adventure - - Qualities Georges lacks, but admires. In less than 200 pages, Stead has the reader thinking about ways to deal with: change, awkward friendships, fear and bullying. Through Georges, Safer, and Safer's little sister, Candy, readers will do some pretty intense reflecting and hopefully gain some insight into how to be more confident. Stead also creates an original storyline with just enough suspense and humor to keep even the most reluctant reader engaged.

This is a superb book and is a contemporary 'Stig of the Dump'. It prepares children to judge the unknown; helps them prevent victimisation; teaches them to become a leader and help others of the same age or around that. It also helps children learn that traumatic family situations can be managed. I loved it and was very sorry to finish reading it.

Daughter (11) found the book a little dull. I read to her a bit and cannot say I was much interested either.

I wouldn't normally go for a book like this however it was recommended to me by a friend and I have to say this book is great! It is about a boy who is managing several problems in life such as bullying and how he also joins a spy club and looks out for somebody called Mr X. It is a great book.

What a great book - I should read more children's books. t had the same feeling as 'The Curious Incident of the dog in the night' about it. Knew something was going to come out - just didn't know what. Really worth reading.

very well written, modern style, unusual and beautiful story on friendship and puberty