Mommy Brain

This post contains minor plot spoilers – read at your own risk.

I started reading yesterday afternoon and read until 1 a.m. – stopping only to feed and care for my family. I started reading again today after lunch, and finished at 4 p.m.

I have not been shy about my love for Harry. I posted this after watching the first three movies, but not yet having read any of the books. After reading the first six books and John Granger’s Looking for God in Harry Potter, I posted these thoughts.

I’ve now read the last book in the series, and the thought that keeps rattling around in my mind is this: a lot of Christians should be asking forgiveness of J.K. Rowling for slander. Slander may seem like a harsh word, but here’s the definition: “the utterance of false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another’s reputation.” Many Christians have defamed Rowling by calling her a satanist, a danger to children, and worse.

Now, lest you think I’m simply assuming her Christianity because of her books, I point you toward this interview from 2000, about the time that people were screaming mad about her book being allowed in schools because of “satanic themes.” Here is a portion of the interview, in which Rowling answers the question of her faith:

Harry, of course, is able to battle supernatural evil with supernatural forces of his own, and Rowling is quite clear that she doesn’t personally believe in that kind of magic — ”not at all.” Is she a Christian?

”Yes, I am,” she says. ”Which seems to offend the religious right far worse than if I said I thought there was no God. Every time I’ve been asked if I believe in God, I’ve said yes, because I do, but no one ever really has gone any more deeply into it than that, and I have to say that does suit me, because if I talk too freely about that I think the intelligent reader, whether 10 or 60, will be able to guess what’s coming in the books.”

After reading the finale of Rowling’s series, I can understand why she would say this. Just as Christians reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe will see Jesus in Aslan, Christians reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be unable to miss the distinctly Christian themes and Scripture quotations.

At one point, Harry visits the cemetery in Godric’s Hollow, the burial place of his parents and some of Dumbledore’s family members. On the grave of Dumbledore’s sister is engraved, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” This is Matthew 6:21. On his parents’ grave, he finds, “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” This is 1 Corinthians 15:26.

As I read this scene, I began to sob. Not simply from the emotions involved in Harry seeing his parents’ grave, although it was a poignant scene. No, my heart was hurting for J.K. Rowling. It is so obvious from reading this book that she is a believer, and that she has written Harry Potter as fantasy that reflects a Christian belief in sacrificial love, redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life. And yet this woman has been villified by her fellow believers – they have called her the enemy, and not only have they harbored those thoughts in their hearts, they have felt free to spread them on the internet, from the pulpit, and by word of mouth. Angela Hunt at A Life in Pages points out in the comments section of her post on Harry Potter:

In retrospect, as I look back over the ten years or so of Harry Potter, I have to admire Ms. Rowling’s remarkable forebearance. She hasn’t complained, explained, or defended herself . . . and I don’t think I’d have been as quick to stand back and remain silent. There’s a lesson to be learned here, I think . . . I’m sure there is a time to speak up and a time to refrain from speaking.

I hope that reading the reviews of Deathly Hallows will perhaps cause some Christians to re-think their view on Harry Potter, maybe pick up one of the books and actually think for themselves about what the themes in the series are.

Don’t just take my word for it. Here are some other posts worth checking out:

~This review from the Wall Street Journal sums it up nicely. Even a secular publication notices the strong Christian symbolism. Here’s a snippet:

It has been widely observed that J.K. Rowling owes a creative debt to Christian fantasists J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis (apart from their fondness for initials). It’s odd now to remember that, at the same time, some parents have objected to the magic depicted in the Harry Potter books as a glorification of satanic practices. For “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” confirms something else apart from the well-thought-out-ness of Ms. Rowling’s moral universe: It is subtly but unmistakably Christian.

The principal Hogwarts holidays have always been Christmas and Easter, but it took five books before Ms. Rowling really began tipping her hand. In Book Six, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” she addressed concepts of free will, the power of love, and the sanctity of the soul. But in the final volume she gently lays it all out. The preciousness of each human life; bodily resurrection after death; mercy, forgiveness and redemption; sacrificial love overcoming the powers of evil — strip away the elves, goblins, broomsticks and magic wands and these are the concepts that underpin the marvelously intricate world of Harry Potter.

