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Lemony Snicket

A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning: The Short-Lived Edition Hardcover – Deckle Edge, May 29, 2012

by Lemony Snicket (Author), Brett Helquist (Illustrator)

6,110 ratings

Book 1 of 13: A Series of Unfortunate Events

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SOON TO BE A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES

Are you made fainthearted by death? Does fire unnerve you? Is a villain something that might crop up in future nightmares of yours? Are you thrilled by nefarious plots? Is cold porridge upsetting to you? Vicious threats? Hooks? Uncomfortable clothing?

It is likely that your answers will reveal A Series of Unfortunate Events to be ill-suited for your personal use. A librarian, bookseller, or acquaintance should be able to suggest books more appropriate for your fragile temperament. But to the rarest of readers we say, "Proceed, but cautiously."

Reading age

8 - 12 years, from customers
Book 1 of 13

A Series of Unfortunate Events
Print length

176 pages
Language

English
Grade level

5 - 6
Dimensions

5 x 0.74 x 7 inches
Publisher

HarperCollins
Publication date

May 29, 2012
ISBN-10

0062206044
ISBN-13

978-0062206046
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Popular Highlights in this book

What are popular highlights?

Sometimes, just saying that you hate something, and having someone agree with you, can make you feel better about a terrible situation.
Highlighted by 2,691 Kindle readers
He found himself reading the same sentence over and over. He found himself reading the same sentence over and over. He found himself reading the same sentence over and over.
Highlighted by 2,633 Kindle readers
They didn’t understand it, but like so many unfortunate events in life, just because you don’t understand it doesn’t mean it isn’t so.
Highlighted by 1,684 Kindle readers

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for A Series of Unfortunate Events: “Hilarious. Luckily for fans, the woes of the Baudelaires are far from over.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Those who enjoy a little poison in their porridge will find it wicked good fun.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Irrepressible, brave and charming.” — New York Times Book Review

“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

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

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins; Reprint edition (May 29, 2012)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062206044
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062206046
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 12 years, from customers
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 5 - 6
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.9 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.74 x 7 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,356,054 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,563 in Children's Books on Orphans & Foster Homes
- #8,321 in Children's Siblings Books (Books)
- #30,142 in Children's Humor

Customer Reviews:
6,110 ratings

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Lemony Snicket

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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

4.7 out of 5

6,110 global ratings

5 star		80%
4 star		13%
3 star		4%
2 star		1%
1 star		2%

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Shannon

I’ve loved these books since I was a kid

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 31, 2022

Verified Purchase

Growing up these were the first LONG chapter books I was allowed to read in school. At home, I was allowed to read whatever I wanted. But…there was something about these books that just make me feel good, comforted and just happy. Even though, these are far from happy tales. I’m curled up with a nice cup of coffee, and a blanket, enjoying my childhood.

One person found this helpful

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Yahweh's Toaster

got some good reviews, and I got curious

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 16, 2017

Verified Purchase

Let me preface this with I'm about to turn 30. I don't have kids, I'm not overly interested with any child rearing.

I knew about these books years ago, but I felt at the time I'd be too old for them. I knew about the movie based on them and, again, felt a little too old from what I saw in the trailers. Netflix made a series about it, got some good reviews, and I got curious. After finishing the first season (which is all there is as of the writing of this review), I'm actually considering getting a tattoo. I've read up, and knowing that the author of the books also did the screenplay for the Netflix series....this might not be the most wholly honest review in the world since I haven't read the entire book, but I do have my bit to say after seeing the series based on the same book(s) that had its screenplay written by the same author.

I've read the first chapter and skimmed the rest (which cements that last paragraph), and I am kicking myself for not reading this earlier. These books were literally published at a time in my life that I would've appreciated them the most. Here are lessons that I sorely needed at the time, and I know practically every teen needs to know these things: (1) What makes you unique doesn't make you weird, it makes you useful, (2) Adults don't know everything, no matter how much they say they do, (3) Manipulative and abusive personalities should be avoided at all costs, as should their "flying monkeys," so to speak (4) "Clueless" adults may just be naive, even willfully so, but they can be very good people at heart and brought back to your reality with enough perseverance.

