The book bunnies are back! Today in her first review after summer break, Marshmallow is writing about Undercover Angel by Dyan Sheldon, a book published originally in 2000. The book bunnies first discovered a translation of the book and had to dig up the English original, but it was worth it!
Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like reading books about the environment or kids with a surprisingly good sense of humor, then this is the book for you!
Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Elmo Blue is not very pleased with his family – and for reasons that go beyond his unfortunate name (his words, not mine). His mother specifically is the main issue; Grace Blue is one of the leading members of the Keep Our Planet Green group in Campton, a small town in England. She and the other Greeners (as Elmo calls them) do horrifically embarrassing things, at least in his perspective. For example, she drives a milk float instead of a car.
Meanwhile, the Blues’ fancy neighbors Mr. and Ms. Bamber drive around in a Porsche all day. Mr. Bamber is a wealthy landowner and developer who is essentially his mother’s arch nemesis. He plans on converting a large swathe of beautiful land in the neighborhood into a resort / golf course. As an environmentalist who had handcuffed herself to stop bulldozers from destroying nature, Grace views her neighbors as disgusting devils; in Elmo’s eyes, they are admirable. At least their house is clean, tidy, and orderly in his eyes. Naively, he believes that Mr. Bamber is an honorable businessman who is far more respectable than his own messy family.
So, in summary, Elmo couldn’t really care less about his mother’s petition problems and her struggle to get the city council to stop Mr. Bamber’s development plans. After all, she barely registers that he wants attention after falling off the roof. For context, he fell off while trying to spy on the Bambers’ new adopted son (who Elmo views as a perfect candidate for a new best friend). Miraculously, he isn’t a teensy bit hurt. Grace is too busy to pay attention though.
After returning to his room, Elmo finds the new adopted child sitting at his desk. The child turns out to be a very tall, intimidating girl named Kuba who claims to be an angel. She does have a faint blue halo but Elmo refuses to buy unscientifically-backed claims. But the evidence piles up eventually. Kuba is an undercover angel in Campton, come to help Grace and the Greeners stop Mr. Bamber. The only catch is that she is not allowed to be involved in anything, meaning Elmo has to do something. He doesn’t want to, but there’s not much you can do when an undercover angel tells you to save the environment.
Marshmallow’s Review: Undercover Angel is a very niche-like book but it is also extremely funny. I was very surprised by how witty this book is. Elmo is a twelve year old but the story is still amusing if you are older. His journey from aspiring Warren Buffet to cautious environmental activist is fascinating to watch, even if his transformation is not complete at the end of the book. It does end with hints that the story continues (and apparently there is a second book with Elmo and Kuba in it), but it is still a satisfying ending.
Undercover Angel is very quick to read – only around 137 pages with large font – and very entertaining so it’s a great choice for kids or teenagers who are interested in the environment but still looking for something lighthearted. Most books about environmental issues are a lot heavier so this is a great option to introduce those larger concepts to younger audiences. I think this would be particularly perfect for elementary school students in a classroom or bedtime setting.
Undercover Angel is written in British English so some of the words may require a quick search; context also matters (for example, mentions to the IRA and SAS may be unfamiliar for bunnies of different nationalities). But these side references are not at all substantial. They are occasional and raise brief questions you may or may not investigate into (reading books that make you have to look something up is a bit more work but is more rewarding because you receive more than just a narrative; you also learn little pieces of information you wouldn’t have otherwise).
The message overall is clearly globally relevant. While Undercover Angel is set in a small town surrounded by woods and lakes, the message of environmental protection applies to all people – whether nature looks the same or strikingly different in your community. I really liked how this book also focused on environmental action within a local circle. I truly enjoy books that look at larger scale action, but it is refreshing to see what environmentalism can look like in a sense you can directly, easily imagine.
While there are some references to a God, it is not really specified which God it is and the topic of religion is not really mentioned. Yet, one of the main characters being an angel adds a different dimension to the narrative that was interesting to me. Generally, books about environmental protection are more focused on nature itself, scientific fact, and tangible action. Much of this book is focused on the people wreaking havoc, the families trying to stop it, and the strange and mystical ways their undercover angel directs action.
I was a bit surprised that very little of the book focused on time spent in nature itself. This is a result, I suppose, of the main character’s resistance to environmentalism as a whole. It is interesting to see how even reluctant Elmo begins to recognize the importance of environmental protection at the end. As such, Undercover Angel can be a great story for parents or teachers looking to introduce or explore environmentalism with their children. It definitely has some examples of the stereotypical environmentalist (the mom is basically a walking stereotype), but, with thought, care, and an open mind, this book is the perfect book to make classroom and bedtime reading more eco-friendly!
Marshmallow’s Rating: 100%.
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