EJ Spy School #9: Birthday Secrets! product reviews

This is the first book of the EJ spy school range that my son and I have read and when my son seen it he was super excited. My son is 7 and is at times a rather reader, never wants to do his homework or read the book the teacher sent home. I was suprised to see him grab this book sit down and start reading it. He read it easy as with help of a couple of the bigger words, but I am proud-as of him and it showed that when they find a book they are interested in then they will get into it and read it.

I liked the easy reading of it, the big print and how it had 3 chapters, my son would read a chapter after school and by the end of the chapter he would put it down to read more the next day. He really enjoyed the story line, as he is into spy stuff, he thought it was a great read. The pictures he would point at and work out who the spy was and talk about what was in the pictures and ask questions which kept him more interested in the book.

Hope to read more from the range in the future, now that I know my son will sit and read the books its great to keep him invloved with books he likes to improve his reading

Miss 5.5 chose the latest E.J. Spy School book from the pile of books available for review. We have had E.J. books before and always enjoyed them. She is also excited about her birthday at the end of the month so an E.J. book about a birthday party was perfect for her. I decided to read the book to both her and her 7 year old sister in one sitting. It is broken up into chapters but it only took me 30 minutes to read to them. There are lots of illustrations which helped to keep my youngest engaged.

Since reading this they have both started playing spies and referring to E.J. I think Miss 5.5 idolises her. In the story E.J. is both helping to plan a surprise party for her friend (and struggling to keep the secret) and having to go to Shadow party as a spy. Miss 5.5 found it very easy to relate to the Shadow party as it was set in a playland very similar to where she has gone to parties.

This is a book that my girls enjoy. I am hoping that if I leave it on the bookshelf they will hopefully read it independently once they reach that level. For Miss 7 it should be later this year. It is not top class fiction but one of a series that they enjoy and will give them reading mileage which is important.