This is the story of four orphaned siblings who are on their own, wandering from town to town. They find an abandoned boxcar in the woods, and set up housekeeping in it. They live quite happily on berries, water, and a little meat bought with the oldest boy's gardening pay. Life is good until one of the girls gets very sick and they must tell an adult about how they live.

If your child would like a very easy-to-read chapter book that moves verrrrry slowly to a happy ending, this is it. However, modern kids may not be able to relate to the Boxcar Childrens' delight in scavenging at a dump or sharing a loaf of dry bread. It was written in 1942 and so has no modern references. The children never mention their parents, never complain about being on their own or penniless. They are always blissfully happy with whatever life brings them. The boxcar children aren't cool, but they are relentlessly cheerful!! I found this book tedious and way too long to be interesting.

I still recall with some clarity the closeness I felt to the children as I made my way through this book in the second grade. I remember that I was fully immersed, and that I immediately checked out other books in search of a similar experience. I became a reader for life. Many times I have wondered if this was an out-of-print title, a well known book, or simply an obscure children's adventure which happened to be in our Holy Cross School library in Mendota, Il. On a whim, I stopped into Amazon and I was ecstatic to learn that it is a classic, and that I can(and will) purchase the entire series for my own children.

The year was 1959 and I was a 4th grader at Buckeye Elememtary, in Buckeye Arizona. It had been my most difficult school year yet, as Mrs. Goodwin was a task master of the highest order and didn't seem to appreciate my wandering imagination, or lack of attention. In short...I was bored. I was sure nothing less than a miracle could make me like her, or my 4th grade class. Well, thankfully miracles do happen. Mrs. Goodwin decided that we were all going to get library cards and trotted us down to the school library. After getting over the initial shock of being around that many books, I got excited by the idea of being able to choose one to read. I don't remember what made me choose the Boxcar Children from all the other books, but it was my first independent reading experience...and it literally changed my life. The story of 3 young orphaned children who survive on their own in an abandoned boxcar was mesmerizing. I sat on the couch in our living room, unmoved by either hunger...or even the call of nature...because I was so involved in the lives and adventures of these children. It was the first time I found myself transported via the written word to a different time and place...and it was magic! I reread this book again just recently...and to my delight, I still find it wonderful. I defy any child not to find magic in these pages. And because the Boxcar Children is appropriate for either boys, or girls (a rarity these days) it's the perfect book for a parent to read to their children. This is truly a classic...right up there with "Doctor Dolittle", "The Wizard of OZ", or the "Enchanted Garden" and a "must have" for any family's book collection. Don't be surprised if your child can't put it down either and be prepared to read all the other books in the series. They are all wonderful as well. By the way, after reading this book back in 1959, I looked at 4th grade and Mrs. Goodwin in an altogether different light. Anyone, I thought, who appreciated great books like the Boxcar Children had to be okay...and she really was. This book was the key that opened a door to communication between us. Maybe it wasn't a miracle, but it came pretty darn close. Buy Boxcar Children...or, at the least...go to you local library and check it out. You won't regret it.

The Austere Academy, fifth in A Series of Unfortunate Events, will not disappoint fans of the books. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are stuck at a nightmarish boarding school, where they are made to live in a shack that includes territorial crabs, a strange tan fungus, and truly hideous wallpaper. Added to this are incredibly dull classes and a headmaster who cannot play the violin but insists on doing so anyway...for six hours a night at an all-school concert. If only these were the worst of the Baudelaires' problems, they could finally consider themselves lucky. But, alas, the fiendish Count Olaf has tracked them down yet again. Once again the Baudelaires must try to discover his evil plan in time to save themselves and their fortune. Along the way there are more clues about Lemony Snicket's mysterious lady love, the charming and beautiful but unfortunately deceased Beatrice...A great read, but be warned that the ending is a cliffhanger that will leave you feeling very impatient to get your hands on the next volume!

