It Happened in Salem Illustrated by Brad Holland Creative Editions, August 13, 2024
School Library Journal Best Book of 2024
Starred Review...!
*"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 The simple, contemporary style is free of outdated and confusing terms, and Winter’s text is quick to point out that those who create and share lies can easily destroy another person’s life as they did in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. (School Library Journal, starred review)
"Most schoolchildren know the sting of false witness, whether they’ve been the victim (or perpetrator) of lies or have seen someone else made the target. In the context of American history, the nastiest example of bullying by dishonest accusation is probably the witch hysteria that hit the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1692. In “It Happened in Salem,” Jonah Winter has turned the affair into a superb cautionary tale.... “It Happened in Salem” is a powerful reminder of the madness of crowds and a sobering call to personal account." (Wall Street Journal)
