YA
Carter, Ally. 2006. I’D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I’D HAVE TO KILL YOU. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 9781423100034
PLOT SUMMARY - ANALYSIS
Set in a spy school for girls, this entertaining novel centers on 15-year-old Cammie, the headmistress's daughter, who must decide if she is cut out for a life of secrets. Though the plot takes a while to unfold, fun details and characters will keep readers engaged (Publishers Weekly (May 15, 2006))
The mysteries behind the Gallagher School’s façade are revealed in this first spy book by Ally Carter. The premise of the spy adventure rests on the assurance that the town folk think that the Gallagher Academy is an elite prep school. Behind the walls, girls are being trained in many languages and taking classes to hone their skills in covert operations, martial arts, and code breaking. This endearing story is of new friends, first experiences with boys, and the struggle of Cammie being two different people. This is written in a gentle style that explores the developing friendship of outsider, Macey McHenry and Gallagher returning students, Liz, Bex and Cammie. Cammie’s insecurities will resonate with readers of this book when she is worried about what to wear, what she looks like, and questions every step of her relationship with Josh.
The challenges from the new teacher, Mr. Solomon include covert operations through the Roseville town carnival. The girls are undercover and see the residents of the town up close, when Cammie makes the mistake of meeting Josh, a townie. There are some very docile moments for a more adolescent reader and the relationship with Josh is very innocent and virtuous with him wanting to protect Cammie. Cammie concludes that “all these years I’d thought being a spy was challenging. Turns out, being a girl is the tricky part” (page 144).
Cammie struggles to keep her two lives separate meeting Josh in secret to go to the movies and exchange notes through a secret rock. Cammie and Josh share the frustrations of the expectations of their parents to fulfill their chosen career path. Cammie’s mom is the head of the spy school and expects Cammie to follow in her footsteps, as well as, Josh’s dad who runs a local pharmacy and expects Josh to take his place.
The book has inserted faux copies of reports that the girls have filed about their operations written in a non-emotional, very informative language. This is in opposition to the “bubble gum” flavor of the text of the story where we get the giggly responses from the girl characters about the forbidden relationship between Cammie and Josh. Readers will be entertained with this book, but very few moments are indeed heart-stopping or dangerous.
Throughout the book, the power of girls and women is prevalent. The author writes strong female characters that show strength of mind and body when met with a challenge. The girls can blow the tire of the driver’s education car, just at the right moment to have the car stop at Josh’s house.
There is a moment where Cammie has to chose between saving her friend or keeping her secret safe from Josh and his friends as she confesses to herself, “if it came down to a fight between the real me and my legend, which one would I choose? (page 238)
In a final ode to the book’s title, Cammie’s secret is revealed and Cammie admits that “there are reasons Gallagher Girls don’t date boys from Roseville. He (Josh) just didn’t know that the reasons are classified” (page 253). The author leaves the characters more skilled, more educated, more experienced, and ready to take on other adventures.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books 06/01/06
Publishers Weekly 05/15/06
Horn Book 10/01/06
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) 10/01/06
CONNECTIONS
Horowitz, Anthony. 2001. STORMBREAKER. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 9780399236204
· Partner this as a teen-aged, male-lead spy book
Carter, Ally. 2007. CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO SPY. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 9781423100058
· Partner this as a sequel with the same lead character
Spradlin, Michael P. 2005. TO HAWAII, WITH LOVE. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 9780060594107
· Partner this book as a female heroine who leaves a private school on a journey to find an artifact
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