The Recruit is the first novel in the CHERUB series, written by Robert Muchamore. It introduces most of the main characters, such as James Adams (formerly Choke), Lauren Adams (formerly Onions), Kyle Blueman, and Kerry Chang. It was released in the United Kingdom by Hodder Children's Books on 30 April 2004, and by Simon Pulse in the United States on 30 August 2005. Plot Eleven-year-old James Choke accidentally slashes classmate Samantha Jennings' face with a nail on the wall after she teases him about his mother's obesity. He shoves his teacher over and runs home to find his stepfather Ronald "Ron" Onions visiting his mother, Gwen. Later that night, James discovers that his mother has died after consuming alcohol while taking painkillers. James is sent to a children's home called Nebraska House, where he shares a room with thirteen-year-old CHERUB agent Kyle Blueman. Lauren is taken to live with her father Ron, who dislikes James and doesn't allow him to visit her. Contrary to Kyle's advice, James befriends Rob Vaughn and his friends. A few weeks later, on his twelfth birthday, James is called into the police station, where he receives a caution for assaulting Samantha Jennings and his teacher, Cassandra Voolt. Later that night, Rob and his cronies convince him to steal a pack of beer from an off-licence. The shopkeeper catches him after two of Rob's cronies block the door, preventing James from escaping. He is escorted to the police station, where he is placed in a cell and his statement recorded. The next morning, James awakes in a room at the CHERUB campus. Chairman Dr. Terrence "Mac" McAfferty introduces him to CHERUB and puts him through a series of entrance tests. He passes the tests and is sent back to Nebraska House to decide whether or not he wants to join. Upon returning to CHERUB, Kyle shows James his new room, and he meets his handler, Meryl Spencer. In her office, he chooses his new name, James Robert Anthony Adams. He is given a physical assessment and told to run 30kilometers per week and learn how to swim. A few days after arriving at CHERUB campus, Kyle sneaks him onto a one-day mission in London to visit Lauren. Three weeks later, he and seven other recruits begin Basic Training, a rigorous 100-day course designed to prepare CHERUB agents for missions, and is paired up with Kerry Chang.