CIA Agents

Gr 1–3—There is a glamorous aspect to the photos in this series, featuring perfectly modeled agents in aviator sunglasses. In addition, engaging hooks such as "You use a fake name. You must get others to tell you secrets. You are a CIA officer" will have readers diving right in. However, once they begin reading, students will find that fighting crime on a typical day is a balance of excitement and tedium, with such additional tasks as working on computers, doing background checks, and preventing identity theft. Job descriptions are kept short and sweet: U.S. marshals "move prisoners" and "keep witnesses safe." Vocabulary, such as polygraph and background check, is in bold and defined in a color-blocked segment at the bottom of pages. Stock photos show agents in uniform engaged in a variety of tasks, though some of the images seem dated or are just window-dressing shots of government buildings.