The Witch of Blackbird Pond
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| Author | Elizabeth George Speare |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Children's, Historical novel |
| Publisher | Houghton Mifflin |
| Released | December 1, 1958 |
| Media type | Hardcover Paperback Audio |
| Pages | 256 pages |
| ISBN | NA & reissue ISBN 0-395-07114-3 |
The Witch of Blackbird Pond is a novel by Elizabeth George Speare that was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1959.
[edit] Plot summary
Sixteen-year-old Kit Tyler has lived most of her life on the sunny island of Barbados, raised by her wealthy grandfather on his plantation. However, his death in 1687 forces her to go live with her only remaining relatives: her Aunt Rachel and Uncle Mathew in Wethersfield, Connecticut in the Connecticut Colony. Her grandfather's money was spent paying off debts and her only other option was to marry a man much older than her.
The atmosphere of the strict Puritan colony is very different from Kit's previous home, and she chafes under all the restrictions on her behavior. The people in the town are astounded and alarmed by her wealth, clothes and ideas, as well as her ability to swim, seen as an indication of witchcraft. While her pretty cousin, Judith, is thrilled by the dresses Kit brings, Kit's uncle becomes angry at such extravagance and forces Kit to lock away the dresses. Mercy, Kit's older crippled cousin, is more hospitable and welcomes Kit into the family.
Lonely, she befriends elderly Hannah Tupper, a Quaker who was expelled from the Massachusetts colony because of her religion and a suspicion that she is a witch. Through her friendship with Hannah, Kit develops a relationship with Nat, the son of the captain that owned the boat she arrived on. She also befriends a young girl named Prudence, whose abusive mother refuses to let her attend school, saying that she's a half-wit. Kit, feeling sorry for Prudence, uses her old hornbook to teach Prudence to read and write. When a deadly illness sweeps through the colony, Hannah is believed to be the cause. Kit hides Hannah in the woods and they watch as the villagers burn down Hannah's home and steal her possessions. Nat takes Hannah away on his ship, but Kit doesn't want to leave her family. Soon, Kit finds herself on trial as a witch, and fighting for her life. No one seems to believe in Kit's innocence until Nat returns and brings Prudence to the court. Prudence explains that the one piece of evidence, Kit's hornbook, was used to teach her to write (the villagers thought that it was being used to enchant Prudence, since her name was written down so many times), and proves it by reading verses from the Bible before the court. In the end, Kit is let off and Prudence's father insists that his daughter be educated. Nat returns with his own ship, the Witch, and he and Kit ask her uncle for permission to marry. Nat and Kit get married. Judith marries Willam Ashby, who had wanted to marry Kit, and Mercy marries John Holbrook, a young clergyman.
| Preceded by Rifles for Watie |
Newbery Medal recipient 1959 |
Succeeded by Onion John |
