The Mysterious Howling (The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place #1)

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The Mysterious Howling (The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place #1)

by Maryrose Wood, Jon Klassen (Illustrations)

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 4,754 ratings · 1,061 reviews

Found running wild in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children: Alexander, age ten or thereabouts, keeps his siblings in line with gentle nips; Cassiopeia, perhaps four or five, has a bark that is (usually) worse than her bite; and Beowulf, age somewhere-in-the-middle, is alarmingly adept at chasing squirrels.

Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is n...more

Hardcover, 267 pages

Published March 1st 2010 by HarperCollins

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May 23, 2013 E.B. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, young-adult, 2013, fiction

I might start with a quote (no, not by the great Ms. Agatha Swanburne; no, neither is it by the plucky heroine of our story, Miss Penelope Lumley). I start with a quote by the authoress herself, Miss Maryrose Wood:

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 bowl of problems, worries, and difficulties. This is...more

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Jun 02, 2012 Charlyn Trussell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, historical, humor, series, strong-female-character, victorian

Hmmmm, take the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan. Then make Anne Sullivan a fifteen-year-old first-time nanny from the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females and make Helen Keller three children raised by wolves and found by a wealthy landowner. Then set it in Victorian England and add large punches of Lemony Snicket-y humor and you've got a fair idea of this book. Oh, yes, make it a series, with the first one ending leaving the reader wanting more.

Alexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeia (...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Shana rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you see the date I finished this book, you may (or may not, who can say?) be surprised to know that I started it on July 22nd and only read on public transportation and a bit while walking down 7th Ave. in Manhattan on my way to work this morning. (That's dangerous, though, and I wouldn't recommend it even if you are rather experienced at reading and walking.)

I bought the book on a whim. I liked that it had the word "incorrigible" on the cover, and the illustration appealed to me. I'm in arre...more

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Oct 05, 2010 Destinee Sutton rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio, british, middle-grade, funny, mystery

Another Lemony Snicket-y goody! Its only shortcoming as a book is that it's the first in a series and therefore a big tease. No revelations, just setup. But really funny, smart, enjoyable setup.

It's a fantastic audiobook--I dare say possibly better than reading it because the narrator does some awesome howling. Today I kept hearing "Lumawoo" and "Cassawoof" and "Nutsawoo" in my head. So great!

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Sep 17, 2012 Alissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kids-books

I thought this was a fun, clean read for children. I loved how the innocent governess reminded me of Anne of Green Gables from time to time in that she would get caught up in her daydreams of being a governess or remembering her horse stories that she loves. There was mystery, but it did bother me that none of that was resolved, so you HAVE to read the next book to find out more. Great to get kids reading though.

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Oct 14, 2012 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade, audio, own, historical-fiction, fantasy, highly-recommended

Holy moly. Can I give an adoption certificate to fiction characters? Cuz I want to take the Incorrigibles – the three orphans raised by wolves from the pages of The Incorrigible Children Of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood and keep them in my home. You guys, I actually read the second book of the Incorrigible Children Of Ashton Place series first, but that totes does not diminish my love in any way.

Read the rest of my review here

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Mar 10, 2013 Shweta rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: absolute-favourites, books-bought-in-2012, everything-i-want-in-a-book, funny-and-lot-more, will-be-reading-again, will-be-read-umpteen-num-of-times

After Eva Ibbotson’s Journey to the river sea I haven’t enjoyed a book as much as this one! The book begins on a semi serious note with Penelope Lumley’s journey to Ashton Place and her hopes of finding ideal kids who can be taught Latin, poetry, history and everything else she herself has been lucky to learn from Swanburne Academy. Little does she know, what awaits her at Ashton Place is not even close to her wildest dreams.

