If you loved
Spy Kids
Robert Rodriguez · Film · 2001
What hooked you in Spy Kids was the thrilling way ordinary family life collides with high-stakes, gadget-filled espionage and secret identities.
Books on the same thread
The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1)
Rick Riordan · Book · 2010
Explores: Egyptian mythology, Sibling relationships, Ancient Egypt.
Much like the sibling dynamic in Spy Kids, this story follows two children thrust into a world of hidden power, forcing them to rely on each other to survive.
Spy School
Stuart Gibbs · Book
Explores: imposter syndrome, competence porn, underdog hero.
If you enjoyed seeing kids tackle international danger in Spy Kids, you will appreciate this story of a boy unexpectedly recruited into a secret junior intelligence academy.
Spy x Family, Vol. 1
Tatsuya Endo · Book · 2020
Explores: found family, secret identity, espionage.
This series captures the chaotic, secret-filled family dynamic of Spy Kids, featuring a mismatched group hiding their true, dangerous professions while pretending to be a normal family.
Spy School
Stuart Gibbs · Book
Explores: undercover operations, mistaken identity, coming-of-age.
Just as in Spy Kids, this book centers on the excitement of a young person entering the world of espionage, proving that age is no barrier to intelligence work.
Series on the same thread
SPY x FAMILY
Series · 2022
Explores: Found Family, Secret Identity, Fish Out of Water.
This show mirrors the secret-identity humor of Spy Kids, focusing on a group of skilled individuals who must maintain a domestic facade while concealing their true, covert lives.
Teen Titans
Series · 2003
Explores: Teamwork, Coming of Age, Good vs Evil.
Fans of the gadget-based action in Spy Kids will love this team of young heroes who use specialized technology and teamwork to stop villains and protect the world.
Spy
Simeon Goulden · Series · 2011
Explores: Secret Identity, Incompetent Protagonist, Divorced Parents.
This sitcom highlights the struggle of balancing parental responsibilities with the demands of secret agency work, a central tension that defined the household in Spy Kids.
Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia
Guillermo del Toro · Series · 2016
Explores: Chosen One, Secret World, Coming of Age.
Similar to the way the children in Spy Kids are pulled into a hidden world, this story follows a teen who discovers a secret reality and assumes an unlikely destiny.
Podcasts on the same thread
Story Pirates
Story Pirates · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Childhood imagination, Collaborative storytelling, Humor.
If you loved the imaginative spirit of Spy Kids, you will enjoy this podcast that celebrates the creativity of children by turning their unique stories into comedic sketches.
The Adventure Zone
The McElroys · Podcast · 2026
Explores: improvised storytelling, group dynamics, high fantasy satire.
This series echoes the family-centric adventures of Spy Kids, featuring a group of relatives working together through high-stakes challenges and fantasy scenarios with a heavy dose of humor.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the premise of Spy Kids?
In Spy Kids, siblings Carmen and Juni discover their parents, Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez, were actually top secret agents. When former colleagues disappear, the parents return to their old profession and the children eventually join the family business to help with the mission.
Who are the main characters in Spy Kids?
The central characters in Spy Kids are Carmen and Juni, who initially believe their parents are boring. Their parents, Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez, are revealed to be retired secret agents who must return to active duty after their former colleagues go missing.
Does the Spy Kids plot involve the parents' past?
Yes, the plot of Spy Kids centers on the past of Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez. Although they retired to raise their children, the disappearance of their former colleagues forces them to return to the secret agent life, which leads to Carmen and Juni joining the family business.
Is Spy Kids about a family of spies?
Spy Kids follows the Cortez family. While Gregorio and Ingrid are retired secret agents, the disappearance of their colleagues brings them out of retirement. The children, Carmen and Juni, end up joining the family business, making the entire group involved in the secret agent activities.