The Willoughbys

by Lois Lowry Narrated by Arte Johnson

Overview

Now a Netflix animated film starring Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, Alessia Cara, Terry Crews, Martin Short, Jane Krakowski, Séan Cullen, and Ricky Gervais!

From the Newbery Medal-winning author of The Giver and Number the Stars, comes a "hilarious" (Booklist, starred review) and wonderfully old-fashioned story about a mother and father who are all too eager to be rid of their four children . . . and four children who are all too happy to be rid of their parents.

The Willoughby's-Timothy; his twin brothers, Barnaby A and Barnaby B; and their little sister, Jane-are old-fashioned children who adore old-fashioned adventures. Unfortunately, the Willoughby parents are not very fond of their children, and the truth is that the siblings are not too keen on their parents either. Little do the Willoughby kids know that their neglectful mother and father are hatching an evil plan to get rid of them! Not to worry-these resourceful adventurers have a few plans of their own. But they have no idea what lies ahead in their quest to rid themselves of their ghastly parents and live happily ever after.

Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

With this fey venture into kiddie Gothic, the august two-time Newbery winner and author of the beloved Anastasia Krupnik series proves that a writer can always reinvent herself. Lacing her narrative with references to classics from the hoariest corners of the canon, Lowry channels her inner Snicket to great effect. The Willoughby children-Timothy, Barnaby, Barnaby and Jane-do "the kinds of things that children in old-fashioned stories do." Sort of. When they find a baby abandoned on their doorstep, they re-abandon her on a neighbor's doorstep. And when they realize that their parents want to get rid of them, too, they develop a plan to do away with them first. Abetted by their Nanny (who is "not one bit like that fly-by-night [Mary Poppins]") and taking inspiration from their storybooks, they thwart their parents' plans and, via a series of increasingly absurd plot twists, find themselves happily rid of their ghastly parents and reunited with the once-abandoned baby. Readers who are willing to give themselves up entirely to the sly foolishness will relish this sparklingly smart satire, which treats them with collegial familiarity. (snort-inducing glossary) (Fiction. 9-12)

From the Publisher

"The tone of this darkly dry pastiche is consistently witty, and it's chock-full of accessible parodic references to...classic children's texts...Lowry crafts a tidy plot." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169464719
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	04/08/2008
Series:	Willoughbys Series , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

Read an Excerpt

Nanny and the Willoughbys were out for a walk.
This was something that old-fashioned families did from time to time, to expose themselves to invigorating fresh air. Nanny had donned her blue cape, which was the official uniform for nannies.
“Walk briskly, children,” said Nanny, “and swing your arms.” They did so.
“Skip, if you like,” Nanny said. “Skipping is very healthful.” “What is skipping?” Jane asked.
“Yes, what is skipping?” asked the twins.
“It’s like this, dolts,”Tim told them, and he skipped ahead of them to demonstrate.
“No more saying of the word dolt,” Nanny announced.“I dislike it.” “What about dodo?” Jane asked.
“Well, let’s allow dodo for now,” Nanny said after thinking it over. “If someone does something really stupid, it is permissible to call that person a dodo.
“And,” she added, looking at Tim, who had returned, “if you think that was skipping, you are a dodo.This is skipping.” She demonstrated, skipping to the corner of the block with her cape flying behind her. She turned and beckoned to the children, and each of them skipped toward her one by one. Nanny gave some further instructions—a little more left foot,Tim; no timidity, go flat out, A; good job, much better than before, B; and a pat on the back for Jane, who stumbled and skinned her knee but was heroically not crying.
Now, having walked for several blocks and skipped for the last one, the children found that they were on a familiar street.They had not been back to this street since the day they had trudged here hauling a wagon containing a basket with a baby in it. Tim nudged Barnaby A and nodded meaningfully toward the mansion that loomed ahead. Both of the twins gave nervous glances but then looked away and concentrated on remarks about the quality of the asphalt in the street and a particularly odd-shaped cloud in the sky. Jane fell silent and had a sad look. She had liked the baby, actually, though when its hair was cropped she had found it homely. From time to time she had missed it and wondered about it.
Nanny skipped ahead, not noticing that a hush had fallen upon the children.
“The windows are repaired,” Barnaby B pointed out in a whisper.
“And the cat has been fed,” his twin noticed. “It was thin before, but now it’s pudgy.” “Someone has mowed the lawn,”Tim observed.
“Shhhh,” said Jane suddenly. “I hear a giggle.” They stood still, the four of them, and after a moment Nanny returned. She had skipped the entire length of the block, assuming the children were behind her. Now she came back to see why they had stopped. “The important thing in terms of fresh-air intake,” Nanny said to them, “is continuity!
If you stop, you lose your continuity.Why ever are you standing about like dodos? You are breathing stagnant air.”

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