There are clues throughout. At one point, Harry is led to a weapon that will enable him to destroy the Horcruxes when he finds them: “The ice reflected his distorted shadow and the beam of wandlight, but deep below the thick, misty gray carapace, something else glinted. A great silver cross . . . ”

Two unattributed New Testament quotations recur in the story after Harry sees each on a tombstone in the village where he was born and his mother and father died. He discovers on the Dumbledore family tomb “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,” from I Corinthians. And on the grave of his own parents, he finds this, from Matthew: “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” On seeing it, Harry feels momentary horror: Does it imply a link between his parents and Voldemort’s followers? Hermione gently sets him straight: “It doesn’t mean defeating death in the way the Death Eaters mean it, Harry. It means . . . you know . . . living beyond death. Living after death.”

~The Sword of Gryffindor has a good post detailing some of the Christian elements. Also, there are many, many posts at this site that go into even more detail, so click around as you have time. A quote from the initial review:

Let’s say it plainly: The debate is over. Rowling so clearly told the Christian story in Deathly Hallows that one wonders how anyone will ever protest the series again. (They will, of course. It’ll just be all the more ludicrous).

~John Granger, the author of Looking for God in Harry Potter has many insightful posts on the final book at his blog, Hogwarts Professor.

I know, this isn’t really a review. I don’t mean to keep going on and on about this, but the injustice of it all bothers me. I don’t know if I’ll be able to change anyone’s mind, but I am done being worried about what Christians think if they find out I read Harry Potter.

On to the book. I don’t quite know what to say. I really wasn’t sure how she could live up to expectations that were so high, but she did. The book ended the series perfectly – from Harry coming full circle by leaving the Dursley’s as he arrived (in Sirius’s motorcycle, driven by Hagrid) – to the final battle at Hogwarts – and the beautiful epilogue at King’s Cross Station, Platform 9 3/4.

I don’t want to give too much away, but Rowling was right when she said that beloved characters die. There were many heart-breaking moments when tears flowed freely. I discovered that it is not good to read a book like this in the same room as your 10 year old daughter. Every time I gasped, or sobbed, or whispered, “Oh, no!” – Natalie immediately demanded to know what was happening. I must admit, I snapped a few times. “Please, just let me read – I’ll tell you when I finish it!”

Deathly Hallows was a fitting ending to a series that I know I will be reading again, and that will be among my favorite, most-cherished books.

I have seen the movie versions of both Emma and Sense and Sensibility and enjoyed them very much. (Although I must admit, I am not a big fan of Gwyneth Paltrow, but I can’t quite put my finger on why.) I have not seen either movie for years, though, so I plan to watch them again soon to see if I now think they did the books justice.

It’s different reading a book after I’ve already seen the movie. I find myself waiting for the big scenes – the ones I remember from the movie. And although I tried not to, I picture the actors as the characters – but only some of them. I did not/could not picture Ms. Paltrow as Emma, but I always saw Jeremy Northam as Mr. Knightley as I read. (He’s a terrific actor by the way, and if you want to see his comic versatility in a completely different role, Netflix Happy, Texas.) I also thought that Toni Collette was perfectly cast as Harriet, as was Alan Cummings as Mr. Elton. I remember less about the movie version of Sense and Sensibility, but I could not help seeing the wonderful Emma Thompson as Elinor, and remembering the scene where, upon learning that Edward is not married, she finally loses her composure. Brilliantly acted scene.

On to the books. I loved them both, of course. I still can’t believe I’ve waited so long to read Austen. I am sad that there are only two works of hers left on my shelves unread: Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey. I shall just have to read them all over again, I guess.

Of the two, I enjoyed Sense and Sensibility the most – probably because I kept getting so frustrated with Emma! Such a smart girl in some ways, and in other ways completely oblivious. And the utter snobbishness that she displayed in thinking Robert Martin not suitable for Harriet – and yet was surprised to see Mr. Elton display in proclaiming himself too good for Miss Smith.

I found myself liking Elinor Dashwood very much. One of the questions in the back of the version I read was “Who would you rather have as a friend – Elinor or Marianne?” I admired Elinor’s ability to put aside her own needs in order to care for her family, without seeming to become resentful or self-pitying. But I also liked Marianne’s candor in saying just what she was feeling – I would not want a friend who always kept everything to herself. I suppose the fact that Marianne becomes more sensible, and Elinor becomes more able to enjoy life shows that the perfect person would be a balance of the two.

