Description A comic spy tale from Mac Barnett, the born storyteller! The creator of the KID SPY series—two-time Caldecott Honor winner and New York Times bestselling author—Mac Barnett is beloved worldwide for his witty, humorous, and wonderfully imaginative picture books, and Korean readers have eagerly awaited his work as well. In June 2020, Mac Barnett brought his grand-scale, wonderfully realistic comic spy story to Korean readers, revealing the secrets of his childhood in KID SPY. The author insists—again and again—that these events really happened (?) and that they remain top secret. As if anticipating readers who might scoff, "A spy for the Queen? No way!"—he presents a string of historical facts as evidence and urges readers to look them up for themselves. Following the thrilling twists of real spy work, the nonstop humor, and the laughs that come from his utter seriousness, you'll find yourself hoping against hope that Mac Barnett's childhood really was true. It's a story born from the meeting of an author who insists it all really happened and readers who are willing to believe him—if only he'll spill every last detail of his spy missions. No one knows exactly how long Mac Barnett worked as a spy, but one thing is certain: his second mission has arrived, and the vivid tale of that adventure is revealed in KID SPY 2: THE LOCKED ROOM MYSTERY! Having successfully completed his first mission, Mac faces his second case with newfound (though not unshakable—wait until a king cobra is pressed against his chest) confidence. ------------------------------------------------------------------- "A spy caper you can't look away from, with plenty of laughs added in." _School Library Journal "Spy craft that gets sharper with every book." _Kirkus Reviews "Sure to win over even reluctant readers!" _Publishers Weekly "Mac Barnett's well-balanced blend of humor, wit, and storytelling makes for a thoroughly entertaining read." _The Horn Book "Hilarious." _Jon Scieszka (author of THE STINKY CHEESE MAN AND OTHER FAIRLY STUPID TALES and THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS) "I want to interview the author to find out if it's real or fake." _Reader review "Reading this feels like being led on a tour by Kid Spy himself." _Reader review ▣ About the Book ▶ Doubt this suspiciously real-sounding spy adventure—at your own risk! Readers of KID SPY 1: THE MISSING TREASURE already know that author Mac Barnett once worked as a secret spy for the Queen in his childhood. You may have started to believe his story just a little. After reading this second volume, we're confident you'll believe it even more. Mac gets a bit closer to the real, living Queen Elizabeth of England, encounters the real 1671 theft of the Crown Jewels, the real jewel thief Colonel Thomas Blood, and the real Dunsany Castle in Ireland! But setting aside the fact that real people, real places, and real events are all woven together, the story is so hilarious and so much fun that you'll want to believe it anyway. Still, keep doubting. Even after the truth comes out, never letting go of suspicion is the mark of a true spy! So, dear readers, enjoy the thrilling, dangerous spy missions and the increasingly clever mysteries—but never drop your guard! ▶ Kid Spy faces a classic mystery staple: the "locked room" puzzle A "locked room" means, quite literally, an airtight, sealed-off space—a favorite trope in mystery fiction. No one can get in from the outside, and no one inside could have done it either! Nothing should be able to happen in such a space, and yet a theft or a murder occurs anyway! Naturally, readers can't help but be hooked. "Wait—that's impossible! How did the Crown Jewels vanish?" You can't help but rack your brain right alongside the detective. But Mac isn't a detective—he's a spy! The Queen declares that since the culprit who stole the Crown Jewels is a descendant of Blood, the very same man who stole them 318 years earlier, they should just capture him and ask how he did it. But Mac is determined to solve the puzzle himself. Before he can even crack the first mystery, though, a second locked room case erupts. (A mystery story with two locked room cases is a rare treat indeed!) In a tightly sealed study...