City Spies

Ponti was inspired to write the City Spies series after a trip to London and Paris with his wife to visit his son who was studying there. He was deeply inspired by the architecture, history, art, and people. Influenced by the idea that so much can be learned from different cultures and places, Ponti decided to create a diverse cast of characters and showcase their strengths when they work as a team to represent this lesson. City Spies is set within Britain and France, honoring the countries where Ponti was motivated to create the story. Ponti has two sons who have heavily inspired his writing and featuring of child heroes. One of his sons, Alex, had autism and passed away in 2015. Ponti’s inclusion of the character Kat, who displays several traits of autism, is an ode to people with autism. Ponti writes Kat as a deeply skilled and intelligent character who is also particular about routines and weary of new people. Throughout the novel, she demonstrates her importance to the team and the inner warmth that becomes evident over time. Another aspect of Ponti’s writing that shines clearly in his work is his sense of humor. Ponti cites his experience working as a Davy Crockett guide for Walt Disney World and telling jokes as a job which helped him develop his humor and writing skills. In particular, Ponti gives Sydney the gift of humor, as she regularly teases the other children and always maintains a positive outlook. (“Author Interview: James Ponti Author of City Spies Books Speaks with Blogger Thee,” Stone Soup Editors. 2020).