Literature Review

Literature Review

Future Reflections April/May/June 1985, Vol. 4 No. 2
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LITERATURE REVIEW
THE WITCHES DAUGHTER
by Nina Bawden
(Published by J.B. Lippincott, 1966
Reviewed by Doris M. Willoughby.)
The first good thing about this book
is that the child called the "witch's
daughter" is not the blind child.

The book jacket describes:
Janey Hoggart was Perdita's first
friend. Because she was blind, Janey
did not stare in fright at the unusual
girl with the glinting green
eyes and the odd-looking clothes. It
was to Janey and her brother Tim that
Perdita showed the clear, glowing
stone that Mr. Smith's visitor had
given her, and Tim was astounded that
Perdita did not know what a diamond
was. Tim himself had found a ruby like stone in tin island cave...
Soon. the three children are caught up
in a first-rate adventure involving
danger and mystery.

Good attitudes toward blindness are
demonstrated by Janey and her family, as
they make it clear that she is not a
"poor little thing," as some think she
must be. Janey's skills as a blind
person play a major role in solving the
mystery and its problem, in ways that do
not seem contrived or far-fetched. I
would have wished for Janey to use a
cane, but that would no doubt have been
unrealistic in the British Isles 20 or
so years ago.

There are a few British expressions which may need interpretation--for
example, Janey asks Perdita, "Are you
dumb?" meaning, "Can't you talk?" Also,
in the fourth chapter I became very
confused as to who was who and where
they all were staying, despite my having
read rather slowly for review purposes.
However, after rereading a few passage
I remained straightened out for the
rest of the book--except for certain
confusions deliberately planted by the
author.

The book is suitable for fifth grade
and up. As an adult, I found it extremely
interesting and enjoyable.
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