This book is the best book so far out of A series of Unfortunate Events. I really liked this book because the Baudelaires finally seemed less hopeless because they made new friends named the Quagmire triplets. Their names were Isadora, Duncan, and Quigley, but Quigley died in a fire with the Quagmire parents. Of course, Count Olaf shows up in this book, and he is dressed as their new physical exercise teacher. He wears a turban to cover his long eyebrow, long running shoes to cover his tattoo, and dresses in a shirt and shorts, dressed normally like a physical exercise teacher. The Baudelaires also make an enemy in this book named Carmelita Spats.
In the book before this one, the poor children had to work in a Lumbermill. Now they are stuck in a boarding school named The Austere Academy. The motto of this school is "Rememeber You Will Die." The person in charge of this graveyard looking school is a man called Principal Nero who doesn't know how to play the violin but does anyway. The Orphans live in the Orphans shack, which is covered with tan colored fungus and tiny crabs that pinch, and of course the ugly looking wallapaper on the ugly walls. The Baudelaires feel so depressed until two twins stick up for them when Carmelita Spats makes fun of them. The Baudelaires have their ups and downs in this book, but in the end they feel more miserable than they can ever be. At least in this book, they felt happy at some points.
The reason I liked this book is because it was so fun and full of happy and bad thoughts. But for once the Baudelaires had a chance to experience happiness in a long time. The Quagmires really helped them get used to the school and I'm really thankful that Lemony Snicket wrote about them because the Baudelaires always felt so tortured. The reason I didn't like this book was because the Baudelaires felt so unhappy at the end of this book. Of course they have to say good bye to their friends sometimes, like, unfortunately in this series, always happens. But overall, I really liked this book.

This book is called The Austere Academy by my favorite author named Lemony Snicket. The Austere Academy is the best book so far in a Series of Unfortunate Events. This book is about how the three Baudelaire orphans land up in a new place called The Austere Academy. The person who is in charge of this school is named Pricipal Nero and loves to play the violin but doesn't know how to. The Baudelaire children are terrified of what might happen in this school and they should be, except one little good thing happens. They make new friends called the Quagmire triplets and their names are Duncan, Isadora, and Quigley, but Quigley died in a fire along with the Quagmire parents. Of course Count Olaf appears again, dressed ridiculously as a physical exercise teacher. And like always, the Baudelairs always recognize him.
This book is mainly about a school called the Austere Academy and its motto which means "Remember You Will Die." When the Baudelaires read this they are terrified and run into a dreadful girl named Carmelita Spats. She becomes their enemy in the end and thinks she's the most prettiest, cutest, and sweetest girl in the whole school because Coach Genghis or Count Olaf chooses her as his messenger. While at school Violet must go through class while listening to boring stories and looking at a man named Mr. Remora who us always eating bananas. Klaus must measure everything and anything Mrs. Bass tells him to measure. Sunny is too young to go to boarding school and must be Pricipal Nero's secretary while stapling papers, answering phone calls, and typing letters on a typewriter. They feel very exhausted while they have to live in their Orphans Shack filled with tiny crabs that bite, a tan colored fungus on the ceiling, and an ugly wall decorated with tacky wallpaper. Everything gets worse when Count Olaf or shall I say Coach Genghis makes the orphans run in a S.O.R.E. program that makes them sore.
The reason that I liked this book is because the Baudelaire children at least felt happy for a moment of time that didn't happen for a long time. The Baudelaires had great friends who helped them through alot of things and would stand up for them. Soon, this ended to a collapse. This is why I disliked the book. The Baudelaire children were in a helpless situation with Coach Genghis and all that running. In the end they felt as bad as bad can ever be. Overall though, I really liked this book.

Sorry 'bout the title. But seriously, this is a book you won't to miss the new book in the series. Sometimes you'll find that people say that Lemony Snicket's(Daniel Handler actually)occasional comments are intrusive and annoying, but I find them to be interesting,explanatory,decisive,humorous, and they build up the suspense.
In the book Violet,Klaus,and Sunny find themselves in the trunk of Count Olaf's car. Then in a "carnival" the Baudelaire children dress up as freaks in order to obtain information about the possibility of a surviving parent. They are rudely insulted along with the other not so freakish freaks, when they find out one freak will be thrown into a pit of lions(won't tell you the rest, you'll have to find out for yourself!).
I just got the book today, and when I started I couldn't put it down. I just finished it a few hours ago, and it never gets boring.LEMONY SNICKET HAS DONE IT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This story was one of the best books I've ever read. I found myself staying up all night reading it. It's about 3 sibs, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. They've been running from an evil man named Count Olaf. He's been finding the children by asking a fortuneteller who seems to always get the right answers. Now the 3 sibs are in disguise as a 2 headed freak and a half wolf half baby named, Chabo the Wolf Baby, in a freak house at the Caligari Carnival. Then Count Olaf buys a bunch of lions to put in a pit and guess which freak has to jump in with the lions.

