Books like 'Terrible Times'
Readers who enjoyed Terrible Times by Philip Ardagh & David Roberts also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
fantasy action / adventure mystery comedy humor children historical-fiction absurdism gothic family
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Roald Dahl 5-Book Box Set by Roald Dahl
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratings- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator- Danny Champion of the World- James and the Giant Peach- Fantastic Mr... -
The Brothers Cabal by Jonathan L. Howard
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsHorst Cabal has risen from the dead. Again. Horst, the most affable vampire one is ever likely to meet, is resurrected by an occult conspiracy that wants him as a general in a monstrous army. Their plan: to create a country of horrors, a supernatural homeland. As Horst sees the lengths to which they are prepared to go and the evil they cultivate, he realizes that he cannot fight them alone...Categorized as:
family gothic historical-fiction humor action-adventure adult alternate-history audiobook -
The Interrupted Tale by Maryrose Wood, Katherine Kellgren
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFans of Lemony Snicket and the Mysterious Benedict Society books will devour the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series, about a governess and her three charges--children who have been raised by wolves. In The Interrupted Tale, the fourth title in the acclaimed and hilarious mystery series, Miss Penelope Lumley's sixteenth birthday is not quite sweet...Categorized as:
children family historical-fiction humor action-adventure alpha-mc animals audiobook -
Magic Required by Obert Skye
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe final answer to the existence of magic.Ozzy and his friend Sigi are in more danger than ever before. After being injected with the mindcontrolling serum, Ozzy is learning to control the minds of people, but he is still being hunted by Ray, the power-mad villain who will stop at nothing to find and possess the formula... -
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Awful Auntie by David Walliams
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsFrom number one bestselling author David Walliams comes another heartfelt but hilarious hoot of an adventureStella Saxby is the sole heir to Saxby Hall. But awful Aunt Alberta and her giant owl will stop at nothing to get it from her... -
Demon Dentist by David Walliams
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThis New York Times bestseller from David Walliams, the UK’s #1 bestselling children’s author and “the heir to Roald Dahl” (The Spectator), launched his books stateside in a big way!Walliams makes going to the dentist a wacky adventure with his signature humor—this is one dentist appointment you don’t want to miss.Something strange is happening in Alfie's town... -
The Teacher from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler, Jared Lee
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsOn the first day of school, a boy expects only the worst when he discovers that his new teacher is the "monstrous" Mrs. Green. Spotlight editions are printed on high-quality paper and with reinforced library bindings specifically printed for the library market. Grades PreK-4... -
Magic Ahoy! by Caroline Carlson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHilary Westfield is a pirate. In fact, she’s the Terror of the Southlands! She’s daring, brave, fearless, and . . . in a rut. Maybe she hasn’t found any treasure lately. And maybe she isn’t fighting off as many scallywags as she’d like... -
The Long-Lost Home by Maryrose Wood
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsUnhappy 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... -
The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsDear Reader, If this is the first book you found while searching for a book to read next, then the first thing you should know is that this next-to-last book is what you should put down first. Sadly, this book presents the next-to-last chronicle of the lives of the Baudelaire orphans, and it is next-to-first in its supply of misery, despair, and unpleasantness... -
The Beast of Buckingham Palace by David Walliams
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe UK's #1 bestselling children's author, David Walliams, is back with a fantastical tale of myth and legend, good and evil, and one small boy on a quest to save the world--chock-full of Walliams's unmistakable humor and perfect for fans of Jeff Kinney and Roald Dahl.The kingdom has fallen into darkness.Prince Alfred has never left the safety of Buckingham Palace...Categorized as:
children family historical-fiction humor action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School by Mark Teague
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsA dog laments his fate at obedience school through a series of hilarious letters home.When Ike LaRue is "imprisoned" at the Igor Brotweiler Canine Academy, he tries everything to get sent home -- from weepy letters to his owner to illness. In reality, Brotweiler is more like camp than prison, but still, Ike's not cut out for life without Mrs. LaRue... -
