The Kneebone Boy

"We decided to staff rec this book just by reading random passages aloud to each other. There's something on every page to astonish and delight: a phrase, an idea, a Viking taxidermist named St George . . .

Upon actually reading it properly, we discovered that The Kneebone Boy is Lemony Snicket meets E. Nesbit in a rollicking, hilariously strange family adventure story. What begins as our heroes' "vacation from being Hardscrabbles" becomes a quest for their missing mom--with an astonishing resolution.

Besides the Viking taxidermist named St George, you will meet the three Hardscrabble children (Otto, Lucia, and Max), their peanut-butter-and-marshmallow-fluff-loving great-aunt (best great-aunt ever!), and a five-legged, twenty-one-toed cat. (Otto is our favorite. He always wears that scarf. And his bond with the cat is oddly touching.)

Plus you, like the Hardscrabble children, will really want to know: Who is the Kneebone Boy?"

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