The Bad Beginning

The Bad Beginning: A Series of Unfortunate Events #1. By Lemony Snicket. Illustrated by Brett Helquist. Harper Collins, 1999. 162 pages. Tr. $12.99 ISBN 978-0064407663

Summary: The three Baudelaire children are now orphans, their parents having perished in the house fire. They stay for a while with the well-meaning Poe family, however, they soon long for a place of their own. Their banker and family friend, Mr. Poe, bequeaths Violet, Klaus, and Sunny to a distant cousin, Count Olaf. Olaf’s home is in complete disarray, and he forces the children to work for him by cleaning, cooking, and acting in his company’s theatricals. Their kind-hearted next-door neighbor, Justice Strauss, allows them free reign of her library, however, can she save them from their evil-hearted cousin?

Critical Review: Lemony Snicket’s “Series of Unfortunate Events” has garnered a great deal of praise. Critics have compared him to Charles Dickens or Roald Dahl. My feelings are torn: it is clear that Mr. Snicket is an extremely talented writer, however, his book was far too depressing to me. I cannot imagine reading this book as a child, and would only recommend the series with caveats. The Bad Beginning is a wonderful book to supplement tween’s vocabularies, without it feeling like a lesson. However, a particular audience is needed, one that will not become disgruntled to find that nothing positive happens in the lives of the Baudelaire children under the pen of Lemony Snicket. Just in this book alone the children face a number of extremely unpleasant situations, starting with the death of their parents. With the exception of their neighbor, who desperately wanted to adopt them, they are without caring adults. Their uncle abuses them, and incompetent Mr. Poe is of no help. Not only were the children unwanted and unloved, they were abused by their supposed guardian who was only after their money. Attempts to find others to help them escape their predicament were unfound, which tore at my heartstrings. I cannot fathom reading another morsel of this series, if the series is a continuation of negativity, without a morsel of sunshine in the mix.

Genre: Humor

Reading/Interest Level: 8-12 years

Reviews: Kirkus Reviews (1999, July 15); Publisher’s Weekly (1999, September 6); Library Journal (1999, November 1)

Series: A Series of Unfortunate Events

Similar Materials: Roald Dahl’s The Witches and Matilda; Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations; Lemony Snicket’s following books in “ A Series of Unfortunate Events”: The Reptile Room; The Wide Window; The Miserable Mill; The Austere Academy; The Ersatz Elevator; The Vile Village; The Hostile Hospital; The Carnivorous Carnival; The Slippery Slope; The Grim Grotto; The Penultimate Peril; The End 

Subjects/Themes: orphans, child abuse, brothers and sisters, plays, acting, death

Character Names: Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire; Mr. and Mrs. Poe; Edgar and Allan Poe, Count Olaf, Justice Strauss

Author Website: http://www.lemonysnicket.com/

Illustrator Website: http://www.bretthelquist.com/

Booktalking/Programing Idea: Encourage children to read the books, and then watch the movie (http://www.unfortunateeventsmovie.com/nonflash.html). Compare the book to those of Roald Dahl and Charles Dickens, and perhaps even Lois Lowry.

Brief Annotation: Three children deal with the death of their parents, and adjust to life with their wicked, abusive relative.