 | Did you hear what happened in Salem? : the witch trials of 1692 (Did You Hear What Happened) Author: Kennedy, Katie | |
| Price: $7.37 | ||
Summary:
Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1692. When the first girl fell down screaming, the people of Salem Village thought it might just be silliness. Then a second girl started barking. A third and fourth began to shake uncontrollably. A doctor said "an evil hand" had come upon the girls, and they knew: they were bewitched. Soon the village erupted in accusations, suspicion, and fear. By the time the witch trials ended, dozens of lives had been ruined, and twenty people were dead.
| Added Entry - Personal Name: | Thornborrow, Nick |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (09/15/25)
Booklist (+) (12/01/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 07/01/2025 *Starred Review* This gripping book about the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 is a welcome addition to other works on the topic. An unnamed narrator (revealed by the end of the book) who claims to have witnessed it all recounts the horrific events that resulted in 19 people hanged, a man crushed to death, and two dogs killed, in addition to lives and reputations irretrievably damaged. The conversational and chatty narrator uses modern slang that mitigates the unrelentingly grim details of the events. Suppositions explain the accusers’ motives because factual evidence against the accused was nonexistent or incomplete at the time. Viewed from a modern perspective, the evidence is often absurd or laughable, yet the consequences are deadly serious. Kennedy convincingly explains how seemingly far-fetched and nonexistent evidence could convict so many people without proof because the power of persuasion was (and still is) so compelling. She makes the connection between the witch hunts and the prevalent misinformation of today, noting how it could happen again. Thornborrow’s unsettling full-page illustrations effectively depict the events surrounding the trials. Readers who appreciate haunting true crime tales will find this title in the Did You Hear What Happened? series irresistible. Includes a who’s who, a roll call of the deceased, an author’s note, further reading, and a witch cake recipe. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