"Shouldn't You Be in School?" by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIs Lemony Snicket a detective or a smoke detector? Do you smell smoke? Young apprentice Lemony Snicket is investigating a case of arson but soon finds himself enveloped in the ever-increasing mystery that haunts the town of Stain'd-by-the-Sea... -
Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIn this Caldecott Honor–winning picture book, The Twilight Zone comes to the carrot patch as a rabbit fears his favorite treats are out to get him. Includes audio!Jasper Rabbit loves carrots—especially Crackenhopper Field carrots. He eats them on the way to school.He eats them going to Little League.He eats them walking home.Until the day the carrots start following him.. -
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The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsDear Reader, If you have just picked up this book, then it is not too late to put it back down. Like the previous books in A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, there is nothing to be found in these pages but misery, despair, and discomfort, and you still have time to choose something else to read...Categorized as:
absurdism children family gothic historical-fiction humor 21st-century action-adventure -
Freddy Goes Camping by Walter Rollin Brooks
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn Freddy Goes Camping, Mr. Camphor's aunts, Minerva and Elmira, were staying with him, much to his disgust. "There's two kinds of aunts," he said. "There's the regular kind, and then there's the other kind. Mine are the other kind... -
Jane Doe and the Key of All Souls by Jeremy Lachlan
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJane Doe is in more danger than ever before. Her father is still imprisoned. The Manor, the hallowed world between worlds, is still dying. The villainous Roth is still searching for the mythical, all-powerful Cradle Sea. Worst of all, Jane has learned that she is, literally, one of the keys needed to stop him... -
Somebody Stop Ivy Pocket by Caleb Krisp
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAre you ready for Ivy Pocket? The wickedly funny, completely unreliable maid of no importance returns—this time as a coffin maker’s daughter—in this action-packed sequel to Anyone but Ivy Pocket. School Library Journal says, “Fans of . . . Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events will love Ivy Pocket’s zany adventures...Categorized as:
children family gothic historical-fiction humor action-adventure book children-books -
Rogue's Home by Hilari Bell
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe Boys Are Back!Sir Michael Sevenson and his squire, Fisk, can't seem to keep out of hot water. After five long years, Fisk has been called home to Ruesport to investigate who framed his sister Anna's husband, Max, as a blackmailer. Anna figures that Fisk, with his criminal past, is uniquely qualified to find out who set Max up...Categorized as:
family historical-fiction humor action-adventure animals anti-hero book children-books -
"Why Is This Night Different from All Other Nights?" by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsTrain travel! Murder! Librarians! A Series Finale!On all other nights, the train departs from Stain'd Station and travels to the city without stopping. But not tonight. You might ask, why is this night different from all other nights? But that's the wrong question... -
The Dark Talent by Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsI, Alcatraz Smedry, proudly announce the last book of my autobiography, and was the hardest one for me to write. Because, in it—I’m not a hero. In fact, I’m the one who screwed everything up for everyone else.First off, my Talent for breaking things got a little out of hand, and I ended up destroying everyone else’s Talents... -
When Did You See Her Last? by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsI should have asked the question "How could someone who was missing be in two places at once?" Instead, I asked the wrong question -- four wrong questions, more or less. This is the account of the second.In the fading town of Stain'd-by-the-Sea, young apprentice Lemony Snicket has a new case to solve when he and his chaperone are hired to find a missing girl... -
Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones by Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsThe Evil Librarians are still up to their antics and it's up to Alcatraz Smedry to put a stop to it! This second book will take Alcatraz and company on an exploration of the Library of Alexandria, which -- despite Librarian rumors -- was never destroyed. It is a mysterious place and everyone knows that it holds dark secrets... -
The End by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 44 ratingsThe last volume of the fabulously popular A Series of Unfortunate Events series, in which the history of the Baudelaire orphans is brought to its end.You are presumably looking at the back of this book, or the end of the end... -
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The Austere Academy by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsDear Reader, If you are looking for a story about cheerful youngsters spending a jolly time at boarding school, look elsewhere. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent and resourceful children, and you might expect that they would do very well at school. Don't. For the Baudelaires, school turns out to be another miserable episode in their unlucky lives...Categorized as:
