Bibliographical information:

Bosch, Pseudonymous.  The Name of this Book is Secret.  New York: Little, Brown, 2007.

Brief summary:

This novel combines a puzzle, a mystery, and a great adventure. It's also the tale of a friendship between two unlikely kids, one a Cassandra who loudly prophecies almost every catastrophe possible, except the one that befalls her, the other an aspiring stand-up comic who, though not funny, is a good friend to have in a pinch.  Cassandra and Max-Ernst collaborate to unravel the mystery of the "Symphony of Smells," in a somewhat Snicket-inspired adventure.

Comments:

 The book has fabulous illustrations by Gilbert Ford that are a big part of the story; the chapters are short and the story moves along briskly, making it perfect for reluctant readers. 

Grade/Age level:

Age ten and up. 

Cautions:

 There are a few scary moments but they are mostly treated pretty lightly.  There's also divorce, single-parenting, and a gay couple, all of whom go relatively unremarked, simply forming part of the world in which these children—like my own children—live.

If you like this book, you might also like . . .

 Books by Blue Balliet (Chasing Vermeer), Lemony Snicket (A Series of Unfortunate Events), or Ellen Raskin (The Westing Game).

--Libby Gruner

Feel free to add comments by clicking the comments tab above.