The Robber and Me

by Josef Holub

A young orphan boy finds a wonderful new home but must decide where his loyalties lie after he hears talk of robberies made by someone resembling the mysterious man who saved him from the cold, dark forest and brought him to Uncle Emil's. Reprint.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, German Literature, Childrens, Juvenile

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Josef Holub (1926 - 2010) was born in Neuern, Bohemia, and lived through the Second World War in his early teens. By his own account, he earned his living as a smuggler, a mason, a mail carrier, a postal administrator, and a village mayor. He published his first book, a memoir of his own war years, in 1997, when he was sixty-seven. Since then, he published six more books and has won many awards, including the Peter Hartling Prize for Children's Literature, and the prestigious Zurich Children's Book Prize.

Reviews

[Ellen Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. There are several reasons why.

There is religion in here, without it being over-stuffed. The characters don't talk only about God, and what His calling is, and neither do they lecture other people about God and his infinite wisdom and grace. No. Instead, Boniface tells his story simply and intertwined here and there are his personal thoughts about God. You can feel that he believes, and you know that he is sincere.

This is one beautiful part:
"God is all-knowing. He doesn't just plan for morning to afternoon but everything, far in advance. No one could ever say that God rules the world carelessly. Everything is exactly right, as it was, is now, and ever shall be." What peace-filled words! Such a calming thought! It takes away all worry, sadness, feelings of helplessness.

There are such loveable characters: Frederika, Christian Knapp, Robber Knapp, and even the seemingly fastidious Constable Fuenfkorn. And of course, Boniface himself.

And then there's that wistful longing of the orphan child for a mother or a father. After seeing Christian with his father, Boniface says, "It must be nice to be thrown up in the air by your father and be caught in his arms again!." And you feel that tugging at your heartstrings. And you want to just hug the book and its characters and put them away in a safe place.

I loved this book, almost as much as The Magician's Elephant. Interesting fact: both stories are set in parts of Germany.

[Braden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plot Summary:
Boniface, an orphan, is sent to live with his uncle, the mayor of Grab, it is a remote mountain village. Dumped at the edge of the district by an unsavory coach driver, the 11-year-old soon is lost and collapses in the dark snow-covered forest. He awakens safely in bed at his uncle's house with only a vague recollection of a tall man in a big black hat.
In the book the theme is to not judge others. It emerges by the guy saving him and the guy has a repetition of a thief. In the middle this boy called Christian mother was convicted of a crime and so Christian has to live with him and he learned to love and to not to judge him.
I think that the novel is a great book. I recommend this book if you want adventure and suspense. This book is great for historical fiction. If you are wanting to just read a short story for fun then this book is for you.

[Anna Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a homeschooler, I have found that oftentimes what is considered a 'classic' and 'requisite' book for a child to read turns out to be something awful that I wouldn't read, myself. Gatsby, for example, or Pinocchio (which we burned). Alice in Wonderland, and Bridge to Teribithia. Wrinkle in Time - all of them are twisted, horrible messes.

Then I come across a book like this - wherein the author uses prose and descriptive language to transport a boy to another time, another life. A book in which layers of dung are peeled away, one by one, to reveal something amazing and wonderful.

I can't say enough good about this book. THIS should be the classic that children are given to read in school. This is what I am handing to my sons, to devour next.

[Nguyen Le · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring.
I tried to hold on to the story but it was so boring. The actions were lengthy and there were tons of unnecessary descriptive paragraphs that contributed nothing to the story. The setting up was weird. People just dumped a child in the middle of nowhere and expected them to walk alone to the village? I had too many questions for these characters that I wouldn't bother reading anymore because the story was so confusing.
Perhaps the only thing I like was the cover (great outfit, handsome man carrying a boy to safety).

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strange tale of a strange village in Germany with strange people. They are strict God-fearers with no grace and who believe what they want to believe about the badness of others. Redemption came along as a fresh wind.

[Valeria Amaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me encantó, es una lectura ligera y muy amena. Me arrepiento de no aver robado el libro.

[Art the Turtle of Amazing Girth · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.9

Predictable, but it's aimed at a much younger audience than me

Well written, not preachy, and just a good book, I love the little village atmosphere

[Valary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Germanic historical fiction of a small orphan boy moving to live with an unknown unlce in a small village in Wertemberg.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this book was overall, pretty good. The story starts out kind of slow, Boniface being dropped off right away doesn't make you feel connected to him, so you don't really care. Plus, as the book goes on, the only way he grows is by getting attached to the other characters and that doesn't make him grow very much. The other characters in the book are fairly likeable, basically everybody is. Christian Knapp is a very cool character because he is how every boy wants to be. Respected by others, and tough enough to take any amount of punishment without even noticing. It's strange though, the books plot is sometimes weird, without giving to much away its hard to tell who Boniface likes more. And the way he can be sometimes is kind of awkward. Besides that, the book is fairly good and very entertaining to read. I think that it was good, the characters are strong, for the most part, the book isn't to complex, but some language is kind of old, and the plot gives you some entertainment. It is a worthwhile read for all.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd probably give this a 3.5. It's a good historical novel about a young orphan boy who had to go live with his uncle who was mayor of the small village in Germany. It takes place in 1867. I learned much about people and customs of the times, plus the story was very interesting, and had a good ending. It was fun to watch Boniface's uncle change and the uncle and Boniface's relationship develop.

The book is an ALA Notable Children's Book, winner of the 1998 Mildred I. Batchelder Award for Translation, and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year.

It is written on a 5th grade reading level and recommended for children 10 and up.

[Ashley Brock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea what to expect when i started reading this book . The book had times where it dragged on a little long in parts of the book but over all it kept you wanting to know what was going to happen . There are so things in the book that make this book for middle school to high reader but it is a pretty easy read . there are some words that students may not know . i liked how the book was supenceful and always had to guessing . i would tell people i know to read it and i would read it again

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has a very authentic 'feel' to it. The story is well done but the details are just as interesting.

An orphan boy is sent from the city to live with his uncle in a faraway rural village. The cart driver abandons the boy at a turn-off in the middle of the night. Lost, half-frozen and barely conscious, someone discovers and carries him to his uncle's door.

Throughout the book, one gets a taste of village life and eventually finds no one - not family, friends or enemies - is quite what they initially seem.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was younger, this was one of my favorite books, and one of the only ones I ever stopped to re-read. Years later, I just remembered it and have a sudden desire to go read it again and remember why I liked it so much. :)

[Douglas Sims · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this to give to a 13-year-old for summer reading. It's mildly entertaining. The characters are a bit flat and the story arc is predictable but it wasn't bad. I can imagine it might appeal to 7th and 8th grade boys and not many others.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as part my son's history lessons.

[Jane Potter · Rating 1 out of 5]

wish the main character was challenged more

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I revisted this Batchelder Award winner and discovered it was just as delightful as it was the first time I read it.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a soft spot for books originally written in German and translated into English. this was a cute story--on the young side of "young adult fiction."