Overview

From the New York Times bestselling and two-time Newbery Medal-winning author of The Giver and Number the Stars comes a delightfully tongue-in-cheek story about parents trying to get rid of their four children and the children who are all too happy to lose their beastly parents and be on their own. The Willoughby children—Timothy, twins Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister Jane—are fond all old-fashioned things, but especially old-fashioned adventures. What they aren't fond of, however, are their parents. Truth be told, their parents aren't the fondest of them, either, and they're concocting an evil plan to get rid of their children once and for all! Both parents and children have plenty of dastardly ideas and tricks up their sleeves. The only thing they don't have is any idea of what lies between them and a happily-ever-after. Complete with a cheeky glossary and bibliography, this hilarious and wonderfully old-fashioned parody pays playful homage to classic works of children’s literature like Mary Poppins and A Christmas Carol. Now a Netflix animated film, starring Ricky Gervais, Maya Rudolph, Terry Crews, Martin Short, Jane Krakowski, Will Forte, Alessia Cara, and Séan Cullen!

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9780358424727

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Reviews

A New York Times bestseller Parents' Choice Gold Award Iowa Children's Choice Award Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee West Virginia Children's Book Award Handpicked for Amazon Prime Book Box * The tone of this darkly dry pastiche is consistently witty, and it's chock-full of accessible parodic references to...classic children's texts...Lowry crafts a tidy plot. --The Bulletin, starred review * Lois Lowry, who casts her noble and enviable shadow wide across the landscape of children's literature, from fantasy to realism, here turns her quick, sly gaze to parody, a word which in this case means 'a short novel mocking the conventions of old-fashioned children's books stuffed with orphans, nannies and long-lost heirs.' --Publishers Weekly, starred review, written by Lemony Snicket * Sly humor and a certain deadpan zaniness give literary conventions an ironic twist, with hilarious results....Great fun. --Booklist, starred review * With this fey venture into kiddie Gothic, the august two-time Newbery winner and author of the beloved Anastasia Krupnik series proves that a writer can always reinvent herself....Readers who are willing to give themselves up entirely to the sly foolishness will relish this sparklingly smart satire, which treats them with collegial familiarity. --Kirkus Reviews, starred review--No Source

"""The tone of this darkly dry pastiche is consistently witty, and it's chock-full of accessible parodic references to...classic children's texts...Lowry crafts a tidy plot."" -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)"

A New York Times bestseller Parents' Choice Gold Award Iowa Children's Choice Award Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee West Virginia Children's Book Award Handpicked for Amazon Prime Book Box * The tone of this darkly dry pastiche is consistently witty, and it's chock-full of accessible parodic references to...classic children's texts...Lowry crafts a tidy plot. --The Bulletin, starred review * Lois Lowry, who casts her noble and enviable shadow wide across the landscape of children's literature, from fantasy to realism, here turns her quick, sly gaze to parody, a word which in this case means 'a short novel mocking the conventions of old-fashioned children's books stuffed with orphans, nannies and long-lost heirs.' --Publishers Weekly, starred review, written by Lemony Snicket * Sly humor and a certain deadpan zaniness give literary conventions an ironic twist, with hilarious results....Great fun. --Booklist, starred review * With this fey venture into kiddie Gothic, the august two-time Newbery winner and author of the beloved Anastasia Krupnik series proves that a writer can always reinvent herself....Readers who are willing to give themselves up entirely to the sly foolishness will relish this sparklingly smart satire, which treats them with collegial familiarity. --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Author Information

Lois Lowry is the author of more than forty books for children and young adults, including two Newbery Medal winners, Number the Stars and The Giver. Her first novel, A Summer to Die, was awarded the International Reading Association's Children's Book Award. Ms. Lowry lives in Maine.

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