Witch Child

'This is a powerful, absorbing and unusual novel' - "The Bookseller". 'The sort of historical novel eleven and twelve year olds will gobble up at a sitting' - Nina Bawden. When Mary sees her grandmother accused of witchcraft and hung for the crime, she is silently hurried to safety by an unknown woman. The woman gives her tools to keep the record of her days - paper and ink. Mary is taken to a boat in Plymouth and from there sails to the New World where she hopes to make a new life among the pilgrims. But old superstitions die hard and soon Mary finds that she, like her grandmother, is the victim of ignorance and stupidity and once more she finds herself having to make important choices to ensure her survival. With a vividly evoked environment and characters skilfully and patiently drawn this is a powerful literary achievement by Celia Rees, that is utterly engrossing from start to finish.

Celia Rees is a high profile writer who has found a new and exciting voice in this, her latest book. She has written several other books for children and young adults and this is the first for Bloomsbury. Celia's recent Truth or Dare published by Macmillan has been receiving fantastic reviews. She lives in Leamington Spa. Reader to be confirmed