‘“This operation is hot. We are a go.”’ Imagine a group of kids. Imagine they are spies. Imagine that the fate of every intelligence agency across the world hinges on their next decision. That’s what it’s like in City Spies by James Ponti. The first of a series, it has everything from deadly viruses and criminal masterminds to food-loving boys and mathematical geniuses. The story starts with Sara. She’s not in the greatest of situations. Actually, let’s rephrase that. She’s just been arrested for hacking the juvenile justice system and a bank, and is going to be sentenced to two and a half years in juvenile detention. And, even though she did it to expose her cruel foster parents as frauds, this is not enough to get her out of trouble. That is, until a mysterious man who calls himself “Mother” walks in and frees Sara from prison, then asks her to join his team of kid spies on their latest emergency mission… From the get go, I loved this book. It was right up my alley and there was no way anyone could have made me stop reading it! Even if you dragged me off to court for hacking a bank, I’d probably still be desperately reading (and hoping to pick up some tips from Sara). Part of what made this novel so good was the humor. The characters’ dialogue had me laughing out loud, even through the tension and excitement, and this made the book very relatable. I also really enjoyed the characters themselves. There are quite a lot of them to get to know but somehow they all fit together seamlessly. This doesn’t mean they always work together seamlessly, though! In fact, there’s quite a bit of rivalry and hostility at the start. While the story mainly focuses on Sara (later known as Brooklyn), the backgrounds of some of the other characters are revealed as the story goes on. City Spies stood out for me because of the multinational settings. Over the course of the book, the story takes you from the US to Scotland and then to France. And each member of the team is also from a different country: Nepal, Rwanda, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Australia — you name it. Luckily for me, they all speak English! If you’re not a fan of mystery or spy stories, City Spies probably isn’t for you. While I enjoyed it a lot, it’s set in a real “spy world,” so for readers who prefer other genres, this is not a crossover to fantasy or sci-fi or horror. On the other hand, if you are a spy story enthusiast, read this book! City Spies by James Ponti. Aladdin Paperbacks, 2021. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process! If you have further interest in James Ponti’s novel City Spies, please check out then blogger, now ’20—21 intern Thee Sim Ling’s interview with James Ponti, here!
book review
We’re the Resilient Generation, Not the COVID Generation
We’re the Resilient Generation, Not the COVID Generation Olivia Shekou, 12 What is resilience? “Resilience” is used in physics to describe the way materials revert back to their original shape after undergoing some kind of shock or impact. In medicine, “resilience” describes a patient’s ability to recover after a traumatic event, such as surgery or accidents. “Resilience” was used by my younger brother who came back from Kindergarten one day, now five years ago, saying that his teacher told him “resilience means to bounce back.” That sure struck a chord with him. During our current pandemic, I think we can agree that “resilience” describes our ability to cope with stress, loss, and anxiety in the face of a deadly virus that has swept across the globe. Generation Z (those born between 1995-2009), like myself, and Generation Alpha (those born between 2010-2024), like my younger brother, have quickly learned to wear masks, socially distance, frequently wash our hands, elbow bump rather than hug, and drill test swabs high up in our noses in an effort to do our part. We all waited forever for the vaccine and were quick to line up for it so we could see our grandparents again be social citizens. Our resilience comes from just this—our excitement to return to our schools and communities. It comes from our desire for normalcy, especially coming off the heels of a long depressing year of virtual learning and what felt like a “caged” interaction with our friends who we needed more than ever. Many of us had a serious case of cabin fever, and too many of us were grieving the loss of a family member or friend whose funerals we couldn’t even attend. We’ve been through the unimaginable, all the while watching our own parents figure out how to keep their jobs, care for their own aging and very much vulnerable parents, and guide us in times they’ve never experienced or imagined before. They had no manual or experience of their own to draw from. What we’ve been through has felt like cruel and unusual sci-fi torture. I’ve thought long and hard about the countless immigrant children who move to new unfamiliar countries with no manual of their own, and only their own desire for a better life that fuels their resilience. According to a 2016 UNICEF report, one in eight migrants worldwide are children and