The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND is a historical-romance. The main character, Katherine Tyler AKA Kit moves into her uncle's puritan home in Connecticut during America's colonial period from her recently departed high-class grandfather's home in Barbados. To say the least Kit is in for a culture shock, as the town is shocked by her ignorance of and unwilliness to conform to their rules.

***WARNING MANY SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT.... DO NOT CONTINUE IF YOU WANT TO READ THE BOOK***

The story develops in two major locales, the home in which Kat is staying along with aunt and uncle, Rachel and Matthew wood and their children, her cousins Judith and Mercy. At the house much work and little play is afforded Kit, and her only joy is when courters come calling on the girls. This is wrenching however because it is fairly early in the novel that it is clear that the lovers are mismatched.

The second is the home and surrounding meadows of Hanna Tupper, a Quaker gossiped by townspeople to be a witch and her frequent visitors Nat Eaton, a sailor and Prudence Kruff, a young girl, Prudence Kruff, who Kit is secretly teaching to read. This is Kit's sanctuary, here Kit finds true friendship with Hanna, falls in love with Nat, and finds purpose in her life by teaching Prudence.

Kit's continued visit to the Tupper house, despite her uncle forbidding it causes Kit herself to be charged with Witchcraft. For awhile things look quite dire for Kit, but her true friends Nat and Prudence step forward, risking physical harm to themselves in doing so, and are able to clear her name.

In the end all is well that ends well, however as the mismatched lovers are able to correctly match themselves without any harm being caused to the relationship of the girls, a feat I spent most of last night trying to figure out how Elizabeth Speare would accomplish this during the colonial time period where boyfriend swapping was not so common.

Overall while everything did fit together just perfectly in the end, in almost a cliché way, I can’t help but to admit I loved this book. I really did love Kit, and her cousin Mercy (Judith not so much) and I wanted them to be happy and with the men that would best suit them and I really did spend a lot of time thinking about how this could be accomplished. I also really loved Kit as a strong young woman character, especially considering this book was written in the 50's, and was surly a feminist political symbol to the girl readers of the time. Finally, it did a great job of being historically accurate and valuable.

I will recommend this book be on the 8th grade summer reading list because it fits in perfectly with the 8th grade Social Studies curriculum (US History) and is literarily sound as noted by winning the 1959 Newberry Award. This book lends to the History classes' discussion of patriots v. loyalists, French and Indian War, The Witch Trials, Puritanism, and Quakers.

Here are what other people said about the book:

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Forced to leave her sunny Caribbean home for the bleak Connecticut Colony, Kit Tyler is filled with trepidation. As they sail up the river to Kit's new home, the teasing and moodiness of a young sailor named Nat doesn't help. Still, her unsinkable spirit soon bobs back up. What this spirited teenager doesn't count on, however, is how her aunt and uncle's stern Puritan community will view her. In the colonies of 1687, a girl who swims, wears silk and satin gowns, and talks back to her elders is not only headstrong, she is in grave danger of being regarded as a witch. When Kit befriends an old Quaker woman known as the Witch of Blackbird Pond, it is more than the ascetics can take: soon Kit is defending her life. Who can she count on as she confronts these angry and suspicious townspeople?
A thoroughly exciting and rewarding Newbery Medal winner and ALA Notable Children's Book, Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond brings this frightening period of witch hysteria to life. Readers will wonder at the power of the mob mentality, and the need for communities in desperate times--even current times--to find a scapegoat. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8-Mary Beth Hurt gives an excellent performance in this reading of the Newbery Award-winning novel by Elizabeth George Speare (HM, 1958). The setting is the Colony of Connecticut in 1687 amid the political and religious conflicts of that day. Sixteen-year-old Kit Tyler unexpectedly arrives at her aunt and uncle's doorstep and is unprepared for the new world which awaits her. Having been raised by her grandfather in Barbados, she doesn't understand the conflict between those loyal to the king and those who defend the Connecticut Charter. Unprepared for the religious intolerance and rigidity of the Puritan community, she is constantly astounding her aunt, uncle, and cousins with her dress, behavior, and ideas. She takes comfort in her secret friendship with the widow, Hannah Tupper, who has been expelled from Massachusetts because she is a Quaker and suspected of being a witch. When a deathly sickness strikes the village, first Hannah and then Kit are accused of being witches. Through these conflicts and experiences, Kit comes to know and accept herself. She learns not to make hasty judgments about people, and that there are always two sides to every conflict. There are several minor plots as well, including three romances, which help to bring this time and place to life. Hurt's use of vocal inflection and expression make this an excellent choice for listening whether as an enrichment to the social studies curriculum or purely for pleasure.
Maureen Cash Moffet, St. Anne's Catholic School, Bristol, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"Strong plot, fully realized characters and convincing atmosphere distinguish this historical narrative of a girl whose rebellion against bigotry and her Puritan surroundings culminates in a witch hunt and trial."--Booklist.