The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Elizabeth George Speare

The Witch of Blackbird Pond affords readers a vivid picture of colonial Connecticut as it traces one year in the life of young Kit Tyler who has recently arrived from Barbados. Kit's relatively free upbringing in the Caribbean clashes with the stern Puritan way of life, and the cold weather and the icy suspicion of the townspeople combine to make Kit's transition difficult. Eventually Kit is befriended by a young sailor and a gentle Quaker woman. But soon the town's suspicion of the older woman begins to include Kit, and both women are accused of being witches. This enduring tale of friendship and young love explores the prejudices and social constraints of the Puritan era.

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Study Guide (PDF)