This book is so well crafted -- the author creates memorable word pictures with the words she chooses. We did it as a read aloud for my 2 daughters, ages 10 and 6. The six year old liked the snuggling together, but couldn't follow the book almost at all. The 10 year old is studying colonial America, and it was an excellent supplement to textbook reading. Excellent for discussing different branches of the Christian faith. My older daughter couldn't WAIT to keep reading! If she had read it on her own, however, not sure she would've liked it nearly as much. You have to read slowly to catch some of the subtleties.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
(Fiction - Historical fiction, Written by Elizabeth George Speare)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
1600s America springs to life for today's kids.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 9 and Up
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of The Witch of Blackbird Pond was written by Jennifer Docherty
Parents need to know that well-developed characters and an engrossing plot make this an enjoyable read. The story is dramatic and deals superficially with charges of witchcraft, as well as a budding romance between two characters, but there's nothing of real concern for young readers.
Families Can Talk About
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- Families can talk about the historical realities of religious life in colonial America and might even enjoy researching the infamous Salem witch trials, which took place several years after the fictional events in this book. Why are the Puritans in the story so quick to level charges of witchcraft against those who share different values than they do? How is Kit's daily life in the colonies different than her lifestyle in Barbados? How is being a woman today different than being a woman in the 1600s?
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More on The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Book Summary
In this gripping historical page-turner, sixteen-year-old Kit must defend her life when she is accused of witchcraft in Puritan New England. After she is forced to leave her luxurious home in Barbados to live with her stern and dour Puritan Connecticut relatives, she finds herself facing execution. Author Speare brings seventeenth-century America to vibrant life for today's children.
Is It Any Good?
Well-developed characters and detailed descriptions of life within the town capture and sustain the reader's interest throughout the novel. Coming from a more permissive modern society, many readers will empathize with Kit's unsuccessful attempts to suppress her independent nature, and will find her failure to conform to such a restrictive society endearing. Speare addresses Kit's inner thoughts and emotions frequently throughout the novel, making her a believable and sympathetic character. Though some of the minor characters are stereotypical Puritans, the complex nature of many of the more prominent Puritan characters, particularly those within Kit's family, is gradually revealed.
Passages describing the daily life in a 17th century Puritan colony are particularly interesting. From required behavior in church and the punishments meted out to disobedient children, to the daily chores of the women of Kit's household, readers are given a glimpse of what life was like over 300 years ago. But as charges of witchcraft mount, the novel becomes a real page-turner, and many will find it hard to put down.
Publisher’s Details
Number of pages: 258, Price: $5.99 (paperback)
Read Aloud: 9+, Read Alone: 9+
Our Members Say
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Most Recent Reviews
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Kids ages: 6, 10
I rate this title on for age 9 and give it- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Excellent writing, great historical fiction, a great educational read aloud
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I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
No action...
I think it is really good, but the book had no action whats so ever, it was a great book, but was super low on action(trust me, kids like me love action!) It taught us about puritans and quakers in the 1600s
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I rate this title iffy for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
a good book but hard to read
the book and the story are good but younger readers (ages 8-11) will find it difficult to read.
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Kids ages: 4, 10
I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Educational
Perfect for kids...9+ younger kids won't understande
My kids...they seem to not enjoy it as much as 'the new' books out. Like Hoot and Porqupine...olden times and GREAT children literature! The viloence is a bit extreme...just war and all, and it's like Shakespear writing...I rate [1-10] this book a 7.5
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
omg this is suuucchhh a good book!! i coulnt put it down!! it really shows how ppl thought about which craft and its very educational for kids i five it 5 stars!
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Ratings at a Glance
| 67% | of parents say it's too violent |
| 33% | of parents say there are good role models |
| 33% | of parents don't feel there are good role models |
| 33% | of parents say it's educational |
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