Breath (Golden Kite Honors (Awards)) (Hardcover)

by Donna Jo Napoli (Author) "The beat is steady, unlike my own breathing..." (more)
Key Phrases: rat disease, fresh grain, new beer, Pater Michael, Pater Frederick, Saint Michael (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 8 Up-Legend has it that in 1284 the city of Hameln (or Hamelin) suffered a plague of rats of which they tried to rid themselves by hiring a piper to lead the vermin away. When the residents reneged on their payment to him, he led their children away, as well. This tale has proved fertile ground for a lot of literature, from the 19th-century poem by Robert Browning to a 20th-century novel by Gloria Skurzynski. Now Napoli adds Breath-and breadth-to the canon. She includes the potent elements of ergot poisoning and suspected witchcraft in her plot, which is narrated by 12-year-old Salz-a boy whose frequent, serious illnesses render him almost useless on his family's farm. (An afterword explains that he has cystic fibrosis.) The author vividly describes the frightening conditions facing the townspeople and their increasingly desperate attempts to understand and overcome the torrential rains; the rat infestation; the diseases afflicting their livestock; and the physical, mental, and sexual maladies that beset them. Salz is an intelligent observer who is tried for witchcraft when he doesn't succumb to the same illnesses as the rest of the population. (He doesn't drink the beer made from the infected grain.) Readers unfamiliar with the psychotropic effects of ergot poisoning may be as mystified as these medieval citizens by the events presented here. Salz's illness is likely to be equally puzzling until it is explained in the postscript. The confusion and speculation this ignorance might produce are realistically portrayed, but it's possible that foreknowledge would provide a richer reading experience for teens.
Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Public Library, NY
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 8-12. It is the late thirteenth century, and Hameln town and its surroundings are overwhelmed by a terrible, incurable illness. Everywhere animals are sick and dying; humans may be next. What can be causing the scourge? Perhaps it's the result of the recent infestation of rats. No one knows for sure, but Salz hopes the piper he meets has the answers. Napoli has written a grotesquely powerful reimagining of the familiar German legend (and Robert Browning poem) about the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Seen through the eyes of a boy who himself suffers a mysterious illness, the medieval setting is a world of ignorance, superstition, and cruelty, which owes more to Pieter Bruegel the Elder (one of his paintings is used on the jacket) than to Browning. Relentlessly downbeat and dense with ghastly details and vivid depictions of the fear and despair visited on the illness' victims, this is definitely not for the faint of heart. History buffs, however, and Napoli fans will find it inarguably artful in its unsparing vision of a pre-Enlightenment Europe. Michael Cart
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum; 1 edition (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689861745
• ISBN-13: 978-0689861741
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #338,949 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Donna Jo Napoli outdoes herself on this one!, November 12, 2003

By	Frances D. Granatino (Malvern, PA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Donna Jo Napoli is known for standing fairy tales, myths and legends on their heads. She's taken on Rapunzel, the Sirens, Jack and his beanstalk, Pan, Beauty and Beast - always from a fresh perspective and with characters that jump off the page. Her work has a sensuality and passion that are overwhelming and at times frightening, and she takes no prisoners - always calling events and people as she sees them.

In Breath, she starts with the legend of the lame boy who is left behind when the Pied Piper attracts all the children of Hameln Town, and makes that almost an afterthought. Much of the book is devoted to the culture and mores of the time - the Church, the farmers, the townspeople, the way of life - so the book will serve as a great history lesson for those interested in medieval times.

The protagonist, who has cystic fibrosis (leave it to DJ to come up with this) is an immensely appealing and sensitive character who tells the tale through the eyes of a sickly young man whose spirit ultimately prevails.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Breath, April 25, 2005

A Kid's Review

Book Review of Breath By: Donna Jo Napoli

Set in medieval times, in the town of Hameln, Breath is a fantasy of madness and mystery. The main character, a young boy named Salz, has a disease that causes him to uncontrollably cough, stopping him from breathing. In order to stay alive, Salz has to join a coven, steer clear of beer, and stand on his hands to resume breathing.
One summer, the entire town gets trapped under a blanket of chaos that no one understands. On top of that, rats have infested everything, creeping around townsfolk houses and pestering everyone, except Salz. What's happening in the town of Hameln? How did it get this way... or who brought it here?
I want to congratulate Napoli for writing a magnificent book. It always kept me guessing; I never knew what was about to happen. The descriptions of the town and the lifestyles are so detailed, you feel as if you're living in Hameln.
Compared to other books in the fantasy genre, I thought Breath to be fresh and original. It's not the typical wizards, dwarfs, or heroic prince stories, and because of that, I greatly enjoyed reading this book. Anyone interested in the medieval times or fantasy, will fall in love with this frenzied, unsuspecting story.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quite good, but not Great, July 13, 2004

By	L. Schloegel "Youth Services Librarian" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Napoli has done an excellent job portraying a medieval town. The details of daily life in Hameln during the 13th century are fascinating, if grim. The story is narrated by a boy named Salz, who lives with his older brothers, father, and grandmother on a farm outside town. Grandmother taught him to stand on his hands to help him clear the congestion from his lungs when his frequent bouts of coughing overtake him. This year has the rainiest growing season in memory, and the most rats. First the grazing animals sicken, then the townspeople. As the frightened people try everything to rid themselves of this pestilence, Salz finds himself in danger - why hasn't he shown any of the symptoms? This book was interesting enough to finish, but not a page-turner. Recommended for history buffs and fans of the middle ages.