Eleanor Farjeon (1881–1965) is regarded as one of this
country’s finest writers of poems and stories for children. In 1956
she was awarded both the Carnegie Medal and the Hans Christian
Andersen International Medal; her hymn “Morning Has Broken” is a
favourite around the world. Eleanor lived for many years in a
little village called Houghton. The children of the village used to
gather outside her cottage to play their favourite skipping games,
and one day Eleanor went and asked them to recite their rhymes for
her. These rhymes, which have been passed down from generation to
generation, can be found word-for-word in Elsie Piddock Skips in
her Sleep.
Charlotte Voake is a distinguished and much-loved
illustrator of children’s books. Her picture book Ginger was
shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal and won the Smarties Book
Prize Gold Award. Charlotte visited Mount Caburn while preparing
the illustrations for this book, and found it "an extraordinary
place. I could well imagine Elsie Piddock skipping there with
Andy-Spandy, Flea-Foot and Heels-o'-Lead. The atmosphere is
magical."
Charlotte Voake has certainly worked her magic on this tale; the reader is gently introduced to Elsie and the fairies through her fine illustrations, alongside Eleanor Farjeon's lyrical tale. IBW Children's Book Guide, The Bookseller
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