This is the beginning of a great middle grade series! I never got the chance to read the Series of Unfortunate Events as a kid, but as a young adult, I still found it extremely entertaining. I loved the way the author slipped in the use of new words (to children) and taught life lessons about things like first impressions and book diversity. I loved the unique characters and the very interesting plot (at some times which I felt was quite mature for a middle grade book), and I can't wait to continue on with the series.