Amazon.com (ISBN 0064408655, Hardcover)

The seventh book in Lemony Snicket's splendidly gloomy Series of Unfortunate Events shadows the three Baudelaire orphans as they plummet headlong into their next misadventure. Mr. Poe, their ineffective legal guardian, having exhausted all options for finding them a new home with relatives (including their 19th cousin), sadly entrusts his young charges' fate to a progressive guardian program formed with the premise "It takes a village to raise a child." Before they know it, the Baudelaires are being whisked off on a bus to a village (vile) named "V.F.D." Snicket fans who read The Austere Academy and The Ersatz Elevator will jump to see these three initials, as they provide a clue to the tragic disappearance of the Baudelaires' friends, the beloved, equally orphaned Quagmire triplets.

To the orphans' dismay, V.F.D. is covered in crows--so much so that the whole village is pitch-black and trembling. "The crows weren't squawking or cawing, which is what crows often do, or playing the trumpet, which crows practically never do, but the town was far from silent. The air was filled with the sounds the crows made as they moved around." Another disturbing element of the town is that the Council of Elders (who wear creepy crow hats) has thousands of rules, such as "don't hurt crows" and "don't build mechanical devices." Fortunately, the Baudelaires are taken in by a kindly handyman named Hector who cooks them delicious Mexican food and secretly breaks rules. Still, neither Hector nor an entire village can protect the orphans from the clutches of the money-grubbing Count Olaf, who has relentlessly pursued them (actually, just their fortune) since The Bad Beginning. Fans won't want to miss any of this marvelously morbid series! (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0439451299, Paperback)

Seventh book in the 'Series of Unfortunate Events' series.

Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0060288906, Library Binding)

As the Baudelaire children hike across the flat dusty terrain leading to the village where they will soon live, they can't help but wonder what lies ahead. Could this be the place where they might finally be happy?

Violet, who is an inventor, might be happy if she gets a chance to do some inventing. Of course, it would be less enjoyable if her invention was desperately needed to escape danger. Her brother, Klaus, loves to read, and might be happy if the town has some books. Though he would not like them as much if he had to stay up all night reading in search of an urgent piece of information. Their baby sister, Sunny, likes to bite things and might be happy if she finds something to sink her teeth into. However, it would be less fun if her teeth got her into big trouble.

Whether their stay in the village will bring the children happiness is a mystery. But as the Baudelaires trudge on toward the hazy town in the distance, they can only hope that what awaits them there isn't the most miserable in a series of unfortunate events.

Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0060566221, Audio CD)

Dear Listener,

Nobody in their right minds would listen to this particular book about the lives of Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire on purpose, because each dismal moment of their stay at the village of V.F.D. has been faithfully and dreadfully recorded on this CD.

I can think of no reason why anyone would want to listen to a book containing such unpleasant matters as migrating crows, an angry mob, a newspaper headline, the Duluxe Cell, and some very strange hats.

I also shouldn't mention the interactive features of the CD, which include:

A perplexing word game • Photos from The Lemony Snicket Archives • Art from The Brett Helquist gallery

It is my solemn and sacred occupation to research each detail of the Baudelaire children's lives and write them all down, but you may decide to do some other sacred and solemn thing, such as listening to another book instead.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket