It Happened in Salem

Gr 4 Up–Winter’s book offers a blunt and eerily modern take on the events and consequences of the infamous Salem Witch Trials, and it will make readers think twice about spreading rumors. Readers are immediately warned, in a riveting second-person narration, how pointing blame on someone else might feel safe to do when others are acting the same way, but it starts a domino effect of ruining the reputation of everyone in the vicinity: “If you’re one of the finger-pointers, you won’t get those fingers pointed at you, or so you think.” The simple, contemporary style is free of outdated and confusing terms, and Winter’s text is quick to point out that those who create and share lies can easily destroy another person’s life as they did in Salem. Holland’s illustrations are done in a gorgeous classical painting style to starkly depict the deadly verdicts carried out on innocent victims. While the faces of the victims are not displayed, the images, such as three woman dangling after being hanged, can be provocative in a book intended for children. The author’s note contains more context about the details of the Salem Witch Trials, including a more recent update on how the victims are memorialized.