HISTORICAL FICTION 1: THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND

1. Bibliography
Speare, Elizabeth George. 1958. The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0395071143

2. Plot Summary
A young girl, Kit, arrives to live with her aunt in Puritan Connecticut from Barbados after her grandfather dies in the late 1600's. Having not been accustomed to the stringent religious philosophy of her remaining family members, Kit's outspokenness and free spirit quickly cause some residents to suspect her of being a witch. To make matters worse, she curiously befriends a lonesome, elderly lady that is already known as a "witch."

3. Critical Analysis
Written in 1958, The Witch of Blackbird Pond is still an all-absorbing tale that captures the historical nature of early Colonialism. It is a wonderfully crafted romance set amidst the fevered political lines drawn between England's early rule and those with a visionary alliance to the New World. Speare uses meticulous details in describing the tone and personalities of each character and uses just enough thee's, thou's and thy's to remember the setting.

"To work in?" Disappointment had put an edge to Judith's tongue.
'Tis all I have,' retorted Kit. "Give me something of yours then."
Judith's cheeks went scarlet. "Oh, wear that one. You can help Mercy with the carding. You won't dirty yourself at that."

Each character is fully developed throughout the story with hints of their natures hidden in some of their names--Mercy, the paralyzed cousin; Patience, the little girl learning to read; old Goodwife Cruff, accusatory and overbearing. Some of the names mentioned are of real citizens in New England history, as stated in the author's notes, such as Sir Edmond Andros, the royal governor, and Eleazer Kimberley, the schoolmaster.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond gives readers a glimpse into Old World religious doctrines from the eyes of a naive outsider who is forced to decide if she can conform to such strict behaviors or if she can choose to return to her beloved Barbados. Worthy of winning the Newbery Award a half-century ago, Speare's ingenious account of Puritanism and witchcraft is, indeed, a classic.

4. Review Excerpt(s) Taken from Back Cover
HORN BOOK: "The New England of colonial times . . . is realistically drawn as background for a solidly written character study."
NEW YORK TIMES: "The book has a lively plot and excellent characterizations. The background has every dimension of reality."

5. Connections
*Books on the Puritans
Stille, Darlene R. 2006. Anne Hutchinson: Puritan Protester. ISBN 0756515777
Slavicek, Louise Chipley. 2001. Life Among the Puritans. ISBN 1560068698
Fraustino, Lisa Rowe. 2004. I Walk in Dread: the diary of Deliverance Trembley, witness to the Salem Witch Trials. ISBN 0439249732

*A sound recording
Reese, Celia. 2001. Witch Child. In 1659, fourteen-year-old Mary keeps a journal of her voyage from England to the New World. ISBN 080720627X
Website for Witch Child and the author. http://www.witchchild.com/