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Definitely a fun read. I didn't realize until I was finished that this book is the first of what will be a series. Not all of our questions have been answered and in fact none of the mystery set up in the book is really solved, but somehow that isn't really bothersome. It's just a fun little romp in old gothic style that's kind of a bizarre blend of Jane Eyre, Mary Poppins, and Lemony Snicket. Sort of. For most, this will be book-candy - a light and joyful read with characters that make you smil
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Interesting story of Penelope who, at 15, has just graduated from the Swanburn Academy for Poor Bright Girls. She is headed to the Ashton mansion to take a job as a governess to their children. Upon arriving she finds the children are feral having been found on the grounds raised by wolves. Not knowing what to do she treats them as if they are normal and sets about to civilize them. Of course things have a tendency to go off track from time to time but Penelope manages to keep the children under
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Set in the 1800's this book focuses on a newly graduated governess and the three feral children in her care. The pacing is fairly slow as this is the first book in the series and readers spend most of their time in the governess's head as she adjusts to her new home and devises way to connect with her students.
There are many mysteries surrounding the characters in this world. The feral children were found in the woods and their back story has yet to be revealed. The lady of the house is a newlyw ...more
There are many mysteries surrounding the characters in this world. The feral children were found in the woods and their back story has yet to be revealed. The lady of the house is a newlyw ...more
Aug 18, 2011
Meredith
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audiobooks,
childrens-fiction
The Mysterious Howling (The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place #1) is a chapter book featuring children who were actually raised by wolves and poking fun at the genre of British stories about young governesses dealing with the unruly children of the rich gentry. The satire is very heavy-handed, which children would probably enjoy but could quickly became tiring for adults. In this first book of the series, the young governess receives her position, begins taming the children, and endures a Ch
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Who can resist a governess who is so dedicated to her craft that even when faced with three charges who were apparently raised by wolves, she briskly resolves to delay their Latin lessons, just until they stop chasing squirrels. I never tired of the how the children translated language into their own wolfish dialect, and the narrator humorously guides you along through this whole fun set-up. I cannot decide whether I am annoyed with Maryrose Wood for ending the story just when it gets going, or
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Possibly four stars. I'm thinking about it. This was a real treat: smart, well-plotted, very much in the spirit of its times, fully tongue-in-cheek but also genuinely warm, full of book-love and anti-animal cruelty. In terms of how much I enjoyed it, it's a four-star book. In terms of its usefulness for readers' advisory, I'm not so sure. Pretty high vocabulary level, and the ironic comments (and comments about irony, some of which were themselves ironic) may go over kids' heads.
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So I started off thinking this was an amusing children's book but that I would not be likely to continue with the series. WRONG, I must know why is her hair red, what's up with Lord Frederick, will the children be okay...
I really enjoyed the whole book! ...more
I really enjoyed the whole book! ...more
First book in a series and very cute. Lots of humor and fun, and not at all predictable. I actually thought it was pretty well written and it ended with a several twists that make me look forward to the next book with real anticipation. Fun
Entertaining and humorous. Wood's wry telling of a young governess who cares for a pack of children raised by wolves was a quick and easy read. Surprisingly, I am eager for the next installment. The book is quite a cliffhanger? Who is behind the mysterious attic wall? Just what does the matching hair color of the governess and the wolf child mean? Fun stuff!
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I'm not sure what genre this is, but it seems to be appearing more and more. It's a tongue-in-cheek story about a governess and her charges, who were raised by wolves. It's like Lemony Snicket or The Willoughbys. I really enjoyed it, even more than I enjoyed The Willoughbys, and I think kids might like this one better too. There are fewer specific references to classic literature and there is more general silliness (children raised by wolves, hardy har har!) Not many questions are answered in th
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A fun read that reminds me of the Series of Unfortunate Events. Can't wait to the next one. Geared for a young audience (3rd through 6th grades).
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I want to get a child's reaction to this, ideally someone who has enjoyed the Lemony Snicket books. While I enjoyed this once I got into it, I found it hard to care about the children. Their personalities really weren't developed much.
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This book is absolutely adorable and captivating. I think the audiobook made it even more entertaining. I'm telling you - narrators can make or break the success of an audiobook, and this narrator got. it. right.
I can't wait for the next installment. ...more
I can't wait for the next installment. ...more
The concept of children raised like dogs is what drew me into this book. However, the story in its entirety majorly failed. It was stagnant through from the beginning to the middle-- enough to make me skip to the final pages. This book had more potential.
Apr 17, 2011
Malissa
marked it as to-read
Apr 26, 2011
Carol Royce Owen
marked it as to-read
Jan 17, 2012
Jennifer
marked it as to-read
