The elegant language of this short story has delighted all those who have discovered it throughout the decades. Little Elsie Piddock is a “born skipper” who skips “as never so.” Everyone who lives in Glynde under Mount Caburn knows this. Andy Spandy and the fairies know it, too. While she sleeps, they teach Elsie new skips. Years pass. A haughty new Lord takes charge of the old estate where the common folk have lived for centuries. After raising the rents, the Lord uses fences to block the people’s access to open spaces in the Mount Caburn area. Where will the children skip? Finally the Lord agrees to allow everyone a last skip. Afterwards, he will build factories on the common land. Skippers of all ages do their best to keep going. Just as they are ready to give up, Elsie Piddock, now an old woman, appears. To the astonishment of all, she skips as never so and saves the common spaces. “She has never stopped skipping on Caburn since. . . . If you go to Caburn at the new moon, you may catch a glimpse.” The wee skipper and her community of human and fairy folk are movingly illustrated in Charlotte Voake’s cool green watercolors. A handsome gift edition to read and cherish. (Ages 5‑9)

"A classic tale of tyranny overcome. . . . Voake makes this neglected gem -- an unforgettable read-aloud -- look new." -- KIRKUS REVIEWS (STARRED REVIEW)
Elsie Piddock is a born skipper. By the time she's seven, the tireless girl can even outskip the fairies and is rewarded with a gift of rare and lasting value. Can she use it many years later to save the children's fabled skipping grounds from a greedy, factory-building lord? Charlotte Voake's exuberant art pairs with Eleanor Farjeon's unforgettable tale for a match made in picture-book heaven.