The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling (Book 1)

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place by Maryrose Wood
Published by: Balzer + Bray
2010
Age: 8-12
Shelf: Middle Grade

Opening Line: 
It was not Miss Penelope Lumley's first journey on a train, but it was the first one she had taken alone.  As you may know, traveling alone is quite a different kettle of fish from traveling with companions.

Favorite Quotes:
"All books are judged by their covers until they are read."

"If you have ever opened a can of worms, boxed yourself into a corner, ended up in hot water or found yourself in a pretty pickle, you already know that life is rarely, if ever, just a bowl of cherries. It is far more likely to be a box of problems, worries, and difficulties. This is normal and should not be seen as cause for alarm."

"Things may happen for a reason, but that doesn't mean we know what the reason is -at least, not yet."

Blurb:
Miss Penelope Lumley has just graduated from the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females.  At 15, she's ready to take on her first job as a governess at Ashton Place.  But when she arrives, she finds three wild children, who are barely dressed and act like wolves, madly howling and growling.  The children were discovered roaming around the Ashton Place property by the head of the house, Lord Frederick.  Soon, Penny applies all the knowledge she received from Agatha Swanburne at the Academy and the children begin to enjoy poetry and the classics.  But there's more lurking behind the staircase walls of Ashton Place.  Not everyone wants to see the children succeed.  

Within its Pages:
The narrator on The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place creates a deliciously Victorian and ominous tone that reminded us of A Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket (the first book in his Series of Unfortunate event).  Its lines are full of foreshadowing decorated with humor.  And while you find yourself falling deeper into the mystery of the incorrigible children, you hear the voice of the narrator teaching you the meaning of words like hyperbole and irony (again reminiscent of Snicket's series). 

The illustrations by Jon Klassen (author of I Want My Hat Back and Extra Yarn) are a perfect match with the Victorian tone of the novel:

The author, Maryrose Wood, has included on her website a fantastic discussion guide to be used by teachers and book clubs. Check it out. 

Introducing children to an engaging series like this one, it's a sure way to guarantee multiple book readings.  The ending will leave you wanting more and there's a book for that!
 
Shelf it!
If you love a quirky mystery full of great vocabulary this is a book for you.  The mystery of the incorrigibles and of Penelope's background is still unresolved, and you'll have to come back for the next installments in the series to figure it out.  But with such great characters, humor, and voice, who can complain?