The Mysterious Howling (review)

Fifteen-year-old Penelope Lumley, recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, accepts a position as governess for three children at Ashton Place, fondly imagining that the requirement "Experience with animals strongly preferred" refers to a plethora of ponies and pets. Only after she's signed the contract does she find that it's the children themselves who are the animals: apparently raised by wolves, young Alexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeia have recently been captured by Lord Ashton in his woods, and it's Penelope's job to civilize them. Plucky Penelope is more than up to the challenge, and she quickly wins the affection of her amusingly canine-like charges. There are many secrets afoot in Ashton Place, however, and although the children are well on their way to civility by book's end, many enticingly mysterious questions remain. What is the mysterious howling that can sometimes be heard in the walls on the fourth floor? What kind of "prey" has Lord Ashton invited his friends to hunt during a full-moon stay at Ashton Place? Isn't it odd that Penelope's hair is the same chestnut as Cassiopeia's, a fact only now apparent after Penelope stopped using a hair rinse prescribed by her former teacher? Fortunately, this is only Book 1, and eager readers will impatiently await Book 2 to begin piecing together some of the tantalizing puzzles. Although the sophisticated narration is sometimes overly wordy, the mysteries and the humor of the three dog-like children (there are some particularly amusing scenes involving squirrels) learning social graces will easily keep readers turning pages. Penelope is a sympathetic and fresh take on a classic character, and Lemony Snicket fans and those who are a few years shy of devouring Jane Eyre will gobble up this Victorianera gothic-lite tidbit. Final illustrations not seen.