Poison for Breakfast

by Lemony Snicket Narrated by Patrick Warburton

Overview

Washington Post Bestseller

A stand-alone adventure-appropriate for all ages-by Lemony Snicket, one of the twenty-first century's most beloved authors.

In the years since this publishing house was founded, we have worked with an array of wondrous authors who have brought illuminating clarity to our bewildering world. Now, instead, we bring you Lemony Snicket.

Over the course of his long and suspicious career, Mr. Snicket has investigated many things, including villainy, treachery, conspiracy, ennui, and various suspicious fires. In this book, he is investigating his own death.

Poison for Breakfast is a different sort of book than others we have published, and from others you may have read. It is different from other books Mr. Snicket has written. It could be said to be a book of philosophy, something almost no
one likes, but it is also a mystery, and many people claim to like those. Certainly Mr. Snicket didn't relish the dreadful task of solving it, but he had no choice. It was put in front of him, right there, on his plate.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

06/28/2021

Snicket (the A Series of Unfortunate Events series) returns with a delightfully quirky philosophical novel. After just finishing a meal of “Tea/ with honey/ a piece of toast/ with cheese,/ one sliced pear,/ and an egg perfectly prepared,” protagonist Snicket finds a note that informs him: “You had poison for breakfast.” Alarmed, he decides to trace the origins of each ingredient to discover what could have been poisoned. He visits a tea shop that keeps “daringly eccentric hours”; a honey farm; the disconcerting supermarket where he bought the bread; and the park where goats graze and where their cheese is sold. Between these inconclusive investigations, he reminisces about, among other things, a friendship with an older shoemaker neighbor, and considers the craft of writing. His final effort, to visit a library (“to breathe in a room where so much literature has been gathered... often brings a tear to my eye, although that could also be my mild allergy to dust”) sets the stage for a surprising conclusion. Snicket laces the narrative with his trademark word definitions (“dicey, a word which here means as risky as rolling dice, if getting a certain number means you will drown”) and ominous hints at past tragedies. This will delight fans of Snicket’s singular storytelling. Agent: Charlotte Sheedy, the Charlotte Sheedy Agency. (Aug.)

Goodreads - Ronna Mandel

"Lemony Snicket’s Poison for Breakfast will certainly be a hit with his fans because the author’s style is quite unique . . . . I enjoy the distinctive structure, odd tidbits, and repetition . . . . settle in for a fun read."

Geek Vibes Nation - Michael Cook

"Fans of Snicket’s voice will adore the book.... A love letter to the concept and inherent power of literature.... Full of the classic wordplay, snark, and insight that long-time fans will be hoping for."

The Young Folks - Abby Petree

"We are all bewildered, Snicket says.... Despite this novel being written before COVID-19, this message resonates deeply in our present world. Feeling lost in a constant state. However, Snicket urges us to stay hopeful. For those of you who, like me, grew up reading A Series of Unfortunate Events, this is the perfect book for you.... A wild, philosophical ride."

Booklist - Jeanne Fredriksen

"A charismatic voyage into the topic of bewilderment, with detours reflecting on death. . . Watch out for the surprising conclusion! This just may be [Snicket’s] finest hour."

Jon Scieszka

"Daniel Handler has crafted a perfect gem of a true philosophical treatise hidden in a Snicket mystery. I loved every savory bit of it."

The Guardian - Imogen Russell Williams

"This little book feels like opening a window to let in air and light.... Filled with curious information and powerful feelings.... Humorous, sad, meditative and rapturous."

School Library Journal

08/01/2021

Gr 4 Up—Snicket's latest opens with the author's assertion that it is a book about bewilderment. Writing in the first person, he shares in the first chapter that after having breakfast one morning, he discovers a note under his door that reads, "You had poison for breakfast." This discovery leads him on a search for what may have poisoned him, and he investigates the sources of each of his breakfast's ingredients. He describes his stops at the tea shop, the beekeeper, the seashore, the supermarket, the park, and (happily) the library, and along the way, he chases his thoughts as far as they will go down roads of philosophy, memory, literature, and imagination. The narrative is full of Snicket's trademark clever whimsy; it is so clever, in fact, that it almost distracts readers from the fact that the story line contains very little action. The claim of bewilderment is accurate, but it is the sort of pleasant bewilderment that comes from letting your mind wander down unfamiliar paths. Back matter includes notes about books and people mentioned in each chapter. VERDICT Steadfast fans of Lemony Snicket will surely be pleased with this new entry into his canon, but others may find it a bit too cerebral.—Sarah Reid, Four County Lib. Syst., NY

Product Details

BN ID:	2940173162465
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	08/31/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	1,013,087

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