
In the third book of The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series, governess Miss Penelope Lumley and her three charges, who were famously raised by wolves, continue their journey of adaptation and discovery. As the children embrace new hobbies like bird-watching, Penelope grapples with perplexing clues about her own mysterious past and absent parents. The arrival of Lord Frederick's long-lost mother and an eccentric explorer brings more 'gruesome secrets' to light within the Ashton family tree. The plot thickens with a thrilling hunt for a runaway racing ostrich, prompting Penelope to worry if the children's wild instincts will resurface. This book is ideal for elementary readers aged 8-11 for independent reading, or as a delightful read-aloud for younger children aged 6-7, offering a blend of humor, mystery, and heartwarming themes about identity and belonging.
Of especially naughty children it is sometimes said, "They must have been raised by wolves." The Incorrigible children actually were. Since returning from London, the three Incorrigible children and their plucky governess, Miss Penelope Lumley, have been exceedingly busy. Despite their woflish upbringing, the children have taken up bird-watching, with no unfortunate consequences -- yet. And a perplexing gift raises hard questions about how Penelope came to be left at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females and why her parents never bothered to return for her. But hers is not the only family mystery to solve. When Lord Frederick's long-absent mother arrives with the noted explorer Admiral Faucet, gruesome secrets tumble out of the Ashton family tree. And when the admiral's prized racing ostrich gets loose in the forest, it will take all the Incorrigibles' skills to find her. The hunt for the runaway ostrich is on. But Penelope is worried. Once back in the wild, will the children forget about books and poetry and go back to their howling, wolfish ways? What if they never want to come back to Ashton Place at all? - Jacket flap.