The Brixen Witch [Hardcover]

Stacy DeKeyser (Author), John Nickle (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: June 26, 2012 | Age Range: 8 and up | Lexile Measure: 720L (What's this?)

An enchanted coin. A witch’s curse. And rats, rats everywhere! What’s a boy to do?

When Rudi Bauer accidentally takes a witch’s coin, he unleashes her curse. Accident or not, he knows he’s got to fix things, so he tries to return the coin, only to lose it on the witch’s magic mountain just as the snows come. Plagued all winter by terrible dreams, Rudi tries to find the coin again in the spring, but it has vanished—and a plague of rats has descended on his village.

     Then a stranger arrives and promises to rid the village of rats—for the price of the missing coin. Desperate to get rid of the rats, the villagers agree—but when they cannot pay, the stranger exacts a price too terrible for anyone to bear. Now Rudi is going to need all his courage—and some help from his savvy grandmother and a bold young girl—to set things right in this fast and funny adventure.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Timeless style...just right for reaffirming one's belief in the power of story." -- Booklist, *STARRED

-Amazon Editors' Pick for Middle Grade, July 2012.

-New and Notable Books for Children, Kirkus Reviews, June 2012.

“Stacy DeKeyser deftly updates the Pied Piper’s tale. The story scuttles with rats, of course, and you end up reading it on your hind legs.”—Richard Peck, Newbery Award-winning author of A Year Down Yonder

“With lilting language and a unique voice, DeKeyser spins a tale like no other. I loved it!”—Barbara O’Connor, author of How to Steal a Dog

“A surprisingly powerful retelling of the ancient story of the stranger with a magical musical instrument.”—Zilpha Keatley Snyder, three-time Newbery Honor winner

* "Fresh and satisfying for middle-grade readers."--Kirkus Reviews, *STARRED

"The folksy language and silhouette spot art give this Pied Piper-inspired story an old-fashioned quality that fans of fairy tales will appreciate." (School Library Journal)

"[V]ivid and intriguing." (BCCB)

"A well-fashioned addition to the Pied Piper shelf." (The Horn Book)

About the Author

Stacy DeKeyser is the author of the young adult novel Jump the Cracks, as well as two nonfiction books for young readers. She lives in Connecticut with her family. To learn more, visit her online at StacyDeKeyser.com.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (June 26, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1442433280
• ISBN-13: 978-1442433281
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #851,781 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stacy DeKeyser grew up in Wisconsin, where one of her favorite places was the library. She is the author of four books for kids, and currently lives in Connecticut with her family, their dog Scout, and the occasional black bear.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read for all ages July 2, 2012

By JCK0127

Format:Hardcover

Despite "The Brixen Witch" being written for young adults, I, at 21 years old, thought it was a great book. I found the writing to be very smooth and the story to be clearly presented, two qualities that I consider extremely important in a young adult book. I read this book in one afternoon, and the last 100 pages went especially quickly. Numerous plot twists and little bits of comic relief kept me hooked until the ending, which had me teary-eyed (in a good, cathartic way). Similar to many of the books I enjoyed as a kid, such as "Harry Potter" and "The Giver," "The Brixen Witch" has elements of both a story of adventure and a story of coming of age. I am definitely recommending this book to my 13-year-old brother, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about adventures and the insight of those who undertake them.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars great storytelling! July 7, 2012

By Jessica Swaim

Format:Hardcover

This fast-paced fantasy adventure, with plot twists and a brave young hero, will appeal to readers of all ages, perhaps especially boys 9-12.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Re-imagined Fairytale! July 31, 2012

By Children's Book Collector

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am a fan of fairytales re-imagined and this one did not disappoint. This version of the Pied Piper is a fresh take on the original. The POV is from one of the village children, a boy named Rudi who lives in the shadow of the Berg, a forboding mountain which is home to the Brixon witch.

When Rudi finds a golden guilder outside of a cave in the mountain, he begins to hear a haunting melody. Seems the witch is looking for her stolen treasure. Thus begins a series of misfortunes that threatens the whole community and Rudi is at the center of it all.

This entertaining read would be great for your 8 and up readers.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Mid-grade Novel July 31, 2012

By sn2cents

Format:Hardcover

I just finished The Brixen Witch. It's wonderful! I love the characters,
especially Oma and Susanna Louisa. The plot moves along so quickly, it's a
real page turner. The author has a great way with language. The prose is poetic.
This fine book deserves lots of readers.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic! July 13, 2012

By A. Vernick

Format:Hardcover

Lesson learned: be careful if you accidentally take a witch's coin. Poor Rudi learns this the hard way, as he's plagued by nightmares and as he watches his town become overrun with--ew--rats. He would return the coin if he knew where it was...

THE BRIXEN WITCH is an awesome and very well written middle-grade adventure. It's great fun to watch Rudi try to summon courage and find a way to fix all that has gone wrong.

It's hard to imagine the reader who could resist this one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful take on a classic story May 11, 2013

By Barbara B. Wallace

Format:Kindle Edition

This is a nimbly plotted original take on a classic story, with surprising twists and turns.
This is definitely a can't-put-it-down book once you've started it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Pleasantly Surprised September 8, 2012

By Sarah

Format:Hardcover

After finishing "The Brixen Witch" I was pleasantly surprised. While I am not usually a fan of fantasy/adventure books, I enjoyed reading from start to finish. Rudy's story captivated me, and was a fun and exciting read.
I would recommend "The Brixen Witch" to kids who want a tale to escape with, or adults who have some time to relax.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh, Rats! August 17, 2012

By K. Coombs VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is actually a Pied Piper retelling, with the Pied Piper being an assistant to the dreaded witch who lives on the mountain. Our hero is a boy named Rudi Bauer who makes the mistake of picking up a gold coin high up on the mountain that belongs to the witch. When he gets home to his little village, he is followed by a curse. The coin sings to him and he dreams strange things. Rudi denies taking something from the witch, but his grandmother, knows the old ways, cleverly cautions him just the same:

"That thing you did not take? Get rid of it. Carry it back up the mountain and leave it there. Do it today. Better yet, do it now. The weather is turning, and once the snows begin, no one will be venturing up that mountain until spring. You don't want to be haunted every night from now until spring, do you?"

A chastened Rudi tries to return the coin, but loses it in the snow far up the mountain. When the dreams stop, he thinks he's okay, but then the village is invaded by rats. The villagers pay a rat catcher whose work is overturned, and next a creepy guy with a pipe shows up demanding the very gold coin Rudi used to have as payment for his work. Now what will Rudi do?

One of the most interesting things about The Brixen Witch is the different villagers and the way they interact. For example, we learn that the village has spent all its money paying an ordinary rat catcher, which is why they have trouble coming up with the gold the Pied Piper demands. Another nice twist is the strange piper's relationship with the witch.

DeKeyser includes some authentic historical rat-catching details, which may engage young readers or make a few of them gag. I thought that part was fascinating!...

The Brixen Witch is an uncomplicated, very much middle grade tale, a relief from the many angst-ridden YA fairy tale retellings of recent years, to tell you the truth. Just right for the third through fifth grade crowd. And it sounds like Rudi will be back for another fairy tale-based adventure in DeKeyser's next book! Read more ›