Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Bandgt;andlt;Iandgt;When a stranger knocks on his door and promises to lead him to hidden treasure, twelve-year-old Rudi is skeptical. And he's even more suspicious when the stranger proclaims that the jewels belonged to the legendary Hansel. Sure, Rudi's heard stories: the witch, the oven, the sister named Gretel. But he never fully believed they were real. Until now...andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt; Life has been unkind to Rudi -- and to Lucie and Elsebeth, the two little girls he looks after. So when this stranger announces he needs Rudi's help to uncover Hansel's treasure, Rudi sees a way out. andlt;BRandgt; And so an incredible journey -- one filled with mist-covered castles, a treehouse-dwelling outsider, and creatures called murglins -- begins. But as Rudi, the girls, and the stranger weave their way through the rambling woods, Rudi notices the clouds blackening and a thick fog descending. He wonders, andlt;Iandgt;Has the forest always been this...creepy?andlt;/Iandgt; And those shadows between the trees -- is their tiny group being followed? andlt;BRandgt; Then the unthinkable happens: Lucie and Elsebeth are stolen! Who would take them? Rudi gets his answer in the shape of a warlock. And his ransom price is steep: andlt;Iandgt;Bring me Hansel and the children will be returned.andlt;/Iandgt; Is a simple woodcutter like Rudi any match for a thousand-year-old villain?
About the Author
andlt;bandgt;P. W. (Paul William) Cataneseandlt;/bandgt; was born in New York and grew up in Connecticut, where he lives with his wife and three children. When he's not writing books, he draws cartoons and works for an advertising agency. andlt;BRandgt;Interestingly, the letters in "P. W. Catanese" can be rearranged to spell "want escape?" Paul figures that's why people read books like his.