Stanley Buggles receives a mysterious letter and a strange-looking key in the mail. He's shocked to find out that a distant relative has died and left him an entire estate in the countryside. But it's got to be too good to be true, for there's something "wickedly weird" about the place.

Quirky book for those who are in the Lemony Snicket vein. 11 year old Stanly Buggles inherits a house from his great uncle where he plans to spend his summer vacation. The talking fish in the display case is just the beginning of mysteries that include a werewolf and other strange happenings. ( )

Mould, C. (2007). Something Wickedly Weird: The Wooden Mile. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

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Stanley, as the youngest living relative of his great-uncle, inherits the deceased man’s hall and all of the wackiness of the people who live in the town of Compton Rock. Stanley leaves home without his busy parents to take possession of the immense Candlestick Hall and is greeted by unusual characters and strange rules, one of which is “don’t go out after dark.”

The story includes a lot of humorous and quirky characters, including a talking fish, a mean candy-seller, and three disgruntled pirates. The pirates insist Stanley help them end the reign of a local werewolf, but Stanley soon learns that the pirates have more planned for him than that.

In terms of the writing, humor and illustrations, The Wooden Mile feels and looks a lot like A Series of Unfortunate Events, but with slightly fewer vocabulary demands. With illustrations included on every few pages, the book is a pretty fast read, building a young reader’s confidence (or providing an advanced reader with a fun break).

This book is, of course, the first in a growing series. Cause a novel can’t stand alone anymore. Ever.

Activities to do with the book:

This is a book that is probably best to be read for enjoyment. Although the series could lend itself to comparison with similarly themed books (such as A Series of Unfortunate Events) if a teacher really want to provoke a conversation. At the very least, Something Wickedly Weird could be a book recommendation for students who have finished all 13 of the Series of Unfortunate Events.

Favorite Quotes:

“This is not the very start of the story. It is simply a convenient place to begin. And you should be warned that when you delve into what has already happened and what lies ahead, you will find this a dark and twisted tale” (pp. 7-8).

“I always sleep well,” announced Stanley. “It’s the thing I do best” (p. 45).

“He couldn’t help thinking how ridiculous it seemed. Three vicious pirates, all wanting to get rid of one man—yet they needed the help of an eleven-year-old boy!” (p. 89).

For more reviews, visit sjkessel.com.

The Wooden Mile: Something Wickedly Weird is a delightful book written by Chris Mould for 9 to 12 year olds, but I’m a few years past that and I loved it. It is published by Roaring Brook Press.

It is the story of eleven year old Stanley Buggles, an ordinary boy who received a letter informing him that his Great-Uncle Bartholomew (who he’s never met) has died and left his estate and and all of his possessions to Stanley. It is decided that Stanley should visit the estate, Candlestick Hall in Crampton Rock. When he arrives, he discovers a strange town where the people stay locked in at night. Stanley solves the mystery only to encounter another one.

This book has a fun story line that children will enjoy plus fantastic illustrations. This is the first in the Something Wickedly Weird series. ( )

This book is a really fun read that will appeal to a wide range of readers. It's part Roald Dahl and part Lemony Snicket -- but unlike Snicket, this book will be readable by a wider range of children. The chapters aren't quiet as long and the spacing is done with more room and there are some illustrations- which is terrific for just getting started with chapter books. The hero of the book is likeable and the other characters are well described. There is just enough mystery and adventure to keep the pages turning but without being too frightening. The place is interesting, and I can imagine readers might find themselves day-dreaming about a visit to such an island. This story has a tidy ending but it is open ended enough for the next in the series.

I would definitely have this book and the rest in the series in my 4th and 5th grade classroom libraries. This would also be a terrific read-aloud and might even be a fun classroom book club title (if you did leveled books, this could be part of a larger adventure theme). ( )