Kate Crackernuts

In a land troubled by witches and feuding clans, step-sisters Kate and Katherine form an unlikely friendship over a shared love of fairies. This does not go down well with everyone . . . Grizel Maxwell may be Kate's mother, but she is also a witch, and jealously plots to get rid of Katherine with a curse, forcing Kate and Katherine to leave their homeland to escape the evil witch and seek a cure for her terrible spell. First published in 1963, Katherine Briggs' wonderful re-casting of the classic fable of friendship conquering all is a rare and beguiling mix of folk-lore and fantasy. The author's own fascination with the English folk-lore tradition imbues the telling with seriousness and beauty that transcend its generic roots.