RUFUS AND THE WITCH'S DRUDGE

Fifth-grader Rufus Breckenridge is spending the month of July in the South of France with his best friend Billy Cameron and Billy's parents They are staying at a villa owned by the Beaufonts, friends of the Camerons. Rufus has a crush on Danielle Beaufont and hopes Billy won't slip and tell her he's a witch because she's sure to think he's weird.

While down at the beach, the boys spot an old woman whom Rufus knows is a witch. They follow her and discover she’s always accompanied by a young girl whom she treats as her drudge. Danielle arrives and discovers what the boys are up to. She thinks it's cool that Rufus has magical powers. She tells them the old witch's name is Grendel, and she’s the last of a rich and powerful family of witches. Grendel has taken Violette from her family because the little girl has great magical powers.

The children realize that Grendel, whose own powers are fading, is using Violette's magic to steal art and other items from local villas that once belonged to her family. And then, just before the DeGama celebration, DeGama's famous painting "La Gitana" is stolen from the local museum. Can Rufus, Billy, and Danielle return the painting, defeat Grendel, and return Violette safely home to her family?

. . .

“Marilyn Levinson's Rufus and the Witch's Drudge is a delightful mix of adventure, wizardry, and romance, peopled with interesting characters and relationships. There's an added bonus. The story is set in Southern France! So, pack your bags and vacation with Rufus and friends.” 

~ David A. Adler, author of the Cam Jansen Books

“Anyone who read Marilyn Levinson's children's book Rufus and Magic Run Amok will be delighted that there is a new book about the boy wizard and his magic abilities. But here's the good news. There is no need to be already familiar with Rufus. Readers can jump right into Rufus and the Witch's Drudge and immediately follow the story in this new book. Possessing magical abilities, Rufus can solve an exciting mystery and be a great hero for young readers. In fact, readers will all be eager for still another installment in the life of Rufus before long.” 

~ Johanna Hurwitz, author of the Riverside Kids Series