children family gothic humor 21st-century action-adventure audiobook boarding-school -
Alcatraz Versus the Knights of Crystallia by Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsWhen Alcatraz and Grandpa Smedry make a pilgrimage to the Free Kingdom city of Crystallia, the Smedry home base, Alcatraz is shocked to see that he is, in fact, a legend. When he was a baby he was stolen by the Evil Librarians, and his mother, a Librarian herself, was behind the whole scheme... -
Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens by Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsAlcatraz Smedry, the boy with the incredible Talent for breaking things, has a lot to prove and little time in which to do it. In this final adventure, Alcatraz faces an army of librarians--and their giant robots--as they battle to win the kingdom of Mokia. If the librarians win the war, everything that Alcatraz has fought so hard for could end in disaster... -
The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 52 ratingsDear Reader,I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe...Categorized as:
children family gothic historical-fiction humor 20th-century action-adventure audiobook -
Zootopia Junior Novelization by Suzanne Francis
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJapanese novelization of Pixars new hit movie Zootopia! A rabbit rookie police officer challenges cultural expectations to become the first of her kind in the force, but in her work she discovers animal stereotypes only help criminals and falsely accuse the innocent, but will others believe... -
Writer of the Purple Rage by Joe R. Lansdale
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsContaining stories from the dark side, the light side, and all shades in between, this is a masterful collection by one of America's rising storytellers. Storylines include that of a woman who discovers grisly horror on a mountain road, a plastic love doll who becomes liberated, and a baby's diaper that is possessed by aliens... -
The Case of the Vampire Cat by John R. Erickson
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHank the Cowdog, head of ranch security, bravely faces the dangers of Picket Canyon to unravel the mystery surrounding an unusual cat...Categorized as:
children historical-fiction humor action-adventure animals audiobook book children-books -
The Field of Wacky Inventions by Patrick Carman, Jesse Bernstein
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe final adventure in bestselling author Patrick Carman's delightfully wacky Floors trilogy!FORMAT: 5 CDs, UnabridgedNARRATOR: Jesse BernsteinTaking mystery and adventure to the next level.It's not every day that a hotel loses its top floor. Then again, the Whippet Hotel is no stranger to wackiness... -
A Very Merry Christmas by Geronimo Stilton
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEnter the world of Geronimo Stilton, where another funny adventure is always right around the corner. Each book is a fast-paced adventure with lively art and a unique format kids 7-10 will love.'Tis the season to be jolly -- and holey cheese was I trying! But on my way to New York City to meet my family for the holidays, my luggage got switched with another mouse's.. -
Who Let the Gods Out? by Maz Evans
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA shooting star crashes to earth and changes Elliot's life forever. The star is Virgo - a young Zodiac goddess on a mission. When the pair accidentally unleash the wicked death daemon Thanatos, they turn to the old Olympian gods for help...Categorized as:
children family humor action-adventure ancient-civilization audiobook book children-books -
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Renegade Magic by Stephanie Burgis
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe feisty Kat Stephenson is back in the second installment of the Regency era magical trilogy Kirkus Reviews calls “enjoyable mayhem...Categorized as:
children family historical-fiction humor action-adventure alternate-history book comedy -
The Thornthwaite Inheritance by Gareth P. Jones
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOvid and Lorelli Thornthwaite have been trying to kill each other for so long that neither twin can remember which act of attempted murder came first. But whoever struck first, trying to take each other's lives is simply what they do... -
Archer's Goon by Diana Wynne Jones
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe trouble started when Howard Sykes came home from school and found the "goon" sitting in the kitchen. He said he'd been sent by Archer. But who was Archer? It had to do with the 2,000 words that Howard's author father had failed to deliver... -
The Unseen Guest by Maryrose Wood
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe third book in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place the acclaimed and hilarious Victorian mystery series by Maryrose Wood, perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket and Trenton Lee Stewart has a brand-new look.Since returning from London, the three Incorrigible children and their plucky governess, Miss Penelope Lumley, have been exceedingly busy... -
