You Have to Stop This facts for kids
First edition (US)
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| Author | Pseudonymous Bosch |
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| Illustrator | Gilbert Ford |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Secret Series |
| Genre | Mystery / Adventure / Fantasy |
| Publisher | Little, Brown Books for Young Readers |
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Publication date
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2011 |
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Published in English
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September 2011 |
| Media type | Hardcover |
| Pages | 347 |
| ISBN | 978-0316076265 (first edition, hardcover) |
| OCLC | 707964955 |
| LC Class | PZ7.B6484992 You 2011 |
| Preceded by | This Isn't What It Looks Like |
You Have To Stop This is an exciting mystery and adventure book written by Pseudonymous Bosch. It's the fifth book in The Secret Series. This story continues the adventures from The Name of this Book is Secret, If You're Reading This, It's Too Late, This Book Is Not Good for You, and This Isn't What It Looks Like. This book explores the sense of touch.
Contents
The Story Begins
The book starts with a picture of something called The Oath of Terces. It quickly mentions an ibis bird near the River Nile. Then, the story jumps to a man who is about to be executed. He quickly writes a secret message in hieroglyphics on a piece of papyrus.
A Mysterious Trunk
The story then moves to the present day. Cass and Max-Ernest are going to a garage sale held by Larry and Wayne. Cass tells Max-Ernest that she hid the Jester's trunk behind the firehouse. They dig it up and open it. Inside, they find a blue ring with an ibis picture and a piece of linen. The linen has hieroglyphics that might mean "because what Ibis" or "because what Thoth."
The Museum Mystery
In the next chapter, Cass, Max-Ernest, and Yo-Yoji are on a bus. They are heading to the Egyptian section of a museum for a field trip. Their classmates, Glob and Daniel-Not-Danielle, are also with them. Daniel wants to find something special to be known for.
They meet Daniel's father, Albert 3D, who is an expert. He shows them a handsome mummy who was executed a long time ago. Cass thinks it's a doctor from hundreds of years ago. She believes he was executed for finding The Secret.
Cass, Yo-Yoji, and Max-Ernest decide to stay behind and look at the mummy more closely. Cass notices that the blue ring she found in the Jester's trunk matches a mark on the mummy's finger. Principal Johnson scolds them for not staying with the group. Cass's jacket gets caught on the mummy's finger, and she accidentally breaks it off.
Later, Albert 3D (who is actually quite understanding) makes them sort museum sherds as punishment. While sorting, Cass convinces her friends to go back and check on the mummy. When they return, they discover the mummy is gone!
The Mummy's Escape
Later, Albert 3D talks to the kids' parents. He tells them that if the kids are hiding the mummy, they should return it. When everyone gets home late, the kids chat online. They watch the museum's security video. They see a shadowy figure leaving the museum before they do. They also notice a piece of cloth trailing from the figure's leg. They realize the figure is the mummy itself!
A New Plan
The story then shifts to a fancy hotel. Ms. Mauvais is talking to Amber, whose face is covered in acne. Amber begs Ms. Mauvais for help. The next day, Cass and Max-Ernest see Amber, who looks much prettier.
That night, the Terces Society has a meeting. Luciano is a special guest. He tells them that Lord Pharaoh wants Cass's ring and the mummy's missing finger. The trio decides to steal the finger from the museum. Cass dresses up, and Max-Ernest and Yo-Yoji wear sunglasses. Yo-Yoji even carries a camera to pretend to be a tourist.
They find that the finger has already been stolen. A monocle is left in its place. Suddenly, they hear voices and hide in a crate outside. The crate is then shipped to Las Vegas.
Las Vegas Adventures
In Las Vegas, the trio discovers that The Invisible Pharaoh is performing as a magician. Cass buys tickets to his show using gold coins she saved from the Jester's trunk. She sells one coin and gets a lot of cash.
They spend the next two hours having fun. They get sundaes. The boys go to an adventure park and even record a rap video after riding a zip line many times. Cass reluctantly goes to a nail salon and gets pampered. While there, she sees a hieroglyphic on the window. It's one she couldn't translate from the papyrus in the trunk. The spa worker says it means "running water."
Yo-Yoji and Max-Ernest meet her, jokingly calling her "Your Royal Hotness." They go to the theater. Cass is tricked into giving her ring to The Pharaoh onstage.
The Pharaoh Revealed
Trapped in The Pharaoh's dressing room, Max-Ernest and Yo-Yoji find some invisible time-traveling chocolate from the chocolate plantation. They also find a golden cape. They realize the mummy didn't walk out of the museum by itself. The Pharaoh, who was invisible, carried it out.
The two boys run onto the stage and throw the cape over The Pharaoh, making him visible. They force him to eat the chocolate, which sends him to another time. The Skelton sisters, who were at the show, leave with Ms. Mauvais.
