Specific social issues and the real perils of young adults are of no concern in "A Series of Unfortunate Events." The universal foibles of humankind are the target of black humor and exaggeration as well as traditional literary conventions. Still, the harshness of events, characters, and settings are not for very young children who would miss the humor. In fact, one school in Decatur, Georgia, banned the series for including the word "damn" once and for the possibility of Count Olaf marrying Violet in the first book. This darkly mirthful series is generally subversive without taking on issues like drugs or race or using harsh language. The world created by Handler is not the "real world."