The League of Beastly Dreadfuls Series by Holly Grant

A creepy Victorian house, secretive aunties, and a great escape combine in this debut that is part Mysterious Benedict Society, part Roald Dahl, and all quirky, smart, hilarious storytelling. Join the League. . . .   Anastasia is a completely average almost-eleven-year-old. That is, UNTIL her parents die in a tragic vacuum-cleaner accident. UNTIL she’s rescued by two long-lost great-aunties. And UNTIL she’s taken to their delightful and, er, “authentic” Victorian home, St... moreA creepy Victorian house, secretive aunties, and a great escape combine in this debut that is part Mysterious Benedict Society, part Roald Dahl, and all quirky, smart, hilarious storytelling. Join the League. . . .   Anastasia is a completely average almost-eleven-year-old. That is, UNTIL her parents die in a tragic vacuum-cleaner accident. UNTIL she’s rescued by two long-lost great-aunties. And UNTIL she’s taken to their delightful and, er, “authentic” Victorian home, St. Agony’s Asylum for the Criminally Insane. But something strange is going on at the asylum. Anastasia soon begins to suspect that her aunties are not who they say they are. So when she meets Ollie and Quentin, two mysterious brothers, the three join together to plot their great escape! BONUS: Includes an excerpt of Viola Snodgrass’s Etiquette Manual for the Prim and Proper Sort!   * “Concocting an eerie setting positively made for Unfortunate Events, Grant threads her narrative with direct addresses to Readers and delicious turns of phrase. . . . A yummy debut.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred   “Just the right mix of humor, magic, maliciousness, and suspense.” —Booklist   “This adventure is filled with enough mystery and humor to keep readers wondering what will happen next. A solid debut reminiscent of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.” —School Library Journal   “Wonderfully witty. It reminds me of Roald Dahl’s The Twits only in an insane asylum.” —Chris Grabenstein, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library less

Take one part Roald Dahl, add a pinch of Mysterious Benedict Society and a dash of Lemony Snicket. Mix with Holly Grant’s unforgettable storytelling and a double helping of wit and humor, and you get this quirky and hilarious new middle-grade series!   Join the League . . .   After their narrow escape from a NEFARIOUS kidnapping ring, Anastasia, Ollie, and Quentin (a.k.a... moreTake one part Roald Dahl, add a pinch of Mysterious Benedict Society and a dash of Lemony Snicket. Mix with Holly Grant’s unforgettable storytelling and a double helping of wit and humor, and you get this quirky and hilarious new middle-grade series!   Join the League . . .   After their narrow escape from a NEFARIOUS kidnapping ring, Anastasia, Ollie, and Quentin (a.k.a. The League of Beastly Dreadfuls!) are looking forward to a relaxing vacation from DANGER! INTRIGUE! CATASTROPHE! Sadly, they’re not going to get one.   Because Anastasia makes the SHOCKING discovery that her family is at the heart of a centuries-old scandal—a SCANDAL that began with THE DASTARDLY DEED. Before you can say “Bob’s your uncle,” the Dreadfuls have another MYSTERY to solve: the Case of the Missing Grandfather. Can our INTREPID LEAGUE track down Anastasia’s Vanished Gramps? Gentle Reader, BEWARE! The trail of clues leads to spine-tingling surprises. (Catastrophe! Magic! Opera! Stinky cheese! Science fairs!) Read on if you DARE! less

-Wonderfully witty.- --Chris Grabenstein, New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr... more-Wonderfully witty.- --Chris Grabenstein, New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library and coauthor with James Patterson of the House of Robots and Treasure Hunters series Take one part Roald Dahl, a pinch of the Mysterious Benedict Society, and a dash of Lemony Snicket, then add a league of adventurous children, a little magic, and a centuries-old feud with witches, and you get this quirky and darkly hilarious middle-grade series! Long ago, the evil wizard Calixto Swift committed a terrible crime against twelve-year-old Anastasia's family, a crime that began the Perpetual War between witches and the people of Nowhere Special. The witches have long since been banished, but deep in the darkest, most forbidden back alleys of Nowhere Special lies Calixto's mysterious, unbreakable glass cabinet. And that cabinet holds the key to Anastasia's missing grandfather . . . if Anastasia, Ollie, Quentin, and Gus (aka the League of Beastly Dreadfuls) can decipher the clues and figure out how to open it. Steel yourselves, dear Readers! As the feud between the witches and Anastasia's family heats up in book 3 of the League of Beastly Dreadfuls series, our heroes' wild sleuthing will put them far closer to WITCH MAGIC than proper children should ever be! Prepare for SHOCKING revelations about who Anastasia really is! It is safe to say that this may be the League's Most Dangerous and Important Puzzle yet! less