“How many times had her grandfather cautioned her to think before she flew off the handle?”–Elizabeth George Speare, The Witch of Blackbird Pond
This book has stood the test of time. It won the Newberry in 1959 and continues to be relevant. Set in 1687 Connecticut, 16 year old Kit Tyler is met with suspicion and disapproval when she arrives in colonial Connecticut from her home in Barbados. Everything in her new home is unfamiliar, including the family she has never met that she is now living with. Desperate for friends, Kit finds a kindred spirit in Hannah Tupper, but doesn’t realize the cost associated with being Hannah’s friends. Hannah has long been regarded by the colonists as a witch and Kit must make a difficult choice.
I first read this book when I was in elementary school and it has long been one of my favorites. My daughters read it when they were young and I look forward to the day when my granddaughters read it too. A book that links generations is a wonderful thing!
Content Advisory: Violence, racism, slavery