The Lump of Coal [Hardcover]

Lemony Snicket (Author), Brett Helquist (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

This is a story about a lump of coal who can think, talk, and move itself around.

Is there a more charming holiday tale to behold? Probably, but Lemony Snicket has not written one.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6–In this tale of Christmas miracles, Snicket chronicles the adventures of an anthropomorphic lump of coal with a dream. The small, flammable hero meets his share of naysayers and phonies on his quest to be an artist. He eventually becomes despondent and settles for something that is better than nothing. It is when he least expects his miracle that it occurs, enabling him to fulfill his destiny. Snicket's trademark arch humor delivers plenty of laugh-out-loud moments en route to the happy ending. Longtime collaborator Helquist brings the characters to life with simplicity and charm. The lump of coal is sufficiently lumpy and elegantly dressed. Those who would stand in his way are ridiculed with appropriately subtle visual barbs. The entire saga is presented in a seven-inch-square volume that is thought-provoking and captivating, and sure to be in demand.–Linda Israelson, Los Angeles Public Library
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From Booklist

Just in time for the full-on onslaught of holiday sentimentality, Lemony Snicket comes to the rescue, offering up an acerbic miniature picture book that hides a droll sweetness beneath a biting sardonic wit. It’s December again, and our hero, a lump of coal with an identity crisis (inexplicably wearing a tuxedo) is off in search of a miracle that will give meaning to his life. He tries an art gallery; perhaps he could smudge himself across a canvas masterpiece. No go. He tries a Korean barbecue; maybe he can fuel the fire that roasts eggplant and warms holiday hearts. Nope. At last, a drug-store Santa claims him as the perfect addition to his disobedient stepson’s stocking, and the coal lump finds his place in the world. The tongue-in-cheek narrative receives able support from Helquist’s full-color illustrations, which nicely extend the humor. This Snicket title is extra-wry, but the bracing tone cuts through the honeyed happy ending for a Christmas cocktail that’s just right. Grades 1-3. --Thom Barthelmess

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (September 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061574287
• ISBN-13: 978-0061574283
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 6.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #443,916 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lemony Snicket claims he was nowhere near the scene of the crime. He is the author of several other unpleasant stories, including those in the bestselling A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Lump of Coal.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A small, flammable miracle, October 18, 2008

By 

Boni Ashburn - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lump of Coal (Hardcover)

This book made me laugh until I cried. It really did. Yes, I'm a children's book author too. No, gosh no, I don't know Mr. Lemony Snicket. And I've never even read any of his other books! But I sure am going to read every one of them now.

This isn't a book for the youngest picture book crowd- they just won't get the humor. It might even be a stretch for the older picture book crowd. But 9 to 12-year-olds who, believe it or not, should still be read to, will likely find this as funny as I did. Read this book to them and find out! Sharing great books is what it's all about :)

If you like your humor on the darkly deadpan side, this is a terrific, unique addition to your holiday book collection.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Lump of Coal Triumphant, December 7, 2009

By 

Phyllis A. Karr (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lump of Coal (Hardcover)

What I have sampled of Snicket's "Unfortunate Events" series inclines me negatively toward wanting more. But, recognizing the old tradition about lumps of coal at Yuletide, when I saw this small book on the bookstore's holiday shelf, my curiosity at the title overcame my negative response to the byline. I took, I read, I was conquered, I purchased. That was last year, and I remain glad.
Let us for the sake of argument not quibble over such minor technicalities as the apparent confusion about char- vs. bituminous or even anthracite coal; why, when the author speaks of the small hero "rolling" from place to place the illustrator depicts it walking on delightful little anthropomorphic legs; or how (perhaps the greatest if unspelled-out miracle of the story) it can cook all day and mark paper all evening without being consumed. Despite such quirks, the fun adds up to a sort of Hans Christian Andersen meets Ambrose Bierce dish, seasoned with a dash of holiday morality of the lightly cynical variety, and served up with illustrations of color and verve.
I still don't plan on reading the Unfortunate Events until I find nothing else to read, but I look forward to perusing THE LUMP OF COAL every December, maybe oftener.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not your typical Christmas Miracle tale, but that's a good thing!, January 7, 2009

By 

J. Howard "blackcat725" (Northeast Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lump of Coal (Hardcover)

I absolutely loved this book, and I laughed out loud all the way through! I have read all of the other Lemony Snicket books and I may actually like this one the best because it has all the best elements (humor, pathos, vocabulary education) in a nice, concise form. And, it actually has a happy ending! Plus, I'm always on the lookout for Christmas stories that are just a little "off-kilter" and this is one. Being an artist (graphic-type) by trade I particularly loved the line "Like many people who dress in black, the lump of coal was interested in becoming an artist."