Product Description

A young boy and his Norwegian grandmother, who is an expert on witches, together foil a witches' plot to destroy the world's children by turning them into mice.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #98836 in Books
• Published on: 1983-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 208 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780374384579
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Amazon.com 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 centerpiece 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)

Review
"An orphan boy...discovers the true nature of witches and then has the misfortune to be transformed into a mouse by The Grand High Witch of All the World...A curious but honest tale which deals with matters of crucial importance to children: smallness, the existence of evil in the world, mourning, separation, death." --The New York Times Book Review
-- Review

Review

Customer Reviews

What a Riot!
I purchased this book for the purpose of reading it allowed to my daughter who is 5. Boy did we BOTH enjoy it. I found myself laughing out loud to many parts in this book, what a fun sense of humor! It read very quickly. It is interesting he (the author) uses his heritage of Norwegian parents and living in Wales. The book takes place between Norway and England. Even though I am not completely for making witches the vile things as he presented, his sense of humor made it a very worth while read. We really really enjoyed this book and will be looking for his other works.

A 10-year-old from Canada says:
This is the third Roald Dahl book I have read. The first was called Matilda, and I think it is his most famous. I have also read George's Marvelous Medicine. The Witches is a funny book and has wonderful drawings.

The witches in this book wore wigs and pointed shoes to hide their bald heads and square feet with no toes! The witches in this book had eyes that changed colours, and were mean and mischivious. The witches in this book where cruel to children and turned them into mice. They live in a castle in Norway. The other characters in this story are a grandmother, her 7-year-old grandson, and the grandson's friend, Bruno. The witches were having a meeting in the hotel where the others where staying. The witches turned the children into mice, but in the end the children get even.

I really enjoyed this book. Roald Dahl is a wonderful children's writer. I would recommend all his books!

Loads of Fun!
The Witches by Roald Dahl was a true treat for me. One day while bored I came across this book and voila, I read it. It has a truly funny story that any child or adult alike would love. The book is about "a boy,"(the boy is not named) and his grandmother who encounter The Witches. The boy accidentaly gets into a top secret meeting of the witches and learns their new plan. He must stop them immediatly. With the help from his grandmother and food loving bruno(who was turned into a mouse by the witches with the secret formula) fight all the witches and bring the highest witch down. They finally succeed and the witches get a taste of their own medicine. This book is a really funny book that all people will enjoy!