Book Review: The Witch of Blackbird Pond

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Speare, Elizabeth George. 1986. THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0395071143.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this book, a sixteen year old girl named Kit Tyler journeys from her home of Barbados to Wethersfield, Connecticut to live with her aunt who is the only family she has left. During her voyage on The Dolphin, she meets Nat, the Captain's son, and Prudence, a malnourished and abused little girl. Kit's aunt did not know that she was coming, and the family is hesitant about taking her in. Her stylish clothes and privileged background do not sit well with their Puritan sensibilities. Throughout the book Kit struggles with trying to fit in and make her family happy while all she wants to do is rebel and do what she thinks is right. Because Kit is educated, she is given the opportunity to teach children how to read in the Summer, but her unorthodox ways get her into trouble. She finds peace with a sweet old Quaker woman, Hannah Tupper, whom she is forbade to visit due to rumors that she is a witch. A many member love triangle brews all throughout the story which includes Kit, her two cousins, and three different suitors. Kit does not listen to her family and visits Hannah Tupper regularly, bringing along poor Prudence so that she may also find escape in the meadow. After rescuing Hannah from a witch hunt, Kit finds herself on trial for witching due to her association with an alleged witch. Kit is acquitted, and the plot settles into a satisfying ending in which each young woman finally ends up with the young man that the reader's new they ought to all along.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This piece of historical fiction reads part adventure story, part romance novel, and all coming of age tale. The dialog is certainly circa 1687, but the language is simple enough that a young adult reader would not feel bogged down by it. The subject matter focuses on issues that would have been important to the characters during the time period: Puritanism vs. other faiths, the power struggle between colonists and the British Crown, and fears about witches. However, there are many other main subjects in the book that are completely relatable to contemporary teens like love, rebellion, and trying to find oneself and fit in at the same time.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT
Newbury Honor Medal
HORNBOOK: "a solidly written character study"

5. CONNECTIONS
*Have students to read THE CRUCIBLE and THE SCARLET LETTER and write a paper that compares and contrasts the three stories.
*Stage a mock witch trial, assigning roles to different students in the class.