Kate Crackernuts - K. M. Briggs

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.