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Reluctant Spy Kindle Edition

by Lois June Wickstrom (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 16 ratings
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Timmy's Pet Rat Doesn't Want to be a Spy. But Nobody Else Can Sneak into the Mad Scientist's Home.

Timmy and Grandma train their pet rat Hildegarde to discover who or what is causing earthquakes in Pillow, PA. They meet a mysterious German rat trainer, a crazy inventor, an FBI agent who specializes in aliens, and a cholocate-eating girl.

They work hard to train the rat. They build spy equipment small enough for the rat. But when it's time to send her on her mission, does she have all the skills she'll need?

Watch Hildegarde, the rat, do her best to save the day.

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  1. Reading age
    7 - 12 years
  2. Print length
    180 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    August 14, 2009
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  8. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  9. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B005FN97RE
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Gripper Products (August 14, 2009)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 14, 2009
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2355 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 180 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1434457788
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 16 ratings

About the author

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Lois Wickstrom

Lois Wickstrom

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Lois Wickstrom lives in a world where imaginary playmates are real. She doesn’t remember being born, so she finds unbirthdays are more exciting than the official once-a-year date on the calendar. She’s taken so many science classes that she believes science is the solution to almost every problem, including the dilemmas in fairy tales.

She writes by herself. She writes with co-authors. She asks illustrators what they would like to draw. If she ever writes her autobiography, the title will be My Life as a Group Project.

Her mother used to get angry with her for daydreaming. Her little sister picked on her. So she lived in books and wrote her own stories in which the bad-guys made sense, and the good-guys had a chance. As she has grown older, her imagination has grown weirder. Even she doesn’t know what she will write next.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
16 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Shannen
5.0 out of 5 stars A Magnificent Chapter Book!
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2024
My family and I have read several picture books by this author, so we were extremely excited to see her branch out into chapter books. I was a little hesitant as picture books are quite different, but pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed this even more! My kids are 8 and 12, and I’m obviously a tad older, but we all gathered around and read this book in one day. I loved the cover immediately, and once I read the synopsis, I knew we were going on an adventure! The flow of the story is marvelous and seamless. I never felt jolted out by an oddly placed fact or chapter. This was such a fun and mysterious adventure where you’ll have a lot of questions that will absolutely get answered. I highly recommend picking this up for the younger ones in your life whether that’s in your family or in a classroom!
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Megan Rea
4.0 out of 5 stars Spy Rats...What More Do You Need to Know?
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2024
I absolutely love Hildegarde the rat and Grandma…though I do have a soft spot for pet rats :) Wickstrom has done it again with her chapter books…I love reading a chapter or two with my kiddos at night or during our weekly reading time. Wickstrom's books (picture and chapter) are so engaging and have so many lessons woven throughout them. I love Grandma's sense of wit throughout the book and I feel that Hildegarde had her own wit as well. Timmy's first meeting with Hildegarde made both myself and my kids giggle and I love his reluctance to really trust "a rat." I really miss the illustrations of Wickstrom's picture books because they are just so well done (I know, I know...it's a chapter book...but who says you can't have pictures too!). This is a great read for anyone wanting to spend some quality time with their kiddos. It really does make for a great read aloud.
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Mandy M
5.0 out of 5 stars Such A Cute Story
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2024
I am always a fan of the author’s picture books, so when I had a chance to read her youth chapter book, I was so excited and she definitely did not disappoint. I thought she did a wonderful job of weaving together a delightful and amusing tale that children of all ages will enjoy. I do miss the illustrations from her picture books, but the author did an amazing job of creating a well written and vivid story. I absolutely loved all of the zany and fun characters she blended together. The interactions between Timmy and Hildegarde absolutely cracked me up and I found his Grandma a really fun and interesting character. I absolutely enjoyed this story and recommend it to anyone looking to read a cute and engaging story with fun messages for kids woven within.
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Jayme R.
4.0 out of 5 stars A spy rat? Sounds like a great story to me!
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2024
The Reluctant Spy is a really cute book that is a quick read and would be great for elementary readers (ages 7-12). The short chapters allow the book to move at a fast pace and the story immediately gets your attention relating to our unexpected character of Hildegarde. The tie in to science was interesting and possible aliens! I am so glad that I had a chance to read this and I look forward to passing it along to my sons for them to read. I mean, who doesn’t love a spy story with a really smart rat and the thought of aliens?!
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Manda Kelly
5.0 out of 5 stars Rat-tastic Read.
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2024
Lois Wickstrom has once again taken me back to being a young person. I so very much enjoyed this very adorable chapter book. It was full of amazing characters, a little mystery, friendship, loyalty, acceptance, and all the things that being a kid encompass. Lois has written the story so beautifully that illustrations aren't necessary. If you've got a young person, ages 7-10 (or any age, really, if they're interested, of course) I highly recommend this book (like allllll her other books) be added to your library. She is an amazing author.

Review By
Manda Kelly
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HPLovinMama6
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Adventure
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2024
I have read many of Lois Wickstrom's picture books with my son. They have always been a hit with us. This is no different! This book was fun and witty. It kept my son's attention (and mine as well). This book was a great adventure and flowed beautifully. Of course since it is a chapter book, it doesn't have pictures. It's all left up to your imagination. The job of an author is to weave details into the story so you feel like you are there with the characters. Lois did not disappoint!
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hannah
4.0 out of 5 stars cute read
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2024
Here I am again enjoying yet another great read from the author Lois Wickstrom. I have read multiple books from this brilliant Author but mostly the picture books. So I was pleasantly surprised when I saw she had written a chapter book. It's awesome because I got to read it with my older nephew who usually enjoys the other books also. We both found it to be a very Unique and interesting book. We read it in about 2 days, reading before bed. As always I love how the author always adds in some learning aspects.i look forward to reading more from her both picture and chapter books 🥰🥰
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Jennifer Crain
5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite Wickstrom's books
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2024
Reluctant Spy by Lois Wickstrom is a delightful and charming story that follows the unlikely spy duo of a young boy named Timmy and a pet rat Hildegarde as they try to uncover the mystery behind the earthquakes in their town of Pillow, PA.

The storyline is engaging and fast-paced, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as Timmy and Hildegarde encounter a host of quirky characters, from a mysterious German rat trainer to a chocolate-loving girl. The bond between Timmy and Hildegarde is heartwarming and genuine, making readers root for them every step of the way.

Wickstrom's writing is witty and lighthearted, with a dash of humor that adds to the overall charm of the story. The plot twists keep readers guessing, and the resolution is satisfying and heartwarming.
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