The Witch of Blackbird Pond in The Dusty Bookshelf

Nov 29, 2011 Darlene rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, read-alouds, historical-fiction, read-in-2012

I read this book aloud to my children, which won the 1959 Newbery Medal. The story takes place in 1687.

Katherine “Kit” Tyler lived with her grandfather in Barbados on his large plantation. When he died, Kit sold everything to pay the workers and to not leave any debt. Unfortunately, that left her with nothing. She decided to travel by ship to Connecticut to live with her aunt and uncle.

When Kit arrives, she learns that things are very different in the Puritan settlement than she is used to. It i I read this book aloud to my children, which won the 1959 Newbery Medal. The story takes place in 1687.

Katherine “Kit” Tyler lived with her grandfather in Barbados on his large plantation. When he died, Kit sold everything to pay the workers and to not leave any debt. Unfortunately, that left her with nothing. She decided to travel by ship to Connecticut to live with her aunt and uncle.

When Kit arrives, she learns that things are very different in the Puritan settlement than she is used to. It is hard for her to become used to this way of life, but she manages because she is a strong and fiercely determined girl!

Kit becomes friends with an old woman named Hannah, who has been ostracized by the Puritan community because she is a Quaker. The Puritans call her “The Witch of Blackbird Pond.” Kit feels a sort of kinship with her and, even though she has been forbidden by her uncle, she visits Hannah as often as she can. The only other person to be brave enough to visit Hannah is Nat Eaton, a sailor who brings goods to Hannah whenever he returns to the settlement. Hannah found Nat in the meadow by her house when he was a young boy in the same manner that she found Kit: sobbing! Just as she had done with Kit, she had invited Nat back to her home for some blueberry cake and to cuddle her cats. The kindly woman was, and continues to be, such a comfort to him!

In the meadow by Blackbird Pond, Kit finds a young girl named Prudence. Just as Hannah had done to her, Kit invites Prudence back to Hannah’s house explaining that it is a safe and loving place for her to visit. Kit was taught by her grandfather to read, although it was practically unheard of at that time for a girl to have learned this important skill. She taught Prudence not only how to read but also to write in cursive.

When sickness befalls the community and the children start dying, the residents decide that the Witch must be to blame! Kit risks everything to get to Hannah’s house before the mob, and she and Hannah hide in the bushes watching while the mob burns down her house and searches for her. Luckily, Nat’s boat returns the following morning and he takes Hannah aboard and brings her to live with his aunt in a town where she will be safe.

Although Hannah escaped safely, Kit was arrested for helping and consorting with a witch and was accused of even being a witch herself! Who will come to Kit’s defense?

We loved this book! Kit is a fabulous character. She faces adversity with such admirable strength. This is our second book by Speare (we previously read The Sign of the Beaver), and we love that Speare’s protagonists are non-judgmental and have acceptance of those who are different.

This book also inspired a lot of discussion about Puritans, Quakers, and the Salem Witch trials.

MY RATING: 5 stars!! We loved it!! Highly recommended! ...more

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