The Willoughbys

Written by Lois Lowry

Part of the Willoughbys series

Four siblings try to get rid of their parents and navigate their lives with a new nanny.

4.8/7 Bookroo expert·3.8/5 Goodreads · 17,033 ratings

174 pages· 24,063 words· Est. 4.5 hour read

$17.99Save 6%

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Bookroo's summary

Tim, the twins, and Jane are left with a dreadful nanny while their parents vanish. Inspired by classic tales, they yearn for a happy ending. A shocking event triggers a series of transformations, leading to unexpected alliances with an abandoned baby, a candy magnate, and his lost son. Can they all find their own version of a happy ending in this whimsical parody of beloved children's stories?

From the publisher

Abandoned by their ill-humored parents to the care of an odious nanny, Tim, the twins, Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister, Jane, attempt to fulfill their roles as good oldfashioned children. Following the models set in lauded tales from A Christmas Carol to Mary Poppins, the four Willoughbys hope to attain their proscribed happy ending too, or at least a satisfyingly maudlin one. However, it is an unquestionably ruthless act that sets in motion the transformations that lead to their salvation and to happy endings for not only the four children, but their nanny, an abandoned baby, a candy magnate, and his long-lost son too. Replete with a tongue-in-cheek glossary and bibliography, this hilarious and decidedly old-fashioned parody pays playful homage to classic works of children’s literature.

Awards

The E.B. White Read Aloud Honor (2009)

At a glance

Format
Pages: 174
Words: 24,063
Reading age: 6–9
Audience: Juvenile Reader
Lexile: 790L

Themes & topics

Books about orphans Books about siblings Books about family Books about humor Books about nannies

For the grown-ups

The parent guide

What families may want to know

Every family reads differently. These are the concepts our editors noticed in this book — worth seeking out for some readers, worth knowing about for others. The list isn't exhaustive, but it's a spoiler-light head start.

Sex

A character reaches out to goose a nanny reaching into the oven.

Serious Subject Matter

A sister character is regularly belittled for being a girl. (It's intended as a parody, but it might be taken literally by young readers.)

What readers & critics say