these numbers are especially high within refugee populations. Sadly, these immigrant children experience trauma from culture shock, language barriers, racism and, oftentimes, bullying, and yet a large percentage of them recover from the trauma, integrate and thrive. I believe their resilience resides in their motivation for a better life. One such example is a character in the novel Dragonwings, by Lawrence Yip, which I read while stuck at home for my sixth grade year during the pandemic. The character, Moon Shadow Lee, soon became my hero and someone I drew upon to help me through the many ups and downs of our pandemic. Moon Shadow Lee, the 8-year old immigrant narrator and protagonist in Dragonwings, moved from his native country, China, to a new world, the U.S., only to relocate yet again in the aftermath of a natural disaster, all the while confronting racism and violence. At age eight, he traveled alone from China to San Francisco during the 1903 Gold Rush and learned to assimilate in a new environment with many obstacles and unimaginable hurdles. On his first night in San Francisco, Moon Shadow reunites with his father and other family members who run the “Company,” a laundromat service in Chinatown. He receives a rude awakening when some evil Americans—”demons”— shatter their laundromat window with bricks. Soon after, Moon Shadow is unexpectedly beaten by his very own cousin, Black Dog, who turns out to be a corrupt and vile family member. In response to this incident and in search of a safer place to live, Moon Shadow and his father, Windrider, pick up again and relocate to live with the Whitlaw’s outside of Chinatown. Not long after this move, an earthquake devastates San Francisco, uprooting them yet again to a barn in Oakland, a move in which they are rudely awakened again by Black Dog who surreptitiously seeks them out and steals their savings. As a result, they have no way of paying rent on their farm, and through this struggle, Moon Shadow develops a deep level of resilience. Despite this unexpected setback, Moon Shadow and his father manage to pay their rent and go on to achieve their ultimate goal of flying their glider, Dragonwings, a symbol of their freedom and aspirations. Boy did he teach me a number on resilience. Let Moon Shadow’s story be an inspiration to us all. American students and children everywhere, we too are resilient in the face of adversity. We have proved that we are not the COVID Generation, but the Resilient Generation. We too have our kites and gliders to fly, our hopes and ambitions to achieve. Resilience is a shared but unique experience to each of us. What if resilience were a color? If we received exactly what we needed right now in the form of a drop of light in our hearts, what color would it be? Dragonwings by Laurence Yep. Harper Collins, 2001. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
The Other Side of Luck, Reviewed by Ismini, 12
Una is a princess secluded from the city. Her mother passed away giving birth to her brother when she was young, and her father neglects her, treating Una as an afterthought. Julien’s mother also passed when he was young, but he and his father have a bond beyond love. However, Julien struggles to get by with the little they make foraging for raw ingredients in the forest, especially since his father’s sickness began. After his father is wrongly imprisoned, Julien searches for the rare Silva flower to present to the king and earn the funds to pay for a lawyer. When Una learns of the contest her father has announced to find the silva flower, she sees a chance to prove herself and escape from her dull, humdrum life. Ginger Johnson’s The Other Side of Luck embodies the unforgettable experience of escaping from reality into another world. With Johnson’s elegant prose and robust sensory details, I felt as if I were living the lives of the main characters Una and Julien. The Other Side of Luck takes place in a simple fantasy world, and the story seems almost cliché at first glance, but it is far from. Ginger Johnson weaves a powerful story about the importance of family and making the most of even the worst circumstances. This book is jam-packed with solid and eloquently put life lessons. In such a constantly changing world filled with so much violence and complexity, it’s often difficult to find a moment of peace or simplicity. The Other Side of Luck encompasses escapism at its finest, and the plot and the characters are easy to follow. The details paint a vivid picture, and Johnson’s sensory descriptions feel so real I couldn’t help but believe I was walking through a forest on the outskirts of a fantasy kingdom, seeking out the Silva. Her descriptions of the various sounds plants make and her descriptions of the specific scents of emotions seemed to manifest within my reality. Only 240 pages, The Other Side of Luck is a quick and exciting read suitable for ages 8 – 100 that is sure to please. The Other Side of Luck by Ginger Johnson. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 2021. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