I loved this book because it's really suspenseful, especially when Violet, and Klaus were about to jump to the lions. I really like this author's style of writing. I could really picture the carnival. Compared to the other books in the series this one's my favorite. I rate it 5 stars, because I liked it a lot, and it had great suspense.

Anna Flynn-Meketon

Lemony Snickets books are full of mystery and suspense. That's why I like to read them. His books are really hard to put down. The endings leave you hanging on a string and you have to get the sequel. So far he has written nine books and is on his tenth. I can't wait for it to come out. Over the year at John Winthrop I have read the ninth book. The title is "The Carnivores Carnival". Out of all of his books in "The Series of Unfortunate Events" this book has had the most suspense. Some people have read the first book and stopped because they couldn't get into the book. But, I didn't stop because the way he ended the books you couldn't stop reading them. The Carnivores Carnival is about three children who have the worst life you could ever possibly imagine. Their life is miserable. There is something bad waiting around every turn. In every book they find a clue on what they are trying to find out. They have come close to it but it has never been correct and their lives still stay miserable. What makes the book funny is that while Lemony Snicket writes the book he brings up things from the past in his life and thinks of everything in the book to be real. Hopefully the tenth book will come out this summer so I can get to read that book. Lemony Snickets books are great.

by Aleaha

The Wide Window is one of my favorite books in the Series of Unfortuate Events. In this book, the Baudelaires - Violet, 14, Klaus, 12, and Sunny (still an infant) go to Lake Lachrymose (right next to Damocles Dock) and live with their Aunt Josephine. She's scared of just about everything in her house (including the telephone!!) Although Aunt Josephine is scared of just about every thing, (including the lake which her house is about to fall into due to the fact that it is on the edge of a cliff) she loves grammar! Klaus becomes excited because Aunt Josephine has a huge library but he finds out that the only books she has are about grammar. Aunt Josephine practically starves them to death because the only thing she feeds them is cold cucumber soup. But before things get settled, Count Olaf is back and this time he is Captain Sham who is in charge of Captain Sham's Sailboats. After a while, Hurricane Herman comes to Lake Lachrymose. When the Baudelaires hear a crash, they run to the library and see a broken window. They suspect that Aunt Josephine has commited suicide. She does leave them a note that says that they will be adopted by Captain Sham! They can't believe it!!! Then Klaus realizes that there is something wrong with the letter and that is when is gets good! I won't say anymore - I might spoil the rest for you. Happy Reading!

This is the most tragic book I have read in Lemony Snicket's hilarious A Series Of Unfortunate Events books. The third book, The Wide Window, is probably the most miserable tale of all for the three Baudelaire orphans, and misfortunate just can't stay away from them. When Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are sent to stay with kind old Aunt Josephine in a most unusual house overlooking a hill towering over the watery depths of Lake Lachrymose, home of the venomous Lachrymose Leeches. They don't want to ever encounter their greedy uncle Count Olaf ever again, who has tried to steal their fortune and will never stop until he has it. Just when things look more then unpleasant, their Aunt Josephine mysteriously vanishes into the lake, and the Baudelaires know their poor aunt is a victime of suicide. But the conspiracy that lurks this time for them will be more then sneaky, and now the Baudelaires will have to dodge the greedy hands of a sinister villain once again. This is perhaps the most miserable story in the hilarious series that keeps getting more and more miserable. The author knows perfectly how to make a hysterical but dreadful tale, with a chain of events that will be sure to entertain.

