Wicked Girls

Hemphill, Stephanie.  Wicked Girls.  Harper Collins, New York.  2010. 

Annotation:
A fictional account of the Salem Witch Trials, told from the point of view of the real girls involved in the story.

Book Talk: 
The Salem Witch Trials are one of the most infamous periods in Colonial American History.  In 1692, more than 220 people were accused of being witches by a group of 7 girls, ranging in age from 8 to 17.  In total, 144 people had legal action brought against them.  19 people were hanged, and one man was pressed to death.  3 women and several infants died in jail.

To this day, no one knows what sparked the accusations.  The girls would fall into fits on the floor during the trials, and claim that witches were poking them, cutting them, or otherwise hurting them.  They would then name the names of people in the town.  Many of those accused of witch craft went ahead and confessed to being a witch.  For those who did not confess, they were sent to trial.  If they were found guilty, they were hanged.

Journey back in time and join Salem Village at the height of the Salem Witch Hunts.  Follow along from the perspective of each of the girls who were the "seers" of the village.

Here, we join Ann Putnam, Jr (age 12) as she is in the middle of a seizure and sees the witches tormenting her:

I AM AFFLICTED

Someone makes my legs
whip about like sheets in the wind.
Someone curls and bends
my arms behind my neck.
All turns black and cold.
"who goes there?" I cry.

I scream until the room comes lit,
and then I see witches
the same as the Minister's girls-
Tituba, the Parrises' slave, and Goody Good.
I swear to Father 'tis the witches
who twist my limbs and cause me ache.
I blink my eyes and the witches disappear,
but I saw them stand bfore me,
felt them pinch my arm,
I know that I did.

(Wicked Girls, page 58)

Find out more in "Wicked Girls" by Stephanie Hemphill.

Author's Website: http://www.harperteen.com/author/microsite/about.aspx?authorid=35978

Reviewer's Note:
I was enchanted by the set up of this book.  Each girl has a say in this story. 
Here is the thing: the story of each child is told in a beautifully written, succinct free verse poem.  Each poem is titled, and the person who is telling the story is listed below the title of the poem, along with their age.
The story moves, almost dances through the ugly accusations and trials of Salem.
It did take me a few minutes to adjust to the poetry set up of the story, as it is not what I would consider a "traditional" story. 
This book is well worth your time!

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