School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-Morning Glory Goldenleaf, introduced in The Black Paw (S & S, 2005), is back. Premiere operative of the secret Spy Mice Agency, she has uncovered an evil rat plot of vast importance. Roquefort Dupont, leader of America's dastardly vermin, has learned how to read. Using his newly gained knowledge, he is gathering rat agents from all around the globe to meet in New York City. Their goal is to achieve a mouse-free world. Glory appeals to her human friend, Oz Levinson, to aid the Spy Mice once more. Oz has his own set of problems. He's been forced into a junior bake-off contest in the Big Apple and must work alongside two of his biggest tormentors from school. By working together, Glory and Oz solve their individual problems and make the human and mouse civilizations safe from bullies. The story relies heavily on repetition, two-dimensional villains, and a plot that will win no awards for originality. Still, this new tale, set against the Manhattan skyline, gives the series a much- needed kick and the adventure remains fast-paced without becoming too predictable. The cartoonlike, black-and-white illustrations provide interest. This is a series that reluctant readers with a penchant for spy tales will readily embrace. Recommend it to those kids who are too young for Anthony Horowitz's "Alex Rider Adventure" series (Philomel) but love the genre.-Elizabeth Bird, New York Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Defying Mouse Code, field operative Glory befriends a human--fifth-grader Oz Levinson, a chubby James Bond wannabe. Fast-paced, engaging reads, these books follow the same formula (with Black Paw set during Halloween and Paws Only at Thanksgiving): Glory and her Spy Mice colleagues help Oz outwit some bullies; in return, Oz and gal pal D.B. help Glory foil the rat underworld's latest scheme. [Review covers these Spy Mice titles: The Black Paw and For Your Paws Only.] (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
A spectacular follow-up to The Black Paw reunites Morning Glory Goldenleaf and her timorous techie beau Bunsen Burner--both certified agents of Spy Mice, with the silver popsicle-stick skateboards to prove it--with their human co-agents, 6th-graders Oz and D.B. As Oz's recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip bread (unfortunately not included) carries him and D.B. to the finals of the Mayflower Flour Bake-Off in New York City, Spy Mice learn that archenemy rat Roquefort Dupont has gathered a congress of European rat kingpins in the same city to form the Global Rat Round Table. But in a development far more threatening to the balance of power between mice and rats, he's no longer proudly illiterate. Frederick develops this promising setup perfectly, adding a diminutive rock-and-roll band, a pair of human bullies from the previous episode who once again end up thoroughly and publicly humiliated and other delicious features, then propelling events to a climactic face-off aboard a float at the Thanksgiving Day Parade. A delight for fans of Avi's Mayor of Central Park (2003), Holm and Hamel's Stink File series and like interspecies thrillers. (Fiction. 10-12) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
