The Salem Witch Trials: An Unsolved Mystery from History [Hardcover]

Grade 3-6–Yolen and her daughter outline the basic events that gripped this community while boxed text, drawn to look like pages from an investigator's notebook, add context. Smaller sidebars define some of the terms used. The book concludes with a presentation of some of the extant theories of what caused the girls' hysteria and the reactions of the other townspeople, with questions for readers, based on the text, that may support or attack each theory. Roth's graphite-and-watercolor illustrations, done in somber tones, convey the bleakness of the Colonial winter and the drama of the unfolding events. There have been a number of books for this audience covering the Salem witch trials, Edward Dolan's (Benchmark, 2001), Tamra Orr's (Blackbirch, 2004), and Stephen Currie's (KidHaven, 2002), among them. While these titles cover the facts more completely and may be better suited for reports, the investigative approach used here gives a different perspective and encourages readers to evaluate the evidence and draw their own conclusions.–Elaine Fort Weischedel, Millbury Public Library, MA
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Gr. 4-6. Yolen and her daughter offer another entry in the Unsolved Mystery from History series. Once again, a girl whose father is a detective introduces events. She collects information about the "case" and at the end offers various scenarios about what happened in Salem, asking readers to come up with their own conclusions. The format seems more streamlined than in previous books, but each spread still features a text box and another box in the shape of a notebook, which contains the girl's musings. There are also several colored boxes with word definitions, which could have been incorporated into the text; simpler words could also have been used. On the plus side, this effectively introduces an intriguing subject, and the mystery of what really happened is more than enough to whet kids' appetites. Roth's illustrations serve the text very well; big, bold, and reminiscent of the work of Trina Schart Hyman, they fit the oversize picture-book format and move things along. A bibliography and list of Web sites will lead readers to more. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

In 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, witnessed one of the saddest and most inexplicable chapters in American history.

When a group of girls came down with a horrible, mysterious bout of illness, the town doctor looked in his medical books but failed to find a reasonable diagnosis. Pretty soon everyone in town was saying the same thing: The girls were ill because they were under a spell, the spell of witchcraft! And still, the question remains: Why did the hysteria occur? The townspeople had many things to worry about back then: smallpox, strife with the local Indians, a preacher demanding higher wages, and the division of land in the community. But did all of those problems justify a witch hunt?

Become a detective as you read this true story, study the clues, and try to understand the hysteria! The Unsolved Mystery from History series is written by acclaimed author Jane Yolen and former private investigator Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple. This is an innovative history lesson that's sure to keep kids thinking throughout.

Jane Yolen is an award-winning author who has written more than 200 books for children, including the bestseller How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? and the 1988 Caldecott Medal winner Owl Moon. She is known for her beautiful poetry and has even been called “the Hans Christian Anderson of America” (Newsweek). Jane Yolen lives in Hatfield, Massachusetts. Visit her at JaneYolen.com.

Heidi Elizabet Yolen Stemple is Jane Yolen's daughter and sometime writing partner. Together they wrote the Unsolved Mysteries from History series. Heidi lives in Hatfield, MA. 

 Roger Roth Sr. he has authored or co-authored eight books and delivered over five thousand inspirational messages and teachings. Roger Roth has partnered with Mark Hanby in his ministry and his writing for many years. Together they oversee Mark Hanby Ministries/Father’s Heart Ministries an internationally recognized teaching and resource center.