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31st out of 111 books
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Witness
by
Karen Hesse
The Barnes & Noble Review
Karen Hesse's Newbery Award-winning skills are put to great use in Witness, a poetic tale about friendship, fanaticism, and the deadly undercurrents of racial prejudice. The story takes place in a small Vermont town in the year 1924, revealing the devastating impact of the Ku Klux Klan on this pastoral, insular community. At the heart of the ...more
Karen Hesse's Newbery Award-winning skills are put to great use in Witness, a poetic tale about friendship, fanaticism, and the deadly undercurrents of racial prejudice. The story takes place in a small Vermont town in the year 1924, revealing the devastating impact of the Ku Klux Klan on this pastoral, insular community. At the heart of the ...more
Paperback, 161 pages
Published
March 1st 2003
by Scholastic Inc.
(first published July 5th 2000)
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Jennifer
rated it
At first, I found Witness difficult to get into, and I was a little skeptical of Karen Hesse's chosen format, namely, writing the book somewhat like a play, insofar as characters switching off in dialog, but poetry because the "dialog" consisted of free verse poems of varying length. Towards the end, I not only grew to appreciate the literary merits of this format, but also grew to like it. Telling the story in this way allows Hesse to convey turmoil that the encroaching Ku Klux Klan...more
I first read this in elementary school and loved it, then read it again recently for my Young Adult Literature class and loved it even more. It reads almost like a play, with each character (all residents of a small Vermont town in 1924) telling their version of events (the Ku Klux Klan rolling in and starting to recruit) in free verse. Characters include the local preacher, a twelve-year-old black girl, the town doctor, the sheriff, a six-year-old Jewish girl, and a woman who runs liquor. Amazi...more
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The novel, "Witness", written by Karen Hesse was a very unique book as it was written in a different format then the usual book. This story has a different character on each page explaining their view on what was happening in the little town in Vermont, and what was basically occurring all over the country at this time regarding blacks and the Ku Klux Klan. I really did enjoy this book as the characters and the situations they faced were very realistic, and accurate portraying to the e...more
Genre: Historical Fiction, Poetry, YAL
Rating: ****
Hesse's poetic style captures life in a historical context. Much like Out of the Dust, Hesse's verse effectively tells the story with varying perspective.
Summary:
When the KKK moves into a small town in Utah, the town is transformed. Told through the varying perspectives of its townspeople, Witness is a story about friendship and those who witness to the evolving landscape of their lives.
Main Chara...more
Rating: ****
Hesse's poetic style captures life in a historical context. Much like Out of the Dust, Hesse's verse effectively tells the story with varying perspective.
Summary:
When the KKK moves into a small town in Utah, the town is transformed. Told through the varying perspectives of its townspeople, Witness is a story about friendship and those who witness to the evolving landscape of their lives.
Main Chara...more
Now THIS is what I call narrative verse fiction! I liked this more than I liked Out of the Dust, and way, WAY more than Something About America. My one professor uses the latter as a response to a nonfiction book about the KKK, and this would be a far better companion to it (I read this for a different class). It is a wee confusing at times because there are so many narrators and it switches every entry; I had to keep flipping to the "cast of characters" (photographs included) at the b...more
A high schooler suggested I read this blunt novel about race and the arrival of the KKK in 1920's Vermont. It reminded me of a more succinct version of "The Sound and the Fury" but with more direct conversation to the reader. Because it seems to be aimed at a younger audience than "The Sound and the Fury", it moves along more quickly and seems more literal. The author does a terrific job capturing many perspectives of locals affected by the racism in the town and how it inten...more
Karen Hesse took us into a time in the world when life for an African American was not necessarily a positive thing. In the 1920’s, racism was still a very prominent part of the everyday American town. Hesse takes us into the world of a small town in Vermont where the Ku Klux Klan is on the rise and the lives of the people in that community. We felt as though this novel did an extraordinary job of depicting not only the characters lives, but of the time period as well. Sometimes trying to rememb...more
Though I was hesitant to read historical fiction, I found "Witness" to be a poignant read for anyone who wants to see multiple perspectives on the Ku Klux Klan. "Witness" follows the perspectives of several townspeople in Vermont and how they react to the introduction of the Ku Klux Klan in their society. Hesse focuses on the views of a young African American girl (Leanora Sutter) and a young Jewish girl (Esther Hirsh). Leanora and Esther represent the KKK's targets of hat...more
Suitable for upper elementary and middle school readers, this book tells a little-known segment of American life in the 1920’s. The plot is familiar: Jewish immigrants and a “colored” family are the targets of the KKK’s racial prejudice, hate, and violence. But the setting (rural Vermont) and the characters (eleven people whose lives are affected by the KKK) are unique.
