The Executioner's Daughter

Gr 5–8—Moss hates her life as the basket girl and executioner's daughter, so she leaves the tower for subsistence living along the river with an orphan named Salter. In this British import, Hardstaff weaves a coming-of-age story set in Tudor England with folklore about a Riverwitch. Moss's frustrations with her father's overprotectiveness and her desire to somehow connect with her late mother are genuine. Moss matures as she searches for where her mother died and through her friendship with Salter. She fully realizes Salter's "bread first, then morals" philosophy during her escapade to Hampton Court. The Riverwitch folklore and the suspense that it creates, along with the themes of love and family, strengthen Moss's story. Parts of the novel, particularly Moss meeting the queen, feel contrived and too heavy-handed. The sequel, River Daughter (Egmont UK, 2015), is stronger and more engaging than the first entry, as it focuses more squarely on Moss's connection with the river and the Riverwitch. An author's note that briefly describes the inspiration for the story is included.