Happy Halloween! Did you know that over 1 million people have already visited Salem, Massachusetts in October 2025? And they are expecting over 80,000 to visit today. Salem is known as the Witch City and even Salem High School's mascot is the witches. Now I live pretty close to Salem. People from around here know there is no parking in Salem for the month of October (and actually for most of September as well as into November) because of all of the tourists that flock to the Witch City. Salem has embraced its witch history and has become a huge tourist site for it. However, the witch trials and happenings in Salem were quite different. Today we are sharing a wonderful book about the Salem witch trials, and it is told in first person. The book is Did You Hear What Happened in Salem? The Witch Trials of 1692 by Katie Kennedy and illustrated by Nick Thornborrow. It is recommended for ages 8 and up.
About the Book:
Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1692. When the first girl fell down screaming, the people of Salem Village thought it might just be silliness. Then a second girl started barking. A third and fourth began to shake uncontrollably. A doctor said “an evil hand” had come upon the girls, and everyone knew: They were bewitched.But who were the witches? Everyone knew that too: the unprotected residents of Salem—the poor, the elderly, the ones who were a little bit strange. Soon more girls were having fits and naming people as witches. The village erupted in accusations, suspicion, and fear. By the time the witch trials ended, dozens of lives had been ruined, and twenty people were dead.
And I saw it all.
With a snarky and surprising first-person narrator – a historical figure that played a major role in events – acclaimed writer Katie Kennedy offers a fresh new take on the greatest true-crime story in American history.
From Me:
I love how this story is told in the first person and mentions the court records and such to show the truth of the history. It is an interesting telling of the tale, and I learned that some of the beliefs about witches came from these trials. For example, it was these trials that claimed witches flew and flew on brooms as well as being tied to black cats. The first-person narrator makes the story interesting to read and more like a story than history. I love how the narrator what really could be the causes of the fits and accusations as well as other theories along the way.
With the story of the Salem witch trials, we see a reason for so many of our current laws including innocent until proven guilty and needing evidence. The witch trials did not require evidence and even when claims were proven somewhat false the people were found guilty because of the fear and perhaps other people in control. The witch trials left a huge mark in our country's history, and it is interesting to read about them unfolding in a fun narrative like it is town gossip. The book has illustrations throughout it that add to the story as well.
In the last chapter more is shared about the witch trials as well as other books that tell the story. I love how The Crucible is mentioned and how it shares that it was more a political story of the 1950s that was set in the time period of the witch trials. I think the message that this hysteria can occur any time is also made loud and clear. The book is able to relate this historical event to our lives today. It does it all in a fun and concise way. This book is perfect for true crime lovers, mystery lovers and history lovers. It will also work in curriculum when studying the history of Salem as well as colonial times. I can see many people enjoying the book and I can honestly recommend it!
