The Mysterious Howling

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 1

By: Maryrose Wood

Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

Length: 5 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Of especially naughty children, it is sometimes said: “They must have been raised by wolves.” The Incorrigible children actually were. Discovered in the forests of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children: Alexander keeps his siblings in line with gentle nips; Cassiopeia has a bark that is (usually) worse than her bite; and Beowulf is alarmingly adept at chasing squirrels.

Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. Only fifteen years old and a 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?

Penelope is no stranger to mystery, as her own origins are also cloaked in secrecy. But as Agatha Swanburne herself once said, “Things may happen for a reason, but that doesn’t mean we know what the reason is—at least, not yet.

©2010 Maryrose Wood (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

Surprised

I am am adult who loves children's books. This one was a surprise. At first the performance was a bit over the top. Until I listened to the entire first chapter. Whereupon I learned that the narrative performance was perfect for the story. I would recommend this to children and adults who have remembered the joys of a child's heart and mind

Wonderful fun

Katherine Kellgren brings this story to life. It was enjoyable from start to finish and I am off together the rest in the series

A thoroughly wonderful book!

I cannot decide if I loved the narrator or story better! I cannot wait to listen to the sequels.

Five stars

Such a great book. You can listen to it anywhere and be very interested. This is such a great book!

Mom enjoyed as much as the kids!

Such a great story and the performance....fantastic! She really captures the spirit of the book. We loved how she did Cassiopeia's voice!

Excellent reader

The reader had the most beautiful British accent and captured the characters perfectly. My kids (9 & 7) really enjoyed the story. They can’t wait to hear the second book.

A wonderful read!

My 8 year old and 5 year olds loved this book! The Ghost of Christmas!!!! Haha. The children are so likeable :-)

Narrator sets the perfect comedic tone

Any additional comments?

The narrator has a very distinct and important persona for this humor driven book. She is a modern person who constantly highlights the absurdity of the characters, their Victorian sensibilities, and the story. She uses distinct voices and accents, and dramatic timing for her many droll observations and asides.

I was worried that the unrelenting effort of sounding witty would be too much, and the narrator would just sound arrogant and annoying. Not to fear, however; Ms. Kellgren handles the material perfectly for a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The book is smart and funny, and is enjoyable for adults and kids (althought some of the vocabulary and literary/historical references will be lost on younger kids.)

loved the book LOVE the audio version!

LOVE the story and LOVE the way it was read. So exciting and my son (my daughter and I have read the rest of the books) can't wait to see what happens next!

A kids' story for grownups

Fabulous performance by the reader. Fun, outrageous story for those with great imaginations. Enjoyed it!