Title: Bad Luck
Author: Pseudonymous Bosch
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Reviewer: Yolanda Ridge
ISBN: 0316320420
If you are 10-years-old (or have a 10-year-old in your life) and you haven’t yet read The Secret Series, stop surfing this blog immediately and go check out The Name of this Book is Secret. There’s a reason these books are best sellers: they’re funny, contain a compelling and complex mystery, and introduce us to a unique cast of characters. In other words, all the secrets to literary middle grade success!
In The Bad Books, we meet the little brother of my favourite character from The Secret Series, Max Ernest. Unlike the rest or his family, Clay is a relatively “normal” kid. But when he gets in trouble at school, he’s shipped off to Earth Ranch summer camp, which is anything but normal. In Bad Luck, things on the volcanic island get even more magical and Clay and his friends must solve the mystery of the strange cave drawings and the hijacked cruise ship to save a kidnapped dragon.
The kids are quirky, clever, cheeky, and relatable (except, maybe, for Clay’s magical ability) and the adults are outrageously eccentric. The narrative style is fresh and funny – particularly the footnotes. Bad Luck works as a stand alone book (although you really should read Bad Magic too). The ending also sets things up for a third book in the series which I can’t wait to see on the shelves. Highly recommended. Get reading!
As an aside, the title of this book really appealed to me as I have just been outfitted with my second cast in as many years. This one is on my right hand, making it particularly difficult for me to write (and do other things)… So please forgive me for the infrequent postings. I’ve been playing with new book ideas, getting to know a new critique group, working with a new (to me) editor on Inside Hudson Pickle, and now dealing with this new challenge. Thank goodness for Dragon Dictation (and having lots of great books to read)!