Little Darlings [Paperback]

Sam Llewellyn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 25, 2004 | Series: Darlings

Primrose, Cassian and Daisy Darling are very bad children. Papa Darling and Mrs Darling (the children's mum scarpered long ago) both know that child-rearing is a task best performed by experts, not parents. Unfortunately, the Darling family nannies never last long, for quite obvious reasons. Enter Nanny Petronella Fryer - Nanny Pete - in a Jag XJS. Nanny Pete is different. There's the stubble for a start. And she lets them eat anything they want - no more burnt custard or lumpy porridge. They're all about to embark on what can only be called a comic caper, which leads the little Darlings far from home on a cruiseship full of burglars - and ultimately to their own missing mum.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6–Cassian, Primrose, and Daisy, children of rich Papa Darling, are neglected and unloved. Their mother disappeared without a word and since then they have been cared for by a revolving door of nannies, each one more horrible than the last. Throughout these bad times, the children have cultivated their own special talents. Cassian's love of machines, Primrose's culinary skills, and Daisy's deep understanding of psychology enable the siblings to band together and ultimately reunite their parents. One part Pippi Longstocking, two parts Lemony Snicket, Little Darlings is a cleverly written satire on the ingenuity of children and the callous materialism of the British upper classes. The narrative slows at times with the introduction of myriad absurd characters, and the use of British slang and dialect, although appropriate for the novel, might be problematic for less competent readers. While the story might find fans with readers hungry for more Lemony Snicket-type books, others should consider this novel only as a secondary purchase.–Melissa Christy Buron, Epps Island Elementary, Houston, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Sam Llewellyn worked as an editor and fine art dealer until he decided that life was too short. Since then, he has been a journalist, yachtsman and novelist and has written many successful thrillers for adults. He lives with his wife, children's author Karen Wallace, in Herefordshire. He is currently writing a second book about the horrible LITTLE DARLINGS.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (March 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0141316918
• ISBN-13: 978-0141316918
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #671,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Those fabulous Little Darlings, August 20, 2005

By 

Jmw's Books "jmwbooks" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Little Darlings (Mass Market Paperback)

I loved this book which is aimed at an juvenile audience but so full of wry humor that adults will be thoroughly entertained. If you adore the Lemony Snicket books, you'll like this one!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great fun to read, July 13, 2005

By 

Sheeptracks (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Little Darlings (Mass Market Paperback)

I read this book outloud to my 9 1/2 year old daughter who hung on every word. It was an unusual plot, and of course, it was fun to see that the kids can outsmart the adults at almost every turn. All of the characters were interesting and quirky but believable also. This is a really good book to read together but kids would enjoy it on their own too.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Do you want to laugh outloud?, March 31, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Little Darlings (Paperback)

This is the funniest book I've read in a long time and I read LOTS of books! Daisy, Cassian, and Primrose Darling have a father and stepmother who don't pay attention to them and they hate nannies. They have gotten rid of every single nanny they've been given so far --- and plan to keep doing that -- that is until Nanny Pete who is really a burgler comes to take care of them. The kids go on a fantastic adventure. Just wait until you see how! I love this book and hope there is another one coming soon very very soon.