Book Title: The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Publisher: Sandpiper
Copyright Date: Reissue, January 2011 (Originally published in 1958)
Selection Choice: Newbery Award Winner
Brief Annotation: After recently losing her grandfather, Kit Tyler arrives in Connecticut to stay with her aunt and uncle. She soon realizes, however, that the strict Puritan town is quite different from her upbringing in Barbados. She finds friendship and solace in Hannah Tupper, who has been expelled from the village for being a Quaker and suspected witch. Kit soon finds herself caught in a romantic tangle, but when a sickness overtakes the village Kit's friend Hannah is quickly blamed. Kit then finds herself being blamed and called a witch. In a time when the fate of accused witches is expulsion and even death, how will Kit and Hannah defend themselves against the accusations of the town?
Your Rating: 5/5 stars. I could not put this book down. I finished it in one sitting, and would highly recommend it to anyone. The language is engaging and well written, and I was so happy to read about a female heroine who was vulnerable, strong, and believable.
Readers who will like this book: Readers interested in historical fiction, readers learning about the Witch Trials of the 1700s.
Question to ask about this book before reading: Have you ever felt like an outcast because of opinions you had or by being new to a place?
Question to ask about this book during reading: What do you know about the Puritan times? What did the Puritan's believe in?
Question to ask about this book after reading: How did Kit grow as a woman and person throughout the novel? How do her attitudes compare at the beginning and end of the novel?
1. Interest Level (age): I believe this book would be interesting and engaging to readers ages 9-13. However at 24 I was equally engaged and loved it!
2. Grade Level Equivalent (grade): Grades 4-7.
3. Awards: Newbery Medal 1959, ALA Notable Children's Book.
I'm glad you enjoyed this book--it was one of my favorites as a kid, and then I loved reading it aloud to my fifth graders when I was a teacher and we studied Colonial America.
ReplyDeleteCan you think of a graphic organizer you'd design to help students organize their thinking about your post-reading questions, tracking the way Kat changes over the course of the book? It seems like they would need to be keeping track of their thinking throughout the reading in order to answer your question thoroughly.