The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Wood
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsThanks 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... -
The Slippery Slope by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsDear Reader, Like handshakes, house pets, or raw carrots, many things are preferable when not slippery. Unfortunately, in this miserable volume, I am afraid that Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire run into more than their fair share of slipperiness during their harrowing journey up--and down--a range of strange and distressing mountains... -
The Grim Grotto by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsDear Reader, Unless you are a slug, a sea anemone, or mildew, you probably prefer not to be damp. You might also prefer not to read this book, in which the Baudelaire siblings encounter an unpleasant amount of dampness as they descend into the depths of despair, underwater... -
The Carnivorous Carnival by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 44 ratingsDear reader,The word "carnivorous," which appears in the title of this book, means "meat-eating," and once you have read such a bloodthirsty word, there is no reason to read any further. This carnivorous volume contains such a distressing story that consuming any of its contents would be far more stomach-turning than even the most imbalanced meal... -
The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 3.99 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsDear Reader,If you have picked up this book with the hope of finding a simple and cheery tale, I'm afraid you have picked up the wrong book altogether. The story may seem cheery at first, when the Baudelaire children spend time in the company of some interesting reptiles and a giddy uncle, but don't be fooled... -
The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 3.99 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsDear Reader,If you have not read anything about the Baudelaire orphans, then before you read even one more sentence, you should know this: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are kindhearted and quick-witted; but their lives, I am sorry to say, are filled with bad luck and misery. All of the stories about these three children are unhappy and wretched, and this one may be the worst of them all...Categorized as:
children family gothic historical-fiction humor 21st-century action-adventure audiobook -
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The Weirdies by Michael Buckley, Kate Winslet
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThis is a very, very sad story. The characters suffer terrible tragedies. People die in unspeakable ways. Only a truly horrible person would be amused by their misfortune.Nevertheless, it is kind of funny.My advice is that you listen to this all by yourself. People can be judgy... -
The Final Exam by Gitty Daneshvari
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsCheck out the laugh-inducing, phobia-reducing final book in the School of Fear trilogy! Is school out forever at the School of Fear? A nosy reporter is planning a scandalous expose on eccentric Mrs. Wellington and her unorthodox teaching methods, and the news is sure to put an end to the school... -
Valentine's Day Disaster by Geronimo Stilton
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEnter the world of Geronimo Stilton, where another funny adventure is always right around the corner. Each book is a fast-paced adventure with lively art and a unique format kids 7-10 will love.It was Valentine's Day in New Mouse City, and I couldn't wait to celebrate! I had sent valentine cards to all my friends and family members... -
Goth Girl and the Wuthering Fright by Chris Riddell
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsPeople are flocking to Ghastly-Gorm Hall from far and wide to compete in Lord Goth's Literary Dog Show. The esteemed judges are in place and the contestants are all ready to win. Sir Walter Splott is preparing his Lanarkshire Lurcher, Plain Austen is preening her Hampshire Hound and Homily Dickinson and her Yankee Poodle are raring to go... -
The Magical Fruit by Jo Nesbø
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDoctor Proctor, Nilly, and Lisa take a sporty approach to saving the day in this fart-tastically funny adventure from New York Times bestselling author Jo Nesbø.When a Russian billionaire robs the Norwegian Gold Reserve and melts the last remaining gold bar into the Premier Soccer League trophy, it’s up to Doctor Proctor, Nilly, and Lisa to recapture the precious prize... -
The Pirates! In an Adventure with Napoleon: A Novel by Gideon Defoe
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Pirate Captain and his merry band of ne’er-do-wells face off against their toughest—but by no means their tallest—challenge yet. Crushed with disappointment at the Pirate of the Year Awards, our Pirate Captain decides that it’s time for a career change. And so with his loyal (if soon-to-be-dismayed) crew, he sets off for St...
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