Certainly it is hard to imagine how one could bring more of self to writing than [Mollie Hunter] does. Cultural heritage, life circumstances, love of language, passionate convictions—all the influences on the storyteller are in the stories. (p. 302)

If you cannot visit Scotland for yourself, Mollie Hunter's books are an agreeable substitute…. All of her writing demonstrates her deep feeling for the land where she was born….

The settings of her books are not just faithfully represented, they are evoked….

It is not only the author's ability to call up the sights of her country that makes Scotland so memorable in her books. She has long been interested in its history and folklore, and has expert knowledge in both fields. (p. 303)

All her books of fantasy are rooted in this intimate knowledge of folk culture…. In The Kelpie's Pearls, white witchcraft and a legendary water spirit in...