Synopsis: Middle schoolers Cass and Max-Ernest attempt to uncover the mystery behind a magician’s death, only to discover secrets that put them in greater danger than they expected.

Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD!

I read this series when I was in middle school and loved every second of it, so when I had the chance to revisit the first book by reading it with my 11-year-old cousin, I was excited! Rereading books I’ve read at a different stage in my life helps me appreciate new aspects of the book, and also allows me to see flaws I couldn’t see when I was younger. Anyway, on to the revisit!

The Revisit

Negatives

• This first book is predominantly white, which is something I never really picked up on as a middle schooler. All the characters seem to be white/European, and reading the book with my cousin, a child of color, made me feel a little weird, as I realized he can’t see himself reflected in the book. I know that the following books introduce new characters, some of which are POC (people of color), but reading it as an adult made me wish we had a main character of color in the first book (Yo-Yoji is a wonderful main character of color in the following books though!)
• My cousin commented that the beginning of the story is a little scary, especially for young readers. Undoubtedly, the death of a magician under mysterious circumstances is a grim way to start a children’s book. But, he said it got less scary as the book went on. I think the scariness at the beginning was a good way to add mystery and suspense that engages young readers, especially for kids who are less enthusiastic about reading.