Curse of the Dream Witch

by Allan Stratton

It is the age of the Great Dread. The Dream Witch wants the heart of Princess Olivia. Until she has it none of the kingdom's children are safe. Olivia's parents seek help from the Prince Leo of Pretonia and his uncle, the Duke of Fettwurst, but the treacherous duo seize their castle instead.

It is up to Olivia to defeat the Dream Witch, Prince Leo and his uncle. She makes a daring escape from her turret cell and races to the forest to take on the Dream Witch in her underground lair. Two friends are by her side: the peasant boy Milo and a curious talking mouse with a surprising past.

Together they must face danger and fantastical adverseries to lift the Great Dread, save their families and resuce a kingdom.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Canada, Adventure, Childrens, Horror

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 30, 2013

About the author

ALLAN STRATTON is the internationally acclaimed author of CHANDA'S SECRETS, winner of the American Library Association's Michael L. Printz Honor Book, the Children's Africana Book Award, and ALA Booklist's Editor's Choice among others. His first YA novel was the ALA Best Book LESLIE'S JOURNAL. His latest, CHANDA'S WARS, a Junior Library Guild selection, won the Canadian Library Association's Young Adult Canadian Book Award, 2009, and is on the CCBC Best Books List.

The German/South African film version of CHANDA'S SECRETS has been named an Official Selection of the 2010 Cannes International Film festival. the film title is LIFE ABOVE ALL. You can read about Allan's experiences on set on the December posts of his blog.

Allan's new novel, BORDERLINE, a coming-of-age mystery/thriller, came out in March 2010 from HarperCollins with starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal and raves in Booklist, Kirkus Reviews and Quill and quire..

He loves travel, cats and dogs, ice cream, working out, doing readings and workshops -- and, oh yes, meeting readers!

Allan is published in the USA, France, Germany, Korea, China, Japan, Vietnam, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Canada, Australia and Slovenia. You can read more about his books, and visit him online at www.allanstratton.com

Reviews

[Jennifer Rayment · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Good Stuff

Once again Stratton delivers a totally delightfully dark, fast paced story that readers both young and old will thoroughly enjoy.
Fast paced - even the most reluctant reader will eat this up (ok and I couldn`t put it down either, I read it in one day)
Good for both male and female readers
Fun fairytale setting with a strong Princess who is willing to sacrifice herself and do what is right. There are talking animals, nasty princes, a creepy witch and magic, what is not to like
Lots of twists and turns and at times you are not sure that Olivia or Milo are going to survive
Lots of despicable bad guys to cheer against
Lots of well meaning involved parents (although seriously, come on King and Queen - you never, ever, EVER ask a dark witch for something - you should know by now that this never works out in your favor)
Love the mouse!
Some nice dark humour
Kids save the day
Good messages about bravery, friendship, family, growing up, forgiveness and not done in that preachy way that irritates both children and me
Plenty of dark magic and gross stuff - don`t want to spoil anything but love how the children are stored (Read it, you will understand)
Fabulous cover

The Not So Good Stuff

Not as much character development as in The Graverobbers Apprentice, but that may work better for the reluctant reader

Favorite Quotes/Passages



`Why do you lie to me ? To shut me up ? To make me feel better ? Well, I don`t feel better and I won`t shut up.``

``That`s another thing. What kind of name is Penelope ?

``It`s no worse than Ephemia.``

`That depends which century you grew up,`` the wizard sniffed.``

`Courage isn`t feeling brave. It`s fighting fear.``

5 Dewey`s

I received this from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review. Thanks guys for once again sending me something truly delightful that I cannot wait to share with my kids, co-workers and customers

[Rosalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Darker than I would give a silver birch reader. This book is trying very hard to capture the spirit of tales told by the Brothers Grimm.

[Carson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Curse of the dream witch is a really great book. Usaully i would'nt read fantasy's but this was one of my favourite books i've ever read. It's about princess oliva who was cursed when she was born the dream witch would eventually get something in return. The dream witch waited and said that she wanted Olivia's heart. They gave her 12 pysankas so she would be safe from the curse. But the pysankas started breaking by accident. so the peasent boy Milo, go's into the woods suprising everybody because of the great dread ( witch kidnaps kids at dark). The dream witch gets Milo and tells him to get it himself. Milo flys in the spell book over to the castle and trys to bring her to the cottage, but then has a change of mind. So Olivia, Milo, and Penellope the mouse set out to the cottage in order for revenge. Read this great book today.

