I find the question "Can you find me more books like Harry Potter, Lemony Snicket, Twilight, etc." to be the most challenging question there is for a librarian. Often, kids and teens who discover this book will be followed by a parent, saying "they never read anything until they discovered this book. Please help us find some more titles like this."

The truth is that books "like that" are unique, which is why they become so popular. There isn't anything else "like this."

But for once, I've found a read-alike that I can whole-heartedly recommend, and it comes from the most unlikely source. Newbery winner Lois Lowry has a new book, The Willoughbys and it is a total readalike for the Lemony Snicket series! It's a testament to Lowry's writing prowess that the book both succeeds on its own terms, and has strong appeal to a built-in audience.

The book begins as Timothy, twins Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and young Jane find an abandoned baby on their doorstep. What follows is the black humor, fake "definitions," and parody of old-fashioned language familiar to the readers of the <span style="font-style: italic">Series of Unfortunate Events. There are unlikeable characters, preposterous situations, and eventually a surprising, but satisfying ending.

Even the reviews are surprising: Lemony Snicket himself reviewed the book for Publisher's Weekly!