Rating: 
Summary: Bad Luck
Review: Have you ever thought you had the worst luck on the face of this planet? You should try reading "The Bad Beginning". The Bauldelaire children have bad luck by the fifth page, and it only goes downhill from there. It's not all bad though, some parts are very clever and bring you hope for the children. Lemony Snicket does a great job of bringing you into the story and making you feel like you are one of the children. When they are happy, you are happy. When they are sad, you are sad. The emotions get passed around like a communion tray. This book is a must-read! :)
Rating: 
Summary: Parents don't waste your money on this one!
Review: As a teacher, I have read this for a book group run in my district. Normally I look forward to reading these books. I was frankly disgusted from beginning to end. From the moment the parents burn to death in their house, to the irritatingly intrusive explanations of words, I was completely turned off. I was further disturbed to see the sexual overtones of the cousin, assigned to raise the children, devise a plan to marry the oldest girl (still a young teen) for their fortune. When the plan is foiled the cousin steals the youngest and threatens to drop her from a great height! I looked on [online store] to find out why kids liked it and was completely confounded by the amount of adults who thought this book clever! I hope parents read this review. It has too many mature themes for 4th graders and is too young for teens. I can't see in what age group this fits. I have an open mind when it comes to books, but I implore you to choose something else to read!
Rating:
Summary: Full of Unfortunate Event
Review: Has many unfortunate events, but that's what makes it so enjoyable. Its not your average book, its even better. This book is lots of fun to read.
Rating:
Summary: Do humanity a favor. . .
Review: If you've bought this book, do not return it to the store. Rip out the pages and toss it in the recycling bin. Yes, you'll be out some money, but there will be one less copy of this book (here meaning random words thrown together without meaning, character, plot, theme, or purpose printed onto paper, bound together, and sold at an enormous effort to profit ratio) polluting the planet. I don't think I've ever read a book more clearly meant solely to line the author's and publisher's pocket. No redeeming value whatsoever. Horribly written, dull, depressing, and not even interesting enough to be called one-dimensional.
Rating:
Summary: witty
Review: I had received this book on Christmas of 2001 from my sister (who works at a book store), and hadn't really thought anything of it. After 5 months, maybe more, I started to read it out of boredom. I found it extremely exciting! Sure it isn't action packed, but it is so well written that you can't wait to see what Snicket will write next. This really isn't a book for most people. It's dreary and sad, but for those who enjoy a witty author, a good plot, and can see past the drearyness to then understand a bit of the humor that comes into this book, than it should be a most enjoyable read.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, but scary!
Review: I was very excited to hear about this series because I was looking for something good to read until the next Harry Potter book came out. However, I was glad in the end I had only purchased the first one because it scared me a great deal. Maybe it is the new-mom syndrome, but part of the story that dealt with a perilous situation for the baby horrified and terrified me. Plus, there seemed to be some underlying sexual undertones between some of the adults and children. As an educator, I did like how the author explained more complex vocabulary terms, but it did get a little old to an adult reader.
Rating: 
Summary: A series of Unfortunaate events.
Review: The Bad beginning is a great book. It is(obviously) about unlucky kids. They are orphans because their parents get killed in a fire. They stay with their parents friend mr. Poe until they find a family member that they can stay with, and the family member is...Count Olaf Ahhhhhh! he ends up being he big villain of the series. Unlike the other reviewers I think that the chracters are quite well done in these noveels.Lemony Sniket ( the pen name of Daniel Handler) does a great job as a writer in the stories, and it is written in my favorite form, third person. So far there are eight novels in the series and another scheduled for this October. So I would reccomend this series of books for ages 8 and over, and for children who enjoy suspense....... Grade A Goodbye ~~~~~~~~~~Dan~~~~
Rating:
Summary: by unanimous vote...
Review: I've been expanding my reading in Children's and Young Adult literature of late. I have read some really great authors for the first time. One author who strikes me as particularly engaging is Lemony Snicket. His books have not only riveted the attention of my children, they have spoken to me at the same time but on a higher level. In my experience, "The Bad Beginning," the first in Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events" series, grabs the attention of children. They feel for the Baudelaire children. Their main reactions have been to the injustice of what the children are forced to go through. They celebrate the Baudelaire's eventual pseudo-triumph. Yet all the while, what I relished in Snicket's writing was the dripping irony and sarcasm (the book is soaked in it). A particular joy for me was the narrator's simplifying definitions of big words for the kids...they serve to put quite a spin on things. These books are rather short--you can read them in a day if you're adult (and they must make a fortune for the author). My wife has listened to books one and two on tape (read by the terrific Tim Curry) and says they are hysterical. Getting unanimous approval for anything in my family is tough. So this book must either be pretty good or pretty weird. I think its both. I recommend Lemony Snicket's "The Bad Beginning."
Rating:
Summary: I can't find words fabulous enough to describe this !
Review: True, the Baudelaires are unlucky.As Lemony Snicket states, "Their misfortune began one day at Briny Beach". Violet, Klaus and Sunny, or, as I call them,Vi, Klaus, and Sun, are very nice and clever, but they are orphans, which they certainly don't deserve to be. After their parents' death, they are sent to live with the Chameleon (A.K.A.Count Olaf)who slaps them and gives them inordinate chores. Then one day Klaus finds out that Chameleon is planning to steal their fortune by -UGH!-marrying Vi. Then they are locked up and-ooops....I shouldn't say anymore, it'll spoil the book! By the way, I believe that Chameleon and his buddies set fire to the Baudelaire mansion.They are arsonists!
Rating:
Summary: The Bad Beginning is really a Tremendous Twist in Literacy!
Review: This is a book worth your two hours. Okay, so what? You're 15 years old and can't stand "kiddy" books? Well, The Bad Beginning isn't like that. It doesn't matter what age you are... once you're reading this books, you'll be too rapped up in it to care. The author, Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler) is amazing. I've been reading some books lately and I've realized he's really formulated his books off of the classics: Little Women,The Lord Of The Rings, and some others... and his later books off of the bestsellers (although his is also bestselling): Harry Potter (and some others of which I forget at the moment). And then, best of all, he's added his own twist, one of suspense, dread, and something that's so thrilling that it will not be forgotten all too soon. So, if you want me to summarize up my review, just look at my rating, it's probably the best way to describe Mr. Snicket's work and The Bad Beginning.
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