Reading Group Guide Spy School Blackout By Stuart Gibbs About the Book In the thirteenth book in Stuart Gibbs''s New York Times bestselling Spy School series, superspy middle schooler Ben Ripley goes off the grid to eliminate a cybersecurity threat. After a devious computer hacker pulls off the CIA''s worst-case scenario, shutting down power networks all over the world, Ben and his fellow spies-in-training are forced to make a harrowing emergency landing of their plane in Indonesia. While chaos begins to erupt around the planet, Ben deduces that his team is closer to the mysterious hacker''s base than anyone else. But with all computers and phones down, there''s no way to communicate with anyone at the CIA. On their latest mission to save the world, Ben and his friends face a conniving villain, assassins, pirates, sharks, and very big lizards in the most remote--and deadly--location of any spy school yet! Discussion Questions 1. In the opening redacted memo to agent Catherine Hale, the sender shares: "I know that you have just taken care of some nasty business in Botswana and are certainly due some time to rest and recuperate, but sadly, evil never sleeps. And at the moment, it appears to be wide awake and itching for trouble." How does this ominous message set the stage for the events to come in Spy School Blackout ? 2.
As the novel begins, Ben tells readers, As far as I''m concerned, the most frightening word in the English language is "uh-oh." There are thousands of situations in which those two simple syllables can make your blood run cold. You don''t want to hear your doctor say them during surgery. And you certainly don''t want to hear the pilot of your airplane say them while you''re coming in for a landing. What does the team''s emergency landing arrival and CIA operative Alexander Hale''s reaction to it indicate about him and the rest of the group? 3. As the group tries to process the blackout and lack of lighting at the airport, Mary Hale emphatically states, "''It doesn''t matter why the power is out . What matters is how we are going to deal with the situation.''" (Chapter one) Do you agree? Why is figuring out how to react even more important in this case? How is this also a useful strategy in general, such as in less dire situations? 4.
How does Trixie Hale''s specialized knowledge prove crucial during the plane''s emergency landing at Prambanan? Considering what she shares throughout Spy School Blackout , what can readers glean about her skill set that makes her a unique but important contribution to the team? 5. Realizing her grandmother isn''t being honest with the group, Trixie states, "''You always tell me not to lie. And yet, that''s exactly what you''re doing right now. It''s obvious that you''re worried about something. I think the team deserves to know what that is.''" (Chapter two) Why might Mary choose to withhold information from the team? Do you believe there are times when doing so is warranted? Why or why not? 6. Why is Orion initially considered a potential asset by the CIA and MI6, and what specific capability do they believe he possesses that could help? Why is learning the truth about his role in the Birthday Cake blackout so disappointing? 7. After Erica promises to get the power back on, her grandmother Mary tells her, "''Erica, you know I think the world of you .
but even you can''t guarantee that for sure.''" (Chapter three) Using your prior knowledge about Erica, in what ways is it surprising that she seems upset about having her abilities questioned? 8. Analyze the role of specific knowledge and diverse skill sets among the spy-in-training characters (Ben, Erica, Trixie, Mike, Zoe, Svetlana, Jawa, and Chip). How do their individual strengths, as well as their weaknesses, contribute to or hinder the team''s progress throughout Spy School Blackout ? 9. When discussing their desire to accompany the adults as they depart to chase down Pulsar, the alleged culprit for the Birthday Cake blackout, Ben tells Erica, "''I do want to go on the mission . but like Cyrus said, he gave us an order. You know he''s not going to change his mind. So why waste time arguing?''" to which Erica retorts, "''Let''s try this again.
Only, when you answer me, make it the truth this time.''" (Chapter seven) Based on what you know about their relationship and work together on past missions, how does Erica know Ben isn''t being honest? Given all he''s been through in past missions, why does this one cause him enough fear to make him want to leave the challenges to the adults? 10. For the Spy School team, why does learning that Orion isn''t who they believed him to be so disappointing? Do you believe they should be surprised by his lack of morality? Why or why not? 11. Based on what you learn in the novel, though it seems like an easy solution, why don''t governments just pay the ransoms in terrorist situations like the one explored in Spy School Blackout ? Are there ways in which this lesson can be applied to everyday life? 12. How is Orion a formidable foe? What resources does he have that make him a threat to Ben, his team, and the world at large? 13. Describe the relationship between Erica and Svetlana. How does their relationship evolve over the course of the novel? Do you believe they''ve made progress in their time working together? 14. When Erica accuses Ben of making excuses instead of engaging in the mission, he retorts by saying, "''No I''m not.
I''m saying there are other solutions than going off on a poorly thought-out commando mission. The Hales aren''t the only people capable of saving the world.''" (Chapter seven) Consider this idea of the Hales as regular saviors of the world. Do you think Ben is right in his assessment? Why or why not? 15. What is the significance of Orion''s global blackout? How does this worldwide event serve as a catalyst for revealing character, escalating the story stakes, and exploring the fragility of modern society and technology in Spy School Blackout? 16. Throughout the novel, each member of the Spy School team has to face a personal fear. Consider your favorite character, and share what you believe them to be most afraid of during this mission and what they do to work through it. 17.
Why does Orion seem upset to learn that he''s been double-crossed by Virgo? In what ways is his reaction ironic? How does it seem like a fitting outcome? 18. Thinking about the events of Spy School Blackout and the Spy School series in general, what''s been your favorite mission the Spy School team has undertaken so far? Why? Extension Activities 1. Besides being the place where Ben and the team crash-land and begin their adventures in this book, readers learn that the Prambanan Temple complex in Indonesia is culturally significant to the country, as well as to the greater world. Using https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/642/ and other trusted resources, and working with a small group, research to learn more about the Prambanan Temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site, including: o Where is the temple complex located? o How large is it? o What is it best known for? o In what ways does Indonesia show its commitment to the Prambanan Temple complex? o What are five unusual facts that you uncovered? After completing this research, share the three most interesting things you learned with your peers. 2. In Spy School Blackout , the global Birthday Cake blackout renders modern navigation systems like GPS inoperable, along with cellular networks and the internet.
Consider the ways in which the team must rely on traditional methods and their diverse skills to learn how to adapt and navigate in a world without using modern technology. Using the events in the novel, select one character and highlight what they do and use to overcome the lack of modern technology. Additionally, consider a task or chore in your daily life, and write a short paragraph about how that task could be different if you couldn''t use technology, including your phone, computer/tablet, the internet, or even lights and electricity. 3. While real widespread blackouts are extraordinarily rare, in Spy School Blackout readers witness the outcomes of the global crisis when fictional power grids are shut down. To better understand the complications of such an event, read the following article about Europe''s largest blackout in twenty years:https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/may/02/blackouts-energy-outage-risks-europe-worldwide-spain-portugal-france.
After reading, research more to learn about blackouts, and how they cause real-world problems. o What are the most common causes of blackouts? o Who typically is responsible for restoring power? o What are the greatest obstacles for ordinary people during a massive blackout? o What additional information did you find interesting and why? 4. In Spy School Blackout, readers discover that Indonesia is filled with unique animals like Balinese long-tailed macaques, and not found widely elsewhere in the world. Use library and trusted internet resources to explore and learn more about these unique creatures. After ev.