The League of Beastly Dreadfuls Book 1
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4.1 • 7 Ratings
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
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. 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!
"Marvelously inventive and utterly demented, THE LEAGUE OF BEASTLY DREADFULS is nasty good fun from beginning to end!" -- Bruce Coville, My Teacher is an Alien
"WONDERFULLY WITTY. It reminds me of Roald Dahl's The Twits only in an insane asylum."—Chris Grabenstein, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library
* “A yummy debut.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Just the right mix of humor, magic, maliciousness, and suspense"—Booklist
"Anastasia is anything but average, and her adventures are just beginning."—Publishers Weekly
"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
"Abundant humor....Charmingly offbeat ...sure to entertain."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Peculiarities abound inside Saint Agony's Asylum, where "completely average almost-eleven-year-old" Anastasia McCrumpet is doomed to spend her days after her parents are allegedly hospitalized in a "freak vacuum-cleaning accident." To escape her strange (and heretofore unknown) great-aunts Primrose and Prudence, who gnash their metal choppers at breakfast and lock her inside a musty old room at sundown, Anastasia explores the asylum's cavernous halls seeking a way back to her hometown of Mooselick. First-time author Grant is gifted at immersing readers in her fantastical world, infused with comically absurd details like Anastasia's grudge-holding "revenge-pooper" guinea pig and descriptions of her inhospitable new home, "as cold and clammy as an octopus hug." As the first book in a planned series, this fanciful introduction to shapeshifters and shadow dwellers sets the tone for oddities to come while leaving some key questions unanswered. It's clear that Anastasia is anything but average, and her adventures are just beginning as the book comes to a close. Finished art not seen by PW. Ages 8 12.
Customer Reviews
Best book ever for kids
This book is genius, they added humor, supernatural beings, great ideas and many other things. This is by far my favorite book of all, I can't wait for the next book!