If You're Reading This, It's Too Late by Pseudonymous Bosch

From Barnes & Noble

The very first page of Pseudonymous Bosch's very first book warned, "Do not read beyond this page!" But did you listen? No. And now you're back to follow Cass and Max-Ernest on another adventure as they pursue another bundle of codes, secret signs, archenemies, and assorted mysteries. We have no hope at all that you will be able to regain your repose and boredom by placing this book in a very dark place and attempting to forget that you ever opened its cover.

From the Publisher

Beware!

Dangerous secrets lie between the pages of this book.

OK, I warned you. But if you think I'll give anything away, or tell you that this is the sequel to my first literary endeavor, The Name of This Book is Secret, you're wrong.

I'm not going to remind you of how we last left our heroes, Cass and Max-Ernest, as they awaited intiation into the mysterious Terces Society, or the ongoing fight against the evil Dr. L and Ms. Mauvais. I certainly won't be telling you about how the kids stumble upon the Museum of Magic, where they finally meet the amazing Pietro!

Oh, blast! I've done it again. Well, at least I didn't tell you about the missing Sound Prism, the nefarious Lord Pharaoh, or the mysterious creature born in a bottle over 500 years ago, the key to the biggest secret of all.

I really can't help myself, now can I? Let's face it—-if you're reading this, it's too late.

KLIATT

Max Ernest and Cass wait impatiently to be contacted by the Terces Society after their prior adventures (explored in the last book, The Name of this Book Is Secret). Leaving hairs strategically around the house and searching alphabet cereal for some mysterious contact, the friends eventually find the message in the form of a grocery list supposedly left by Cass's mother. Codes and other puzzles abound in this book and readers can join the friends in working to figure them out. Adventures lead these friends into the clutches of their enemies, and then masterful escapes lead to finding the real Terces Society as well as discovering secrets about Cass's unknown father. Embedded in the story are the always-interesting comments of P.S. Bosch, including definitions of challenging words, random advice regarding the plot, and even digressions about his hesitation to continue telling the story. It's this humor as well as the adventures that make the life lessons about true friendship, tenacity, ingenuity and the meaning of lineage fully accessible and interesting to younger YAs. Aimee Reviewer: Cole

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6

This stand-alone sequel to The Name of This Book Is Secret (Little, Brown, 2007) combines mystery, adventure, and fantasy. On their mission for the Terces Society, 11-year-old Cass and Max-Ernest must find the homunculus, a 500-year-old man born in a bottle, before Dr. L and Ms. Mauvais do. The evil duo plans to use him to uncover the secret of immortality. The use of an overbearing narrator to create a sense of danger works in the beginning, but grows tiresome toward the end. The numerous parenthetical comments and footnotes are often laugh-out-loud funny, but also draw readers out of the action. Bosch creates sufficiently quirky, well-rounded protagonists, while stereotypes suffice for the secondary characters, with the exception of the homunculus. Cynical humor shines through in the portrayal of the Skelton Sisters, an evil tween pop group in the employ of Dr. L and Ms. Mauvais. The dark illustrations, descending chapter numbers, and playful fonts will catch readers' attention. Fans of Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events" (HarperCollins) will enjoy this slightly more fleshed-out read.-Kim Ventrella, Ralph Ellison Library, Oklahoma City, OK

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