NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society

Launching a new series, Buckley (the Sisters Grimm books) offers a charming and funny tale of underdogs saving the day. Jackson Jones, a cool kid at Nathan Hale Elementary School, suddenly finds himself ostracized when he's saddled with 14 pounds of highly magnetic orthodonture (“Friends turned their backs when he walked by. Teachers cowered in the lounge, hoping to avoid eye contact”). With no social activities to occupy his time, he starts snooping around school and uncovers its secret: it's the undercover hideout of NERDS, a secret group of underage spies. Even more shocking, the NERDS are the biggest outcasts in the entire school, their allergies and eccentricities turned into assets. Though the spy kids concept is a familiar one in print, TV and film, Buckley has a flair for exaggerated humor, throws in some nice touches (including a peevish security system that interacts with readers) and wisely presents the NERDS through the eyes of Jackson, who spends much of the book denying his own social ostracism. Even the more broadly drawn archetypes are fleshed out, making this a perfectly fun and clever read. Ages 8–12. (Sept.)