Newbery Medal Winner
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
by Elizabeth George Speare
Summary
In 1687, spirited young Kit Tyler leaves sunny Barbados and arrives in rigid Puritan Connecticut, where her bright clothes and independent spirit set her apart from the stern community. When she befriends a lonely Quaker woman the townspeople call a witch, Kit finds herself accused of witchcraft and put on trial. Speare weaves themes of tolerance, friendship, and freedom of conscience into a vivid portrait of colonial New England.
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Historical Context & Significance
This was the first of two Newbery Medals Elizabeth George Speare would win, with The Bronze Bow following just three years later.