Module 4: (September 13-19)Speare, E.G. (1958). The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Summary: Kit Tyler lives a priviledged life in her Barbados home until her beloved grandfather dies and she must go to live with her aunt in America—Puritan America. The culture shock besides, Kit’s early attempt at kindness to a stranger makes people suspicious that she might be a witch. Things only get worse when the townspeople discover she has befriended the town outcast. Will she be able to prove her innocence, or will the town’s Puritan paranoia prove her downfall?
My Impressions: I have always loved historical fiction, especially when it is set during the colonial times for some reason, and this book was no exception! What I wasn’t expecting were the threads of romance in the story, which were so convoluted at times this book reminded me of a Jane Austen novel! I loved this book, and got our Assistant Children’s Librarian to read it (she hadn’t read it before either), and she loved it too!
Reviews: “When young Kit Tyler comes from her Barbados home to colonial Connecticut, she is unprepared for the austerity of her uncle's home…. Kit, a staunch royalist, accustomed to the easy life of a slave-manned plantation, and her fanatic Puritan uncle are instinctive antagonists. But despite her tastes for finery, Kit is possessed with courage and conviction….Kit's vindication, her gradual integration into the community and the positive effect she has on those about her, combine here in a well documented novel to rival the author's first work, Calico Captive, which received wide acclaim as a work of “‘superior historical fiction.’”—Kirkus Book Reviews. http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/fiction/elizabeth-george-speare/the-witch-of-blackbird-pond-2/
"A thoroughly exciting and rewarding Newbery Medal winner and ALA Notable Children's Book, Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond brings this frightening period of witch hysteria to life. Readers will wonder at the power of the mob mentality, and the need for communities in desperate times – even current times—to find a scapegoat."—Amazon.com Review*
"Strong plot, fully realized characters, and convincing atmosphere distinguish this historical narrative."—Booklist.*
*(Both reviews from this site). http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/1561375349/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books
--Winner of the Newbery Medal, 1959
Library Use: We periodically have kids come in that must read several Newbery winners for school, and I will absolutely recommend this if they enjoy historical fiction or love stories! I read a lot of great historical fiction this week actually, and it might be cool to create a bibliography of historical fiction grouped together by different time periods. That would also make a good book talk now that I think about it as well.
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