A Bad Beginning is the first in the bestselling 13-part A Series of Unfortunate Events series by Lemony Snicket. Now available in Scots as The Boggin Beginnin, this new translation kicks off A Series of Scunnersome Events, and is sure to delight Scots readers, new and old. In the tradition of great storytellers, from Dickens to Dahl, comes an exquisitely dark comedy that is both literary and irreverent, hilarious and deftly crafted. Never before has a tale of three likeable and unfortunate children been quite so enchanting, or quite so uproariously unhappy. Are you made fainthearted by death? Does fire unnerve you? Is a villain something that might crop up in future nightmares of yours? Are you thrilled by nefarious plots? Is cold porridge upsetting to you? Vicious threats? Hooks? Uncomfortable clothing? It is likely that your answers will reveal A Series of Unfortunate Events to be ill-suited for your personal use. A librarian, bookseller, or acquaintance should be able to suggest books more appropriate for your fragile temperament. But to the rarest of readers we say, "Proceed, but cautiously." Dear Reader, I hate tae tell ye this, but the book ye're aboot tae read will gie ye the pure dry boke. It's a boggin, bowfin, scunnersome story aboot three awfie unlucky weans. Noo, even though they're aw cannie and cantie and gallus, the Baudelaire bairns lead lives that are jist hoachin wi sadness and sair fechts. Frae the verra first page o this book, when the bairns are doon the saunds and hear some awfie dowie news, and gaun richt on through the hale story, if it wisnae for bad luck, the Baudelaire bairns wid hae nae luck at aw. Whit's for them jist willnae gang by them. Likesay, in this wan wee book alane, the three bairns come across a hackit and hucklin fly man, some kittlie claes, a fearsome fire, a ploy tae pauchle their fortune, and some stane-cauld parritch for breakfast. It's ma job tae write doon these dreidsome stories, but naebody's forcin ye tae read them, mind. Ye can plank this book doon richt noo and awa read somethin happy, if that's mair your kind o thing. Aw the best, Lemony Snicket

LEMONY SNICKET wis born in a wee clachan whaur the fowk were gey suspicious and liable tae gang their dingers. He bides in the city noo. When he's no ower thrang, he gaithers evidence and is thocht o as kind o an expert by the high-heid-yins. BRETT HELQUIST was born in Ganado, Arizona, grew up in Orem, Utah, and bides noo in New York City. He got his bachelor's degree in fine airts frae Brigham Young University and has been illustratin sin syne. His airt has been in a guid hantle o furthsettins, includin Cricket magazine and The New York Times. THOMAS CLARK is a scriever and translator frae Glesga, Scotland. He bides in the Scottish Borders the noo, but. His ither books for bairns include Peppa's Bonnie Unicorn and the Diary o a Wimpy Wean series.