This book The Wide Window was one of my favorite books! It was about three orphans who's parents died in a fire. They are sent to live with Aunt Josephine. This is not their first time going to live with a relative. It is their third. In the previous books they live with Mr.Poe. They had to move because of a man named Count Olaf. He is a wicked man! He doesn't care about the children all he wants is their fortune. They are living with Aunt Josephine. Aunt Josephine is afraid of everything. One day they bump into a man who looks exactly like Count Olaf. Of coarse the children know it is him, but they can't convience Aunt Josephine. Count Olaf tries to get the children and kill Aunt Josephine so he can have their fortune. The orphans are just to smart and tricky for Count Olaf so he gets caught. I love these series. I think I love them so much because there is always something happening. The orphans are always on some adventure. You can never tell what is going to happen next. When things happen it is always when you least expect it! By:VS

I just finished reading Richard Foster's "Celebration of Discipline" for the second time. I read it many years ago in seminary, but wanted to refresh my memory with its principles. I am so glad I did!

Twenty years later, Foster still offers a superb work here that focuses on the devotional life of the believer. This book is divided into three sections: the inward Disciplines, the outward Disciplines, and the corporate Disciplines. Foster acknowledges that God is the author of all spiritual growth, but indicates that the Disciplines help us position ourselves so that the growth will more easily occur.

He says, "God has given us the Disciplines of the spiritual life as a means of receiving his grace. The Disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God so that he can transform us" (page 7).

This book is a true classic, and should be a part of every Christian's library. I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you want to grow deeper and stronger in Christ, then you definitely want to buy it!

_Celebration of Discipline_ is one of the finest Christian books of our time. I read it as an "assignment" with a men's study group, and at first, was a bit ambivalent about this ethereal-sounding spiritual book from a Quaker. I began it reluctantly, but shortly realized that what I was reading was solid, no-holds barred steps towards maturity in Christ, through discipleship and productive living.

Foster speaks of the "inward disciplines" the "outward disciplines" and the "corporate disciplines" of the Christian life. As I flip through the book, I find myself in need of a tune-up.

It's that kind of book. It's one that you'll never master, but the joy is in the journey, and in following the Savior with the full passion of your heart. He's calling us to the life of Discipline and discipleship, not to a willy-nilly external Christianity. _Celebration_ is a breath of fresh air in an era of "easy believism" and cheap grace.

Foster has touched a generation of believers with this timeless classic.

Foster has done an excellent job of explaining the spiritual disciplines of the Christian faith without being too deep for the layman. This is a book that explains in some detail without overloading the reader, and gives the reader the excitement and the means of actually putting these celebrations into practice. Now, it's not as simple as "read and do." Discipline is not easy all the time; but it's always worth it. Knowing how to start and what to do is foundational to winning the battle over the flesh. And Foster provides what you need. Actually going through with it, well, that depends on how much you want to see God more intimately and have your life transformed more and more according to Rom. 8:29 and 2 Peter 1:1 - 4. Do you want to experience what Peter calls "partaking of the divine nature" (partaking, not becoming divine)? Then it takes discipline with the intent to know God more. Read what Peter says and you'll see just how important the disciplines are to have what Peter says is available to every believer.

The only downside I see to this work is that the chapter on confession goes even further than Roman Catholicism in granting the power to forgive. Only God can forgive; the Catholic church grants this right to the members of it's magesterium (which I do not see in scripture). But Foster seems to grant the actual power to remit the sins of others to ANY Christian. So read this chapter with an understanding that adjustments need to be made to make it more biblical. He provides many good points, but this one goes too far. If it was not his intent to say this, then it's just written poorly and one still needs to be careful.

Brady Udall crafted a poignant, funny, horrifying, uplifting, and extremely engaging story with THE MIRACLE LIFE OF EDGAR MINT. The book tells the almost epic quest of Edgar Mint who, as the title spells out, lives a miracle about every fifty pages. While this isn't the greatest book of the year - as some have suggested - it is written uncommonly well and it is obvious Udall knows what he is doing.

At times, when the reader thinks he/she will be buried in the pain and brutality of little Edgar's life, Udall manages to magically lighten the prose with an expression of humor or hope. Likewise, when the author flirts with the precipice of cliche or downright unbelievability, he pulls us back at the last minute with his sharp wit and realism.

