- Paperback: 208 pages
- Publisher: Puffin Books; New edition edition (5 April 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0141311398
- ISBN-13: 978-0141311395
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.6 x 1.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 185,956 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Witches
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk 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
Amazon.co.uk 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) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
In fairy-tales, witches always wear silly black hats and black cloaks, and they ride on broomsticks. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
In fairy-tales, witches always wear silly black hats and black cloaks, and they ride on broomsticks. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly Recommended,
By A Happy Mum (Bucks) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Witches (Paperback)
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!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Witches - a must for any 8 year old,
This review is from: The Witches (Paperback)
This is enchanting book, which I read to my 8 year old son at bedtime. A truly gripping story that holds no punches when appealing to a childs intrigue for ghoulish scariness. He couldn't even wait for the next installment and secreted the book into his school bag as a replacement for his class reading book the next day!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Scary!,
By Mehajabeen Farid "mej_farid" (Coventry) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Witches (Paperback)
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
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