[Bhavya · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book started of kind of slow but really picked up at the end. It also had a big plot twist that COULDV intrigued me alot but didnt because of the authors writing style. But i definatley would recommend this book for younger kids.

[Rebecca Mckenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A King and Queen ask a Witch to grant them a child, knowing she will ask for something in return later. When the Witch comes to collect, the thing she wants is Princess Olivia's heart. Olivia is protected as long as she has her pysanka, given to her by Ephemia. Meanwhile the Witch captures the kingdom's children in her underground lair where she places them in grinders to be used in her spells. In attempt to escape an impending marriage to a loathsome Prince, Olivia and a peasant boy work together to rescue the children and put an end to The Great Dread.

BOB QUESTION:

In which book does The Dream Witch want the heart of Princess Olivia, who is protected by a pysanka?

In which book does Princess Olivia, along with her peasant friend Milo, and a talking mouse, save the kingdom's children from the Dream Witch's underground lair?

[Drine Psylook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Je me suis rapidement laissée porter par l’intrigue.
Le récit est sympathique. La plume de l’auteur est agréable.
Les personnages sont bien dépeints : les gentils sont attachants, les méchants sont détestables.
L’univers est du classique médiéval, mais c’était plaisant.
https://psylook.kimengumi.fr/2024/11/...

[Robert (NurseBob) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A witch's curse, a kingdom in turmoil, an unhappy princess...and a talking mouse? Great YA adventure with imagination to spare and enough quirks to keep adult readers smiling (in lieu of a broom, the witch flies about on a meat cleaver). Liked it so much I went out and bought more of his books!

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

read for a school assignment, as such my evaluation may be added later

[Myriambooks85 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super histoire

[Emilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a couple really hilarious lines, and I wanted to know what happened, but overall the book was good but not great.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

mon livre d'enfance enfin retrouvé!

[Ariana · Rating 1 out of 5]

I personally did not enjoy this book at all. I don't like fantasy books to begin with so maybe to people who read fantasy and enjoy it it might be 5 stars to them but not me.I did read another book of Allan Stratton's last year The Grave Robbers Apprentice which was actually not bad-one of the better fantasy books I've read. So I went into this book with high hopes given I liked the last book I read of his and boy was I disappointed. The details were there, which really helped describe the characters and setting and it had really powerful words easy to visualize but, I found the plot all over the place. It was REALLY confusing with everything to do with the physanky or the point of why the dream witch wanted Olivia's heart in the first place??? I also found this book slow going all the way through and never did pick up. Most books I would assume and kind of expect to have a point when they start to pick up and get really interesting but nope...not this one...in my opinion anyway. Overall I would I guess recommend it to people who like fantasy but to the people like me that don't have an interest to read fantasy maybe not a great choice.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Not as much as I enjoyed Stratton's other book, The Grave Robber's Apprentice. At times I found things a bit abstract and hard to know what was real and what wasn't. How did they get into the witches dreams and move from dream to dream? It was bit disturbing picturing the children in the grinders.

I liked how he shows that the people who are bullies in this book are full of insecurities and that they use bullying tactics to compensate for that.

It is a great book that kids 10 and older will enjoy. It is a quick ready that is action packed. For adults it is a bit lacking, but older children will love it.

[Lindsy C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

On a personal level I give this novel a 3 (the fairy tale style of narration just isn't my favourite). But, many students I know who have read it would likely give Curse of the Dreamwitch a higher rating. It is spooky tale, befitting of the Halloween season. In many respects this author reminds me of Neil Gaiman. This novel would be good for upper elementary and junior high, although reader beware - there are some pretty twisted ideas! Let's just say I will never look at dolls, pin boards, or pepper grinders the same again ;) To use the words of one fellow teacher, this book will be "deliciously scary" for some readers! Definitely a contender for the 2014 Rocky Mountain Book Award.

