The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

Nefairously Written and Ignominiously Illustrated by the Author.
5 Stars
JF

HILARIOUS! Oh my word. From start to finish-- including the Glossary!

This is a fabulous parody on all the "winsome deserving orphan" stories in literature. (Think Pollyanna, Anne Shirley, etc.) It's a quick read and well worth it! Except that Tim, A, B (twins-- both named Barnaby) and Jane aren't orphans. Yet.

Here are some fabulous quotes for you:

Their father, an impatient and irascible man, went to work at a bank each day, carrying a briefcase and an umbrella even f it was not raining. Their mother, who was indolent and ill-tempered, did not go to work. Wearing a pearl nechlace, she grudgingly prepared the meals. Once she read a book but found it distasteful because it contained adjectives. Occasionally she glanced at a magazine.

The parents decide to go on vacation and leave the children with a nanny.

"Oh lovely!" said Nanny. "You are an old-fashioned family, like us. We are four worthy orphans with a no-nonsense nanny."
"Like Mary Poppins?" suggested the man, with a pleased look of recognition.
"Not one bit like that fly-by-night woman," Nanny said with a sniff. "It almost gives one diabetes just to think of her: all those disgusting spoonfuls of sugar!"

And just in case you're thinking of skipping the Glossary...

CRYPTIC means seeming to have a hidden meaning. If you mother says, "Consider yourself grounded, mister!" it is not at all cryptic. But if she says in a certain voice, "We need to talk," she is being cryptic. And you are about to be grounded.

Absolutely a book I need to own. And a great book for kids-- it will give them some excellent vocabulary words. Just make sure they're old enough to know it's a joke. ;)

I love Lois Lowry.