April 1, 1997
Gr 3-5-Through a mishap with the mail service, Amos Binder is sent an envelope addressed to A. Bender. When he and his friend Dunc open the letter to find airline tickets, cryptic orders to fly to Arizona, and a key, they enthusiastically depart on an adventure. One mishap leads to another as the boys become involved in protecting Fatima, the daughter of a Middle Eastern goodwill ambassador, and catching a jewel thief. Friends become agents, who turn into double agents, and everything erupts when the real A. Bender shows up. The adventures here, as well as the powerful roles the young characters take on, will appeal to children. Much of the plot is highly unrealistic (the boys' parents simply don't exist), and the hazards of their jobs as secret agents come from Amos's unexplained clumsiness. Still, this type of James Bond thriller that puts kids in charge of national security should prove to be popular reading.-Linda Bindner, Athens Clarke County Library, GA