[Steven Buechler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remember the allure of reading when you were a child? There were certain stories that held your imagination because they were filled with magic and far off places, silly words and lovable creatures. Allan Stratton is one such person who remembers those tales well, and he has created his own such story in his children’s book Curse of The Dream Witch.

http://pacifictranquility.wordpress.c...

[Flor Vita · Rating 3 out of 5]

The style of the story is very similar to the classic fairy tales, like a Cinderella and Snow White (in special at the beginning), the only difference is that it wasn't the prince that saves the princess.

At the beginning it was very slow and predictable. It was until the first 100 pages that it started to be interesting. Something that I personally didn´t like, it was that they talk about marriage when she is only 13 years old and the dark theme of some scenes. I like the twist in the finally.

[Saskia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really surprised about how dark and chilling this novel was. Truly gruesome things were happning in a real fairytale-like fashion. However, even though there were a few points that I would have liked the book to explore further (like the friendship between Olivia and Milo and the motives of the Dream Witch), it was fast paced and very entertaining. If you like fairytales and dark, imaginative adventures you will probably like this book.

[Nurhayati Ramlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

"My fear will never overcome my love. Not ever."

This book reminds me of the Fairyland series. Magical in its own way, only that its magic is darker and all nightmares. Milo is indeed a brave boy who stays true to what is right and wrong. A growing boy who learned from his mistakes. And Princess Olivia is honorable and courageous princess who stays true to her own conscience; selfless and brave. I love it!

[David Polegato · Rating 5 out of 5]

The curse of the dream witch is an exceptional book that should be read IMMEDIATELY. This book has many interesting characters and plot points that keep you sucked in to the story. This book is very good at making characters relatable which adds to any the tension of any threat aimed at them. The plot gets very intense at the end and keeps you enthralled. This book is a definite read.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book 4 stars because, it's exciting and it feels like you're on an aventure with the craecteurs in a diffrent world. My favorit craecteur is the little white mouse named Phenlope. Later in the book Phenlope can talk and says her real name is Ephima. I recomend this book to people that like an aventure. I really enjoyed this book and I hope you do to.

[Apoorva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing plot and storyline. Allan Stratton made the story to keep pulling you in and making you want to read more and more. The detail that Allan used to write the book was remarkable, he made you feel like you were in the story facing all the challenges the characters such as Olivia and Milo had to face throughout the novel.

[Lee Födi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book . . . it's got a bit of everything; some strong protagonists, a delightfully wicked villain, and a lot of scary elements. In fact, some of the elements might be TOO scary for some particular readers, but, by the same token, I think it's one of the aspects that might entice others. My favorite character had to be Ephemia the sorceress mouse.

[Joseph Jeffery · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the style to be edging towards Dahl's masterful command of language but never quite reaching it, and honestly it threw me out of the story every time I came across something that was almost a brilliant witticism but fell just short.

It's still great fun for kids and a lively story that doesn't disappoint in terms of pacing, though.

[Erika Janni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very good! I really enjoyed reading it, it was kind of a mystery. The details gave me lots of ideas, and to be able to make connections with what happening in the book. The details were smooth and lots of details and in my opinion its like the hunger games. But over all this book was super good and i enjoyed it a lot!

[Wilde Sky · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘A dream witch’ makes a terrible demand in exchange for helping a king and queen have a child, but when her price is not paid she extracts a dreadful revenge.

I thought this story had some good plot points and some surprising twists and turns, but the writing didn’t grab me and I found the pace of the book to be slow.

Real rating is 2.5.

[Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The curse of the dream witch was an amazing book right from the begginning till end. From escaping a carpet of bats to fighting man eating moles, will princess Olivia and milo rescue the missing kingdoms children or will the Dream Witch get olivias heart. Read this book, it is absolutely amazing!

[Ethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that this book started off slow but at the end of the book when they got into her lair it got good. If you like fantasy with twist and turns this would be a great book for you. This book is an overall four stars.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really great. Fast-paced read with a lot of fairy tale influenced elements of witches and princesses and the impoverished young male hero, strong female protagonist, 'middle readers'?

readalike Patricia cw Wrede but scary vs humor? or Neal Gaimon

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Read it aloud to my 9yr old daughter.

[Jo Yhard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read, but very dark with frightening scenes for target ages 9-12.