Then, Cass quickly puts the ring back on the mummy's finger. The mummy comes to life! Cass remembers the hieroglyphics from the papyrus and what the spa worker said. She realizes the key to the secret is a question: "Why did the ibis cross the river?" She asks the mummy this question.
The mummy then speaks The Secret: "TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE." The fact that The Secret, which the Terces Society had protected for years, was a joke, is too much for Cass. For the first time, she faints.
The Aftermath
When Cass wakes up, Max-Ernest and Yo-Yoji are worried about her. Max-Ernest realizes they need to escape. He charms the crowd and runs out of the theater. He meets a group of people who claim to be priests. They turn out to be members of the Terces Society. Cass and Yo-Yoji are already riding with them.
When the trio returns home, they are treated like heroes. Everyone they know, including Albert 3D and Daniel-Not-Danielle, welcomes them. Albert and Cass's adoptive mother, Melanie, seem to be getting closer. Even Ms. Johnson welcomes them and gives them a special Tuning Fork.
Later, Cass tells Pietro about the secret. He explains that the real secret is "The Other Side." He also shares that his brother died that morning. When Cass goes into his trailer again, he has disappeared.
The story then moves to graduation. Max-Ernest gives a speech that makes everyone cry. Cass and Yo-Yoji are very proud of him. The trio smiles at each other. Then, Cass and Yo-Yoji's hands touch, and Cass is surprised and shy when their pinkies link. This hints at a possible romance between them. The story ends with the audience clapping. Amber quietly leaves and gets into a limousine with Ms. Mauvais. They drive off, looking for a "never setting sun."
The Author's Secret
The epilogue reveals that Mr. Bosch, the author, is actually Max-Ernest. He doesn't say what happens to Cass, Yo-Yoji, or anyone else. He says that The Secret itself opens up even more secrets. He warns the reader not to let anyone spoil the ending.
Main Characters
- Cassandra - Cass is a survival expert. She always has her backpack ready with supplies. She is also a member of the secret Terces Society. She wants to figure out a secret known only by an ancient pharaoh and his advisor, Dr. Amun.
- Max-Ernest - Max-Ernest is Cass's best and first friend. He is also a member of the Terces Society. He is very smart and loves telling jokes. Sometimes his friends get annoyed by his long talks. He doesn't always understand sarcasm. Even though he can be unsure, he often helps the group a lot.
- Yo-Yoji - Yo-Yoji is from Japan. He often wears bright neon trainers. He helps Cass and Max-Ernest on their missions. He is also good at playing the guitar. In this book, his pinky links with Cass's, suggesting a special connection.
- Daniel-Not-Danielle - He is one of the friends of the main characters. People often say his name wrong, and he always corrects them.
- Glob - Glob is another friend of Cass and Max-Ernest. He enjoys writing blogs.
- Owen - Owen is an important member of the Terces Society. He is very good at disguises and often helps Cass and Max-Ernest.
- Pietro Bergamo - He is the leader of the Terces Society. His main goal is to stop the Midnight Sun group. Pietro is also a magician and Luciano's brother.
- Mrs. Johnson - She is the principal of Cass and Max-Ernest's school.
- Albert 3-D (Dr. Ndefdo) - He is a scholar from Nigeria who studies old things (archeology). He starts a romantic relationship with Melanie, Cass's adoptive mom. He is Daniel-Not-Danielle's father.
- Luciano Bergamo - He is the leader of the Midnight Sun, a group of alchemists who want to find The Secret. He is Pietro Bergamo's twin brother. He stops drinking the special elixirs from the Midnight Sun, grows old, and visits Pietro before he dies. This shows he eventually sided with the Terces Society.
- Amber - She is a popular girl who works for the Midnight Sun. She is obsessed with the Skelton sisters.
- Lord Pharaoh - He is the founder of the Midnight Sun. His main goal is to find The Secret and live forever.
- Pseudonymous Bosch - This is the author of the book. We find out later that he is actually Max-Ernest. There are hints throughout the series that they are the same person.
- Ms. Mauvais - She is part of the Midnight Sun. She always wears white gloves to hide her old hands. She is behind many of the bad plans and wants to stay young forever.
- Grandpas Larry and Wayne - These two men are Cass's adoptive grandparents. They love collecting old, broken things and keep everything in their home, which is an old fire station. Larry used to be Melanie's high school teacher.
- Romi and Montana Skelton - These twins run their own teen production company. They are also part of the Midnight Sun.
- Lily - She becomes an enemy of Ms. Mauvais after being captured by the Midnight Sun. She has a special ability called synesthesia.
- Dr. Amun - An ancient Egyptian doctor who is said to have discovered The Secret, which led to his death.
- Mr. Wallace - He is the record keeper for the Terces Society and the oldest living member.
- The Jester - He is Cass's great-grandfather, among other things.
