 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Name of This Book Is Secret
- By Pseudonymous Bosch
- Genre: Mystery
Common Sense Media says
Mild mystery tries too hard to be Lemony Snicket.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that there is little to be concerned about here: one mild expletive, some indirectly referenced violence, and children sneaking out on adventures.
What's the story?
Cass carries around a backpack with survival gear, supposedly because her father was killed by lightning, except he wasn't, so it's not really an excuse. Max-Ernest is an incessant chatterbox, which lands him in therapy and social pariah-hood. They team up to look into a mysterious coded message left in the belongings of an elderly magician who apparently died in a fire.
What they find is a group of mysterious immortals who kidnap children with synesthesia, for reasons that never become completely clear, but are apparently connected to their method of prolonging life. When a boy from their school is kidnapped, they decide to try to rescue him.
Is it any good?
The fun part is the mystery: Children with a taste for this kind of thing will enjoy the clues and codes, and will wish for more of them. Some will be immediately obvious to many kids, while others are more clever, but this part of the story is a fairly humorous romp. The dreary part is the author's voice: Apparently trying to take a leaf from Lemony Snicket's books, he gives incessant warnings about how dangerous it is to read the book; this, combined with the utter lack of anything that justifies the build-up, comes across as lame at best and annoying at worst.
The sum of these parts, along with some plot holes and lapses in logic, make for a book that is modestly entertaining at times and irritating at others. But given the dearth of books in this particular genre of lighthearted mysteries involving codes and a touch of the supernatural, kids who loved Lemony Snicket's or Blue Balliett's books will want to read this too.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the various types of secret codes used in the book, including keyword codes and anagrams -- and maybe play around with some secret codes for a little family fun. Which types of secret code appeal to you most? Can you make up a secret code?
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AGE
I wouldn't recommend this for any age group.
Awful book. Besides being unoriginal and boring, starting on page 50, there is a blatant message encouraging children to lie to their parents, saying that its okay if you think your parents wont approve of what you are doing or where you are going. I read every book before my son does, and this one and any of the other ones written by this particular author is being banned in our household. I'm not an overly strict parent, but any author who sits there and has the audacity to expose my child to poor language, dishonest actions, and lifestyle choices that are contrary to our beliefs is not welcome in my house.
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AGE
IT'S SUPERB AND THERE IS NO HARM IN ANYONE READING IT.
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AGE
Different but GOOD plot line and writing style.
AMAZING BOOK!! If you are bored with the normal plot line then you should read this. The way he writes is very funny, different, and interesting. Great book!
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AGE
i love this book read all three books fantastic!!!!!!!!
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AGE
Best Book Written By Far!!
I love this book! i would recommend it to any kid thats in for a mystery. Some parts are confusing but you soon understand it. Its a great story about the adventure of finding what killed a magician. Best book i have read by far.
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AGE
A great "suspenseful" book that isn't too scary
My son (10 yrs) just finished reading this whole series. I think he liked it better than Lemony Snicket which is so dark. I read the first few books of The Secret series just to make sure that it is appropriate. I thought it was fine for my 10 year old, not as dark at The Unfortunate Events Series.
The main female character does lie to her parents and sneak around a bit, but it's all "to save the world" which is exactly what she and her new friend are trying to do.
I would not recommend this book for kids younger than 9. My 8 year old daughter would not do well with the suspenseful content of this book. It is great however for my son that is ready for something a little scarier and suspenseful.
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AGE
wow
wow. (that is what you will say when you start reading)
really good writing
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AGE
AWESOME
I loved this book. It was the title that made me want to read it. It just makes you want to read it. When I read it at the bookstore, I walked out of the front door without paying for it since I was too much in the story. When I got home, I was so into the story, I could not set it down at all; I swear that the book was glued to my hands, and my eyes stuck reading the pages. This. Book. Is. AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!
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AGE
One of the best books written
I love this book! I've read it numerous times, to myself and to my little brother. Even my twenty-year-old sister likes it, and the sequels. They are witty, funny, and clean. They're are some parts that could be a little creepy for little kids, but that's the only thing that could be wrong with this book.
Happy reading! :)
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AGE
I LOVE THIS BOOK ! It has good vocabulary and the writer made this book really interesting to read! I can't stop reading after i started ! It even has codes to break ! Totally AWESOME ! It is so BRAVE of Cass and Max-Ernest to save Benjamin. :D
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| Author: | Pseudonymous Bosch |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Mystery |
| Publisher: | Little, Brown and Company |
| Publication date: | October 1, 2007 |
| Number of pages: | 360 |
| Hardcover price: | $17.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 8 - 12 |
| Read aloud: | 9 |
| Read alone: | 10 |
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