Codename Zero - (Codename Conspiracy) by Chris Rylander (Paperback)

About the Book

"When a desperate man in a nondescript black suit asks thirteen-year-old Carson Fender to deliver a mysterious package for him, the middle schooler discovers there's something going on in his sleepy North Dakota hometown he had never expected--something involving the CIA"--

Book Synopsis

From Chris Rylander, author of the breakout hit Fourth Stall saga, comes an incredibly funny and clever mash-up of middle grade school story and spy adventure.

There are places in the world where heroes are born. There are places where brave men and women fight a never-ending battle against evil in order to keep our country and all other countries safe. There are places where the fate of our planet is being decided, even at this very moment, the consequences of which will echo through history.

None of these places is in North Dakota.

Carson Fender, seventh grader and notorious prankster, knows this. He's lived in North Dakota for his entire life, going to the same boring school every day, the same boring movie theater every week, the same boring state fair every year. Nothing ever changes, and nothing ever happens. That is, until today. Because today a desperate man hands him a package with a dire set of instructions. And that package is going to lead Carson to discover that there's a secret government agency operating in his small, quiet North Dakota hometown. And that this agency needs his help.

From the Back Cover

There are places in the world where heroes are born. There are places where brave men and women fight a never-ending battle against evil in order to keep our country and all other countries safe. There are places where the fate of our planet is being decided, even at this very moment, the consequences of which will echo through history.

None of these places is in North Dakota.

Carson Fender, seventh grader and notorious prankster, knows this. He's lived in North Dakota for his entire life, going to the same boring school every day, the same boring movie theater every week, the same boring state fair every year. Nothing ever changes, and nothing ever happens. That is, until today. Because today a desperate man is going to hand Carson a package with a dire set of instructions. And that package is going to lead him to discover that there's a secret government agency operating in his small, quiet North Dakota hometown.

And that this agency needs his help.

Review Quotes

"An exciting, zippy read that will leave readers wondering if there's more to their own hometowns than meets the eye." - Kirkus Reviews
"Debut novelist Rylander mines a substantial amount of humor and heart from this combination hard-boiled crime novel and middle-grade character piece. A light and enjoyable caper." - Publishers Weekly, about The Fourth Stall
"Readers will be flushed with excitement to follow Mac's operations for the fourth stall." - Kirkus Reviews, about The Fourth Stall Part II
"Rylander keeps up the delightful, boy-centric beat, mixing bravado, embarassments, and wisecracks with real wisdom." - ALA Booklist, about The Fourth Stall Part III