Families who loved This Book Is Not Good for You by Pseudonymous Bosch often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when you want to captivate a child who loves solving riddles, enjoys a bit of rule-breaking mischief, or needs a fast-paced mystery to reignite their interest in reading. Part of the Secret Series, this installment follows Cass and Max-Ernest as they attempt to rescue Cass's mother from a sinister chocolatier. It is a story about the lengths friends will go to for family, wrapped in a layer of absurdist humor and interactive puzzles. While the plot involves a kidnapping and some mild peril, the tone is consistently lightened by the narrator's witty, fourth-wall-breaking commentary. It is perfect for middle-grade readers (ages 8 to 12) who appreciate stories that don't talk down to them and offer a sense of insider secrecy. Parents will appreciate the way it encourages critical thinking and vocabulary building through its clever footnotes and wordplay.