I know this isn’t really a review, just rambling thoughts. To sum it all up, I loved both books, and while I was anticipating the romances reaching their fruition, I was also sad to see the books coming to an end. It also makes me sad to think of how young Jane Austen was when she died. How many more books did she have in her?

(Roving Mars was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of review.)

Roving Mars is a documentary that tells the story of the development, launch, and landings of the two Mars Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The kids and I watched it last night, after which Noah declared he was going to be an astronaut/scientist when he grows up. He then went and drew his own poster of the Mars Rover on the surface of the planet.

I have to tell you, science movies have come a long way since I was a kid. I remember the movies we watched in school as mostly dry and boring, a good chance for a nap. But with modern technology and media techniques, documentary films have come a long way.

The movie is about 40 minutes long, and tells how the Mars Rovers were built over three years and what they were able to do once they landed on Mars. The suspense is palpable in the scene where the people at Nasa are waiting for the first Rover to make radio contact. Can you imagine three years of your life spent on one project – and then having to launch it off into space and hope that it not only reaches its target, but works once it gets there?

The science is explained in terms the kids – and I – were able to understand. Christian parents who are strict young-earth creationists might be disturbed by the “billions of years ago” and “studying Mars might tell us what the origins of life are” statements, but it’s worth getting past that to watch the film.

Dear nameless customer service guy:

When I call my credit card company to ask for a different due date for my payment, don’t tell me that it’s not possible to change the date. Especially when the web site says I can change the date by sending a secure message listing the time of month I would like my payment to be due. Don’t act surprised when I use a terse voice to inform you of that fact and then say, “Oh, I guess I can do that for you,” – unless you want to sound like a lazy jerk who just didn’t want to help me.

Another helpful hint. When I inform you that, “No, I don’t have a work number to add to this account,” – don’t say, ‘Why aren’t you working when you sound like such a young woman?” unless you want this 24/7 stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of four to come completely unglued, and inform you that, while this is none of your business, I do work – taking care of my family!

Just thought you might want to remember this for the next customer service call.

Sincerely, blah, blah, blah…

Note to self: don’t call customer service guy when you haven’t eaten in over three hours – and breakfast was only toast – and thought you’d just get this “little thing” taken care of before you eat.

(Coco was provided to me by Special Ops Media for the purpose of review.)

I’m always hesitant to review music, because I’m pretty picky. I don’t like anything too heavy – it makes me feel like I want to climb the walls. Even mellow music can make me feel like that if the kids are making noise at the same time it’s playing.

But I am very glad I agreed to review Colbie Caillat‘s debut CD Coco. A self-described California girl, her music is the perfect summer soundtrack. I don’t know much about music genres, but I guess I would describe her music as acoustic pop/folk. Maybe a cross between Norah Jones and Sheryl Crow? I don’t know – but you can listen for yourself at her MySpace page, and you can listen to short samples of each song at Amazon.

From the CD cover, I see that Colbie either wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the CD, and I love the lyrics. Her song “Bubbly,” about the feelings of young love, is especially fun. You can watch the video here.

One of the best things about this CD is that both Natalie and I like it. I’m tired of listening to Hannah Montana and Hilary Duff, so this gives us something else we can enjoy together.

Coco goes on sale today.

I’m so sorry I forgot to draw the winners for the King Tut DVD yesterday! I had a CAT scan appointment (nothing serious, my sinuses), and the day got away from me. So, without further ado, here are the two names my daughter drew…

Sherry…

…and…

…Birdie!

Congratulations, ladies! I’ll be contacting you by e-mail for your mailing addresses.

Oh, and to answer Heidi’s question: no, I don’t have a waiting period for contests. Everyone can enter, though I usually mention keeping it to the US and Canada, cause shipping overseas can get expensive.

