The Name of This Book Is Secret
by Pseudonymous Bosch · The Secret Series #1
A postmodern mystery for middle graders — redacted chapters, secret societies, and a narrator who won't even tell you his name
The story
When an elderly magician dies under suspicious circumstances, his notebook ends up in the hands of Cass — a survivalist-minded sixth grader with ears she's learning to be proud of — and her new almost-friend Max-Ernest, a boy who compulsively jokes because his divorced parents have agreed never to agree. Their pursuit of the notebook's secrets draws them toward the Midnight Sun, a suspiciously perfect resort-spa, and a hidden society devoted to protecting a single dangerous secret. The narrator, who refuses to say his own name, interrupts constantly to warn the reader off — which only makes the reader keep going.
Age verdict
Best fit ages 9-11 (Grades 4-6) for independent reading. Strong 8-year-olds handle it with read-aloud support; readers 12-13 still enjoy the wit but may sense the narrator aiming slightly younger. A long book at 364 pages — plan for more than one sitting.
Our take
Teacher-favored postmodern mystery with exceptional creative-spark and writing-prompt power; strong kid engagement led by a standout opening; parent value steady without being the book's strongest axis
What stands out
Each audience's top 3 dimensions. Out of 30 scored per book.
Kids love
- First-chapter grab Exceptional
Opens with chapters numbered out of order, a redacted first chapter, a missing Chapter 13, and a narrator refusing to reveal his name — the gag machine starts before page 1. Stronger hook than Brian's Winter because the postmodern framing is unique in middle grade mystery.
- Character voice Strong
Cass's paranoid-survivalist worrying, Max-Ernest's rapid-fire dual-sided jokes, and the self-mocking Pseudonymous narrator give the book three immediately recognizable voices — matching A Wrinkle in Time for ensemble distinctness.
Parents love
- Creative spark Exceptional
The book teaches kids to write, name, and organize their own secrets — from code names to invented notebook systems to secret-society symbols. Among the most prompt-rich books in the database, near Harry Potter #3 (P8=8-9) and above typical comedy ceilings.
- Vocabulary builder Strong
Words like 'synesthesia,' 'pseudonym,' 'alchemy,' 'bergamot,' and multiple French and Italian phrases appear in natural context with narrator asides that explain without condescending. Rich vocabulary growth comparable to Anne of Green Gables .
Teachers love
- Writing prompt potential Exceptional
The redacted chapter, chapter zero, in-book footnotes, fake chapter titles, and the 'write your own pseudonym' conceit are themselves writing prompts. Between Harry Potter #3 and the database ceiling — few books model more prompt-rich techniques for middle-grade writers.
- Project potential Exceptional
Students can build their own Symphony of Smells, write redacted chapters, design pseudonyms and secret-society symbols, or re-number a notebook in clue-hiding order. Lesson-plan gate ≥50 plus the prompt-rich text make project ideas obvious and abundant.
✓ Perfect for
- • Readers who loved A Series of Unfortunate Events and want another voice-forward postmodern mystery
- • Kids who like codes, ciphers, secret societies, and books that play with typography and chapter structure
- • Aspiring writers who want mentor texts for unreliable narration, footnotes, and unusual formatting
- • Families looking for a smart, comic read-aloud with real craft beneath the gags
Not ideal for
Readers looking for heavy emotional stakes, fast-paced gross-out comedy, or a straightforward narrative — the framing games can frustrate kids who want the story to just tell itself.
⚠ Heads up
At a glance
- Pages
- 364
- Chapters
- 34
- Words
- 60k
- Lexile
- 810L
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- POV
- Third Person Omniscient
- Illustration
- Sparse
- Published
- 2007
- Illustrator
- Gilbert Ford
Mood & style
You'll know it worked when…
If your child laughs at the opening redactions and asks 'what does that mean?' about synesthesia in the first 50 pages, they are locked in. Kids who bounce off the first 30 pages tend to stay bounced — the framing is the show.
More like this
Same genre, similar age range. Ranked by kid score.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library
by Chris Grabenstein
The Haunted Serpent
by Dora M. Mitchell
Enola Holmes: The Case of the Left-Handed Lady
by Nancy Springer
If You're Reading This, It's Too Late
by Pseudonymous Bosch
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