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![A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning by [Lemony Snicket, Brett Helquist, Michael Kupperman]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51L4kwJApSL._SY346_.jpg)
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A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning Kindle Edition
Lemony Snicket
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Reading age8 - 12 years
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LanguageEnglish
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Grade level5 - 6
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Lexile measure1010L
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PublisherHarperCollins
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Publication dateMarch 17, 2009
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ISBN-13978-0061146305
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
Review
“Irrepressible, brave and charming.” -- New York Times Book Review
“Those who enjoy a little poison in their porridge will find it wicked good fun.” -- Kirkus Reviews
“With a cast of unforgettable characters, a distinctly literary air, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, this is a great match for dark comedy fans.” -- Brightly --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
From Library Journal
Linda Bindner, formerly at Athens Clarke County Library, GA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
From Kirkus Reviews
Amazon.com Review
From AudioFile
From the Inside Flap
Approx. 2 hours
2 cassettes
Beware — Not for fans of happy endings!
After the sudden death of their parents, the three Baudelaire children must depend on each other and their wits when it turns out that the distant relative who is appointed their guardian is determined to use any means necessary to get their fortune. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
About the Author
Lemony Snicket had an unusual education which may or may not explain his ability to evade capture. He is the author of the 13 volumes in A Series of Unfortunate Events, several picture books including The Dark, and the books collectively titled All The Wrong Questions.
Brett Helquist's celebrated art has graced books from the charming Bedtime for Bear, which he also wrote, to the New York Times–bestselling A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket to the glorious picture book adaptation of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. He lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York.
--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.From the Back Cover
Dear Reader,
The book you are holding in your hands is a short-lived edition of a book that will likely make your life shorter as well. The tale of three Baudelaire children, who find themselves thrown into an unhappy situation containing a treacherous villain with an evil scheme and bad manners, becomes more and more dreadful on each page, and everyone so foolhardy as to read it will find themselves weeping and moaning by the end of the book.
This book is offered at an introductory price, but it introduces the reader to such unpleasantries as a disastrous fire, itchy clothing, a baby trapped in a cage, a plot to steal an enormous fortune, and dusty curtains.
I made a solemn promise to write down these wretched tales, but you have no such promise, and if I were you I would put down a book this terrible, no matter how reasonably priced.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket
--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.Product details
- ASIN : B000VYX8PE
- Publisher : HarperCollins; Reprint edition (March 17, 2009)
- Publication date : March 17, 2009
- Language : English
- File size : 3950 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 146 pages
- Lending : Not Enabled
- Best Sellers Rank: #19,529 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
Customer reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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I wish I had discovered this book ten years ago so that I could have given it to my daughters when it was more age appropriate. The story zips along quickly enough to keep the reader entertained. It is also very humorous in its presentation of characters and situations. The writing is amusing and well-done. However, I think the best thing about the book might be the way that it introduces the young reader to a larger vocabulary through the narrator's quirk of telling us what a word "here means."
As an adult, I have to say that while this book is really very short - it took me no more than an hour or two to polish it off - it has the trait of a lot of good children's entertainment that the writer pitches jokes on several levels so that on one level an adult might catch the humor of a sentence that would sail over the heads of a child.
The Bad Beginning
by. Lemony Snicket
Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Book Length: 188 pages
Genre: Children, Children's Chapter, Middle School
It has been a while since I last read this book and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed returning to its pages. The most unique, intriguing, and frustrating aspect of the book is that the main character of the story could be argued to be the narrator. Everything is told through the voice of Lemony Snicket, which is actually the narrator and not the author's actual name. The style is not a typical style for most children's books and it is pulled off with success.
The writing style is amazing. You are pulled into the story, engage with all the characters, and before you know you have finished the tale. I almost went and immediately bought the next book. The only thing that stopped me was the huge pile of books I currently have to finish. It truly is no wonder that this series has obtained such success.
There is one aspect of the writing style that I found quite annoying. The narrator continually defined the words that he and the other characters were using. As the story progressed the other characters also begin defining the words that they were using. It was annoying because I am an adult reader who was well aware of what all these words meant. Yet, while I was quite engaged by the story the book was not written for me. It was written for middle school readers who are still increasing their vocabulary. The first time I encountered Snicket's unique way of defining words in a story I knew what he was doing. While I, as an adult reader, was slightly annoyed I was also kind of awed by his genius. He has this book that he doesn't want to dumb down for his readers, yet he also doesn't want to loose their interest as they encounter words they may not be familiar with. To decrease the frustration of reading by including the definitions into the quirky flow that already existed in the novel is nothing short of genius.
As reviewed on The Book Recluse Review.
Parents be aware that it does feature unfortunate events, as the title clearly states, but this parent feels that the children's never give up attitudes and constructive ways of dealing with their loss(es) is a good lesson which really cannot be conveyed without hardship and that this is a lesson best learned early and carefully when possible. I would prefer my kids understand from a fictional characters example that a good attitude and positive outlets for negative emotions are the best course of action before he/she experiences similar loss themselves so that my kids can better deal with the loss weather I am there to help or in the event that I'm not for whatever reason.
The way Mr. Snicket explains some higher level vocabulary and certain concepts such as dramatic irony(in book 2) is also a plus as is his tongue in cheek humor. He writes on a fifth grade level but, kinda like Spongebob, he puts some tidbits for adult brains in there too that you wont be embarrassed about when you child gets older and figures it out.
Top reviews from other countries

It is quite entertaining and very easy and fast to read. I really enjoy the lecture especially after a long and stressful working day (so far I have read books 1 - 6). This book series is just something you can switch your head off and can read it through without the need to concentrate too much. The way Lemony Snicket writes is very easy to follow and just makes you keep reading, even though the events in the book are predictable.
Also the illustrations by beginning of every chapter in the Kindle version are a welcome change!
The only thing I do not like is the patronising way to explain 'difficult' words - of course those stories were written for children but even then I don't think that that much explanation is actually needed.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 29, 2019
It is quite entertaining and very easy and fast to read. I really enjoy the lecture especially after a long and stressful working day (so far I have read books 1 - 6). This book series is just something you can switch your head off and can read it through without the need to concentrate too much. The way Lemony Snicket writes is very easy to follow and just makes you keep reading, even though the events in the book are predictable.
Also the illustrations by beginning of every chapter in the Kindle version are a welcome change!
The only thing I do not like is the patronising way to explain 'difficult' words - of course those stories were written for children but even then I don't think that that much explanation is actually needed.



Already have box set which my oldest son enjoyed.
Younger 10 year was interested in reading, having lost the
1st copy decide to order it on the kindle.
Good book to stretch imagination and vocabulary.
My older son read majority of the box set (around 9 books in total), however
nearing the end didn't finish as got to be repetitive.
Would definitely recommend buying the 1st book as a trial, then purchasing
further copies in the series if you enjoy.


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