The Interrupted Tale

Narrator Katherine Kellgren uses just the right amount of animated exuberance to portray the Incorrigibles, children who were raised by wolves. In this installment, the children and their governess, Penelope, travel to the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, where Penelope will give a speech and attempt to save the school from ruin by a mysterious trustee. Kellgren's dramatic flair builds anticipation and brings out humorous wordplay, complete with iambic pentameter as well as language and literature lessons. Her character voices are hilarious, and her singing voice is delightful. Frequent extreme and unexpected volume changes between villainous whispers and evil bellows do distract a bit from the listening. The story remains unresolved, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the next in the series. M.M.G. (c) AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

March 1, 2014

Gr 3-7-Penelope is struggling with a number of mysteries: Her parents are still missing, her friend Simon has not written, and there is still a mysterious howling in the attic. She is excited, though, when she receives an invitation to speak at her alma mater, the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females. Going to Swanburne will give her a chance to determine just what the newest trustee, Judge Quinzy, is up to, for Penelope fears that he is not who he seems. When she arrives, she learns that everything is about to change, and saving the school rests on her shoulders. Just enough questions are answered and plot threads left open to keep readers enticed. It isn't necessary to be familiar with previous titles in the series to enjoy this one, but readers will want to go back to see how Penelope's journey began. Katherine Kellgren is a delightful reader. She gives each character a distinctive voice and is a lovely singer. Both parents and children will be clamoring for more. Give this to readers who enjoyed Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events" titles (HarperCollins).-Elizabeth Elsbree, Krug Elementary School, Aurora, IL

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2013
Amid much mention of cake and iambic pentameter, the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females survives a challenge thanks to its star graduate, nanny Penelope Lumley, and her three wolfish wards. Invited on her 16th birthday to deliver an address to her school's residents and sundry others at a Celebrate Alumnae Knowledge Exposition, Miss Lumley travels to her alma mater with young Alexander, Beowulf and Cassiopeia Incorrigible. There, she discovers that malign "Judge Quinzy," disguised and purportedly dead father of her employer, Lord Frederick Ashton, has taken over the board of trustees and instituted a repressive regime that includes changing the school's very name to the Quinzy School for Miserable Girls. Why? It seems he's after a certain old diary that holds clues as to why the Ashton men have been howling at the full moon for generations. As in previous episodes, Wood threads a boisterous gaslamp melodrama with instructional references (here to poetic meters) and broad but inscrutable clues. These seem to link the Ashtons, the Incorrigibles and Miss Lumley herself in some still-mysterious way. As always, details thrill: The school vet, Dr. Westminster, is first met successfully teaching chickens to dance the hokeypokey. The history and nature of the Ashton curse at least begins to move out of the shadows at last. Still, much else remains to be illuminated in future sequels, which fans will be howling for. (finished illustrations not seen) (Comic melodrama. 10-12)

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Starred review from December 1, 2013
Grades 4-6 *Starred Review* Happily, the mysteries deepen at Ashton Place in this fourth volume in the Incorrigible Children series. Let us recap: the incorrigibles are three children raised by wolves but under the care of Lord Ashton, with Miss Penelope Lumley serving as their governess. Odd things happen at Ashton place, including Lord Fredrick's propensity to howl at the moon. But here the action shifts to Penny's alma mater, Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, which is in distress. A new board of directors wishes to change everything, including calling it the School for Miserable Girls. Can Penny help halt this disastrous turn of events? In this book, we come to that part in a series where one cannot really join in the fun without having read the previous books. And there is much fun to be had as the incorrigiblesAlexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeiaentangle themselves in the Swanburne world. Family mysteries become more mysterious, and chickens learn to dance. Once again delightful wordplay and a plot that snakes itself around a suspicious family tree add to the deliciousness. It looks as if one more book should answer questions, but there are quite a lot of them. Readers will wait eagerly to learn where the children came from, to whom they are related, and why Penny must continue to color her hair that deadly brown. Hmmm. To be illustrated. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: This series has amassed a large coterie of fans who will be eagerly looking to see how everything comes together.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)