"Jack Stalwart has become my precocious 5.5-year old son's favorite bedtime story. If you're looking beyond Harry Potter, this is a great adventure series sure to capture your youngter's imagination. We received 2 Jack Stalwart books as gifts and now are purchasing the rest of the set."

"I just wish our local library would discover this series. We have been searching for another series for my son -- he devoured all the 'A-Z' Mysteries and then had trouble deciding on the next series of books that could capture his imagination in the same way. These books do it. He devours them -- challenging his reading skills, but making it so fun he doesn't even know it. I'm sure girls would love these books, too, but they are especially great for little boys who already have a sense that secret agents are cool. "

"My son just loves all of these books. The latest, book #4, he read in about 2 hours. He loves the places, the adventure and the gadgets. I like them because, they are not scary-violent or creepy. He loves to talk about the cool cities Jack visits. I would love to find another series that is similar."

"A perfect series for my 6-year-old spy-loving-adventure-loving boy. It wasn't boring or painful for me to endure with him either. He enthusiastically read on his own too."

"My 6 year old boy loves this series and can't wait for more. It is great seeing him get so excited about books. Thanks Elizabeth Singer Hunt."

Kids looking for adventure series now have even more options. The Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur by Elizabeth Singer Hunt, heralds the action-heavy Secret Agent Jack Stalwart series, which stars nine-year old Jack, a member of the top secret Global Protection Force. In this opening installment, he travels to the Big Apple to put the brakes on a dinosaur running loose in the city. Jack travels to Australia in The Search for the Sunken Treasure, where he attempts to locate a diver who disappeared from the Great Barrier Reef while exploring a sunken ship full of treasure. (Weinstein, each $4.99 paper 110p ages 4-8 ISBN 978-1-60286-004-9; ISBN 978-1-60286-002-5; Oct.)

By BRANDY HILBOLDT ALLPORT The Times-Union

If the recent cold snap set off a round of questions about frigid weather, pick up a copy of Jan Brett's new book called The Three Snow Bears (G. P. Putnam Sons, $16.99; ages 8 and older).

Fighting the good fight: Jack Stalwart (Code Name Courage) is a 9-year-old secret agent who travels the world to combat crime. He swashbuckled onto the literary scene in September and became an instant hit with the second- and third-grade crowd. Look for his fourth adventure, The Caper of the Crown Jewels, in bookstores by the end of January. Elizabeth Singer Hunt writes the paperback chapter books (Weinstein; $4.99).

SECRET AGENT JACK STALWART
Book 1: The Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur
Book 2: The Search For the Sunken Treasure
By Elizabeth Singer Hunt
NEW AND NOTABLE

TESTED AND APPROVED: Second- and third-grade boy who love to read often favor a series (tried-and-true author, familiar protagonist). If your reader is getting antsy waiting for the next Captain Underpants, Andrew Lost or Geronimo Stilton title, introduce a new character. Jack Stalwart is a 9-year-old secret agent who travels the world to fight crime. With a name like Stalwart, his destiny is pretty obvious isn’t it?

The paperback chapter books (Weinstein; $4.99) by Elizabeth Singer Hunt feature the fearless Jack battling dragons, searching for sunken treasure and tracking paintings stolen from the Louvre. The page-turners intrigue their intended audience with plot twists and exotic settings. I sent two Stalwart adventures home with my editor. His 8-year-old son declared the titles "awesome," returned them in two days and asked for more Jack books.

A friend’s son, also age 8, finished the 128 pages of Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur during a recent Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

“Cool,” he said. “When can you bring me another one?”

A sled for all seasons

Slicer Sled is designed to slide on snow and grass. Created by Ice Meister, the Slicer was inspired by the summer tradition of ice-blocking, in which people sit on a block of ice and slide.

Slicer Sled works for summer sledding by using Icers, uniquely designed molds that form and hold the ice block the slicer sled rides on. Each sled comes with a set of two Icers that are stored inside the Slicer until they are ready for summer use. In the winter, the sleds slide without the Icers.

The Slicer sells for $59.99 and includes two Icers. Additional Icers sell for $19.99 per set. To order, go online to www.icesled.com or call (303) 517-1973.

Picture bookEveryone will giggle and enjoy Stephen Dubner’s book “The Boy with Two Belly Buttons” (HarperCollins, $16.99)

Solomon doesn’t think it’s strange that he has two belly buttons until he finds out that no one else does. Is having an extra belly button good or bad? Follow Solomon as he embarks on a journey to figure it all out.

Series for young readers

Jack Stalwart, code name “Courage,” is a cross between a young Indiana Jones and James Bond. Jack is a secret agent working for the GPF (Global Protection Force): a worldwide group of secret agents working to protect the world’s most precious resources.

That’s the premise for this page- turner series aimed at reluctant readers ages 6 to 9. Set in different locations around the world and loosely entwined with historical facts, the story takes readers on a wild adventure while they learn a bit about world history and geography.

The fourth book in Elizabeth Singer Hunt’s series “Secret Agent Jack Stalwart: The Caper of the Crown Jewels” (Weinstein Books, $4.99 paperback) is newly released. But we suggest you start at the beginning with Book 1, “The Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur,” Book 2, “The Search for the Sunken Treasure,” and Book 3 “The Mystery of Mona Lisa.”

'Secret Agent Jack Stalwart'

BY ROBERT GORLICK, Kidsday Reporter

The book series "Secret Agent Jack Stalwart" by Elizabeth Singer Hunt (Weinstein Books), for ages 6 to 9, is fun to read. The books are about a 10-year-old secret agent going around the globe and saving good people from evil villains. Each book is short and simple, without tough grammar. The books have simple plots. A lot of younger kids really liked the books. I thought the books were interesting and had fun facts. I give this series a 4 (out of 5).