Rating: 
Summary: The Bad Beginning
Review: The Bad Beginning was the best book I ever read that is part of a series of the Unfortunate Events. It is about three orphans named Violet, Klaus, and the youngest, Sunny. Their parents died in a fire, so they are left with a huge fortune (which they can't use until she is of age). They try to live with a horrible person with a horrible name, Count Olaf. He was their greedest of all person. Count Olaf was being nice so they knew he was up to something.
I chose this book because it was exciting, sad, and fun to read. You would think that in the end they would live happily ever after but every end he escape which made me want to read the next box.
Rating:
Summary: " THE BEST SERIES IN THE WORLD"
Review: I have been a major fan of the books since the first one came out in 1999 i was looking on the shelf that said new for kids and it said THE BAD BEGINNING. I couldn't refuse to buy it cause you don't find books with a title like that very often and after that i was obsessed with THE SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS. I can't wait till the #9 one comes out THE CARNIVOROUS CARNIVAL coming to book stores October 28,2002. I herd of a rumor that they may come out with a THE BAD BEGINNING MOVIE!!!!! but rumors aren't always true
Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely terrible, never seen a truer title
Review: The book is terrible. It is boring and predictable, and seems like something someone with no writing skills would write for a middle school project. I read it in thirty minutes, and was thoroughly disappointed. I cannot believe that anyone would ever compare these books to the Harry Potter series. Defining words in every other sentence is annoying and does not help a young readers context reading skills.
Rating: 
Summary: The Bad Beginning
Review: The Bad Beginning takes place at the Baulblaire mansion. When the three youngsters, Violet, Kalus,
and Sunny are in fo a big surprise. Their house had caught on fire and their parents had been killed, so
the three children lived with Mr. Poe for sevral weeks. After living with Mr. Poe they went to go live with
their distant relative, Count Olaf. Count Olaf was a creul, creul man. The three children must share one
bed and he has an awful tatoo on his ankle. The only reason Count Olaf takes responsibility for the
children is to steal the Baulblaire fortune which can not be used or spent until Violet came of age. In order tosteal the fortune, Count Olaf has his theater troupe make a pplay called The Marvelous Wedding. Count Olaf has Violet play the part of the bride so as soon as she sighns the wedding forms he would take controll of the Baulblaire fortune, because as soon as you get married the man has all controll of the brides money, to find out what happens read The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket.
Rating:
Summary: A disturbing and possibly dangerous book
Review: I agree completely with the review of A Reader from Los Altos -- I read this book and was deeply troubled at the message it sends kids. Specifically, it tells them that their parents and other adults are entitled to do "whatever they want" to kids, including life-threatening physical abuse and sexual abuse, and that no one can or will intervene. Even a judge is shown as powerless to intervene and help the kids. If a child is being abused, especially sexually abused, it is very difficult for the child to confide that to an adult and get help. Why in the world, then, would a children's book author give kids the message that if they do confide in an adult, they will not be helped -- and will, in fact, be told that the abusing adult has the right to do so? For the first time in my life, I am thinking about physically destroying a book, so that my copy at least will not be read by any children.
Rating:
Summary: The Bad Beginning
Review: Do you like to read books that end with "happily ever after" or "and they road off into the sunset never to return"? Well, if so, you may be better off reading another book, as the author put on the first page. Why, probably because this book has neither a happy beginning nor ending. Misfortune starts to lurk the three Baudelaire children from chapter one when they're told by Mr. Poe, while at Briny Beach, the news of their parent's death. Sadly, for the children Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, their mansion also perished. The Baudelaire children, with no other place to go, lived with Mr. Poe and his family. However, they moved again when Mr. Poe, following Mr. and Mrs. Baudelaire's wills, found them another place to live at their relative, Count Olaf's, house. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny begin to cheer up considering that they have a new place to live without Mr. Poe's irritable sons, Edgar and Albert. Plus, their neighbor, Justice Strauss, has an amazing library and is very pleasant. Though, despair and tragedy still lurk at their heels as they start to suspect Count Olaf when they uncover his plot to steal their fortune. Will Violet, Klaus, and Sunny be able to stop him? Before you decide, remember that the book is truly unpleasant and defiantly does not have a happy ending.My favorite parts of The Bad Beginning are when the Baudelaire siblings encounter Count Olaf's theater troupe. I like these certain parts because the troupe is so evil and vile, including Olaf. The actors are so rigid and are masterminds when it comes to being deceitful. The hook-handed man is my favorite. When the author described his character and even his tone of voice when he and Violet met on top of the tower it sent shivers down my spine. I knew that I would never want cross his path and get him upset. I wouldn't know what to do if I was one of the Baudelaire siblings and I raised his temper. Again, like others, I liked this book because it didn't end with "happily ever after" or with a puppet turning into a real boy. This book was a change for me, since the disaster that haunted the orphans didn't seem to vanish. Though, I don't think it totally surpassed Harry Potter because I like to read about magic and the fairy tale, princess life. However, both books seem to not acquire a happy ending and have intense cliffhangers, but I'm still in the Harry Potter favor because Harry still seems to have fun and is not continuously depressed while attending Hogwarts. Though, if you like to read short books and aren't into the magic craze I'm sure you'll enjoy The Series of Unfortunate Events.