The kids she has been hired to governess are three siblings who were fo...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Cemeread added it

Shelves: chapter-book

Have you ever watched someone's children who acted like animals? Well Penelope Lumley's charges really do. After being told she is old enough to leave Swansburne Academy for Poor Bright Females Penelope starts her first job (at 15) as a governess. She soon learns the three children were found living in the woods and act like wolves. Not only must she teach them how to dress and speak instead of bark, she must also have them ready to dance and socialize at Lady Constance's first Christmas party ....more Have you ever watched someone's children who acted like animals? Well Penelope Lumley's charges really do. After being told she is old enough to leave Swansburne Academy for Poor Bright Females Penelope starts her first job (at 15) as a governess. She soon learns the three children were found living in the woods and act like wolves. Not only must she teach them how to dress and speak instead of bark, she must also have them ready to dance and socialize at Lady Constance's first Christmas party . Odd things happen. It seems someone is trying to lure the children into behaving in a way that would send Lady Constance running. Who is trying to sabotage Penelope's efforts with the children? Will she be fired before she can find out and will the children survive without her protection? It is clear Lady Constance has no clue about children and does not wish to form a relationship with them. Lord Ashton is away at his club quite frequently or hunting. (He and Mr. Aldo are the ones who found the children.) Although he does not attend the Christmas party he invites several of his hunting friends from the club. It is unclear exactly what he has been saying about the children to them. There are a few other characters who seem questionable and a few household staff who are Penelope's allies.

Bottom Line: I thought this was an enjoyable read and will pick up the next book to find out more answers to the background of the children and Penelope. I also want to learn if my hunches about who is causing trouble are correct. The book is set in a time when carriages are used, but don't let that turn you off. The language isn't old fashioned or hard to understand. There are just enough possible clues and new questions to keep me reading and the story moving along. You may think you have some of the answers! I felt for Penelope and shared her compassion for the children, who are really sweet kids. I too was trying to figure out the answers to the many questions that arise around the party.
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Jan 30, 2013 CH13_ Helen Budeyskaya rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place is wonderfully written. The story had a sense of fun and mystery throughout all the parts. Penelope the Governess is not your ordinary girl. She embraces her new position to take care of these children. The three children, Alexander, Cassiopeia, and Beowulf are quite a handful. They have been raised in the wild and are not accustomed to the civilized way. Penelope's initial intention is to teach them educationally, instead she must first teach them new h...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, children-s

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! For some reason, I was expecting a story about horrid children in an orphanage and I was quite delighted to find out I was just wrong. Penelope Lumley, recently graduated from Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females takes a job as a governess to three young children. But these children are no ordinary children -- they were discovered in the forest by Lord Ashton and are decidedly wolfish. I love the way they talk and ahwooo especially. Not only...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fun! Although, the author read too much Lemony Snicket; every time it switched away from Lumley's pov I was jarred out of the book. (IE, "dear children, you may not know this world but ask your parents and they will enlighten you" etc). I understand this is an affectation of omnipotent author voice, but I wish writers would STOP. It is annoying! I am not a "you" or a "dear child."

I also want this to be an adult book instead of merely for kids. I want to know more about the characters than the su...more

