Very good, came to this 18 years past original publication, love Brett Helquist's illustrations and the Baudelaire Gothbabies Violet, Klaus and Sunny (as in von Bulow, get it? nudge nudge!). Clever and charming children can be orphaned, be thrust into the care of guardians who strike them and otherwise treat them badly. Young readers will learn new vocabulary, readers of all ages will see sly jokes. The adults are all frustrating: either cunning and horrible or well-meaning and dense. However, the children heroically put their wits to use to rescue themselves from unfortunate events in this Bad Beginning.