The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 5)
If you are not familiar with the Series of Unfortunate Events books, the title aptly describes them. The Baudelaire children; Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, lost their parents in a terrible fire. That was the very beginning of their troubles, as they were first placed in the care of Count Olaf, who was intent on getting the Baudelaire fortune for himself. Now he pursues the orphans, using his skill as a master of disguise, as they are transferred from guardian to guardian, in an unending and certainly unhappy series of misadventures.
In the Austere Academy, the Baudelaire Orphans are placed in Prufrock Preperatory School, a boarding school where the buildings all resemble tombstones, teachers only teach one obscure class each, and the punishments make no sense. If your child ever had jitters about going to a new school, they can be sure it cannot be as bad as Prufrock Prep!
While it is certainly never nice to laugh at another's misfortune, the fantastic nature of Prufrock Prep will certainly be enjoyable to readers ready for chapter books. Upon their introduction to Vice Principal Nero, the Baudelaire Orphans learn that if they are ever in the administration building without permission, they will not get to use silverware at their next meal. As a boarding school is no place for babies like Sunny, she will be forced to work as Vice Principal Nero's secretary, answering the phone, writing and mailing letters, and even making her own staples. And if they fail to be present for Vice President Nero's daily six-hour violin recitals (which sounded terrible) they would have to buy him a large bag of candy and watch him eat it - and this is just the beginning.
But their troubles worsen when a new gym teacher appears, particularly interested in the orphans' running ability...
The Series of Unfortunate Events series, while formulaic, provides an interesting and enjoyable serial to entertain young readers. As the plots are similar in each book, finding the orphans in some strange situation complicated by the presence of Count Olaf in disguise, it is possible to pick up any of the eleven books and still understand what has gone on previously in the series.
Some recurring devices used by the author create an educational element. For instance, "big" words that may be used in the text are explained, for instance, when the Baudelaires first realize the shed they are supposed to sleep in is infested with crabs, they walk gingerly. "The word 'gingerly' here means 'avoiding territorial crabs,'" explains the author. While certainly not the definitions one would find in Webster's, they help the reader use context to understand potential new words.
This was a very enjoyable read and is highly recommended for readers in the second or third grades and above.
Tips
- For younger children, this series could be read aloud. The plot is not too unlike the old radio serials of previous generations, and can make a great family activity.
Pros
- No controversey surrounding this series of popular books for the age group.
- The resourceful, optimistic, and always well-mannered Baudelaires are heroes any parent would be proud to have their child emulate.
