The Witch's Daughter
 First edition cover | |
| Author | Nina Bawden |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Shirley Hughes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Victor Gollancz |
Publication date | 1966 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback; Paperback) |
| Pages | 160 pp |
The Witch's Daughter is a children's novel by Nina Bawden, first published in 1966. It has been dramatised for television twice, with Fiona Kennedy (1971) and Sammy Glenn (1996) in the title role.
Plot summary
On the remote Scottish island of Skua, Perdita has been branded "the witch's daughter" by islanders. They believe her mother died cursing the sea on which they depend for their livelihood. She lives alone in a tumbledown house by the loch, never goes to school, and has no friends.
One summer Janey, who is blind, and her brother Tim visit the island with their naturalist father. The children befriend the lonely girl, and together they search for rare orchids, explore the island caves, investigate a crime, and find treasure.
Television adaptations
The Witch's Daughter has been twice adapted for television. The 1971 BBC adaptation was a five-episode mini-series starring Fiona Kennedy as Perdita, Gillian Bailey as Janey and Spencer Banks as Tim.[1] The 1996 Scottish Television production was a 90-minute television film, with Sammy Glenn as Perdita, Richard Claxton as Tim, Peter Firth as Mr Jones, and Patrick Bergin as Mr Smith. Changes between the novel and the film included the excision of the character Janey and a more upbeat ending.[2]