Rating: 
Summary: Short....but pointless
Review: I picked this book up to read while waiting for the next Harry Potter book to come out. I was rather disappointed. It seems the story line and development are crafted to fit childrens reading but the vocabulary and patience required to read this book to the end is tartgeted at adults. I'm sure there could be a good balance but this author does not acheive it. I was bored with this book.
Rating:
Summary: Buying this book would be your first unfortunate event
Review: A couple of weeks ago, Entertainment Weekly devoted a glowing article to Daniel Handler (nom de plume: Lemony Snicket), whose series of mock-Gothic children's novels have sold four million copies and have resulted in a movie deal. Having read the first of these novels, I feel like the screamer in Munch's painting, wishing to loudly warn the general public against inflicting such a book upon your kids. In smugly dark-humored style, the book tells of the Baudelaire trio of children: resourceful Violet, bookworm Klaus, and baby Sunny, who demonstrates her feelings by the depth of her toothy bite. One day while the children are enjoying themselves at the beach, a vague acquaintance of theirs named Mr. Poe walks up and gravely informs them that a freak fire has burned down their house and killed their parents. And with this funhouse-mirror version of "Once upon a time," the three orphans' lives become a Candide<-like series of tortures. They briefly live with Mr. Poe's family in his gloomy house before being shuffled off to the even gloomier Count Olaf, who is their only known relative. Count Olaf puts them to work all day long, strikes Klaus when the boy dares to defy him, hatches a plan to marry Violet and obtain the children's fortune, and locks Sunny in a cage dangling from the top of a high tower when Violet at first refuses to go along with the scheme. I'm sure to be labeled an old fogey for not enjoying the supposed humor of this premise, but I just don't get the joke. Much of children's literature has initially dim outlooks, of course--just think of Harry Potter's selfish uncle and aunt, or Matilda's brutish father--but eventually the children find enough resources and inner strength to overcome their obstacles and give their young readers some hope. By contrast, the Baudelaire children are subjected to one life-threatening crisis after another, and the reader is expected to snidely chuckle at their problems because, after all, it's only a novel. The only good thing about the book is that it repeatedly warns its readers that nothing happy will happen in this story. "Lemony Snicket's" disclaimer on the back covers states as much, and there are similar warnings throughout the book itself. (Talk about truth in advertising!) Once again, our old friend Irony is expected to distance us from these adventures enough to make us absorb them. But if no hope whatsoever is offered for these characters, why get engrossed in their story? This book seems proof enough that four million people can be wrong. I can imagine punkish collegiates embracing the novel, but I'd feel like a Judas if I recommend it as choice reading for children. As far as I can see, the book's only virtue is that it might make you treat your own children a little more kindly--starting with never showing them this book.
Rating:
Summary: A Not Very Nice Book
Review: I really liked this book even though it is really sad. It is really enjoyable and very exciting. The Baudelaire children are very unfortunate children and I hope they make it.
Rating:
Summary: Disturbing Book
Review: I am a father of two children and thought I'd give this series a try. I read the book quickly and was more than disappointed; I found it to be disturbing and almost irresponsibly written. The disclaimer that ...if you'd don't want to read about bad things happening to children you shouldn't read this book... (not an exact quote, but what I remember) was a clever catch but does not absolve the writer of exercising some responsibility. Within this small volume are very serious themes --the loss of one's parents, the boy Klaus is struck in the face by his guardian, the youngest child is put in a potentially deadly situation and encaged, and the older girl is made a potential sexual object of her guardian. If a writer raises these themes, I believe they must be done in a thoughtful way that gives young readers some meaningful discussion and way to work through these terrifying ideas. There ARE many excellent children's books that do this. I would avoid this book and want my children and friends' children to do the same. The fact that this series is doing so well gives me no comfort.
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