Book description
On the Scottish island of Skua, friendship develops between the
lonely and mysterious Perdita and a blind girl, Janey. Both possess a
kind of second sight - Janey's is the ability to hear, feel and
remember more than others, and Perdita's is the ominous legacy of her
being a witch's daughter. When Janey's brother, Tom, starts
investigating a cluster of mysterious events and suspicious
characters, all three become entwined in an adventure of hidden
jewels, desperate criminals and dangerous detection. Written in 1963,
The Witch's Daughter showcases Nina Bawden's innate regard for the
integrity of her young characters. As she has said: 'I like writing
for children. It seems to me that most people underestimate their
understanding and the strength of their feelings and in my books for
them I try to put this right.' Hugely admired on publication by both
reviewers and readers, it was described as 'thrilling' by the Times
Literary Supplement.
