Expository/Informational

Assignment:  Write a short biography of Lemony Snicket.  Research information about him on the Internet.  Include as much information as you can find, including where he finds his motivation.

Lemony Snicket was born on a dairy farm called Valorous Farms Dairy (simply because his parents stopped by to purchase garlic butter at exactly the wrong time.)

        As a young child Lemony’s favorite hobbies were taxidermy and playing the harpsichord. His favorite book as a child was The Bear’s Famous Invasion of Sicily by Dino Buzzati.

        Snicket’s first job was a theatrical critic for the Daily Punctilio Newspaper. He later wrote many long publications for this same newspaper and was professionally content for a short time until a scandal broke out about his involvement with V.F.D. Snicket became a fugitive from justice and thereafter was rarely seen in public and then only from the back. Lemony Snicket is a somewhat hermit and keeps to himself.

        Lemony Snicket was in love with a woman named Beatrice who is now dead. She was killed under suspicious circumstance. It is believed that Count Olaf was involved in Beatrice’s death. Fire also played a role. Lemony has a brother named Jacque Snicket who is an enemy of Count Olaf. Both Lemony and Jacque have tattoos on their left ankle. Both the brothers knew the Baudelaire parents long before they were married.

        Lemony Snicket has dedicated his life to researching and telling the story of the terrible happenings of the Baudelaire orphans. He started writing A Series of Unfortunate Events for both personal and legal reasons. As a young child he learned the power of the written word and the importance of exposing evil wherever he found it. These two principles are Lemony’s motivation for writing his stories. He also looks at his one and only picture of his beloved Beatrice and tells himself that if he doesn’t write these books, her wrongful death will go unpunished.

        Lemony Snicket has become a very well known author whose books have been read by both young and old alike. The people’s responses to his books have been met with a mixture of shock, horror, sadness, and enthusiasm. His books are darkly humorous, clever and amusing. It is a perfect book series to read if you are bored by typical children’s book. Our suggestion is- READ THEM!