Action Packed Spy Series: Review of Kensy and Max #5 Freefall

Kensy and Max #5: Freefall is the fifth instalment in the popular action-packed spy series by legendary children’s author Jacqueline Harvey.

A bestselling Australian children’s author and teacher for many years, you can be assured that Harvey knows how to tempt a reluctant reader and then keep them captivated.

Best known for her Alice Miranda and Clementine Rose series, Kensy and Max is also proving to be extremely popular. We know that many young readers are already fans as the series made our Top 50 list in 2019. You can see the full list here.

If you’re new to the series, then we’ll set the scene. At age 11, Kensy and Max were admitted as Pharos agents in training – Pharos is one of the world’s most powerful spy agencies. Max has a photographic memory with a particularly impressive ability to remember maps – while Kensy has a flare for robotics and mechanical engineering.

In Freefall they are joined by Curtis Pepper, a possible new recruit that Kensy and Max met while in Sydney. He is inquisitive, attentive to detail and well prepared – all the qualities needed to be a successful Pharos agent.

This time Kensy and Max are back in Alexandria, enjoying the spring break with Curtis. Things get even better when Granny Cordelia decides to take them on a trip to New York. However, this isn’t any ordinary holiday. The dangerous criminal Dash Chalmers is at large, and the twins are needed to help bring his exploits under control. They’ll need to be on high alert and they’ll also need all the help they can get.

This series is filled with fast-paced action, complex plots and interesting and intriguing characters. Kensy and Max are inspiring in their ability to achieve anything they put their mind to. With lots of travel, maps, a cast list, codes and extensive case notes there is certainly a lot of fuel for those with big imaginations. This is a series that we highly recommend for all 9+ readers.