A recent thread on a homeschool Yahoo group I belong to asked about how we keep ourselves and our kids organized. As I was typing my answer, I thought some of my readers here might be interested to read it, too. Here it is:

The first couple of years of homeschooling, I did the whole teacher’s planner route – little boxes with every day’s plans penciled in. Then we’d get sick, or have appointments, or one of the kids would have trouble grasping a concept, or a different kid would want to do three days’ worth of work in one day. Then I’d have to stay up that evening, erasing all my well laid-out plans, and re-penciling them in. After two years of that, I gave up.

This is what I did last year for the subjects the kids do individually: math, grammar, spelling, vocab. I printed out some free calendar pages from dltk-kids.com – one for each month of our school year. I took the number of math/grammar/etc. lessons and divided it by 32 weeks. (I know our school year is 36 weeks long, but I like to have some wiggle room, catch-up time available.) Then I wrote on Friday of each week what lessons in each subject the student should be finishing. For my oldest, who likes to work individually and often ahead, I got her own little calendar/organizer and did the same thing. So on Monday, Natalie (my 5th grader) could look at that week’s work and know what needed to be finished by Friday in order to stay caught up. For the boys, who are less self-directed, I put the calendar pages in the front of their 3-ring binders that hold their finished work. Then when we finished something, I highlighted it. It kept us on schedule all year – the first year that’s happened. Some weeks we were ahead, and that helped to make up for the weeks the flu or orthodontist appointments hit.

We do science, history, Spanish, art, and music together. For those subjects, I use spiral notebooks, and lists. For instance, we used Story of the World I for history last year. (And loved it, by the way- I can’t wait to start Book II!) So I went through the Activity Book, figured out which activities we would do (I wasn’t crazy enough to attempt them all- I wanted to get through Book I in one school year). Then I figured out how many days each chapter would take, based on which activities we would do. We always do the questions, the map work, and the coloring pages. We also have additional reading or videos on the topic from the library, whenever it is available. Then I wrote in a spiral notebook what was to be done for each chapter, and approximately how many days it will take. Prior to the chapter’s instructions, I list the materials to put on hold at the library and the supplies to have on hand for the activities, so I can stay one step ahead. Something like this:

Library Holds:

- Muhammad – Demi
- The Tale of Aladdin – Kimmel
- The Tale of Ali baba – Kimmel
- Movie – Arabian Nights

Supplies:

- Light weight paper plates
- Yarn
- Buttons

Chapter 7 – 3 days

- Read p. 77-79
- ?s – TM p. 46
- Read p. 79-81
- ?s – TM p. 47
- Read p. 81-85
- ?s – TM p. 47
- Read p. 85-855
- ?s – TM p. 47
- Map – St. p. 29 (inst. TM p. 48)
- Color – St. p. 30
- Activity – TM p. 50

Now that may look like a bunch of nonsense to you, but I can look at it and know what I need to be prepared. When it tells me to read pages, I know that’s from the Story of the World text. TM stands for the Activity book. St. stands for the student pages that have been photocopied from the activity book.

I do the same thing with our Science curriculum, Living Learning Books. We do History 3 days a week, Science 2 days a week. (They also go to a science lab class once a week.) We do Spanish a couple days a week, though that fell away after Christmas, and I use a similar system for that. We’re adding Latin this year, and I’m sure the same system will work. That way if there is a week when everyone is sick, or I am sick and can only handle doing the basics, it doesn’t matter. I don’t date the chapters until we have completed them. So if you ask me what we’re doing for history in three weeks, I’ll say “whatever is next on the list.” This worked so well last year, that we finished Science and History during the school year for the first time ever! Next year that may not work, cause SOTW Book II The Middle Ages is going to be so much fun, we’ll probably do more activities, so it may leak over into summer.

I also have a PDA that I use for all of our appointments, my grocery list, and calendar, but so far have not used it for any planning or record keeping for our homeschooling.

At the end of the year, I put together a portfolio for each kid. It includes all their math and spelling tests, any writing assignments, some work from beginning, middle, and end of year for grammar, their finished history and science projects, their standardized test scores, any certificates they get from T-ball or Tae Kwon Do, etc. This goes in a plastic storage box with finished workbooks and other artwork that can’t go in the portfolio notebook. I write my child’s name and “School Year 2006-2007″ in Sharpie on the top and it gets stored in the basement storage room. If I ever need to refer to their test scores or other info, it’s very easy to find.

Anybody else have some great suggestions for homeschool organization or record keeping?

