Liar and Spy

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Georges moves to a new apartment after his father looses his job. He is upset about leaving his room where he has a specially crafted bed and his mom is taking more and more shifts at the hospital where she is a nurse to compensate for his father loosing his job. Georges makes friends with a family upstairs after his father answer an ad for a spy club down in the basement. Georges, Safer, the boy from upstairs, and Safer's sister Candy, work together in spy missions, trying to discover if an upstairs neighbor, Mr. Black, is a serial killer. During their time together Safer's family invites Georges and his father over to dinner, and the reader very rarely hears about and doesn't see Georges' mother. During this time both Georges and Safer learn a great deal about themselves and each other that they never knew. At the end of the story Georges learns that Safer made the whole Mr. Black thing up and gets angry with Safer. However, eventually Georges comes around and is friends with Safer and his family again. Georges also discovers that Safer is afraid to go outside and helps him become less scared, to the point that Safer will attend school with Georges in the next school year. Georges also finally admits to himself that his mom isn't working overtime, she is sick in the hospital, and he finally agrees to visit her.

The time when I am reading a book to my students aloud is one of our favorite times of the day. If the students miss this time for any reason they are upset and they want to know when we can make this time up. For time time I make sure that I choose books that are exciting and will pull my student's interest with chapters that end on cliff hangers and characters that they get attached to. One book that is perfect for this is Rebecca Stead's Liar and Spy. Students get worried when Safer gets trapped in Mr. Black's apartment and they wonder if Geroges and Safer will reunite as friends by the end. Excitement about books that we are reading aloud is important and I love finding books to keep my students interest.

Teachers could use this book to teach a lesson about/help kids with going through large life changes, as well as meeting new people. Sometimes children have a difficult time with changes such as moving, parents loosing a job, or having a parent in the hospital. This book could help with lessons about these things as well as helping a friend deal with these situations.

Citation

Stead, R. (2012). Liar and spy. New York, NY: Yearling.