Monday, July 28, 2008

A Break with Charity

Bibliographic Information: Rinaldi, Ann (2003). A Break with Charity: A Story about the Salem Witch Trials. Harcourt Children’s Books, 320 pp.

Genre: Historical Fiction.

Awards. ALA Best Book for Young Adults.

Synopsis: While waiting for a church meeting in 1706, Susanna English, daughter of a wealthy Salem merchant, recalls the malice, fear and accusations of witchcraft that tore her village apart in 1692. This story of the Salem witch trials is from the perspective Susanna English. She is attracted to what she sees happening inside the circle of girls who meet every week at the parsonage. What she doesn’t realize is that the girls are about to set off on a torrent of false accusations leading to the imprisonment and execution of countless innocent people. Should she keep quiet and let the witch-hunt panic continue, or should she tell someone and risk her own family members being named as witches?

Evaluative statement: Why, in 1692, did Salem execute 22 citizens accused by hysterical girls? Various reasons have been given; but Rinaldi makes a plausible case for repression of a society with few amusements, late marriages, and young adults treated as children. It is a blend of fiction and history which brings to life a dark period in America’s past. The reader is confronted with the issues of truth, courage, trust and power.

Possible classroom uses for the book: An excellent companion volume when studying the history of the Salem witch trials.

Appropriate age range: 12 to 16 year olds.

My Personal Reaction: This book portrays an excruciating era in American history from a unique perspective, and it will be enjoyed by readers who enjoy psychology, the supernatural, and history. The book is rich with details and names that will be familiar to those who have read about the trials.

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