Maryrose Wood

The first book in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place—the acclaimed and hilarious Victorian mystery series by Maryrose Wood, perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket and Trenton Lee Stewart—has a brand-new look. Discovered in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children. Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. A recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, Penelope embraces the challenge of her new position. Though she is eager to instruct the children in Latin verbs and the proper use of globes, first she must eliminate their canine tendencies. But mysteries abound at Ashton Place: Who are these three wild creatures? Why does Old Timothy, the coachman, lurk around every corner? Will Penelope be able to civilize the Incorrigibles in time for Lady Constance's holiday ball? And what on earth is a schottische?

The Mysterious Howling

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I

Of especially naughty children it is sometimes said, "They must have been raised by wolves." The Incorrigible children actually were. Since returning from London, the three Incorrigible children and their plucky governess, Miss Penelope Lumley, have been exceedingly busy. Despite their wolfish upbringing, the children have taken up bird-watching, with no unfortunate consequences—yet. And a perplexing gift raises hard questions about how Penelope came to be left at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females and why her parents never bothered to return for her. But hers is not the only family mystery to solve. When Lord Fredrick's long-absent mother arrives with the noted explorer Admiral Faucet, gruesome secrets tumble out of the Ashton family tree. And when the admiral's prized racing ostrich gets loose in the forest, it will take all the Incorrigibles' skills to find her. The hunt for the runaway ostrich is on. But Penelope is worried. Once back in the wild, will the children forget about books and poetry and go back to their howling, wolfish ways? What if they never want to come back to Ashton Place at all?

The Unseen Guest

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book III

Milo Jean

So many questions! The mysterious plot has definitely thickened in this book. 
This is my least favorite book in the series so far, but I still very much enjoyed it! I also loved that Simon makes an appearance once again! 

Charming books like these are great for passing some time in quarantine and I really do recommend the audiobooks!

For fans of Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events and Trenton Lee Stewart’s Mysterious Benedict Society comes the fourth book in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, the acclaimed and hilarious Victorian mystery series by Maryrose Wood. In The Interrupted Tale, Miss Penelope Lumley receives an invitation to speak at the annual Celebrate Alumnae Knowledge Exposition (or CAKE) at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females. Optoomuchstic as ever, Penelope hopes to give her CAKE talk, see some old friends, and show off the Incorrigible children to Miss Mortimer, but instead she finds her beloved school in an uproar. And when Penelope is asked by the Swanburne Academy 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 alma mater—and of her job as governess to the Incorrigibles—hangs in the balance.

The Interrupted Tale

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book IV

This was still cute and funny as always. I do enjoy hearing more of the incorrigible’s adventures. However, the full series plot is starting to drag a little so that lowered the rating for me.

Of especially naughty children it is sometimes said, "They must have been raised by wolves." The Incorrigible children actually were. Thanks to the efforts of Miss Penelope Lumley, their plucky governess, Alexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeia are much more like children than wolf pups now. They are accustomed to wearing clothes. They hardly ever howl at the moon. And for the most part, they resist the urge to chase squirrels up trees. Despite Penelope's civilizing influence, the Incorrigibles still managed to ruin Lady Constance's Christmas ball, nearly destroying the grand house. So while Ashton Place is being restored, Penelope, the Ashtons, and the children take up residence in London. Penelope is thrilled, as London offers so many opportunities to further the education of her unique students. But the city presents challenges, too, in the form of the palace guards' bearskin hats, which drive the children wild—not to mention the abundance of pigeons the Incorrigibles love to hunt. As they explore London, however, they discover more about themselves as clues about the children's—and Penelope's—mysterious past crop up in the most unexpected ways. . . .

The Hidden Gallery

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book II

This series has stolen my heart. Listened to this on audiobook like the first one because the narration is so good!

Jessica Nottingham

Oh, those incorrigible children! In case you missed my raving review of the first book, let me assure you that this series is well worth your time. If you love Middle Grade books, especially ones full of charming characters and witty banter, then this is definitely for you. I fell head over heels for Miss Penelope Lumley and her three wolfish charges from the moment I met them. It's pretty much impossible not to. Perhaps it's "optoomuchistic" of me, but I do believe you'll adore this second book in the series!
 
Before I do my gushing about the story itself, please allow me to once again praise Katherine Kellgren for her gorgeous narration of this story. Her accents are spot on, her voices for the children too sweet for words, and she just has a way of making the whole story come to life. From her plucky portrayal of Miss Penelope Lumley, to her all but ear-splitting rendition of Lady Ashton's voice, each character is brilliantly done! I will listen to all of these on audio if I can help it. They are absolutely wonderful!
 
On to the story, shall we? In The Hidden Gallery, Miss Lumley and her spirited young charges are off to London! A new place to explore was thrilling enough, but what shot this into the five star category for me was the fact that this wasn't simply a jaunt into the big city. Adventures aplenty, and the revealing of some new clues about the origin of our the three wolfish children, made for a very fun read. I'm not certain whether my thoughts on how this will all work out are correct, but I'll say that I'm intrigued! Is there a possibility that our four main characters are linked? Perhaps, my friends. Perhaps.
 
I know I'm being vague, but trust me when I say that it's necessary. There is so much to love about this story, but all of it is much better appreciated if you're experiencing it first hand. Suffice it to say that the word I use entirely too much while chatting up these books to others is charming. They truly are. These are the novels I wish were around when I was a Middle Grade reader. Although that won't stop me from reading them now, that's for sure. On to the next!

Megan McGuire

Yasmin S.

Rebecca Harwood

Tylar M

Connor 

Natasha Musa

For fans of Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events and Trenton Lee Stewart's Mysterious Benedict Society, here comes the final book in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, the acclaimed and hilarious Victorian mystery series by Maryrose Wood. Unhappy Penelope Lumley is trapped in unhappy Plinkst! Even the beets for which Plinkst is inexplicably famous fail to grow in this utterly miserable Russian village. Penelope anxiously counts the days and wonders how she will ever get back to England in time to save all the Ashtons—who, she now knows, include herself and the Incorrigible children, although their precise location on the family tree is still a mystery—from their accursèd fate. Her daring scheme to escape sends her on a wildly unexpected journey. But time is running out, and the not-really-dead Edward Ashton is still on the loose. His mad obsession with the wolfish curse on the Ashtons puts Penelope and the Incorrigibles in dire peril. As Penelope fights her way back to her beloved pupils, the three brave Incorrigibles endure their gloomy new tutor and worriedly prepare for the arrival of Lady Constance’s baby. Little do they know the danger they’re in! In this action-packed conclusion to the acclaimed series, mysteries are solved and long-lost answers are found. Only one question remains: Will Penelope and the Incorrigibles find a way to undo the family curse in time, or will the next full moon be their last?

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I The Mysterious Howling

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