Chester Keene Cracks the Code

May 1, 2022
A careful sixth grader who appreciates predictability connects with a new friend who takes the opposite approach to life as the two work together on a scavenger hunt that ends up being about more than just solving clues. As 11-year-old Chester Keene waits on an email reply from his absent father, who he is sure is away on secret spy business, he keeps to himself and his meticulous routines. He hones his skills as a spy-in-training while trying to manage the provocations of a bully, prevent his mother from worrying about him, and prepare for what he longs for most: his father's return and his need for Chester's assistance with an important mission. When a mystery envelope containing pieces of an unsolved puzzle arrives at his doorstep, surely left by his father, Chester springs into action. He is soon offered help by Skye, a schoolmate who turns out to hold missing pieces of the puzzle. As they work together to solve it, they uncover more than they ever bargained for while discovering that they have more in common than they initially realized. Strong characterization--especially of the relationship between Chester and his mother--and a multilayered plot provide overall excitement and interest, although the pace drags in some places. Chester is biracial: His mother is White, and his father is Black; Skye is also biracial, with a Japanese American mother and White father. Engrossing and heartwarming; explores belonging, love, and forgiveness in families and friendships. (Fiction. 9-12)

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June 6, 2022
Magoon (The Season of Styx Malone) skillfully blends family, friendship, and forgiveness in this endearing adventure starring spy-in-training Chester Keene. Eleven-year-old biracial (Black and white) Chester lives alone with his mother, having never met his father. Nevertheless, Chester credits his dad—whom he believes to be a covert agent, and who mails him spy books and offers advice, such as how to navigate bullies, through email exchanges—for his own inclination toward spy work. After a mysterious envelope containing an unfinished riddle, seemingly from his dad, appears on his doorstep, Chester becomes embroiled in a puzzle-laden scavenger hunt with an important prize at the end. Joined by Japanese American and white classmate Skye, who inexplicably has the missing puzzle pieces, the two search across town for the remaining clues. But as they encounter nefarious locals, the duo fear that their once lighthearted hunt has higher stakes than they initially thought. Skye’s chaotic puzzle-solving skills complement Chester’s meticulousness, and their joy in code-cracking is palpable. Astutely conceived riddles and Chester’s lively first-person narration deliver an action-packed mystery that highlights trusting in the bonds of friends and family, and encourages having patience with loved ones. Ages 8–12. Agent: Ginger Knowlton, Curtis Brown Ltd.

June 1, 2022
Grades 4-7 Chester is quiet. Methodical. A bit of a loner. He's also a spy-in-training, just like his father, whom he's never met--and who must be a spy, since he only contacts Chester occasionally with a super-secret message. Then his classmate Skye approaches with a set of scavenger hunt clues that complement the ones Chester just received from his dad. Skye is his exact opposite, yet as they bond over their love of puzzles, having separated parents, and the experience of being biracial (Chester's parents are Black and white, while Skye's are white and Japanese American), Chester realizes that they make a great team. Magoon's portrayal of a bullied boy who doesn't understand how to sort through or communicate his feelings is touching and at times frustratingly realistic. Watching him push his mother away as he navigates the complexities of adolescence while yearning for his father's advice is heartbreaking; you can't help but wish for his happiness while also bracing yourself for the life lessons he learns. For fans of scavenger hunts, puzzles, and stories of building new family.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2022

Gr 3-7-Chester Keene doesn't mess around; he can clock what's happening around him faster than you can say "boo." He's a spy, because he believes his dad is one-that's why he hasn't been around in years, right? So when Skye approaches him at school and says she has a clue to a seemingly innocent scavenger hunt, Chester is willing to break his much-loved routine. He embarks on a mission that he's convinced will bring him closer to his dad and help him fight back against a middle school bully, only to find his world changing faster than he can handle. Magoon explores the complex relationships of a single-parent family without flinching or tying a tight bow on the package. The story is well paced and will appeal to fans of realistic fiction and mysteries. Chester is a biracial boy who is white and Black; Skye is a biracial girl who is white and Japanese American. VERDICT In a novel that will appeal to fans of Remy Lai's Fly on the Wall, Magoon creates memorable characters and a wacky adventure that toes the line between playful fantasy and deep-rooted emotional journey.-Gina Elbert

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2022
Twelve-year-old Chester Keene is perfectly content to adhere to his regular routines, making sure he doesn't worry his mother with his daily struggles (including an increasingly aggressive bully) and making careful observations of others around him -- without any personal interactions. He does so to impress his father, whom he hasn't seen in years because he's been away on "spy missions" (based on the latest birthday gifts Chester's received). Only accessible by intermittent emails, Chester's dad gives him advice about bullies, school, and life in general. When Chester receives a cryptic note at his front door, he's certain his father is in danger and needs help with a perilous assignment. He immediately jumps into action...only to discover that the mission requires a partner. Carefree, haphazard Skye is the complete opposite of Chester, but, as he has to admit, they work well together as they solve increasingly tricky riddles. When the mission turns dangerous and Dad goes incommunicado, Chester is forced to rely on his powers of observation even further -- and what he discovers changes everything. Chester's attempts to make sense of the world around him are equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, since he is fully aware of his social awkwardness and rigid idiosyncrasies. Taking great care with issues related to blended families and bullying, Magoon (The Season of Styx Malone, rev. 9/18) gives readers another emotional and satisfying read. Eboni Njoku

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2022
Twelve-year-old Chester Keene is perfectly content to adhere to his regular routines, making sure he does't worry his mother with his daily struggles (including an increasingly aggressive bully) and making careful observations of others around him -- without any personal interactions. He does so to impress his father, whom he hasn't seen in years because he's been away on "spy missions" (based on the latest birthday gifts Chester's received). Only accessible by intermittent emails, Chester's dad gives him advice about bullies, school, and life in general. When Chester receives a cryptic note at his front door, he's certain his father is in danger and needs help with a perilous assignment. He immediately jumps into action...only to discover that the mission requires a partner. Carefree, haphazard Skye is the complete opposite of Chester, but, as he has to admit, they work well together as they solve increasingly tricky riddles. When the mission turns dangerous and Dad goes incommunicado, Chester is forced to rely on his powers of observation even further -- and what he discovers changes everything. Chester's attempts to make sense of the world around him are equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, since he is fully aware of his social awkwardness and rigid idiosyncrasies. Taking great care with issues related to blended families and bullying, Magoon (The Season of Styx Malone, rev. 9/18) gives readers another emotional and satisfying read.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)