These amazing messages are delivered in a melancholy way, but I would argue that many tweens and early teens feel melancholy themselves. I know I did. The unfortunate events in this book are so over the top that you can't help tie them to real events in your own life at times. I've always rolled my eyes at books aimed at this age demographic, yet here I am at almost 30, and chomping at the bit to tear my way through the series. I'm not going to lie....I'm expecting to learn another life lesson along the way that I somehow skipped over after all these years.

8 people found this helpful

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Jessica

A Great Book That Teaches Good Values

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 29, 2014

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I read one of the reviews left by a critic of this book. She complained she couldn't endorse this book because the children were not as admirable (among other things) as the children in Harry Potter. I disagree with her. Though I do like the Harry Potter series myself, if I had to recommend a book that I feel teaches children good values, I'd recommend this series over Harry Potter. Harry Potter has some good values too, but all the magic and impossible things rather obscure them.

What I like about this series is that it teaches several valuable things. One, it teaches that life is not fair. Two, it teaches that adults are not infallible. They can be kind and have your best interests at heart, but sometimes they can be fooled. This may not be something many adults want their kids to realize, but frankly--I think it is a good idea for them to learn it. Inevitably, parents and other adult caretakers make mistakes...and if children don't realize that adults can make mistakes and have errors in judgment, they have no choice to believe that you did something on purpose.

But the best thing about this book is that it shows the Baudelaire children managing to prevent the worst disasters and foil the bad buys with real life skills. No, unlike Harry Potter, they can't wave their wand and get out of a situation. They still get bounced around from one guardian to the next. They still get pursued by the bad guy. However, they manage to escape danger and ruin the bad guy's plans in every book. And how do they do this? Violet uses her ingenuity and mechanical skills to invent things out of objects around her. Klaus, the bookworm, uses his extensive knowledge on various objects. Even Sunny, who is a mere baby, is not a total dead weight. She has sharp teeth, and she knows how to use them. The greatest strength the Baudelaires have is their love for each other, and this is the one bright thing in their otherwise unfortunate life.

This book teaches kids that even if they can't always alter their circumstances and are stuck in a situation, it doesn't mean they are helpless. And they don't have to have magical powers either. There are plenty of real life skills that can help them.

9 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Annamarie

Book Review

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 9, 2022

Verified Purchase

In the first story in the series we meet the Baudelaire children Violet the eldest, Clause the middle child and Sunny the youngest.

While they are enjoying a nice day at the beach Mr Poe a banker arrives and informs the children that there has been a fire at their family home which has killed their parents and they are now going into foster care.

The Baudelaire’s go to live with Mr Poe and his family for a few days while he sorts out for them to go and live with their ‘uncle’ Count Olaf.

Count Olaf turns out to be a horrible man who makes the children do a very many chores and the only relief that they get is when they visit his neighbour Justice Straus.

Count Olaf only wants the children for their inheritance and he conjures up a plan to marry Violet to get at the money but the children manage to thwart him and he gets arrested and the children are taken back to the Poe’s but that is not the end of the story.

I’m enjoying this series and cheering the children each time they are able to put a slight hitch in Count Olaf’s plans.

One person found this helpful

Vala

Pleasant pastime not only for kids...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 29, 2019

Verified Purchase

This book series caught my attention because of the Netflix series with Neil Patrick Harris. And as I usually like reading the original books before watching a movie / series, I gave this one a try.

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.

5 people found this helpful

Haroon Yousuf

Great gift

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 20, 2021

Verified Purchase

This book I first read 20 years ago, as a child, and now my niece is the same age as when I got introduced to the book in school, not only did I love it, but she does too, and she's now getting into reading even though for a long time she didn't like books, and when I offered her to buy it she said no, but now that she's read the first chapter she always reads at night.

This is a great book to introduce to children, yes there's no happy ending (not a spoiler, the blurb says it itself, and there are 13 books in the series.) But still it is great for children, and to be honest even an adult would like the books themselves in my opinion.

The book comes with a book mark built in, in the form of a string (I don't know the name for it) and is very high quality, and would be great for collectors too.

2 people found this helpful

James

My son (10) loves these books and has really encouraged him to read!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 23, 2020

Verified Purchase

These books were recommended for my son by his teacher. He's really enjoyed reading them and telling me about them. I have bought most of the series now as he's reading them really fast and picking up new words! Cannot say better than that!

2 people found this helpful

momof3

exciting film for children far better than the film

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 29, 2015

Verified Purchase

exciting book for children far better than the film.
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.

7 people found this helpful

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