If you're looking for a book to enjoy and have a large block of free time - you won't wanna put this book down - then THE MIRACLE LIFE OF EDGAR MINT is definitely a good choice for your next novel.

This is one of those novels that once started, I could not put down. Edgar's story over the eight years that comprise the subject for this novel is fascinating, horrifying, engrossing, and oh, so human. It's certainly one of the most enjoyable books I've read in recent years, and for that reason alone I would recommend it. Yes, the style and tone are reminiscent of John Irving, which in term places Udall squarely in the storytelling tradition of Charles Dickens. The difficult-journey-with-tribulations-but-with-hope-and-human-virtues-always-maintained is certainly what we've got with Edgar Mint, starting with the very first sentence regarding how the mailman ran over his head. Udall writes with wit and an overall tinge of black humor, and right up until the very end of the book, Edgar's journey, while sometimes fantastic and unlikely, is certainly a fascinating one.

My only quarrel with Udall (and the reason for my awarding the book four stars instead of five) has to do with the ending. I don't want to include any spoilers, but suffice it to say that the final chapter of the book includes a layer of warm-and-cloying that for my taste was laid on just a bit too thickly. Are we to believe that in a world in which schoolboys torture one another while the responsible adults sit by obliviously, where Native Americans drink themselves to death while regarding their own offspring with complete indifference, where people are forced to resort to the most horrifying crimes in order to ensure their own survival, suddenly life can transform into a never-ending succession of *Saturday Evening Post* covers? This kind of naively moralistic *telos* certainly worked for Dickens, but that was in a different time and literary context. At the conclusion of the book I felt warm and fuzzy and happy for Edgar, but the little voice inside me was protesting that in the context of 2001 this ending veritably screamed 'made for Hollywood,' and I found this disappointing.

As I write my review of The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint on November 16th., its Amazon.com sales rank is 6,393. Should you enter a large bookstore you won't find it on the "hot picks" shelf or in the "best sellers" section either. The reasons that so many great books don't surface to the top are many and why so many gifted authors have day jobs as well. It is a shame that literary accomplishments like The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall don't get the mass recognition they deserve because the marketing wasn't there or the promotional process was limited or the author had no previous best sellers. This is a wonderful and unforgettable book about a wonderful and unforgettable character. From the moment in the early pages when young Edgar is run over by the mailman, as event after event in Edgar's miraculous life unfolds and through to the closing chapters, you are in for a an inspiring reading experience that will at different times leave you utterly joyous, emotional, in disbelief, and everywhere in between. Udall's writing style is simple yet his words on paper are like colors on a canvas, he is a master storyteller. The only disappointing moment is in the closing pages when the last words are read because one wishes there had been another 400 pages more to enjoy.

This book was my first Ann Rinaldi book. I was stunned by it. It was just absolutly wonderful- filled with everything and just about anything you could want, (at least what I wanted). It was my favorite book. If you're a great historical fiction lover and/or Ann Rinaldi story lover this would be an extrememly nice addition for your reading buds.
The book's main character (whom you've probably already found out) is fourteen year old Emily Pigbrush, who experiences through many tragic events. First her widow mother dies and she decides to live with her best friend, Annie Surratts. But on the night before she moves out the greatest of all misfortunes happen - President Lincoln gets shot and suspicion falls on the Surratts. Forced to go and live with Uncle Valentine, Emily finds out more as to why her mother hated her brother so much. As to the rest, you really should find out yourself. In the end the story leaves you a strange feeling. One that signals the end but it leaves you kind of sad. Over all it's a great book.

