My DS9 read all 13 Lemony Snicket books in about 3 weeks - he couldn't put them down! He finished them before the x-mas break and let me tell you they were so helpful in that he used them for his"web log" at school where they have to summarize chapters each week and make inferences. And my son HATES to write. However, if your son is sensitive maybe you could read the books at the same time so you can talk about them. Sometimes it helps to talk about the characters and the situations so they don't seem so depressing but instead fascinating. Good luck!