Through sparse language but distinctive voices, the reader hears the unfolding story from each character’s perspecti...more
Through sparse language but distinctive voices, the reader hears the unfolding story from each character’s perspecti...more
Wow. What a worthwhile read. I'm glad my teacher-friend made me check this one out. It's historical fiction told in a poetry format. I loved it. It was a bit confusing in the beginning having to figure out who all of the characters were but once I got that it was something I could not put down. I literally read it all in one hour-and-fifteen-minute sitting.
I think this would be a cool book to read along with Fires in the Mirror by Anna Deavere Smith. The formats are similar and the...more
I think this would be a cool book to read along with Fires in the Mirror by Anna Deavere Smith. The formats are similar and the...more
Written in poetry format, this book captures a story from the perspective of 15 or so people who live in Vermont in 1924. This small community is trying to deal with the Ku Klux Klan that has just invaded their town (invaded might be the wrong word . . . many people join the KKK sect that was established by a preacher that came from the south and he recruits a lot of men and most of the townspeople don't like them being there).
The thing that makes this story so unique is its poetry f...more
The thing that makes this story so unique is its poetry f...more
*Please forgive me for the length of this review. I actually could have easily written a whole dissertation about this novel.*
First of all, I have to say that this book is amazing. At first, I wasn’t sure how a novel could be made using verse; however, Ms. Hesse has shown me that not only is it possible, it suits very well for telling a story through characters’ accounts. As the book is set up almost as if it were a play, it makes sense to have a style of writing that is almost li...more
First of all, I have to say that this book is amazing. At first, I wasn’t sure how a novel could be made using verse; however, Ms. Hesse has shown me that not only is it possible, it suits very well for telling a story through characters’ accounts. As the book is set up almost as if it were a play, it makes sense to have a style of writing that is almost li...more
Genre: Free verse/Historical fiction/Racism/Klu Klux Klan
This refreshing free verse novel tells the story of a sleepy Vermont town infiltrated by the grips of the Klu Klux Klan. Each page gives a brief account of a townsperson and how racism is affecting them. The point of view ranges for 8 year old Emma Hirsh to the town constable Percelle Johnson. In the end, the peace of the town returns, but not without lasting scars. I thought Hesse told an incredibly story with very few words. ...more
This refreshing free verse novel tells the story of a sleepy Vermont town infiltrated by the grips of the Klu Klux Klan. Each page gives a brief account of a townsperson and how racism is affecting them. The point of view ranges for 8 year old Emma Hirsh to the town constable Percelle Johnson. In the end, the peace of the town returns, but not without lasting scars. I thought Hesse told an incredibly story with very few words. ...more
Really well done middle grade novel exploring how a community can let something like the Ku Klux Klan into its ranks. This book had eleven character voices, each giving one page perspectives on the events of the community. Each voice was distinct and very well done. I'm glad that the author included "photos" of the characters, because even though the voices were clear, faces helped placed the characters firmly in my mind at the beginning, when it was needed. The whole book felt "r...more
Another example of narrative voices emerging through poetry. Multiple characters deal with life in Vermont during the rise of the KKK. Various opinions and ideas surrounding the organization and what they stand for. Some characters are led to believe that it is a pure and Christian group while others see it as corrupt and evil. Discusses the various ways that the KKK interacted with groups and people that it didn’t like. Brings into focus that the group was not only against African Americans but...more
this is the way this conversation should have gone down.
