The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR BEST BOOKS OF 2010
KIRKUS BEST BOOKS OF 2010
NPR BEST BOOKS OF 2015
The Mysterious Howling
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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 no ordinary governess. Only fifteen years old and a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, Penelope embraces the challenge of her new position. Though she is eager to instruct the children in Latin verbs and the proper use of globes, first she must help them overcome their canine tendencies.
But mysteries abound at Ashton Place: Who are these three wild creatures, and how did they come to live in the vast forests of the estate? Why does Old Timothy, the coachman, lurk around every corner? Will Penelope be able to teach the Incorrigibles table manners and socially useful phrases in time for Lady Constance's holiday ball? And what on earth is a schottische?
“It’s the best beginning since The Bad Beginning [by Lemony Snicket] and will leave readers howling for the next episode.”
The Hidden Gallery
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Thanks to their plucky governess, Miss Penelope Lumley, Alexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeia are much more like children than wolf cubs now. They are accustomed to wearing clothes. They hardly ever howl at the moon. And for the most part, they resist the urge to chase squirrels up trees.
Yet the Incorrigibles are not entirely civilized, and still managed to ruin Lady Constance’s Christmas ball, nearly destroying the grand house. So, while Ashton Place is being restored, Penelope, the Ashtons, and the children take up residence in London. As they explore the city, Penelope and the Incorrigibles discover more about themselves as clues about the children's—and Penelope's own—mysterious past crop up in the most unexpected ways....
“How hearty and delicious...Smartly written with a middle-grade audience in mind, this is both fun and funny and sprinkled with dollops of wisdom (thank you, Agatha Swanburne). How will it all turn out? Appetites whetted.”
The Unseen Guest
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Since returning from London, the three Incorrigible children and their plucky governess, Miss Penelope Lumley, have developed some passionate new interests, bird-watching among them. When Lord Fredrick's long-absent mother arrives with the noted explorer, Admiral Faucet, gruesome secrets tumble out of the Ashton family tree. And when the Admiral's prized racing ostrich gets loose in the forest, it will take all the Incorrigibles’ skills to find her.
The hunt for the runaway ostrich is on. But Penelope is worried. Once back in the wild, will the children forget about books and painting and iambic pentameter, and go back to their howling, wolfish ways? What if they never want to come back to Ashton Place at all?
“Wood’s narrative propels the drama…pervasive humor and unanswered questions should have readers begging for more.”
The Interrupted Tale
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Turning sixteen is a bittersweet occasion for Miss Penelope Lumley. Luckily, an invitation to speak at the annual Celebrate Alumnae Knowledge Exposition (or CAKE) at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females provides just the diversion Penelope needs.
Optoomuchstic as ever, Penelope hopes to give her CAKE talk, see some old friends, and show off the Incorrigible children to Miss Mortimer. Instead, she finds her beloved school in an uproar. And when Penelope is asked by the Swanburne Academy board of trustees to demonstrate the academic progress of her three wolfish students so they can judge the true worth of a Swanburne education, the future of her alma mater—and of her job as governess to the Incorrigibles—hangs in the balance.
“Jane Eyre meets Lemony Snicket in this smart, surprising satire. Humorous antics and a climactic cliff-hanger ending will keep children turning pages and clamoring for the next volume, while more sophisticated readers will take away much more.”
The Unmapped Sea
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Lord Fredrick Ashton may not feel ready to be a father, but with a bouncing baby Ashton on the way, he's certain about one thing: the wolfish curse on his family must end soon, before the child is born. Penelope willingly takes on the challenge. And when Lady Constance’s doctor prescribes a seaside holiday, Penelope jumps at the chance to take the three Incorrigible children to Brighton, where she hopes to persuade the old sailor Pudge to reveal what he knows about the Ashton curse.
But the Ashtons are not the only ones at the beach in January. The temperamental Babushkinov family is also taking the winter waters.
The Incorrigible children may have been raised by wolves, but the Babushkinov children are the wildest creatures they've ever seen. Is it more than mere coincidence that these untamed children have turned up in Brighton just as Penelope and the Incorrigibles arrive?
“Another series of uproarious escapades. Fans of the first book will be happy to go along for the madcap ride.”
The Long-Lost Home
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The thrilling conclusion to the acclaimed series.
Unhappy Penelope Lumley is trapped in unhappy Plinkst! Even the beets for which Plinkst is inexplicably famous fail to grow in this utterly miserable Russian village. Penelope anxiously counts the days and wonders how she will ever get back to England in time to save the Ashtons—not to mention herself and the Incorrigible children—from their accursèd fate.
Her daring scheme to escape sends her on a wildly unexpected journey. But time is running out, and the not-really-dead Edward Ashton is still on the loose. His mad obsession with the wolfish curse on the Ashtons puts Penelope and the Incorrigibles in dire peril. As Penelope fights her way back to her beloved pupils, the three brave Incorrigibles endure their gloomy new tutor and worriedly prepare for the arrival of Lady Constance’s baby. Little do they know the danger they’re in!
In this action-packed conclusion to the acclaimed series, mysteries are solved and long-lost answers are found. Only one question remains: Will Penelope and the Incorrigibles find a way to undo the family curse in time, or will the next full moon be their last?
“[A] madcap sequel. Great fun, and it wouldn’t be optoomuchstic to expect more to come.”