Terrible Times is likely a book from Philip Ardagh's humorous historical or fact-based series for children, such as The Eddie Dickens Trilogy or a non-fiction title. The book would focus on a period or topic that is genuinely bad or disastrous, but presented with Ardagh's characteristic absurdist wit and satirical style. The narrative would use exaggeration, funny asides, and bizarre circumstances to make an otherwise difficult subject engaging for young readers. The content might involve a comical adventure through a particularly grim historical period.
