Used book - A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book the First: The Bad Beginning, Lemony Snicket, Brett Helquist

Dear Reader, I am sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells the unfortunate story of three talented children who have been dealt an unlucky hand. Although they are charming and clever, they are constantly plagued by misfortune. From the first page to the last, their lives are a series of unfortunate events, and they attract all sorts of trouble, as if they were magnets for calamity. In this short volume alone, the Baudelaire children encounter a villainous person, hideous itching clothing, a terrible fire, a plot to steal their inheritance, and cold porridge for breakfast. It is my sad duty to write down these dreadful tales, but there is nothing stopping you, dear reader, from putting this book down at once and choosing something more cheerful, if you prefer happy stories. With all due respect, Lemony Snicket