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Dec 25, 2012 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was looking up some books for a customer at work and ended up checking amazon for something, I noticed this in the 'recommended' bit underneath. When I was finished what I was doing I went back to have a look. The tile was the first thing to catch my attention as it's very unusual. Reading the synopsis made me think a little bit of Lemony Snicket (which I love) sort of crossed with children's adventure stories like Chris Mould's Wickedly Weird series (again which I love). So I looked it up on...more I was looking up some books for a customer at work and ended up checking amazon for something, I noticed this in the 'recommended' bit underneath. When I was finished what I was doing I went back to have a look. The tile was the first thing to catch my attention as it's very unusual. Reading the synopsis made me think a little bit of Lemony Snicket (which I love) sort of crossed with children's adventure stories like Chris Mould's Wickedly Weird series (again which I love). So I looked it up on our library system and found it in one of the branches and requested it.
The storyline sounded silly enough to be fun. so I settled down with it to start reading.
Miss Penelope Lumley was brought up in the school for 'Poor Bright Females' and has graduated a year ahead of her class, we meet her as she is setting off, just 15 years old on her way to her first ever job interview as a governess. She comes across as very sensible and instantly likeable. Within the first few pages I was prepared to find out more about this lady.
She travels to a posh estate house called Ashton Place dreaming of being the perfect governess to happy, bright children with lots of animals and they'd have all sorts of wonderful learning experiences, but little does she know that the children are not at all what she is expecting.
Lady Constance runs the house and is the one to hire Penelope, she is a typical stately woman, young but married into wealth. Her husband is hardly ever around and they don't seem to have a good relationship for fairly newly weds but it adds to the mystery of the book. Lady Constance made me laugh quite a lot as she is so melodramatic.
The children act like wolves, found in the woods they were dragged back to the house, but Penelope doesn't run off, she is determined to give them a proper life and make them act like proper children.
Alexander is the eldest, then Beowulf and Cassiopeia (named by Lord Constance) they are fun and exciting to read about and I think kids will love their adventures. All mischievous yet intelligent they must adapt to high social life quite quickly.
I really enjoyed this book and read it quite quickly, the characters really come to life off the page and I found myself giggling quite a few times.
There are quite a few mysteries in this book, some of which are solved and others which lead you on and I hope will be solved in the next parts.
Written for Middle Grade/Children this book has fun and loveable characters that children will surely enjoy reading about. Although there is some more difficult language in it that they may need help understanding but only rarely, overall it's written in a way that flows nicely and keeps the reader interested.
I was glad I gave this a try and really enjoyed it. Quick and charming read, I hope I can get hold of book 2.(less)

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Dec 04, 2012 Ed added it

Wood, Maryrose. (2010). The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place. New York: HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray. 272 pp. ISBN 978-0-06-179105-5 (Hard Cover); $15.99.

Miss Penelope Lumley, graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, is ever so grateful for her governess position. She envisions Latin for the children, but is Latin possible for children raised by wolves?

Filled with literary illusions (often misused to VERY humorous effect), Wood has a gothic farce that will have students...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Chris Murray rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, historical-fiction, mystery

Summary
Three unidentified children have been discovered living in the woods within the vast grounds of Ashton Place. Upon their discovery and “capture,” the Lord of this vast estate and his young bride engage a governess. Miss Penelope Lumley is a recent graduate of the Swanburne School for Poor Bright Females, and she is fully prepared to accept the challenge of teaching these children to behave in this very social world. The children, named Alexander, Beowulf and Cassiopeia by their discoverer...more Summary
Three unidentified children have been discovered living in the woods within the vast grounds of Ashton Place. Upon their discovery and “capture,” the Lord of this vast estate and his young bride engage a governess. Miss Penelope Lumley is a recent graduate of the Swanburne School for Poor Bright Females, and she is fully prepared to accept the challenge of teaching these children to behave in this very social world. The children, named Alexander, Beowulf and Cassiopeia by their discoverer, struggle to learn to speak and to display perfect manners. The fifteen-year-old governess uses all of her training to prepare these children for their public appearance at the estate’s Christmas Ball, as demanded by Lord Frederick and Lady Constance. However, unknown sources are at work to undermine all of Miss Lumley’s efforts and create chaos at the great Christmas Ball. Unexpected events at the Ball will cause Lady Constance to question her own control of her household and will bring new respect for Miss Lumley.

My Comments
Clever tongue- in- cheek comments made by the author, who is writing from present times, help make this books an enjoyable read. This is the first in a new mystery series, and there are plenty of unresolved issues to lure the reader into the next books. What is the history of these children, and why were they living like animals in the woods? What is Penelope’s background, how did she come to live at Swanbourn when she vaguely recalls that she had parents? What is the mysterious howling that can sometimes be heard in the walls on the fourth floor? What kind of “prey” has Lord Ashton invited his friends to hunt during a full-moon stay at Ashton Place? Isn’t it odd that Penelope’s hair is the same chestnut as Cassiopeia’s, a fact only now apparent after Penelope stopped using a hair rinse prescribed by her former teacher? Why is Timothy, the gardener, always lurking about? Lemony Snicket, Jane Eyre and Ladies Detective Agency come to mind in reading this book. The black and white illustrations are winsome and cute - not too sophisticated for young readers. Best for girl readers, grades 4 and up.

