Clayton Stone, At Your Service

Gr 4–6—Clayton Stone is perfectly happy living his life as a mild-mannered 12-year-old lacrosse player, but finds he has a thirst for adventure when he is suddenly thrust into an underground world of intrigue and danger. It turns out that his sweet Gran, who runs a diner in DC, actually works for a top-secret government agency. When a series of kidnappings culminates in the capture of a senator's wife and daughter, Clayton is enlisted to ensnare the bad guys. Will he find the victims in time to make it to his lacrosse game? This exciting premise is misspent with flat characters and a confusing plot. The secret spy grandmother has the most potential for humor and interest and yet she barely appears in the second half of the book. Heavy-handed attempts at colloquialisms make the dialogue and Clayton's inner monologue seem forced. The mystery is disappointingly solved rather hastily and without much creativity. Additionally, there are moments when Clayton inexplicably chooses to drive a car and carry a gun, despite having training in neither.