The Witches |
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Roald Dahl
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Pages: 224 (Paperback)
ISBN: 0141322640
Pub: Puffin Books
Pub date: 2007-09-06
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 6170
Editorial Review:
"This is not a fairy tale. This is about real witches." So begins one of Roald Dahl's best books ever, and, ironically, it is such a great story because the premise is perfectly plausible from the outset. When the narrator's parents die in a car crash on page two (contrast this terribly real demise with that of James's parents who are devoured by an escaped rhinoceros in James and the Giant Peach), he is taken in by his cigar-smoking Norwegian grandmother, who has learned a storyteller's respect for witches and is wise to their ways.
The bond between the boy and his grandmother becomes the centrepiece of the tale--a partnership of love and understanding that survives even the boy's unfortunate transformation into a mouse. And once the two have teamed up to outwitch the witches, the boy's declaration that he's glad he's a mouse because he will now live only as long as his grandmother is far more poignant than eerie.
Of course, there's adventure here along with Dahl's trademark cleverness and sense of the grotesque. Dahl also communicates some essential truths to children: if they smoke cigars, they'll never catch cold, and, most importantly, they should never bathe, because a clean child is far, far easier for a witch to smell than a dirty one. (Ages 7 to 10, or read aloud to younger children) --Susan Harrison
Reader Reviews:
A Wicked Book (1/1 people found this helpful)
This book is about a boy and his grandma. Unfortunately his parents died
so he went to live with his Nan in England. In the 6 weeks holiday he was going to Norway but his Nan had pneumonia so he could not. He went to Bournemouth instead. In the hotel there were roughly 99 witches (including the grand high witch). He went to train his mice and he got caught in the room with them .....
I like the book because the characters were amazing.
It was just the words I wanted to read, I could not wait to read on to the other chapters. It is my all time favourite book.
I would give this novel a rating of a wicked 5.
Faran Cox Herbert Thompson Primary School
I love the book `The Witches' because the witch characters are really well described. They do not clean their toe nails. They wear long black hats. I like the boy because he his brave. It was funny because the witch was saying a funky saying.
Soraya Chamani and Jessica Kingsley Herbert Thompson Primary School
Scary! (10/10 people found this helpful)
Plot: To witches children smell like dogs droppings and you never know where one is. On the outside (with a disguise on), a witch can look like any ordinary women. Without the gloves to cover their cat like claws; they wear wigs because they are actually bald; witches are very difficult to tell apart from humans, or are they?
Fact: The boy (who is unnamed) in the story's grandmother is Norwegian and is really based on Roald Dahl's mother who inspired him a lot!
Rating and recommendation: I would rate this brilliant book 7/ 10; I think would recommend this perfect paperback to all Roald Dahl fans, especially 7 - 12 year
olds
*Aneesa-ahmed* (0/0 people found this helpful)
This Roald Dahl book is absolutely fantastic.It is my all time favourite story by Roald Dahl.I thought it was so interesting I couldn't stop reading it.If you have not read The Witches I am sure whenever you do get to reading it you will love it.Even if you are not really into reading books I know you'll like it.My favourite part of the story would be when Luke was caught by the witches.
Is she a witch? (0/4 people found this helpful)
Where are you right now? Who is sitting beside you?
This book will explain how to find out if the woman sitting beside you is a witch, or if she's just a regular woman; what to do when a witch is just beside you; and how to run away from her.
Highly Recommended (1/1 people found this helpful)
I am currently reading this book to my children at bedtime, and it must be the most gripping book they have had so far! Unusually for them, they sit silently, listening and hanging on every word. I read just a few chapters a night and every night so far they have cried, "NOOOO! Not yet!! one more chapter...PLEASE just ONE more chapter!!".
The style in which the book is written is the key to it's success I believe. The book has been written as though it is a true story.
We have previously finished reading James & the giant peach, and although they enjoyed it, The Witches is most definitely more popular.
A truly great read. Well done Mr Dahl!
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Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Subjects -> Children’s Books -> Fiction
Books -> Subjects -> Children’s Books -> Ages 5-8 -> Authors -> Dahl, Roald
Books -> Subjects -> Children’s Books -> Ages 9-11 -> Authors -> Dahl, Roald
Books -> Special Features -> Search Inside!
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Age (feature_two_browse-bin)
Books -> Refinements -> Format (binding_browse-bin) -> Paperback
Books -> Refinements -> Condition (condition-type)