Additional Book Information
Series: NYRB Kids
ISBN: 9781590179611
Pages: 128
Publication Date: May 10, 2016
The Robber Hotzenplotz
by Otfried Preussler, translated by Anthea Bell, illustrations by F. J. Tripp
The Robber Hotzenplotz is a merry tale of two scoundrels, two friends, a toad-fairy, and an unforgettable escapade.
The Robber Hotzenplotz works hard at his job, waking early to hide in the woods and waylay new victims. One morning Kasperl’s grandmother is sitting in the sun outside her house, grinding coffee in her new musical coffee mill—a birthday gift from Kasperl and his best friend Seppel—when suddenly Hotzenplotz, attracted by the music, leaps out to steal the mill. Sergeant Dimplemoser hears Grandmother’s cries and comes to her aid, but Hotzenplotz has evaded the useless police for years. So Kasperl and Seppel vow to catch the robber themselves. But catching robbers is not as easy as all that ... Kasperl and Seppel soon discover that even the best-laid plans can be foiled, especially when Hotzenplotz enlists the help of his wicked magician friend Petrosilius Zackleman, a gluttonous villain with a weakness for fried potatoes.
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Praise
Both wonderfully timeless and quirky, this unconventional adventure will delight its audience and belongs in most collections.
—School Library Journal, starred review
In the highly successful Robber Hotzenplotz, Preussler reveals an almost inexhaustible fantasy and an unfailing sense of humor.
—Horst Künnemann, Bookbird
This humorous and entertaining story is a quick read that will appeal to a wide variety of readers.
—CLEAR (Children’s Literature Evaluation and Review Interest Group - Ohio)
Merrily illustrated, this absurd little adventure would make a dynamite read-aloud for ages 6 and up.
—Orange Marmalade Books
Praise for Otfried Preussler:
Two definitive aspects of his work stand out: first, a deep rootedness in the oral tradition of the fairy tales and legends of his homeland; and second, the author’s process for creating stories that, as a teacher, he has actually told to his students...[Preussler’s works are] a solid, integral part of children’s literature.
—Ute Baumann, Bookbird