"so, i want to write a kid's book about the KKK coming to town and the town's reaction to it from all different perspectives"
"okay, i am listening"
"it will be set in vermont..."
"wait - what?? vermont?? not in the south?"
"no, in vermont. the green mountain state"
"okay, your call. keep 'em guessing, i like it. why pick on the sou...more
"so, i want to write a kid's book about the KKK coming to town and the town's reaction to it from all different perspectives"
"okay, i am listening"
"it will be set in vermont..."
"wait - what?? vermont?? not in the south?"
"no, in vermont. the green mountain state"
"okay, your call. keep 'em guessing, i like it. why pick on the sou...more
Poetry Requirement
Genre: Historical Fiction/Racism
Definitely a worthwhile read. It's historical fiction told in a poetry format. I loved it. Hesse tells the story from 11 different perspectives, which makes it a bit confusing in the beginning, but once you get reading it's hard to put down. The story takes place in Vermont in 1924 during the time of the Klu Klux Klan and each page gives the perspective of different members of the town, and how they dealt with the racism surro...more
Genre: Historical Fiction/Racism
Definitely a worthwhile read. It's historical fiction told in a poetry format. I loved it. Hesse tells the story from 11 different perspectives, which makes it a bit confusing in the beginning, but once you get reading it's hard to put down. The story takes place in Vermont in 1924 during the time of the Klu Klux Klan and each page gives the perspective of different members of the town, and how they dealt with the racism surro...more
A 12-year-old black girl and a 6-year-old Jewish girl are among two of the "witnesses" to the drama that plays out in a small Vermont town in 1924 when the Ku Klux Klan try to move in. Each witness speaks in first person, poetic accounts of the truth as they have met it. An unusual, beautiful book.
This book is written in a format I've never seen before. It's divided into acts like a play, and within these each character has short monologues written in free verse poetry. The freedom that this format lends to first-person narrative really allows the reader to see the different perspectives. I quite enjoyed this unique approach. The book is about the KKK in Vermont in the 1920's, and Karen Hesse did a good job at representing all the different sides, especially the children and youth who are...more
Genres/Categories: poetry, race, discrimination
I checked this book out before reading Out of the Dust<\i> and when I didn't love that book, I started to wonder if I would like this one. Luckily, this one was much better. In this book of poetry, Hesse has managed to write a story about an entire community at an individual level. I cared about the KKK coming into Vermont, not because I knew morally I should, but because I wanted all the different characters to be allowed to li...more
I checked this book out before reading Out of the Dust<\i> and when I didn't love that book, I started to wonder if I would like this one. Luckily, this one was much better. In this book of poetry, Hesse has managed to write a story about an entire community at an individual level. I cared about the KKK coming into Vermont, not because I knew morally I should, but because I wanted all the different characters to be allowed to li...more
It was interesting to pick this book up after having read Out of the Dust--I remember getting frustrated with the poetry in the latter because I tend to read too much into poetry, and many of those pieces didn't work as standalone poems. Witness avoided that problem by using narrator names instead of titles, which I appreciated. However, I did have trouble keeping the characters straight. I felt like three stories intertwined--Leonora's, Esther's, and Merlin's--but beyond the interactions of the...more
Lucia Benzor
rated it
A very interesting and unexpected read. I assumed it to be a novel about racism but it was more like a town story with the individual characters all taking turns to speak about things where racism sometimes came up. There were many characters and the way it was written looked almost poetic. Maybe more stream of consciousness. But a story was told in a creative way that seemed to present racism in an honest and not as harsh way as other books may have. In a way that it makes racism seem real to t...more
I think that the review on the back of the book basically sums up it up better than I could ever do. “This lyrical novel powerfully records waves of change and offers insightful glimpses into the hearts of victims, their friends and their enemies”- Publishers Weekly, starred review. Many authors could touch on the subject of racism and the k.k.k but not one could dig very deep into the fiber of the character’s being and captures their minds and viewpoints perfectly. It’s almost like poetry. For ...more