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Oct 06, 2012 Anna rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grades

4 stars for Jon Klassen's illustrations. 2 stars for the story.
I was taken in by the premise of the book, but I didn't enjoy the book as much as I thought I would.

My students did not enjoy the book either. The primary reason is that the vocabulary was too difficult for them. They couldn't access the humor; they definitely couldn't pick up on any of the irony.
Beyond the level of difficulty, none of the characters are all that likeable, including the heroine, Penelope Lumley. Penelope seems to...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Titis Wardhana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

bagus seh tapi...

Penelope, 15 tahun, baru lulus dari Akademi Swanburne yang mendidik gadis2 yatim dan miskin untuk menjadi pengajar atau pengasuh. Suatu hari, kepsek Penelope menunjukkan lowongan menjadi pengasuh di koran pada Penelope, dan Penelope pun langsung pergi untuk wawancara. Sampai di sana, Penelope langsung diterima oleh Lady Ashton, dan sewaktu di situ ia mendengar lolongan binatang, ternyata di gudang lolongan yang dianggap anjing2 sama Penelope adalah tiga anak kecil, dua laki-laki...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Katharine Ott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Veddy English stories which include a governess, a mansion situated on hundreds of acres, servants and innumerable cups of tea are a comfortable milieu for many readers. However, the setting and day-to-day living are pretty foreign to today’s American schoolchildren. This makes Maryrose Wood’s debut novel, The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place – The Mysterious Howling, somewhat of a hard sell here in the States, but once readers settle in and stick with it, they will have a fun time ahead of...more

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May 30, 2012 Lindsay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, books-to-hand-to-my-kids, juvenile-fiction

This book fascinated me. The topic seemed somewhat juvenile at first, but the writing was definitely not too simple. I will keep reading the series, I am intrigued. :) The author's style borders on the sarcastic, and left me wondering at times whether she was mocking or not. For some reason this again leaves me intrigued. The author writes that the book is for someone who cannot yet drive but still likes to take a journey into the imagination. :) (Cautionary Note to speechies or psychologists or...more

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May 24, 2012 Joella www.cinjoella.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile, historical, wolves

I read this in one sitting. It was great! I'm so glad that this is a series (The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place) and not just one stand-alone. Especially since I don't think one major mystery was ever "solved"!

So Miss Penelope Lumley is a governess who has three interesting children. They were found by Lord Ashton in the woods and were apparently raised by wolves. The children don't really know how to be children. What they do know is that "Arrrooogh" and "Woof" are very understandable wo...more I read this in one sitting. It was great! I'm so glad that this is a series (The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place) and not just one stand-alone. Especially since I don't think one major mystery was ever "solved"!

So Miss Penelope Lumley is a governess who has three interesting children. They were found by Lord Ashton in the woods and were apparently raised by wolves. The children don't really know how to be children. What they do know is that "Arrrooogh" and "Woof" are very understandable words when speaking to each other and that squirrels might possibly be the most interesting animals on the planet. Especially if one wants to chase said squirrels. Well Lady Ashton wants to throw her first Christmas party (it is the first year that Lady and Lord Ashton are married) and does not want the children to act like wild wolves and spoil it all. Lord Ashton spends more time in his club and boasting about the wild children "finders keepers what..." that it seems he rather likes the novelty of them acting like wolves. And Miss Lumley has the job of trying to teach them how to be proper English children.