An Acquaintance with Darkness is a very well written novel. It's a novel of historical fiction and takes place right around Lincoln's assassination. The main character, Emily, tells the story. Emily's life is a mess, like most people during that time. Her dad just died in the Civil War. Her mother is dying, of 'failing' as they say. Her mother's death wish is for Emily's uncle, Uncle Valentine, to stay away from her once she dies. Emily's mother knows something about Uncle Valentine that she feels is not right, but Emily does not know what. After her mother passes away, Uncle Valentine, unknown to Emily, goes to court and gains full custody over her. Lincoln is assassinated and Washington is going insane. Anyone associated with Booth, Lincoln's killer, was arrested. Unfortunately Emily's best friend, Annie's, mother was of close association with Booth. Mrs. Mary, Annie's mother is arrested, in prison, and condemned to be hung. this only gives Emily more confusion, not to mention the fact that her secret crush, Annie's brother Johnny, has run away and has not been heard from, plus Emily is living with her uncle. At first this seemed a fine arrangement until Emily learns that there is more to her uncle's profession as a doctor. With the city in an uproar, Emily doesn't know what to do, where to go, who to talk to, or even who she can trust. Emily is left alone and confused. This is such a great, involved novel. Some of it is fictional, but much of the basis for the story is factual. The book is so good that you would have never known that it wasn't entirely true if you didn't read the Author's note.

If you're looking for an enjoyable book, I would recommend An Acquaintance with Darkness by Ann Rinaldi. It's set in Washington, D.C. during the assassination of Lincoln. It covers the turmoil that happens in the city and how people reacted. The main character of this book is Emily Pigbush, a teenage girl whose mother just died. Now an orphan, Emily is planning to move in with her best friend who lives two houses down. However, once Lincoln is shot, suspicion is everywhere and Emily's friend's mother is arrested on suspicion of being an accomplice in the assassination of the president. Emily is forced to live with her mysterious Uncle Valentine, a well-respected surgeon, whom her mother, for no apparent reason, deeply mistrusted. Soon Emily discovers Uncle Valentine is rumored to be enveloped in unlawful doings with his medical research. At last, the truth comes out and it's beyond Emily's imagination! With mystery and imagination, Ann Rinaldi spins a magnificent tale that happened during a time history can never forget.

A Room with a View is what a romantic novel should be: light and fun, entertaining and sweet- I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! Especially touching was old Mr. Emerson's conversation with Lucy towards the end. And none of the reviewers mentioned the subtle humor in this book! This book was funny! As for those of you who gave this wonderful book a poor review you must be young and/or you are an avid reader of literary geniuses such as Danielle Steele. Watch some more TV you people and stay aware from criticising great books you did not understand!

I have long been a fan of Jane Austen and have become so spoiled by her wonderful writing and complex yet perfect sentences that I seldom find anything enjoyable by comparison. However, "A Room with a View" was one of the most wonderful non-Austen books I have ever read. I laughed out loud many times at the way Forster worded things, especially the chapter titles (eg. "How Ms. Bartlett's Boiler was so Tiresome"). At the beginning, he seemed to be making fun of his characters - at their simple-mindedness and lack of depth - but then he commenced to transform them (mainly Lucy) and make them into wonderfully admirable people. It seemed that justice was served to Cecil when he served as the means through which Lucy and George were finally united. I enjoyed every minute of this book but would recommend it only to those who would appreciate it and who would be reading it by choice.

This book is still a classic. The fact that this book can still be entertaining nearly a hundred years after it's conception is testament enough to it's quality. It's the story of Lucy, struggling to find a comfortable place in adulthood, struggling to understand herself, struggling with the jarring influences of the unhappy people that surround her. And then she meets Mr. Emerson and his son George. Mr. Emerson is an old man who is disliked among the society folk because his kindness is more genuine than tactful. And his son George, raised free of all the prejudices and narrow-mindedness that plague nearly all the people he meets, is depressed because the universe doesn't seem to fit.

Learning to love a pair like the Emersons would seem to be easy for Lucy, but that is the struggle of this whole novel, how she creates such a muddle out of a simple thing and ends up, for the first time in her life, to begin to see clearly.

Forster finds a nice balance in this novel - engaging plot, unique and well-developed characters, and a fair dose of philosophy to lighten the burdens of your mind (all good philosophy should lighten your mind instead of weighing it down).

I would recommend this book on the simple fact that Mr. Emerson is, in many of his traits, the type of human being we should all strive to become(good-hearted, thought-provoking, devoted to expanding his mind instead of narrowing it, welcoming to all, poetic and deep). That alone recommends it. This may not be Forster's best, but it's one of them, and is more than worth the time (I finished it in three days, awfully fast, hungry for more when it was done).

