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The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1) Hardcover – Deckle Edge, August 25, 1999

by
Lemony Snicket (Author)
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Lemony Snicket (Author), Brett Helquist (Illustrator)
4.2 out of 5 stars 1,717 customer reviews
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Frequently Bought Together

  • The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1)
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Product Details

  • Age Range: 8 - 12 years
  • Grade Level: 5 and up
  • Lexile Measure: 1010L (What's this?)
  • Series: A Series of Unfortunate Events (Book 1)
  • Hardcover: 162 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins (August 25, 1999)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 006075589X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0060755898
  • ASIN: 0064407667
  • Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.7 x 7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1,717 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,147 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsA very good read
By Jadecat VINE VOICE on October 19, 2003
Format: Hardcover
I went back and forth about whether I should get this book to read with my 7 year old second grader. I kept telling myself I should wait till she was older, but found the book at a good price, so I bought it. I worried it would be too depressing and scary for her, but it did not turn out that way at all. The book is written from a narrators point of view, so the personal feelings of the characters are never fully exposed and explored. You know that the three orphans are sad about their parents death, but the book doesn't wallow in their grief and make it painful to read. If you can imagine Vincent Price reading the book, that tends to make it a little more lighthearted. The bad guy of the book, Count Olaf, is an awful brute who is outright cruel to the children at times, but again the book doesn't have the children suffering without end. Instead it makes them more resilient to foil the Counts plans and triumph over him. My daughter was EAGER to read these books. That was the best thing about it all. We have tried classics, Pippi Longstocking, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Charlottes Web, but as great as they are, they lack The Bad Beginnings level of excitement, mystery and wondering what will happen next. I enjoyed the book myself and will continue to read the rest of the series, in hopes they are as entertaining as this one. I can see if you have a very sensitive child, this would not be the book for them until they are older. Some kids my daughters age are scared of Harry Potter movies, so this book would be too much for them. If your youngster isn't living in a sheltered world where everything is wonderful and bad things don't happen, and they can understand the difference between a made up story and a real one, then they just might enjoy this new type of childrens adventure stories.
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4.0 out of 5 starsA Most Unfortunate Family...
By A Customer on May 1, 2000
Format: Hardcover
If you like the part of Harry Potter when he's living under the stairs of the Dursley household, before the happy bit where he gets accepted to Wizard school, then you'll enjoy these books.
The Baudelaire orphans are nice and smart. But boy are they unlucky. The book opens with the Baudelaire parents dying in a fire and the orphans having to find a relative to look after them. Although there is a huge family fortune, they can't get it until Violet, the oldest at 14, turns 18. But this doesn't stop the dastardly (and there isn't really any other word to describe him) Count Olaf, a horrible and distant relative, and his nasty henchmen/women/things from trying to get their hands (or hooks) on it. And as far as Olaf is concerened, the Baudelaires are expendable, a word which here means "not needed after Count Olaf gets his hands on the money".
Just one word of warning--when the author says if you like cheerful books or happy endings, stop reading now, he means it. But if you like miserable scary books with unhappy endings, keep reading! And you'll learn lots of horrible words with depressing or unfortunate meanings as well.
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5.0 out of 5 starsWonderful Book!
By A Customer on January 2, 2000
Format: Hardcover
I'm in 5th grade and I thought the book is great. It felt like I was in the book and I was Baudelaire child. I read the book in one whole day because I couldn't stop. The next day I read the sequel. I recommend this book to all.
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5.0 out of 5 starsToo delicious!
By Charlotte Vale-Allen VINE VOICE on February 15, 2001
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
I came to this series as a result of an interview with the author that I read in Publishers Weekly. Intrigued, I ordered the first three books. I loved them. They are purportedly children's books but the author has a wicked sense of humor, and includes references that only adults would recognize. (For example, two of the three children are named Sunny and Klaus. Gee, that makes me think about some real-life wicked goings-on.)
Aside from everything else, these children actually come alive; they're inventive, clever and resourceful. They also suffer at the hands of their wonderfully conceived evil uncle Count Olaf.
I've passed these books along to a number of children who gobbled them up as avidly as I did--which proves that a good book knows no age barriers. This series is pure pleasure.
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5.0 out of 5 starsA great book for realists with a sense of humor
By A Customer on May 21, 2001
Format: Hardcover
If you are the type of person who blames everyone but yourself for the evils of the world, by all means DON'T read these books. However, if you have a healthy sense of reality and humor (or want to raise children who will!) then read and enjoy these delightful tales.
Lemony Snicket writes for all those kids who know that adults aren't always on their side. His stories are funny, a little creepy and always interesting. The Baudelaire children are the best of what boy and girl heros in books should be and the adults, well, the adults might just be portrayed a little too accurately for some grown-ups to handle. As most children know, adults don't always do what's right, aren't always to be trusted and don't always believe what a child tells them. Reading some of the negative reviews here, some adults would prefer that children not know this. Silly grown-ups, your children already know far more than you understand.
My daughter and I have read book the first and are rapidly demolishing book the second. They are smart books the way Roald Dahl books are smart. The author explains a lot of words or phrases, but not, in my opinion, in a "dumbing down" way. Many of the explainations are useful even for adults who know what the words already mean... for example, the explaination of "literal" vs. "figurative" in book the first.
Enjoy the books and read them along with your kids. You'll be amazed at how much this writing stikes a chord with them!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsA Series of Unfortunate Events

These are one the coolest series of books that I've ever read! Someone gave me some used books and among them, there was book 3, 7, & 9. Read more

Published 8 days ago by Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 starsCharming!

Charming!

Published 10 days ago by sprinklergal
4.0 out of 5 starsGreat story and very well written!

As an adult reading this book, I still found it very interesting and was engaged with the characters. I'm interested in reading more of this series! Read more

Published 11 days ago by Cas H.
4.0 out of 5 starsDisclaimer: no children have I

Read as an adult this afternoon, and enjoyed somewhat. Brief distraction from a dull office job? yes, but there are some interesting lessons here. Great vocab builder as well. Read more

Published 16 days ago by Amazon Customer
2.0 out of 5 starsKids only

It's probably a good book for kids but not so much for adults. I understand that it is a kids book but some can be read by adults and not want to rip their hair out but this is not... Read more

Published 27 days ago by Kate
5.0 out of 5 starsVery Good

This book was very good because it kept me on the edge of my seat. It also dident give to much detail or to little detail. Read more

Published 1 month ago by JoeMac
1.0 out of 5 starsDon't order it I was waiting for almost 1 month

Don't order it
I was waiting for almost 1 month

Published 1 month ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsThumbs-up

Life saver we couldn't find the book for my daughter's project so this can at the nick of time

Published 1 month ago by Alonzo Wesley
5.0 out of 5 starsAwesome series

My second read of this book did not disappoint. It keeps your attention. Count Olaf is a creep and there are some things I don't think I understood as well during my first read... Read more

Published 1 month ago by Chubby Bookworm
5.0 out of 5 starsReceived in good condition

Love this book

Published 2 months ago by Jay

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