Did You Hear What Happened in Salem?: The Witch Trials of 1692

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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.

10 Interesting Facts about the Salem Witch Trials & Salem, Massachusetts

So Multicultural Kid Blogs has a new series 10 Fun Facts About.... I wrote one the other night for Native American Heritage Month (it goes live on November 6th). It got me thinking about different subjects that would be fun to do. I decided with Halloween next week, I would do one on the Salem Witch Trials. Salem, Massachusetts is crazy for the entire month of October. On weekends it is impossible to get in or out of Salem. People are there all month long in costumes. They have a Witch Museum; a street called Witch Way; an elementary school called Witchcraft Heights Elementary School; and the high school mascot is Salem Witches. After all Salem calls itself The Witch City. Even the police cars have a witch on them.  You can read about one of our visits to Witch City.

U.S. History for 250th Celebration: WHO HQ Graphic Novel

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It is hard to believe that the United States is celebrating 250 years this week! We have been sharing a bunch of different books for different ages that are perfect for celebrating and learning more about the United States. Topics include Independence Day, individual states, historical figures and events and so much more! Today we are sharing a second book from the Who HQ Graphic Novel series. (You can read about the first one here.) Today is our final book in this collection but we are sure there will be many more books about the United States over time! The book today is Who Was Accused in the Salem Witch Trials? Tituba by Insha Fitzpatrick and illustrated by Rowan MacColl. It is recommended for ages 8 to 12 and is a graphic novel.

Witch-Themed Books

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

It is hard to believe that Halloween is next week! October is flying by. Today I am going to share two witch-themed books for different ages. The first is a new picture book about the Salem witch trials. Did you know that the Salem witch trials were not the first witch trials and executions in North America. There were significant ones in Connecticut early in the 1600s. (Source) There were even accusations and a trial in Virginia before the Salem ones. (Source) However Salem had the hysteria that was not present in these other places. It Happened in Salem by Jonah Winter and illustrated by Brad Holland. It is recommended for ages 9 to 12, so a bit older than most picture books.

Happy Family Times #19--A Trip to Witch City (Salem, MA)

Update: Yesterday we started a popcorn experiment. Just wanted to share what it looked like today: The popcorn is coming out of the top of the cup.

Have you done something fun with your family this week? Kelly at Happy Whimsical Hearts and I are collecting all these great ideas to inspire all of us to have more quality family time. Please share below!

This week we adventured to Salem, Massachusetts. Salem is best known for its witchcraft trials in 1692, which is how it got the nickname, The Witch City. They of course play it up. Even the police cars have witch logos. However, Salem also was one of the most significant seaports in Early America. There is the Salem Maritime National Historical Site as well as all the witch museums, etc. as well as being the setting of several of Nathaniel Hawthorne's novels including The House of Seven Gables. As I mentioned in a post last July, it is a place Steve and I like to go to because it does not have the traffic other shore locations of Cape Ann have, but has a nice area to walk around and we found a nice coffee house there.

Our adventure started off at the newly renovated Weight Watchers Office in Salem since they were hosting an Open House and I wanted to check it out. Since Hazel was behaving we promised her ice cream afterwards, so we headed to the downtown area. Unfortunately even though they predicted rain for the day, everyone else had the same idea and we had trouble finding parking. We drove to The Willows to check it out and there was no parking there either. We drove back by the coffee house and got lucky this time. We found a parking spot right near this lovely witch. pictured with us above. Then we headed over towards the coffee shop. Hazel of course needed a bathroom by this time so we went  to the Orientation Center of the Salem Maritime Historical Site. While there Hazel played with the dress up clothes (while Daddy checked out all the ship and nautical stuff).

Then we went to the coffee shop. Hazel tried her first gelato ever since that was what they had. Then we walked around a bit and did some shopping. We found some great postcards.I guess we should have gone to Salem last week when I was looking for Massachusetts postcards since they had exactly what I had wanted.

Then we went back to the bathroom and Hazel insisted on going on the Friendship of Salem like we did last year. Steve did not want to go again so I took her.

This year Hazel was not as afraid or as shy as she was last year. She even wanted to go downstairs and check out the crew quarters. She even checked out a bunk!

Afterwards she couldn't wait to see Daddy and tell him all about it!

He had been enjoying the view of the harbor.

Then Hazel decided she wanted to sit on the rock with me and of course climb on me. And then she wanted to give Daddy a turn to be climbed on.

Then Hazel posed by the sign/anchor.

She also posed by all the signs we stopped to read. Here are a couple of them.

Then we made one more stop in a store and headed home. We had a fun day, but we all came home exhausted!

Don't forget to go read what Kelly and her family have been up to this week!

Now it is your turn to share how your family has spent some quality time lately.

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Ok, now for our PARTY!! Please share your FUN Family Times!!

Sharing Saturday 17-43

It is time again for Sharing Saturday! This is a link party to share all of your child-oriented crafts, crafts made for kids, activities and lessons as well as your parenting and/or teaching posts. So glad you joined us!!

On Sunday night we also host Crafty Weekends for all your crafts (done by any age), patterns, and craft product reviews! It is the perfect place to share your creative side!! And for all of your cultural posts come share them at the monthly Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop.

Demon in the Woods -- New Graphic Novel from the Shadow and Bone Series

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Have you discovered the Shadow and Bone Series? There are a series of books as well as a television series on Netflix. We discovered this amazing series when they released the television series. We got to review the first book in the series. After reading the first book, Hazel could not wait to get her hands on the next book and really all the books in the three series of Grishaverse. At the time they were hard to come by because of the television series. The second season was released recently. Today I get to share the newest book with you. It is a graphic novel and it gives a bit of the background story of the Darkling. It is Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo and illustrated by Dani Pendergast. 

Lily Tripp Diary of an Accidental Time Traveler -- Middle Grade Novel Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It is hard to imagine a new take on middle school life. There are many books out there about the average life of middle school students. There are the friendships, first loves and family and everything else. Today we are sharing an interesting middle grade novel about a middle school student who time travels each year and all her family and friends do too! The book is Lily Tripp Diary of an Accidental Time Traveler by Amelia Tait. It is recommended for ages 10 to 14.