This is a good book. It is well written and shows all sorts of reasons why it is good to be proper...but not too proper when children. Miss Lumley is also an amazing character. She uses her wit and knowledge and love for animals to turn a potentially disastrous situation into a challenge that she enjoys (especially as she comes to really love the children). There are also all sorts of interesting characters in the staff of Ashton Place and in the village that you get the impression that there is always more than what meets the eye. And who left three children to be raised in the woods? And who let the squirrel in? There are so many things left mysteriously dark that it proves that the story isn't just a nice character piece about what it would be like to raise children who were raised by wolves. There are bits that Miss Lumley doesn't understand yet...but I do believe that eventually she will.(less)

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May 20, 2012 Deborah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, middle-school

Really good! Entertaining, funny and poignant at times also.
The story concerns 15 year old Penelope Lumley, a graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females. She takes a job at Ashton Place teaching the three Incorrigible children. "Incorrigible" is the surname given to them by Lord Ashton; they are his wards. He is also the one who names them Alexander, Beowulf and Cassiopeia, explaining: A, B, C.
The children are found living on in the woods, wild, on Lord Ashton's estate. The book i...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Brenda Proper added it

This series is called "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place"> First of all I love a book that has the word "incorrigible" in the title. Don't you love that word? Does anyone know what it means? (Wild, unmanageable, undisciplined.) And let me tell you the children in this book have earned that name. Let be tell you a bit about the book. It is set in England a long time ago (think, lords and ladies, dukes and barons, big houses, servants, kind of Downtown Abbey). A 15 year old girl, Penelo...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Cecelia rated it 4 of 5 stars

At this juncture, I do not think it is possible to overstate my love of middle grade books. I have read so many marvelous stories in the past few months that I am convinced that I a) have been missing out for a long time, and b) am going to find something wonderful just around the next corner.

Of course, I know a couple of things about myself. I like clever books, clever people, clever in general. And I like an omniscient narrator for children’s books (when done well – see Narnia for example), as...more At this juncture, I do not think it is possible to overstate my love of middle grade books. I have read so many marvelous stories in the past few months that I am convinced that I a) have been missing out for a long time, and b) am going to find something wonderful just around the next corner.

Of course, I know a couple of things about myself. I like clever books, clever people, clever in general. And I like an omniscient narrator for children’s books (when done well – see Narnia for example), as well as a historical setting. AND… I like a mystery with spunky characters, slightly improbable events, and a sense of humor. I probably don’t need to say it at this point, but The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood is an impeccable example of all of these. And so I loved it.

The Mysterious Howling starts as many good adventures do: with a journey to a place and people unknown, but with hope that it will all turn out right. Penelope Lumley is a very young graduate of a school for governesses, sent to make her way in the world for the first time. What she doesn’t know is that she is walking into mystery and will be handed an impossible task.

And then there are the children – the Incorrigibles. They are funny, wild, and kind at heart, as well as too clever by a half. As you can imagine, they get into all manner of trouble, and only Ms. Lumley’s resourcefulness keeps them from utter destruction. Well, mostly. Introduce a squirrel, and all is lost.

This book resides somewhere in a land beyond endearing (is there a word for that place? maybe… idyllic?). It’s humorous, ridiculous, sweet, mysterious and altogether FUN. I couldn’t keep from smiling while reading, and I dare you to keep from smiling yourself. OH, and the illustrations! Jon Klassen, author of award-winning picture book I Want My Hat Back, did them. They (and the cover art) are utterly charming, and that is that.

Recommended for: ages 8-12, plus all of their attendant adults (and especially those who are fond of reading aloud), fans of Lemony Snicket, The Mysterious Benedict Society and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, and anyone who likes books with a generous helping of humor and adventure on the side.(less)

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Apr 04, 2012 Felita rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-ringan, young-adult

Kisah The Mysteious Howling dimulai dari perjalanan Penelope Lumley, seorang lulusan Akademi Swanburne untuk menjadi governess di keluarga Ashton. Pecinta anak-anak dan hewan ini menjumpai kelakuan aneh sang kusir dan sang nyonya rumah. apa penyebabnya? ternyata sumbernya berasal dari ketiga anak kecil yg akan diasuh Penelope.

Alexander, Beowulf dan Cassiopeia bukan anak kecil sembarangan. mereka ditemukan oleh Lord Ashton di hutan keluarga dg keadaan seperti anak serigala. merasa tertarik dg kea...more

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Mar 06, 2012 IndyPL Kids Book Blog rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, favorites

Penelope Lumley, a student at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, is on her way to a new life. Penelope is old enough to leave the Academy and make a life for herself. She has answered an ad for Governess:

Wanted Immediately: energetic Governess for Three Lively Children Knowledge of French, Latin, History, Etiquette, Drawing, and Music will be Required - Experience with Animals Strongly Preferred.

