This is that wildly popular book series your favorite young reader's been telling you about, A Series of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket. The series is much-loved for its dark humor as it tells stories of the various misfortunes of the Baudelaire orphans: Violet, who always puts her hair up in a ponytail when she's about to invent something to get them out of a scrape; Klaus, who stays up all night reading and falls asleep with books on his lap; and Sunny, the plucky little baby who's just as much of an adventurer as her brother and sister.

The Lemony Snicket bookbasket (click image for a larger picture) includes:

• Your choice of one of the eleven books
• Two fuzzy, leopard-look notebooks to help your young reader keep track of all his or her plans for miraculous escapes and other adventures (diary pictured above is no longer available)
• A snake-shaped pen, reminiscent of the creatures in Book the Second; The Reptile Room
• 52 Amazing Science Experiments, so readers can invent along with Violet
• A clip-on book light for reading all night like Klaus
• A bookmark featuring an illustration from children's literature
• A chocolate wrench because...well, you never know when the Baudelaire orphans will need to break their way out of another bad situation, plus it's something for Sunny to bite on!

Dear 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.

In order to spare you any further repulsion, it would be best not to mention any of the unpleasant details of this story, particularly a secret message, a toboggan, a deceitful trap, a swarm of snow gnats, a scheming villain, a troupe of organized youngsters, a covered casserole dish, and a surprising survivor of a terrible fire.

Unfortunately, I have dedicated my life to researching and recording the sad tale of the Baudelaire Orphans. There is no reason for you to dedicate yourself to such things, and you might instead dedicate yourself to letting this slippery book slip from your hands into a nearby trash receptacle, or deep pit.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

LEM01$34.99CHOOSE THE BOOK: Book the Eleventh: The Grim GrottoBook the First: The Bad BeginningBook the Second: The Reptile RoomBook the Third: The Wide WindowBook the Fourth: The Miserable MillBook the Fifth: The Austere AcademyBook the Sixth: The Ersatz ElevatorBook the Seventh: The Vile VillageBook the Eighth: The Hostile HospitalBook the Ninth: The Carnivorous CarnivalBook the Tenth: The Slippery SlopeBook the Eleventh: The Grim Grotto