Shouldn't You Be in School? (All the Wrong Questions)

I'm always going to be one of Lemony Snicket's biggest fans.

It was by random coincidence I saw his name on a book that didn't say "A Series of Unfortunate Events" while shopping for jeans in a thrift store, but instead a whole new blue book that said "Who Could It Be At This Hour?".

Suddenly I was

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back in my favorite place- a world of mystery that can generally only be fixed by children- or at least a world that's only hope is the children.

Lemony Snicket's "All The Wrong Questions" is just a glorious as his first series, but with the added benefit of even more Snicket.

I love this series for a variety of reasons, but a simple answer is because Snicket's writing is clever and fun, even the organization of it all keeps you on your toes- add in Seth's beautiful artwork and you've got yourself a wonderful history of Snicket that lends an eye, ear and hand into what involved him with the Baudelaire's.
This book in particular is the third in the series, and might possibly be my favorite so far, and for all the wrong reasons.
Fire.

If you haven't read "A Series of Unfortunate Events", I don't want to recommend you do- except that I think you absolutely must. I find that an awful lot of people will always be keen to hide you from the misery of the world, but you ought to know others misery so you may share the burden. "Shouldn't You Be In School" takes an awful lot of burden- from previous books, as well as from days and nights that have yet to (or never will be)recorded. In this books particular case, it holds the happenings of several confusing fires, as well as one (slightly) less confusing sprinkler system. It made me sad if only because I know of the parallels in this series to Snicket's other popular series, that also widely regards mysterious fires and less often regards sprinkler systems.

The book was also great in that is introduced me to a much less morose Snicket. And while it's been a few years since I read "ASoUE", I can't remember Lemony Snicket ever sounds all that happy, and this series shows a much lighter side- even if it is because this particular brand of Lemony has yet to spoil.

Books that are filled with facts about Caviar, fire hydrants that don't have any water, books that don't have any words, and girls that a filled with secrets- that's the sort of place Stain'd By The Sea operates as. It's up to S. Theodora Markson and her apprentice, Lemony Snicket, to help solve this towns poor, strange bad luck. It would be easier if S. Theodora Markson was good at her job, better if more adults stopped lying- excellent if Lemony listened to himself. It seems that with every mystery solved, there's always a new dilemma waiting to catch wind- and no, Cleo didn't just drive by. Excellent food, strange recorders and secret compartments aren't new to Lemony Snicket's training, but eventually a town as old as this one is going to sneak up behind you. What's in the water? What's a hangfire? Why is a boy named Olaf in love with the game Guess Who? Why doesn't this town have one single lime tree? These are all excellent questions- they're also the wrong questions. The right question? When does the next book come out?

I'm 17 and it's been over a decade since I first saw his world- on page and on screen- but I still let myself grin like a fool on the train while reading a book about a brilliant group of associates, just like I did when I was 7 and reading about three brilliant siblings.

I want to thank Lemony Snicket, and David Handler, for being able to provide with just the right amount of happiness, sadness, wit and mystery with every book, (and I'll be waiting for the next, like a child who knows when their next dentist appointment is, but wont start brushing their teeth until the week before it's to take place.)

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