Hide and Peek by Susannah McFarlane

EJSpy School series. Scholastic, 2014. ISBN: 9781921931659
Susannah McFarlane's EJ Spy School early chapter books follow EJ10's adventures as she trains to become an agent.
In Hide and Peek, young Emma Jacks is ready to join her best friends in a class excursion to visit Christmas Town and the big Giving Tree in the centre of her city. Just as she places her bag in the lockers, EJ10's spy watch beeps and she is called away on another mission. Shadow Agents are planning to steal all the presents for the needy families from underneath the Giving Tree. First EJ10 decodes the secret message, keys the answer into the laptop, then she can enter the secret lab to receive her instructions. She is equipped with a special backpack filled with Christmas disguises and is instructed on how to use the special green button on her watch. Her costume changes and keen sense of observation help to save the day.
These stories use age appropriate words, short chapters, lager text, with simple concepts and familiar themes to build reader confidence and engagement. Dyani Stagg's cartoon style illustrations complement the text and bring EJ10's adventures to life. This series is a great introduction to the loved agent EJ12.
Rhyllis Bignell