Once she arrives at the country estate she undergoes a very strange interview and hears s...more Penelope Lumley, a student at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, is on her way to a new life. Penelope is old enough to leave the Academy and make a life for herself. She has answered an ad for Governess:

Wanted Immediately: energetic Governess for Three Lively Children Knowledge of French, Latin, History, Etiquette, Drawing, and Music will be Required - Experience with Animals Strongly Preferred.

Once she arrives at the country estate she undergoes a very strange interview and hears some very strange noises that no one wants to explain. In fact, everyone wants to act as if the noises are not happening at all. Weirder still, no one will introduce her to the children.

Penelope is a girl that gets things done. She also knows a noise when she hears one. Not one to stand around when there is something curious to investigate, Penelope follows the strange noises to the barn. In the dim light of the barn she hears something rustling and sees shining eyes in one of the stalls. A small pony maybe? A lamb? A dog? Nope. The shining eyes belong to three children huddled in the dark staring at her with the eyes of wild animals.

Experience with Animals Strongly Preferred. You think! Some kids might act like little wild animals, but these children, well, they really are! Penelope sets out to teach them how to act like little ladies and gentlemen in time for a holiday ball. That means wearing clothes. That means walking upright. That means eating with utensils. That means NOT howling! It also means paying attention to Penelope’s lessons and not being distracted by squirrels. (These kids are a lot like Dug the talking dog in the movie Up “SQUIRREL!”)

A funny look at the trouble one girl takes on when she tries to teach some little wild things how to hobnob in high society. If you like A Series of Unfortunate Events give this one a try. The humor is very similar and the characters just as outrageous. Ahwoooooooooooo! Author: Maryrose Wood

For more: http://www.imcpl.org/kids/blog/?p=6438 (less)

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Jan 25, 2012 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-school-books

This is one of those books for children that is an enjoyable adult read. Lord Ashton, an avid hunter, apparently found in his woods three young children who had been abandoned to be raised by wolves. Lady Constance, his young and new wife hires Penelope Lumley to be their governess, though it isn't clear that anyone expects her to succeed in taming these wild children - let alone teach them Latin. Penelope, 15, is a graduate of Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, an optimist, and fond of...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Kiersten rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked this book but was frustrated with it at the same time. There is a clear line between YA fiction and JF fiction (I guess the F there is redundant?), which is a good thing, but I hadn't read JF for a while, so that took a little bit of an adjustment. It was a fun book with a fun premise. It also had a good bit of mystery in it and was fun to read. I wish that there had been more, or, I guess, anything, from the children's point of view. I really liked Penelope, but I felt that it made the...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Mara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-to-buy, historical-fiction, mystery

First, I will reassure you that the "twist" in the end is not related to werewolves, as I was concerned at first. But that is all I will say concerning the end. Oh, and I am anxiously awaiting its sequel. Maryrose Wood's writing contains a flavor very, very similar to Lemony Snicket, and it is excessively amusing and a bit peculiar. The story, actually, is peculiar. With the three children displaying "doggy" attitudes, I was expecting to feel very close to them as characters, but I was quite ast...more

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Jul 24, 2011 Alison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: confident-readers-chapter-books

Imagine a cross between Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and Jane Eyre, and that would give you an idea of how engrossing and enjoyable the first book in Maryrose Wood's The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series is. Miss Penelope Lumley is 15 years old, and having completed her studies at Agatha Swanburne's Academy for Poor Bright Females, she is summoned to an interview at Ashton Place, the home of Lord and Lady Ashton. She is expecting a rigorous interview, and is instead...more

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Jul 06, 2011 Sara Thompson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Just the title alone made me want to read this book. The premise, a young governess comes to take care of three children who were found in the woods and apparently have been raised by wolves, called to me in a way I have not been called in awhile. This book promised hilarity, adventure and perhaps a little more.
I got all that I expected from this book. Penelope is a recent graduate from the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females and is hired at Ashton Place to care for the children. The staff...more