We get to be miserable for a fourth time with the Baudelaire orphans, Violet, Klaus, and baby Sunny, in "The Miserable Mill". Once again the orphans have moved to another relative, this one the owner of the Lucky Smells Lumbermill in the rundown town of Paltryville. I'm not sure of the relationship of this new person to the children, and we really see very little of this wicked, uncaring person in any case. Furthermore, because he supposedly has a difficult name to pronounce, we never know his name, he is just called "Sir" or "The Boss".

The children toil in the lumber mill from the time they arrive in Paltryville. Soon they have splinters and are tired and hungry, because they get nothing for breakfast, almost nothing for lunch, and casserole for dinner. There are multiple labor and child abuse laws violated in this book, but perhaps it might make some readers more appreciative of what they have given that many children in the world today face these same conditions.

The children all live in a dormitory with the other workers of the lumber mill, wondering when evil Count Olaf might make an appearance. Eventually he does, in a somewhat surprising way. Count Olaf appears relatively late in this book, and from the time he does the book moves and ends very quickly. In addition to Count Olaf, we have two other characters working with him to make things bad for the children.

As has happened in the previous three books, the children are able, principally through their own efforts, to overcome the bad guys. Unfortunately someone does die in a gruesome, though not detailed, way. Once again the children are on their way to another home.

Of the four books thus far, this one was my least favorite. The style of the books is such that bad things happen to these children on a regular basis, but in this book it seems as though bad things are happening to nearly everyone. This book is very depressing. I was also a bit annoyed with the extremes that the author went to in his exaggerations. This time we have baby Sunny using her teeth in a sword fight, and Klaus using chewing gum to move a log, among other things. These books have seemed to venture further and further into fantasy.

The educational messages in this book are somewhat weaker than in the previous three stories, but there are still some. There are a few instances where things are explained, but less often than in the first three books. Because of the dark, dreary images, and the death, which is not detailed to any extent, I would consider this book to be more appropriate for a 9 or 10-year-old. However, as always, you should know your own child and her or his ability to handle the material.

One aspect of these books I have covered in only minimal detail in my previous reviews. The children are incredibly self-reliant. Often the children are the only ones who seem to know what is going on around them, and they often have to solve the problems they are in. I think the message that children can have an effect and can take responsibility for their lives may be the most positive message in these books. Furthermore, the children typically behave ethically and generally legally when doing so.

Because this book was more dreary than the previous books, and because of the ever more fantastic elements, I rate this book lower than the previous books. However, while I think this book rates lower, I think it is still in the 4-star range. I'm hoping for some improvement in the next book. See you in the next review!

I'm not quite sure why this book struck me as the best of the series (I've only read 2, 3, and 4) but it was exceedingly well done and amusing. The poor Baudelaire orphans who seem to court bad luck at every turn end up living with their distant relative who is a tycoon industrialist who makes them work in his mill. Instead of getting paid, the mill workers get coupons, and they only get one meal a day (but lots of gum for breakfast). Lemony Snicket's books are all wonderful, and this is the cream of the crop. Count Olaf returns in attempt to once again steal the Baudelaire fortune, this time using hypnosis to achieve his evil gains. This book is full of so many clever moments, and the mill setting will scare and entertain the reader.

How would you feel to be staring at a sign made out of gum? Well that is the situation Violet, Klaus, and Sunny find themselves in as Mr. Poe their financial advisor has set them up with a new guardian whose name is Sir, because nobody can pronounce his name. The sibling find themselves in another most unfortunate situation as they are forced to work by sir at the Lucky Smells Lumbermill which he owns. However the most horrible thing is they only get a piece of gum for lunch and the head foreman , Foreman Flacutono is a grumpy and mean man. Much to their horror they have to sleep in damp wet conditions and only get one bunk between the three of them. However things get much worse when Klaus breaks his glasses and has to go to Dr. Orwell to repair them. When he returns Violet and Sunny can tell he isn't himself. When they investigate they find out that the nasty Count Olaf is disguised as Shirley a receptionist at Dr. Orwells. His new divised plan is to adopt the orphans if they cause any trouble at the mill as he or you can say she has already talked to Sir on that situation. However that is the least of Violet and Sunny's problems as they need to find a quick solution to get Klaus unhypnolized!

