Der Räuber Hotzenplotz (The Robber Hotzenplotz)

Author: Otfried Preußler
Original Title: Der Räuber Hotzenplotz
Genre: Children's book

Original publisher: Thienemann Verlag
Date first published: 1962
Date first read: 1993/1994

Main character(s): Der Räuber Hotzenplotz (a robber), Kasperl (a clown figure from children's puppet shows), Seppel (his best friend), Großmutter (Kasperl's grandma), Alois Dimpfelmoser (the village policeman), Petrosilius Zwackelmann (the local evil wizard)
Favorite quote: N/A

Synopsis:
The dreaded Robber Hotzenplotz is out and about, and of all the things he was to steal, it had to be Großmutter's coffee grinder. Not only was it a present from Kasperl and Seppel, but it also sings her favorite song when in use. As the village policeman is not very good at his job, Kasperl and Seppel take it upon themselves to get the coffee grinder back. Unfortunately, they wind up prisoners of the robber, and while Hotzenplotz forces Seppel to clean his clothes, he sells Kasperl to Petrosilius Zwackelmann, an evil wizard who lives in a cursed castle. How will Kasperl and Seppel get out of that predicament???

Review:
Honestly, all the Hotzenplotz stories (including the two sequels below) were such a fun read as a kid. I can't even call how I got them in the first place - it must've been a present from someone. Preußler invented the stories based on traditional German puppet show characters (akin to Judy and Punch shows in the UK, for example). In most puppet shows Kasperl is a smart clown, who pretends to be dumb or does things stupidly to get out of trouble. Aside from Seppel, his best friend, the characters normally don't have names. Preußler invented them to make the story flow, and boy was that a good idea.

Sequels: Neues vom Räuber Hotzenplotz; Hotzenplotz 3