Review: The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels

Written by Beth Lincoln

Illustrated by Claire Powell

New York: Dutton Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2023. Fiction. 338 pages.

In the Swift family when a child is born, the family goes to the dictionary to pick a name. That is how Shenanigan got her name. And because of her name, her family is sure that she will be trouble. Besides a fascination with naming kids based on dictionary entries, the family has treasure hiding somewhere on their estate. When the family all comes home for a reunion, trouble brews as Arch-Aunt Schadenfreud is pushed down the stairs. Shenanigan realizes that someone is trying to cause mayhem and potentially steal their treasure. Can Shenanigan and her sisters figure out who is up to no good? Can they save all their relatives and find the treasure? This is a great mystery for fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events or for readers who love spunky characters and quirky settings.

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