It has been a few weeks since I’ve had time to sit down on a Friday and do a links post. We’re on Summer Break from homeschooling – which has basically meant one orthodontist, dentist, or doctor appointment after another! I thought we were reaching the end, and then a postcard from our friendly opthamologist came in yesterday’s mail, reminding me that Natalie’s due for an eye check-up. Sigh.

We had a terrific 4th of July. Don and Michelle and the boys came over for a BBQ. After dinner, the guys and kids let off all the “daytime fireworks.” That’s what my kids call things like smoke bombs, snakes, and fire crackers – you don’t need darkness to enjoy them. Then we came inside for dessert and watched Independence Day (fast-forwarding through the pole-dancing scene, of course). Afterward, it was dark enough to do the “nighttime fireworks.” We did some, but the wind kicked up and it became unsafe, so we called it a night. All in all, a fun day.

I have been getting some lesson planning done for our upcoming school year – we’ll be starting back on August 27th. My sister Andrea and her two boys are coming up from Boise the week of August 13th, and I want to have as much done beforehand so I can just enjoy their visit – and not have to cram the week after!

I still have a school-year-wrap-up post rattling around in my head – I’ll get to it soon, hopefully.

Today is supposed to be another scorcher – it was 109 F yesterday, according to one of the temp. signs in town. We have yet another ortho appointment this morning, then a stop at the licensing department to license the boat and a play date this afternoon. Tomorrow morning we will head for the lake: which means lots of inner-tubing and swimming for the kids, and lots of sunscreen-slathering on slippery children for me. And hopefully some reading in a lawn chair while they all frolic. Kevin and the kids will camp over, while I will come home to a quiet house for a shower and good night’s sleep in my own bed. Ahhh, I love camping.

On to the links – I have quite a few since I’ve been collecting for weeks:

~ First of all, don’t forget to sign up for the King Tut DVD giveaway.

~ This photo essay from Time is fascinating – it shows what fifteen families around the world eat in a week.

~ Jodi at Cartoon Living posted this adorable video.

~ This 20/20 Video on YouTube, called Stupid in America, is long – about 40 minutes – but well worth watching. John Stossel reveals some of the major flaws in the American education system.

~ Nora Ephron has a hilarious piece in The New York Times called The Six Stages of E-mail. (This requires free registration.)

~ Katy at Fallible started a great discussion when she revealed she has no idea who to vote for. Great comments, great links, great info about some of the lesser-known candidates.

~ If you’re in the same boat, this quiz can be helpful. You answer questions about the issues that matter to you, and the results tell you who you should vote for. After researching all of the links and info from Katy’s post, I knew who I was leaning toward, and this quiz confirmed it. Warning: you have to click through a bunch of ads at the end to get your results, but it’s worth it.

~ If you’re wondering which way I’m leaning for the election, it’s toward Ron Paul. Who’s Ron Paul, you might ask? So did I when I saw his name mentioned on Katy’s post, and then I did a lot of reading and YouTube watching. This video sums him up best, I think. You can also read many of his speeches and writings here. If you’re curious as to why I’ve changed my opinion about the war, read this post. I welcome discussion on this issue, but let’s keep it civil, okay?

~ The New 7 Wonders of the World have been chosen.

~ The Headmistress at The Common Room has posted her list of “Rules My Mama Never Told Me I’d Need to Make.” Then Sherry at Semicolon chimed in with hers. If I ever did this, top of my list would be: “Don’t lick the frozen food cases at the grocery store,” and “Don’t stick your entire head under the mouth of the coffee grinder in order to sniff the coffee beans, either!”

~ Entertainment Weekly has an interview with Harry Potter himself, aka Daniel Radcliffe. They also have an interview with Helena Bonham Carter, who plays the evil Bellatrix Lestrange in Order of the Phoenix. Anyone seen it yet? I know Karen and Lawanda have. The theater in our little hick town is probably one of the only ones in the country not showing it yet. Aargh!

Now for all you aspiring writers, here are some writing contests I ran across:

~ The Image-In contest is for short stories or poems based on one of several photographs from artist Carol Wood.

~ In keeping with All Things Harry, here’s a contest where you write your final scene to the Harry Potter series. Two prizes – one for the best ending, one for the person who comes closing to J.K. Rowling’s ending. $500 prize for each category!