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Jul 01, 2011 Clover White rated it 4 of 5 stars

I like the sensible governess in the story-- 15-year old Penelope, a graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, is a possible orphan (her teachers were a little vague when she asked them about that.) She is hired at Ashton Place to teach the three feral children the master found while hunting. Penelope teaches the children to talk, wear clothes, have good manners, etc. She is stood in good stead by her love of animals and her trove of Agatha Swanburne sayings (ex. "A well-organiz...more

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About Maryrose Wood

Maryrose grew up in the wild suburbs of Long Island, moved to New York City at age 17 to study acting at New York University, then dropped out to be in the chorus of a Broadway musical — which flopped.

Lean and action-packed years of acting, directing, and making drunk people laugh at comedy clubs followed. Becoming a writer seemed the only way out of this Dickensian existence.

Maryrose started out...more Maryrose grew up in the wild suburbs of Long Island, moved to New York City at age 17 to study acting at New York University, then dropped out to be in the chorus of a Broadway musical — which flopped.

Lean and action-packed years of acting, directing, and making drunk people laugh at comedy clubs followed. Becoming a writer seemed the only way out of this Dickensian existence.

Maryrose started out writing for the theater and film, as a lyricist, librettist, playwright and screenwriter. She was the first recipient of the Georgia Bogardus Holof Lyricist Award, and is a three-time recipient of the Richard Rodgers Award for New Musicals, which is administered by the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Her first novel for young adults, SEX KITTENS AND HORN DAWGS FALL IN LOVE, was published in 2006 and hailed as “an uproariously funny debut” (Booklist), “irresistible” (Cleveland Plain Dealer), and “an effervescent delight” (Common Sense Media).

The Morgan Rawlinson series launched in 2007 with WHY I LET MY HAIR GROW OUT, followed by a sequel, titled HOW I FOUND THE PERFECT DRESS. The third book about Morgan and her magical adventures is WHAT I WORE TO SAVE THE WORLD. The hilarious, romantic and magical adventures of the always irreverent Morgan have earned a devoted fan following. And so has Morgan’s freckle-faced Irish hottie, Colin! #cutefictionalboyswewishwerereal

Maryrose’s worlds collided neatly in MY LIFE: THE MUSICAL, a tale of two theatre-obsessed teens who go to ridiculous lengths to see their favorite Broadway show over and over again. In the kind of life-imitating-art-imitating-life twist one could only find in a musical, Maryrose had to invent a fictional Broadway show for the characters in her novel to be obsessed with.

This year sees the launch of her first middle-grade series, THE INCORRIGIBLE CHILDREN OF ASHTON PLACE (starred reviews in Booklist, Kirkus, SLJ and Publishers Weekly, Junior Library Guild selection, yesss!), and a new YA series called THE POISON DIARIES (based on a concept by the Duchess of Northumberland, and inspired by the real-life poison garden at Alnwick Castle, US pub date July 20). Both are from the Balzer + Bray imprint at HarperCollins Children's Books.

Maryrose did eventually graduate from NYU’s Gallatin School. She enjoys gardening, biking, kayaking, napping, reading books and trying new vegetarian recipes. She lives in New York with her two children, two cats and a small, feisty, red-headed dog.(less)

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Books by Maryrose Wood

The Hidden Gallery (The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place #2)

The Unseen Guest (The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, #3)

Why I Let My Hair Grow Out (Morgan Rawlinson, #1)

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Quotes from The Mysterious Howling

“All books are judged by their covers until they are read.” — 43 people liked it

“Clearly, being anxious is a full-time and rather exhausting occupation.” — 9 people liked it

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avg rating	preview: The Mysterious Howling Goodreads rating: 3.82 (4754 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6609748-the-mysterious-howling?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347467632l/6609748.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6609748-the-mysterious-howling?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood[/url]

The Mysterious Howling (The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place #1)

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