Currys, UK Toys & Games at ELC, Dabs Electrical Store Chapters, Canada . Buy Now Pay Later With Interest Free Credit | UK Wedding Insurance A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning Author: Lemony Snicket Illustrator: Brett Helquist Hardcover Usually ships in 24 hours Delivery is subject to warehouse availability. Shipping delays may occur if we receive more orders than stock. Our Price: $16.99 You could save $1.70 (10%) with our iREWARDS Program Ordering is 100% secure . Spend $39 or more at chapters.indigo.ca and your order ships free!. ( Details ) Edition Details : Book 1 | Dimensions: 162 Pages, 5 x 7 in | Series Title: A Series of Unfortunate Events | ISBN: 0064407667 Published: August 1999 | Published by Harpercollins Children's Books chapters.indigo Review This is a book that starts out badly, gets worse and never gets better. The Baudelaire children -- 14-year old inventor Violet, bookish 12-year old Klaus and baby Sunny -- suddenly lose their parents and home in a tragic fire, and are sent to live with the ghoulish Count Olaf, who hatches a plot to steal the children's fortune, which is held in trust. The mysterious author -- with the unlikely moniker Lemony Snicket -- makes no apologies for the bleakness of the plot; rather he revels in it. In witty Dickensian addresses to the reader he warns of the inevitably unhappy events to come and peppers his prose with challenging vocabulary used in most interesting and amusing ways. The book has a English gothic/Victorian feel, emphasized by the stylized cover illustration and an executor named Mr. Poe, but some details give readers a modernist jolt, such as walkie-talkies used to perpetuate the dastardly plot to hang baby Sunny out of a high tower in a bird cage. A most unusual but worthwhile chapter book for readers who are tired of typical children's fiction. Ages 9 and up. From the Publisher Dear Reader, I’m sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune. In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast. It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing. With all due respect, Lemony Snicket Store Review Lesley from Chapters # 760, Vaughan, ON This book introduces us to Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire, who lose their parents and their house to a terrible fire. Now orphans, they are sent to live with the horrible Count Olaf, who makes their lives miserable while trying to steal the Baudelaire fortune. In each book in the series, the children are sent to a different foster parent, only to have Count Olaf find them. The children outwit him, and he gets away without the fortune. The stories are a little predictable, but they're fun -- and only take a couple of hours to read. About the Author Lemony Snicket grew up near the sea and currently lives beneath it. To his horror and dismay, he has no wife or children, only enemies, associates, and the occasional loyal manservant. His trial has been delayed ,so he free to continue researching and recording the tragic tales of the Baudelaire orphans for HarperCollins. Visit him on the Web at www.lemony Snicket.com From the Author Dear Reader, I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune. In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast. It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing. With all due respect, Lemony Snicket Reader Reviews Average Reader Review: Number of Reviews: 23 1. A happy start to a sad ending Reviewer: Jennifer Chen from richmond Hill Ontario (jen_mellie_doc@hotmail.com) Date: 6/4/2001 5:46:37 PM There were three Bualdares which is Voilet the oldest Klaus who is the middle and Sunny being the youngest. When they recieve a message that they're parents have been killed in a fire in their homes and they're parents had left a large sum of money. So when they are sent to their uncle Count Olaf, he tries to steal their money since he was a very poor man. So he treated them very badly and soon came to a evil plot to tell Violet to marry him too trick her to get the money but Violet knew the trick and tricked him back. 2. The Bad Beginning Reviewer: Yvonne from Etobicoke Toronto Ontario Date: 6/3/2001 10:35:23 PM The story is about very unlucky but smart kids. They loose their parents and They had to gallow their uncle which was a count and a actor. The uncle was a very greedy person with a very nice neighbour had had every thing the children liked(books). The children told all the bad things about Count Olaf. To the neighbour. Count Olaf always kept a plan he had quiet about trying to trick the children into doing play and getting the family's fortune by making a marriage which was real so he can be incharge of the family's fortune. Luckily Violet (the oldest child)was smart enough to trick Count Olaf into tricking him to save sunny (the little baby girl who was put in a cage and was going to thrown onto the ground fromh high above) and saved the Budelaire fortune. The police came to arrest Count Olaf, and the neighbour wanted to adopt them, but the will of the childrens parents were to adopt them to only a reletive. 3. The Best Book yet! Reviewer: Brianna from Winnipeg,Manitoba (B_B_girl_2000@hotmail.com) Date: 5/15/2001 5:15:36 PM I have read lots and lots of books, but none as good as the bad begining. Limony Snicket is a great author. It made me want to read more then I usually read. I think these books are better the Harry Potter. I cannot, i mean cannot put THIS book down. When I have supper,lunch and breakfast im reading this book. My mom thinks im crazy, but i tell her these books are great and sher says whatever. Then one day i made her read some of the book and she thought it was great. So she is going to read the book when im done. I want ALL of this series of books for my birthday. From your greatest,greatest fan Brianna 4. The Bad Beginning Reviewer: Michael Lawrence from Guelph, Ontario (jbl@sentex.net) Date: 5/12/2001 8:03:48 PM My friend told me about these books,"A Series of Unfortunate Events". I thought it was good and I kept asking him to tell me about it. Finally I went to the book store and read the book. I loved it, so I got the next book and the next. I am now on the 6th book, keep it up Lemony Snicket !!!!! 5. I Hated it Reviewer: M.S. from North Vancouver, BC Date: 5/6/2001 6:32:50 PM I hated #1, it was ssssoooo stupid. The end is the worst that I have ever read and I read a lot! All of the people in my school loved it but I don't see why, the ending stank!!! If there was a 0 that is what I would rate it. That's just my opinion but I think that Lemony could do wwwaaayyy better. Read all of the reviews... 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