~ The American Literary Review is hosting a contest for poetry, short fiction, and creative non-fiction.

~ Dogwood, a journal for poetry and prose, is also holding a short fiction and poetry contest.

~ The Georgetown Review is hosting a contest for short stories, poetry, and essays.

~ The Mississippi Review is awarding $1,000 each in fiction and poetry.

~ Whim’s Place is holding a flash fiction contest. Flash fiction is very, very short fiction – less than 500 words for this contest. Whim’s Place has put together a Flash Fiction 101 for those who would like more info.

~ Another short story contest, this one from Writer’s Digest.

Whew – I told you there were a lot. I hope you are all surviving the heat! Any big plans for the weekend?

Special Ops is providing me with two copies of Tutankhamun & The Golden Age of the Pharaohs to give away to two of my lucky blog readers! Here are the details on the DVD:

In 1976 a collection of 55 treasures from the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun left the Cairo Museum en route to the United States , taking the country by storm and introducing millions of Americans to these wonders of the ancient world. Now, Egypt has granted another opportunity for us to view such treasures, and again, spectators are mesmerized. Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs DVD is hosted by Omar Sharif and includes interviews with Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Cairo Egypt , as well as may other individuals that were instrumental in organizing this exhibit.

The DVD – hosted by the legendary Omar Sharif – draws you into the exhibit, where viewers will come face to face with Tut’s contemporaries, see and hear about the fascinating times in which the young king lived and learn how his short reign changed history. This DVD gives you an up-close and incredibly detailed look beyond the shimmering gold and beautiful treasures – isolating each piece with multiple camera angles, and beautiful moving images. The DVD also features National Geographic images and film footage about the golden age of the pharaohs as well as information on cutting-edge research into the life and death of Tutankhamun.

You can watch a video overview of the exhibit here.

This DVD would be a great addition to any collection – especially those of you who are currently or plan to study Ancient History. So here’s the deal:

~ Leave a comment on this post by midnight, Sunday the 15th.

~ I’ll draw two winners Monday morning and post their names, as well as contact them by e-mail for their mailing addresses.

~ When I receive the DVDs, I’ll pop them in the mail to the winners.

It’s as easy as that – so comment away!

Now I remember why I read this book over and over again as a young girl! I assigned Natalie to read this a couple months ago, and she complained and whined about having to read it – but in the end she loved it. I decided to re-read it myself before returning it.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond is an example of a perfect historical novel. It has adventure, romance, danger, history – what more could you want? And Speare is brilliant at writing historical details in such a way that they are just part of the story – you don’t feel like you’re reading a history lesson.

When Natalie was only about 1/3 of the way through, and hadn’t been “grabbed” by the story yet, she asked me why I was making her read it. I told her that she can learn many things about history from reading historical novels – and it’s much more pleasant than reading a history text. She said, “I’m not learning anything!”

I proceeded to ask her several questions about daily life in Puritan New England: what they dressed like, what their church services were like, what their schools were like, how they cooked their meals, what housework did they do, etc. She answered each question knowledgably, and then a light bulb came on. “Oh.”

The Witch of Blackbird Pond tells the story of Kit, a 16-year-old girl who has been raised on Barbados by her grandfather. When her grandfather dies, Kit is forced to sell his estate to pay off debts. She leaves on a ship for colonial Connecticut, hoping to be welcomed into her aunt’s family.

Life in New England is very different than what Kit is used to. The town her aunt and uncle live in is a Puritan town, and Kit is disliked from the start – for her wardrobe, her ability to swim, her knowledge of literature and plays. She learns to work alongside her cousins Judith and Mercy, having had everything done for her by slaves as a child.

Her only refuge is the Blackbird Pond and the cottage of Widow Tupper, a Quaker, and therefore an outcast. Hannah Tupper refuses to go to Meeting, and is fined and shunned for it. People in town believe she is a witch, and when many children in town become sick with a mysterious illness, Hannah becomes the scapegoat – as does Kit, by association.

This book gives a good understanding of the ignorance and fear that existed during the time of the witch trials in the Colonies, and would make a great read-aloud or assigned reading for your older elementary or junior high students.

5 stars