The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

I have started alternately between reading the same literary book that my husband reads with books that I want to reat and that interest me.  I'm not saying that good literature is boring or uninteresting, it just doesn't pop out to me like other books that have little literary value such as the McClure books.  This is one book that my husband wanted to have read for his English class.

I very much enjoyed this short book.  It is a very easy, quick read and gives you a nice insight into the puritan beliefs and witch trials that happened in the past.  It is set during the early days of America in Connecticut when England was still trying to take control of the citizens and tax them for the land that they were originally given for free.  Kit grew up in Barbados, but must come to America to her only living relatives when her grandfather dies.  When she arrives she is immediately targeted as being different and possibly a witch.  Kit hates her life and must adjust to the completely different life in America.  She is used to having slaves and never having to work.  Now she much work hard and can never wear her fancy cloths and must attend church because of her relatives Puritan beliefs.

She finds a friend in an old lady who lives by Blackbird Pond, but is thought to be a witch because she is a Quaker.  Speare adds a nice balance in the book by having suitors court Kit, but she also keeps the interest of a young sailor involved since he is friends with the witch of Blackbird Pond.  I must admit this book drove me crazy with the Puritan beliefs and thoughts on how things should be done and I was really worried that this would end up much like The Crucible, but it did not.  A good read for all.