Unidentified - by Christina Diaz Gonzalez (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Can a regular kid find a dangerous spy hiding in his own town? A humorous and suspenseful middle grade novel from Christina Diaz Gonzalez, author of Edgar Award-winner Concealed and the bestselling graphic novel Invisible.

Alex Zarrutia is hunting spies.

Eleven-year-old Alex Zarrutia works at his family's struggling UFO-themed mini-golf park, where the fact that he has to dress up as an astronaut for the park's weekly light show gets him mocked by his classmates. Still, Alex is devastated when his parents tell him they might have to sell the golf park and move--away from his best friend, Nora, and the only home he's ever known.

Alex is determined to save the business so he can stay. As Alex and Nora try to come up with ways to revive the mini-golf, they overhear a retired army colonel talking about how he suspects there are spies in the area, and whoever finds them will receive a cash reward. Perfect! All Alex and Nora have to do is find the spies and get the cash.

But as one clue after another piles up, each one seems to lead back to Alex's own parents. He can tell they're not telling him the truth--but the secrets go deeper than he could ever imagine.

From the Edgar-award winning author of Invisible, Unidentified is a fast-paced and funny mystery about two kids who set out to save their home, and end up saving the whole world.

Unidentified is perfect for readers interested in:

• Plot twists
• Fast-paced action
• Funny reads
• Kid-friendly mysteries
• Out-of-this-world adventure!

Hand this to fans of Spy School, City Spies, and The Lion of Mars.

Review Quotes

"You can't judge a book by its cover, but you can by the name of its author. If it's written by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, you know it's going to be good." --James Ponti, New York Times best-selling author of City Spies and the Sherlock Society

Praise for Unidentified:

A Junior Library Guild selection

"You're going to want to read this. Clever, funny, and full of surprises that even the savviest reader won't see coming. Welcome to your next 'just one more chapter' book!" --Donna Barba Higuera, Newbery-winning author of The Last Cuentista series

"A wild, exciting, thrill-ride of a book, with wonderful characters, plenty of humor, and plot twists galore." --Stuart Gibbs, author of the New York Times bestselling Spy School series

"This book is out of this world! And it brims with heart, true-to-life characters, and more than a healthy dose of humor." --Gordon Korman, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Sleepless

Praise for Christina Diaz Gonzalez's Concealed:

Edgar Award Winner for Best Juvenile Mystery

Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award Reading List

International Latino Book Award Honorable Mention

TLA Texas Lone Star Reading List

Rhode Island Latino Book Awards Nominee

Washington Library Association Sasquatch Award Nominee

MD Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Nominee

Sakura Medal Nominee for Middle Grade

"A pitch-perfect, pulse-pounding adventure with unexpected twists." --James Ponti, New York Times bestselling author of City Spies

"A twisty thrill-ride that will leave you on the edge of your seat!" --Ally Carter, New York Times bestselling author of The Gallagher Girls series

"A masterful adventure with an authentic middle-grade voice about the power of identity and the journey to figure out who you really are." --Alyson Gerber, critically-acclaimed author of Taking Up Space

"An action-adventure perfect for today's middle grade reader: techy, twisty, and smart. Don't miss this one!" --Jake Burt, award-winning author of Greetings from Witness Protection

"Gripping. Brimming with knotty twists and eccentric turns." --Kirkus Reviews

"Katrina's fight for the truth makes for an entertaining read full of twists and intrigue." --Publishers Weekly

"This well-developed page turner will keep listeners on the edge of their seat." --School Library Journal (audiobook review)

"Gonzalez has written a gripping, fast-paced story full of twists and suspense. This will have readers guessing what is truth and what is a lie right until the very end. Hand to fans of Gordon Korman's Masterminds series." --Booklist

"Fast and furious." --School Library Journal

About the Author

Christina Diaz Gonzalez is the Edgar Award-winning and USA TODAY best-selling author of several novels including The Red Umbrella, Concealed, and the graphic novels Invisible and Offside. Her books have been named to over thirty-four state award lists and have reached international acclaim with Japan's Sakura Medal nominations and International Latino Book Awards. Learn more at christinagonzalez.com.