Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

The Book of Secrets

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
From Newbery Medalist Cynthia Voigt, Book II in the exciting adventures of Mister Max—12-year-old detective in disguise.
 
In Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things, Max Starling proved that he is more than a detective, he’s a Solutioneer. His reputation for problem-solving has been spreading—and now even the mayor wants his help.
 
Someone is breaking windows and setting fires in the old city, but the shopkeepers won’t say a word about the culprits. Why are they keeping these thugs’ secrets?
When the mayor begs for help, Max agrees to take the case, putting himself in grave danger. It’s a race to catch up with the vandals before they catch him.
 
Meanwhile, Max is protecting secrets of his own. His parents are still missing, and the cryptic messages he gets from them make it clear—it’s going to be up to Max to rescue them.
 
 
“Immensely appealing.” —The New York Times Book Review
“A perfect read-aloud, the story will appeal to fans of fantasy, adventure, mystery, and humor.” —The Christian Science Monitor
  • Creators

  • Series

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Levels

  • Reviews

    • Kirkus

      August 15, 2014
      Max is back in the second part of Voight's fine, neatly meandering mystery set early in the last century. Feisty Max is a "Solutioneer," donning costumes from his parents' now-dark theater to take on sundry roles in order to investigate mysteries. These have ramped up from merely finding and restoring things in The Book of Lost Things (2013) to now investigating numerous incidences of vandalism and arson at the behest of the mayor. The implausible conceit, that this 12-year-old can believably pass himself off as all manner of working men, works, thanks to Voigt's confident storytelling, enhanced by Bruno's quirky, detailed illustrations. Max is a determined loner, convinced of his ability to straighten out challenging issues with only minor help from his friends and grandmother. But young criminals entrap him, and it's only with lots of assistance that he wraps up the case. Meanwhile, he's haunted by messages he's received from his missing parents. He realizes they include a desperate, encoded plea for help-but also a warning of grave danger. The well-constructed, intertwining threads of Max's growing maturity, the emerging competence of his diversely spirited friends and his recognition of their dynamic interdependence all come satisfyingly together to set up the ultimate case for the last of the trilogy: the rescue of his parents from a tiny, remote South American country. Let the games continue.... (Mystery. 10-15)

      COPYRIGHT(2014) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • School Library Journal

      September 1, 2014

      Gr 5-8-The plot thickens and the problems proliferate in Voigt's trilogy about a 12-year-old who is determined to be the master of his own fate, despite the mysterious disappearance of his parents. As in the first book, Max doesn't confine himself to discovering what has befallen his mother and father, but at the behest of the mayor, he looks into acts of vandalism and arson which have been plaguing certain neighborhoods of his city. Several of the characters met in the previous volume insist on inserting themselves into Max's "solutioneering" business, and despite his initial reluctance to accept their help, they prove themselves to be valuable allies. Max makes good use of the costumes in his parents' theater and his own acting skills get a good workout as he investigates incognito. There are moments of peril and anxiety leavened with broad humor. The hero can solve the problems close to hand, but we sense that every friend he's made will be needed to bring his parents (whose situation seems increasingly dire) safely home. Voigt's faux-melodramatic plot points ensure that none of these adventures will be taken too seriously, but readers will eagerly await the revelations of the third installment and hope they won't have long to wait for its publication.-Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Library, NY

      Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • The Horn Book

      January 1, 2015
      The mayor asks young "solutioneer" Max to discover who's behind the city's rash of vandalism. Meanwhile, Max's parents appear to be acting as royalty in a tiny (fictional) South American country. Voigt's talent for balancing various narrative threads ensures that any one subplot can take the lead and then recede without losing tension. Bruno's black-and-white pencil and ink drawings entertainingly highlight Max's disguises.

      (Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

    • The Horn Book

      November 1, 2014
      Max Starling, an independent twelve-year-old who was seemingly abandoned by his parents in Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things (rev. 9/13), returns with his costumes and disguises to take on more jobs in his self-created occupation of "solutioneer." Having learned that his parents, both performers, are now acting as royalty in the tiny (fictional) South American country of Andesia, Max writes them a letter posing as a curious seven-year-old girl, but the polite response he receives seems to be in code. Meanwhile, Max's work in Queensbridge gets a boost when the mayor, nervous in advance of the king's annual visit, asks the young solutioneer to discover who is behind the rash of fires and vandalism plaguing the city. Max fairly easily uncovers the cause -- a gang of boys demanding protection money -- but then gets in over his head. Voigt's talent for balancing various narrative threads (Max also helps a lonely boy, a worried father, and a lovesick ferryman) ensures that any one subplot can take the lead and then recede without losing tension. Bruno's black-and-white pencil and ink drawings depict the grand cast of characters and entertainingly highlight Max's theatrical disguises. Most engagingly, the value of sustained creative thought is given pride of place in this volume, which promises even greater adventures in the projected next entry. anita l. burkam

      (Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:5.9
  • Lexile® Measure:930
  • Interest Level:4-8(MG)
  • Text Difficulty:4-6

Loading