THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Speare, Elizabeth George. 1958. The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0395913675

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Kit Tyler has just moved from Barbados to Connecticut in 1687 after the death of her grandfather. Her life in Barbados had been carefree and fun, and she expects Connecticut to be similar. She arrives to the surprise of her Aunt Rachel, Uncle Matthew, and their two daughters, Mercy and Judith. Kit comes to learn that Puritan Connecticut is much different than Barbados and there is unrest among the colonists due to the King of England and his appointed governors. Kit learns to work hard, but she never really fits in until she befriends an old lady by Blackbird Pond, Hannah. Amidst Kit’s confusing love life, she begins to come to love Hannah and is shocked when she is accused of being a witch. After helping Hannah escape, Kit is accused of witchery and brought to trial in this story of staying true to yourself and befriending those who are different.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Elizabeth George Speare creates a very likable character in Kit. Readers can really feel her conflict between wanting to please her new family and staying true to her upbringing. Readers can feel the tension that existed at the time between loyal followers of the King and those who wanted to rebel. Readers also get a great look at life in Puritan Connecticut and how everything they did was dedicated to God. The subplots of several romances allow readers to connect to Kit and her cousins as well as the three men they are involved with. The underlying message of friendship and differences in others is reflected throughout the story and readers who feel that it is not “cool” to befriend the “weird” kid will be able to connect deeply to Kit’s conflicts.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Newbery Award Winner
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Hurt's use of vocal inflection and expression make this an excellent choice for listening whether as an enrichment to the social studies curriculum or purely for pleasure.”
BOOKLIST: “Strong plot, fully realized characters and convincing atmosphere distinguish this historical narrative of a girl whose rebellion against bigotry and her Puritan surroundings culminates in a witch hunt and trial.”

5. CONNECTIONS
This book would be a great book to read to introduce a lesson on Colonial America
Students can take sides in a debate on weather to follow the King of England or rebel
Students can lead a “witch trial” to understand what life was like during those times
Other books related to Colonial America:
Forbes, Esther. Johnny Tremain. ISBN 0440442508
Latham, Jean Lee. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch. 0618250743
Collier, James Lincoln. My Brother Sam Is Dead. ISBN 0439783607