Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Balzer Bray (2013), Edition: Gift, 400 pages
Description
Juvenile Fiction. Juvenile Literature. Mystery. HTML:Fans of Lemony Snicket and the Mysterious Benedict Society books will devour the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series, about a governess and her three charges�??children who have been raised by wolves. In The Interrupted Tale, the fourth title in the acclaimed and hilarious mystery series, Miss Penelope Lumley�??s sixteenth birthday is not quite sweet. Her parents remain absent, and her friend, Simon, has not been heard from since he went to visit his ailing great-uncle Pudge in the old sailors�?? home. Luckily, an invitation to speak at the annual Celebrate Alumnae Knowledge Exposition (or CAKE) at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females provides just the diversion Penelope needs. But when Penelope is asked by the Swanburne board of trustees to demonstrate the academic progress of her three wolfish students, so the board can judge the true worth of a Swanburne education, the future of her school�??and of her job as governess to the Incorrigibles�??hangs… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member keristars
The Interrupted Tale is a delightful fourth installment of the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series. It brings governess Penelope Lumley and her pupils, the three Incorrigibles, to the Swanburne School for Poor Bright Females, and in the meantime solves a few of the long-running mysteries
As with the last installment, The Interrupted Tale has fun with acronyms, particularly CAKE - Celebrating Alumnae Knowledge Exhibition - which brings about one of the funniest scenes in the series. Of course, the Incorrigible children hear "CAKE" and think Penelope is speaking of "cake", which leads them to demand cake all the time. But when the day comes, the children have feasted so much on pancakes at breakfast and Hungarian goulash for dinner that when they see the enormous twelve-layer cake rolled out for dessert, they can only groan in dismay.
Also amusing me throughout the book is the "Fall of Rome". Alexander has discovered Gibbons's history and started reading it, which leads the children to create a game about the Fall of Rome. It is, of course, simply creating a circle and then promptly falling over, and they do it all the time, even in less than appropriate situations (they are Incorrigible, after all!), which made me crack up laughing.
Although several mysteries are solved in this book - though one very important one is not, leading to the title - they're nearly all done by accident and with Penelope rather bewildered until she catches on, because the reveal is unexpected. I really loved this element, because it's so unusual in children's detective books, yet fits perfectly in here, where Penelope isn't really a detective, but is still mixed up in odd goings-on. It's also very satisfying for the reader (me!) to be able to put the clues together just before Penelope learns the solution.
There will be at least one more book in this series to finish solving all the puzzles and bring Penelope and the Incorrigible children a happy ending, and I am, as always, looking forward to it!
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surrounding Ashton Place and delivers some clues for the mysteries surrounding Penelope and the children themselves.As with the last installment, The Interrupted Tale has fun with acronyms, particularly CAKE - Celebrating Alumnae Knowledge Exhibition - which brings about one of the funniest scenes in the series. Of course, the Incorrigible children hear "CAKE" and think Penelope is speaking of "cake", which leads them to demand cake all the time. But when the day comes, the children have feasted so much on pancakes at breakfast and Hungarian goulash for dinner that when they see the enormous twelve-layer cake rolled out for dessert, they can only groan in dismay.
Also amusing me throughout the book is the "Fall of Rome". Alexander has discovered Gibbons's history and started reading it, which leads the children to create a game about the Fall of Rome. It is, of course, simply creating a circle and then promptly falling over, and they do it all the time, even in less than appropriate situations (they are Incorrigible, after all!), which made me crack up laughing.
Although several mysteries are solved in this book - though one very important one is not, leading to the title - they're nearly all done by accident and with Penelope rather bewildered until she catches on, because the reveal is unexpected. I really loved this element, because it's so unusual in children's detective books, yet fits perfectly in here, where Penelope isn't really a detective, but is still mixed up in odd goings-on. It's also very satisfying for the reader (me!) to be able to put the clues together just before Penelope learns the solution.
There will be at least one more book in this series to finish solving all the puzzles and bring Penelope and the Incorrigible children a happy ending, and I am, as always, looking forward to it!
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LibraryThing member bookwren
Delightful to have a few more mysteries solved and know that another volume is coming. The Incorrigible children are maturing and utterly dedicated to their governess, Miss Lumley. Many excellent metaphors, such as the one about memories on page 61 (see Quotations in Common Knowledge). I also
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enjoyed Penelope's writing process when preparing for her CAKE speech. First, write down a list of words related to the topic, then doodle in the margins for inspiration. Show Less
LibraryThing member norabelle414
audiobook from the library - Miss Penelope Lumley, the world's most patient governess, turns sixteen. The she gets invited to visit her Alma Mater, The Swanburn Academy for Poor Bright Females, to give a speech about her accomplishments, and takes the children with her. The dubious Judge Qunicey
Most of the events of the book take place at the Swanburn Academy, which is a fun change. We find out what was going on with that mysterious howling back in book one, and also who "Judge" Quincey really is. A few other secrets are revealed, but of course more questions are raised than answered. How long do I have to wait for the next one, again?
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has joined the board of directors of Swanburn, and Penelope needs to figure out why.Most of the events of the book take place at the Swanburn Academy, which is a fun change. We find out what was going on with that mysterious howling back in book one, and also who "Judge" Quincey really is. A few other secrets are revealed, but of course more questions are raised than answered. How long do I have to wait for the next one, again?
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LibraryThing member GR8inD8N
Fantastic addition to the series, the plot sails forward and the word play made me laugh out loud more than once.
LibraryThing member foggidawn
Young governess Penelope Lumley and her three charges travel to Swanburne, Penelope's alma mater, where Penelope will give a speech at an alumnae event. Alas, all is not well at Swanburne, especially with the enigmatic Judge Quinzey sitting on the Board of Trustees! Who is Quinzey, really, and why
This book is just as delightful as earlier volumes in the series. Answers to some mysteries are revealed, but not all -- Penelope and her charges will have to wait for another book to discover how all of the elements in their story come together.
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has he fixed his attention on Swanburne?This book is just as delightful as earlier volumes in the series. Answers to some mysteries are revealed, but not all -- Penelope and her charges will have to wait for another book to discover how all of the elements in their story come together.
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LibraryThing member ChristianR
I still love this series! I would love to know how many books are planned.
LibraryThing member MadameWho
I greatly enjoyed this trip to Swanburne Academy (as well as the new, piratical Simon). I'm even more impatient for answers, but I'll have to wait until book five (or more likely, book six) before I get them.
LibraryThing member Kaethe
When Wood is writing, or planning, whatever her process, I like to imagine her sitting there asking herself what else she could possibly throw in for entertainment. She included a song, which is possibly as far as an author can go toward "all-singing, all-dancing" without including video links.
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Library copy
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alikes: A Series of Unfortunate Events, Defoe's Pirates!, Jane Eyre (sort of), The Pirates of Penzance. The humor here is kind, the perspective progressive. There is rather less howling than in the previous books, and Penelope Lumley is maturing into a very practical young woman, as she celebrates her 16th birthday. I hesitate to use the word "rollicking" but there is a certain screwball comic aspect to the climax. It's books like this that make me really miss reading aloud to the girls at bedtime: it would have been a hoot.Library copy
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LibraryThing member jennybeast
Well, the mysteries continue, but like the gradual peepshow that walking across a floor in a long gown reveals your toes, the story reveals bits and pieces in the most ludicrous way possible. In this adventure we finally get to spend real time at the Swanburne Academy for Poor, Bright Females, and
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pluck wins through once again. Show Less
Original language
English
Original publication date
2013-09-10
Physical description
385 p.; 5.5 inches
ISBN
0061791229 / 9780061791222