KidsFiction Teton County Library
added it
Teton County Call Number: J HESSE
No rating
You will want to be a witness in this small Vermont town, but you will be shocked. It is 1924, and the two youngest characters in this novel are a twelve year old girl, Leonora, who is African American, and a six year old girl, Esther Hirsh. Esther and her father are Jewish and have moved from New York. Arising in this small town is the Ku Klux Klan, and it seems as if many of the townspeople are joining, bringing this town toward g...more
No rating
You will want to be a witness in this small Vermont town, but you will be shocked. It is 1924, and the two youngest characters in this novel are a twelve year old girl, Leonora, who is African American, and a six year old girl, Esther Hirsh. Esther and her father are Jewish and have moved from New York. Arising in this small town is the Ku Klux Klan, and it seems as if many of the townspeople are joining, bringing this town toward g...more
This is a thin book, written in poetry style but it packs a punch in the discussion department. The poems alternate, showing the thoughts of about 11 people in the 1920s as the KKK tries to infiltrate and dominate the hearts and minds of a rural Vermont town. The author places the pictures of the speakers in the front of the book (helpful for kids to see who's talking) and they range greatly in age as well as walks of life. It's a fascinating study of how minds change, thoughts change, feelings ...more
This book is written in poetry form. There are 11 characters who speak in a journal entry format. I liked the writer's stylistic choice for the subject matter. The simplicity of the poets' words lends great power to their meaning. For example, one of the characters is 6 years old. Her wording is peculiar and points up the clarity with which she sees the world around her. Her entries show the literal nature of her vision. Her use of the word "did" in her accounts seals them as t...more
The Ku Klux Klan arrives in a small town in Vermont in 1924 and changes the lives of the residents. The story is told from multiple points of view, and two of the most poinant are that of a twelve-year-old African American girl and a six-year-old Jewish girl. We see not only what there is to despise about the KKK, the bigotry and violence, but also come to understand what attracts normally sensible and well-meaning people to its fold, particularly its portrayal of itself as an upstanding, family...more
Have you ever wondered what life was life back then when the Ku Klux Klan was around. Not good, if you imagined correctly. These characters are among the unforgettable cast living in a small town in Vermont, the year 1924. A town that turns against there own kind when the Ku Klux Klan moves in. No one here is safe.
No one in the town is safe, but it is especially worse for the two kids 12 year old Leanora, and 6 year old Esther. This is a story about those two young girls who ha...more
No one in the town is safe, but it is especially worse for the two kids 12 year old Leanora, and 6 year old Esther. This is a story about those two young girls who ha...more
Story of the KKK in Vermont in the 1920s. The book is written in free verse in play format. Characters include a twelve year old black girl, a five year old Jewish girl and her father, newspaper editor, town doctor, preacher, and other residents of the small town. I didn't initially think the format was going to work for me but it turned out to be quite effective. The author did a great job at building the suspense as the Klan infiltrated the town. This was a very well written book about a ...more
I read this book because my 7th graders wanted to use it for a class novel. This book is written in blank verse from the perspective of the various characters. It takes place in the 1920's during prohibition, and deals with issues of racism and the kkk. It was an interesting plot, but rather difficult for students younger than high school to grasp as well as a bit graphic in parts for anyone younger than that. Never the less, the story was merit worthy.
I chose not to read this with my 7th ...more
I chose not to read this with my 7th ...more
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Karen Hesse is an American author of children's literature and literature for young adults, often with historical settings. Her novel Out of the Dust was the winner of the 1998 Newbery Medal and the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. In 2002, Hesse was a recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship.
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