Common Sense Media Review
By Lucinda Dyer
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Must read story of a dark time in American history.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
WITCH HUNT begins with the story of the Indiana Textbook Commission trying to ban kids from reading about Robin Hood because he might turn them into communists. After World War II, many Americans were terrified of communists. In the late 40s and early 50s, famous Hollywood figures testified before Congress about the threat of communism in the movie industry. Some screenwriters were jailed and some entertainers were blacklisted. In the 1950 election, Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin told reporters he had a list of 205 people in the State Department who were communists, but he'd made it all up, and even the FBI couldn't find a single communist. That didn't stop McCarthy, though, who set in motion a witch hunt targeting supposed communists, gays, and civil rights activists, ruining the lives and reputations of countless innocent Americans. Finally, after questioning the integrity of an Army general, the tides began to turn against McCarthy. In April 1954, TV and radio networks began airing the Army-McCarthy hearings. An estimated 80 million people tuned in and what they saw and heard, said Collier's Magazine "..was a carnival. A sprawling, brawling travesty." The Senate had finally had enough and McCarthy was officially censured three months later.
Is It Any Good?
A powerful and thought provoking history that uses voices and news reports from the era to take readers deep inside the story. The massive amount of history covered in Witch Hunt could seem intimidating and there are events and personalities that will not have been covered in textbooks. But Balis' and Levy's short chapters, "soundbites" from people who were there, and Tim Foley's exceptional black and white line drawings that bring major characters to life, make for a lively and engaging read even for teens who are reluctant readers of history.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the courage shown by the people brave enough to speak out in Witch Hunt. What would you have done if a friend or family member had been unjustly accused of being a communist?
Are there are groups of people who are being unfairly targeted or persecuted in your school or community? Is anyone standing up to support them?
Americans in the 1950s were terrified of communists. What do you think Americans fear today? Is that fear justified or is it something that's been sensationalized by the media?
Book Details
- Authors :
- Illustrator : Tim Foley
- Genre : History
- Topics : Activism , History
- Character Strengths : Courage
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : Roaring Brook Press
- Publication date : April 16, 2024
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 11 - 14
- Number of pages : 224
- Available on : Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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