Synopsis
"A classic tale of tyranny overcome. . . . Voake makes this neglected gem — an unforgettable read-aloud — look new." — KIRKUS REVIEWS (STARRED REVIEW)
Elsie Piddock is a born skipper. By the time she’s seven, the tireless girl can even outskip the fairies and is rewarded with a gift of rare and lasting value. Can she use it many years later to save the children’s fabled skipping grounds from a greedy, factory-building lord? Charlotte Voake’s exuberant art pairs with Eleanor Farjeon’s unforgettable tale for a match made in picture-book heaven.
Children's Literature
Part of the "Candlewick Treasures" series, this is a lovely reprint of Farjeon's classic 1937 fairy tale. As with all the best fairy tales, it is a story of the triumph of good over evil, and the just rewards of those who strive mightily, and whose hearts are pure. But who'd expect a mere rope skipper to fill these qualifications? Young Elsie-a rope-skipper whose talents recommend her to the fairies themselves-does. Elsie's adventures in youth and old age are told in prose that begs to be read aloud, while Voake's light pen and ink and watercolor sketches recreate the feeling of that prose with charm. This little book is a treasure, indeed.