IF YOU’RE READING THIS, IT’S TOO LATE is not an ordinary tale, and Cass and Max-Ernest are no ordinary preteens. Cass lives with her mom, and her “adopted” grandfathers Wayne and Larry are nearby. She is a brave girl and a survivalist whose custom-made backpack contains supplies for any disaster, natural or man-made. Yet no matter how brave she is, she can’t shake the feeling of impending doom after waking up from one of her dreams.
As members of the secret Terces Society, she and her friend Max-Ernest have taken an oath to fight the evil forces of the Midnight Sun. Max-Ernest, who is driven by logic, likes to tell dumb jokes and practice magic tricks. He is a child of divorce and, to keep peace in the family, carries two backpacks to school, one from each parent.
School. Now there’s a scary subject. And lunch time is no picnic, either. Unlike Amber and the popular crowd, Cass and Max-Ernest sit on the outermost fringe of the cafeteria at the “Nuts Table.” The very logical Max-Ernest believes it should be called the “No Nuts Table” because it’s for children like him who are allergic to nuts. But Cass knows the truth. The other students think the kids at the Nuts Table are, well, nuts.
At school, and in Cass’s life, there are lots of changes this year. For one, the new science teacher, Mr. Needleman, seems to have it in for Cass. And the new guitar-playing student, Yo-Yoji, takes a special interest in Cass and Max’s activities. Then there’s the field trip, a missing sound prism, a stolen sock monster, being grounded, a band concert and a talent show. Oh, and circus performers and a Homunculus. A what? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
But wait, there’s more. Cass discovers a very important secret about herself. Others are revealed in the Appendix, but avoid the temptation. Don’t look until you’ve finished reading Chapter 1, which is actually the last chapter of the book.
IF YOU’RE READING THIS, IT’S TOO LATE continues the story of Cass and Max-Ernest that began in THE NAME OF THIS BOOK IS SECRET. While I found the adventure in this installment less thrilling, and the frequent asides --- especially about Romi and Montana --- distracting, I thought the characters, most notably Cass, were more engaging and well developed. Overall, the narrator’s playful tone and off-beat characters make this sequel fun to read.
--- Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt (dvolkenannt@charter.net)
