A+Series+of+Unfortunate+Events

Snicket, Lemony. (2000,Sept.) __A Series of Unfortunate Event:The Bad Beginning.__ Scholastic Inc.

__A Series of Unfortunate Events__ is a tale of three children who loose their parents and home in the start of the book. A friend of the family comes to take them to his home until other arrangements are made concerning the children's well-being. Finally, they are taken to live with a distant relative, Count Olaf, whom they have never met before, which they find strange since he is from the same city. The children's parents were very wealthy and left the eldest child, Violet, their fortune when she came of age. Their first impression of their new "father" isn't a good one, and come to find out he is an evil man. He plots to find a way to take the children's fortune then kill all three of them. When the children catch on to his plan, they frequently visit their new neighbor, Justice Strauss who is the town judge. She has a huge library in her home and the children love to read. In her library, they research the laws on adoption and how they can prevent the Count from taking their money. In the end of the book the children figure out his plan and defeat him. The whole town sees what an evil man he is and they escape him. Although, on the last page he escapes from police and you are left hanging to see what happens in the next book in the series.

I didn't expect this book to be so awfully unfortunate, despite it's title. The children go through many events that are traumatic and very serious. Knowledgeable about the fact that this is a 3-4-5th grade level book, I find it hard to believe that children like to read these. Although, there are some positive factors that go along with the book as well. Such as, sticking together as a family during tough times, and being optimistic about everything, like these children were. These are great lessons for middle school age children because many of them are going through hard times and this book could show them how to be optimistic and be thankful for what they have.There is some opportunity for some great ideas for projects and classroom activities in this book.

Science- English- Social Studies-
 * Violet is interested in building inventions and knowing the way that things work. She brainstorms through most of the book on how to get her family through some sticky situations. In science class you could pick an invention out of the book and have your class build it or find the way it works.
 * Also, ask your students to brainstorm their own invention for a certain situation in the book. Have them present and sketch and brief description of how it works.
 * Students can build an invention of their own as a project. Use the book to start their ideas.
 * These books are encouraging children to read anything and everything they are interested in. Ask the students to build their own dream library consisting of everything they would like to read.
 * Have your students write an alternate ending to the story. Asking, "What would you do if you were in the Baudelaire children's place?"
 * Ask the students how they would save Sunny from the tower.What invention would they design to save her, and ask them to draw and explain it to the class.
 * Discuss the laws that are explained in the book and have the students create a fake court case using these laws.
 * Create a law book.