10+ Books to Read if You Liked Spy School

York Series by Laura Ruby
Twins Theo and Tess, and their friend Jamie explore an alternate version of New York trying to solve the greatest mystery of the modern world: the famous Morningstarr cipher. This puzzle and treasure hunt is laid into the streets and buildings of New York City and people have been trying to solve it for over a century.

The Kensy and Max Series by Jacqueline Harvey
Kensy and Max’s world changes overnight when they arrive in London and realize their parents have disappeared – but that’s only the beginning of the mystery. This six book series follows the twins as they uncover clues, crack codes, and discover that nothing is quite what it seems.

Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter
A fun, fast-paced spy story with just the right mix of mystery, humor, and heart. Cammie Morgan attends a secret school for spies, but her biggest challenge isn’t decoding missions, it’s navigating her first real crush without blowing her cover. Perfect for readers who love adventure with a light, romantic twist.

Ruby Redford: Genius Girl Spy by Lauren Child
Ruby may look like an ordinary kid, but she’s secretly solving high-stakes cases for an undercover crime-fighting agency. This one is filled with quirky humor, memorable characters, and plenty of action – this series has a fun, classic spy-adventure feel.

Forgotten Five by Lisa McMann
If your reader loved The Unwanteds, this action-packed series from the same author is an easy recommendation. Five kids with extraordinary powers leave the only home they’ve ever known to uncover the truth about their parents, only to find themselves in a world where people like them are considered criminals.

Beneath the Swirling Sky by Carolyn Leiloglou
Vincent never expected a visit to his great-uncle’s house to lead to a hidden world inside famous paintings, but when his sister vanishes into one, he has no choice but to follow. This is such a creative adventure, filled with art, family secrets, and plenty of action.

National Archive Hunters by Matthew Landis
After stumbling into a high-stakes art theft, twins Ike and Iris race across Washington, D.C. to solve a mystery involving priceless historical artifacts while staying one step ahead of the FBI. It’s packed with action, clever twists, and just enough history to make it extra fun.

City Spies by James Ponti
This book was on my 2020 Summer Reading Guide and I’m delighted that Ella enjoyed it too. City Spies is the story of five kids from all over the world brought together to operate out of a secret MI6 base in Scotland, working on cases that adults can’t get anywhere near. It’s clever and funny and fast-paced and a total kid pleaser.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
This is one of those middle grade novels that took the world by storm – it has been SO popular and for good reason. Mr. Lemoncello is a world-famous game maker AND he’s designed the new city library. And on opening night, there will be a lock-in for kids where they have to solve the puzzles to find the hidden escape route. (You can see why it spent 100 weeks on the NYT Bestseller List). (Full review here)

Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls by Beth McMullen
After a failed escape from her boarding school, Abigail discovers her school is actually an elite spy-training program! She goes through a crash course in Spy Training 101 in order to find her recently gone missing, mother, who is also a top agent!

Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales by Nathan Hale
This series is fantastic and teaches so much about history. Everyone has heard of the famous spy, Nathan Hale, famous for his last words, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” But did you know that he is also a fantastic storyteller? Follow these entertaining and educating stories which Nathan Hale tells to his executioners.

Theodore Boone series by John Grisham
Theodore Boone is 13 years old and obsessed with the law. He dreams everyday of becoming a lawyer is is constantly networking himself and studying the law. Because of his nosy nature, he ends up in the middle of a murder case and only Theo knows the truth about the main suspect. As an adult reader, I didn’t love it nearly as much as his adult mysteries, but it’s still a fun read. (Full review here)

The Sherlock Society by James Ponti
We LOVE James Ponti at our house – he really does write fantastic mystery/spy novels! This is his newest series, siblings Alex and Zoe Sherlock ditch boring summer jobs to start their own detective agency (because what else would kids with the last name Sherlock do?). With help from their friends, their grandpa’s convertible, and old case files, the sleuthing begins!

Framed by James Ponti
Ella has loved the City Spies books, so when I discovered this mystery series by the same author, I snagged them all for Ella who blew through them in a week. This book follows Florian Bates who is the only kid that the FBI Director has on speed dial (and a kid that a whole lot of criminals want taken care of). After a move to DC, Florian and his new friend Margaret uncover a mystery that involves a major crime ring, the FBI and the National Gallery. It’s up to them to solve the mystery AND get their homework done.