Shouldn't You Be in School?

Shouldn't You Be in School? <span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Shouldn%27t+You+Be+in+School%3F&rft.author=%5B%5BLemony+Snicket%5D%5D+%28pen+name+of+%5B%5BDaniel+Handler%5D%5D%29&rft.date=September+30%2C+2014&rft.pub=%5B%5BLittle%2C+Brown+and+Company%5D%5D&rft.pages=336+%27%27%28first+edition%29%27%27[1]&rft.series=%27%27%5B%5BAll+the+Wrong+Questions%5D%5D%27%27">
Author Lemony Snicket (pen name of Daniel Handler)
Illustrator Seth[1]
Cover artist Seth
Country United States
Language English
Series All the Wrong Questions
Genre Mystery
Publisher Little, Brown and Company
Publication date
 September 30, 2014
Media type Print (hardback)
Pages 336 (first edition)[1]
ISBN 9780316123068
Fic 21
Preceded by When Did You See Her Last?

Shouldn't You Be in School? is the third book in Lemony Snicket's children's series All the Wrong Questions. The series features young apprentice Snicket, who is attempting to uncover the mystery behind a villain named Hangfire in Stain'd-by-the-Sea. The book was published on September 30, 2014 by Little, Brown and Company and features illustrations by Seth.[1]

Plot

S. Theodora Markson and her apprentice Lemony Snicket are hired to investigate a case of arson. There is a witness to the arson, but when they go to visit his house, they discover it has also been burned down. Dashiell Qwerty, the town's librarian, is arrested for burning down the buildings, although Snicket highly doubts it was Qwerty that committed the crimes. Stain'd Secondary School is then burned down, and all the schoolchildren are moved to the previously disused Wade Academy. Two people from the Department of Truancy come to take Snicket's friends (Jake Hix, Cleo Knight and Moxie Mallahan) to the boarding school, although Snicket is not taken. He goes to the school to investigate and is knocked unconscious; he wakes up in Ellington Feint's room in the school. Snicket comes up with a fragmentary plot and his friends all help to carry it out. Hangfire, the villain behind the arsons, attempts to mislead Snicket into thinking Diceys Department Store is being burned down, but Snicket works out that he is planning to burn down the library. He removes the books before Hangfire can burn it down, although the building ends up being saved by the recently installed sprinkler system.

Reception

Ryan Britt gave the book a positive review, claiming that Snicket was "a little more dangerous and a little darker" than in previous books. Britt described the book as "a beautiful tune with sad words" and "charming", as well as pointing out the philosophical elements of the book.[2]

The book was reviewed by Kirkus Reviews and described as a "smart, slyly humorous noir thriller" containing many literary allusions and "linguistic play".[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Shouldn't You Be in School?". Hachette Book Group.
  2. ↑ Britt, Ryan (October 3, 2014). "Work the Risk: Lemony Snicket's Shouldn't You Be in School?". Tor.com. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  3. ↑ ""SHOULDN'T YOU BE IN SCHOOL?"". Kirkus Reviews. October 6, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2014.

External links