Evaluation

This novel was an easy read, fast paced and extremely suspenseful. I thought the author did a marvelous job of incorporating real people in history with the fictitious characters in the novel as well. There was adventure, history and romance weaved throughout every chapter. This book would be a great read aloud for children in fourth grade or higher. It would be perfect to use this novel as a way to begin the “Salem witch trial unit” in history class. As a teacher you could plan activities that are seen within the novel. For example, your class may decide to create their own Salem witch “mock trial.” You could have the children act out a real account of a Salem witch trial so they can understand how Kit felt when she was falsely accused of practicing sorcery. You might also have your students choose an important individual in history that was involved with the witch trials and write a report based on the information they have researched. The author actually mentions quite a few figures that were important men of their time during this time period in Connecticut. You could also talk about how the Witch trials began and how they eventually came to an end. In older grades such as third and fourth grade you may facilitate a Socratic seminar where the children can talk amongst each other in understanding the events of the past and what went wrong.