PRIZES to win! PROMOTIONS

Close Notification

Your cart does not contain any items

Cecily Sawyer

How To Be a Spy

Iona Rangeley David Tazzyman

$16.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

QTY:

English
HarperCollins
10 November 2025
A thrilling, mysterious and very, very funny new adventure from the award-winning author of EINSTEIN THE PENGUIN, with brilliant illustrations from bestseller David Tazzyman.

Cecily Sawyer has spent the evening in the attic, training her pet mouse, Mrs Maple-Syrup – an unusually intelligent mouse, in Cecily’s opinion – when her parents disappear.

Luckily, Cecily is more than ready to investigate such a thing. She has wanted to be a spy her whole life, and has all the spy handbooks, manuals and code-cracking kits a girl could need.

But soon, Cecily discovers several very strange things in her city. She’s not the only spy out there – far from it, in fact. And Mrs Maple-Syrup is not the only unusually intelligent mouse…
By:  
Illustrated by:   David Tazzyman
Imprint:   HarperCollins
Country of Publication:   United Kingdom
Dimensions:   Height: 198mm,  Width: 129mm,  Spine: 22mm
Weight:   220g
ISBN:   9780008644451
ISBN 10:   0008644454
Pages:   240
Publication Date:  
Recommended Age:   From 8 to 12 years
Audience:   Children/juvenile ,  English as a second language
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming

Iona Rangeley has just finished studying English at Oxford. She has wanted to be a writer since her debut novel Sam and the Pig, which she wrote when she was five. Iona starting writing Einstein the Penguin when her final exams came along, because it was more fun. David Tazzyman is an internationally acclaimed award-wining illustrator. Born and raised in Leicester, David wanted to be an artist since the age of five. Graduating from Manchester Metropolitan University in 1993, he worked as a commercial illustrator before falling into children's publishing in 2006, illustrating Andy Stanton's Mr Gum series, which went on to win numerous awards, including the first Roald Dahl Funny Prize. David likes drawing a lot. He also likes football, cricket, golf and biscuits.

Reviews for Cecily Sawyer: How To Be a Spy

'With so many undercover agents vying for attention, the choice can seem daunting – but Cecily Sawyer: How to Be a Spy, a delightful new adventure by Iona Rangeley, shows the detective formula working at its best … Rangeley is a witty, beguiling writer – and what follows is a neatly plotted adventure, in which each clue forms part of a puzzle which the reader can piece together as the narrative rips along.' – The Telegraph 'Whip smart, absolutely hilarious and full of charm.' – Laura Noakes, author of Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star 'A fabulous book' – Zohra Nabi, author of The Kingdom over the Sea 'A charming and elegant corrective to the notion that 10 year-old girls and mice have no role to play in espionage.' – Luke Jennings, author of Killing Eve 'I firmly recommend this book. A very good start for those who want to join the profession or who just want a good read.' – Sir John Scarlett, former Chief of MI6 (really) Praise for EINSTEIN THE PENGUIN: ‘Funny, intriguing and utterly heart-warming … Wonderful’ Booktrust ‘A delight’ Sunday Times


See Inside

See Also