The 4th on in the series is one of my favorites! It was so fun to read and the unfortunated situations the Baudlaires get into just pile up! So far I have read all eight of them and the plot really thickens later so keep reading!

Note: i am reviewing more of the series than a specific one of these books.
These books are alright; they are a lot of fun, and as you know, massively popular. they are comical (though insisting to be entirely "glum" and depressing or something like that). They're those kind f books you sit down and finish in an hour. if you feel like a funny and a weird book then read these. there are some things i don't like about them, however. one of them is how random they seem to be sometimes. i mean they aren't entirely random, and but it doesn't quie give you that dreamy quality, and not that rational quality either. i say, do one or the other, not one that is in-between. also, they are irrational at times; for instance, things are weirdly coincidential, or that a baby (i am referring to "Sunny") could grasp a situation that is a bit too complex and even offer opinions (even though she uses words that only her older siblings can understand, like "Blusin" or "egad") is a bit "wrong" in that it couldn't exactly happen. it's a bit strange all in all, but fun. hey, i read them depsite my criticsms. they're great and all, just don't expect them to make sense.

I absolutely had to write a reveiw of this book after reading some of the idiocy posted here. First of all, they are called UNFORTUNATE EVENTS. Not HAPPY ENDINGS. These are NOT "The Happy Golden Years." They are not about Children as victims. They are about two smart cookies and a baby who don't accept the world around them as inevitable or inherently right. They have the best quality any person can have above intelligence: resourcefulness. To those who dislike these books, I can only imagine what technicolor idealist rubbish you would have your children read. Children these days know better than to believe everything ends happily. I believe that they are relieved to finally find in Lemony an adult who understands and acknowledges *sometimes it's tough being a kid*. Children are smart enough to see what is pretend, and surely grow bored with books that have underlying psychological agendas, games where everyone wins, and protagonists who go through life with no negative events. Who can relate to that? As in the case of Cleary's Ramona books, life just isn't like that.

I think that children who read these books (aside from those who have lost a parent or a have a fear of losing parents) will see right through the farce and root for these small heros. Sure, there are some shockers in plot, but the children solve their problems ingeniously. This story has great lessons, and smacks of epic poetry (If you can keep your head about you when everyone else is losing theirs and blaming it on you...) It is no more terrible than Hansel and Gretel. In fact, these children lost their parents to an accident, and I would fear that a child reading Hansel and Gretel would believe that a parent could be convinced to abandon his children. These books are cautiously dangerous, creating the terrible in a careful way.

In the case of this book, it may prompt your children to ask, "Where will I go if you die?" and you, hopefully, will be able to allay their fears with a relative much more pleasant than Count Olaf.

These are wonderful books about children who try very hard, love each other, who keep their brave faces and wits about them even when all alone, no matter what this brutal but loving author throws at them. Violet and Klaus make reading, research, creativity, and cunning wit very very cool. This is so important to our flawed culture that promotes winning through physical force alone. These books are written in an entertaining hand, with wit and sarcasm and a worthy nod to Nabokov. I can't wait to read the rest. I give it four stars because they are not quite the best of their genre, and are definately not long enough. Otherwise, they are excellent tomes I will treasure, and enjoy sharing with the pint sized protagonists in my life.

I bought the first book for my niece, and ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting so I could engage her in a conversation about it, and help her work on reading comprehension. I got sucked in!

These books are smartly written, meaning both intelligent and clever, not to mention astute. While some reviewers unfairly criticize the way that words are described, it presents a great medium to kids. It illustrates the flexibility and creative use of language, making it both entertaining and educational.

I'd recommend these books for adults as a quick, enjoyable read, and to kids as a smart introduction to language use while being immersed in a story of colorful, delightfully sinister characters. These stories offer something for everyone, except those completely devoid of humor and personality.