The Trouble Begins: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-3 (The Bad Beginning; The Reptile Room; The Wide Window)
Fans of Lemony Snicket and newcomers to his gleefully ghastly Series of  Unfortunate Events will be elated to discover this boxed gift set of the first  three books in hardcover:The Bad Beginning,The Reptile Room, andThe Wide Window. While it's true that the events that unfold in Snicket's  novels are bleak, and things never turn out as you'd hope, these delightful,  funny, linguistically playful books are reminiscent of Roald Dahl, Charles  Dickens, and Edward Gorey. After they get their paws on this boxed set, there is  no question that young readers will want to read the continuing unlucky  adventures of the three Baudelaire orphans. (Ages 9 and older)--Karin  Snelson