Who Were the Accused Witches of Salem?

Gr 5–8—This accessible guide is attractively designed and concisely written. Courtroom terms such as "evidence," "jury," and "innocent" are briefly defined. Chapters conclude and set up the following chapter with who/what/where questions, such as "Who was the first person accused of being a witch?" and "When did the first witch trial take place?" Several nuggets of information take this beyond a recitation of facts and figures about the trials. Young women's role in Puritan society is discussed in relation to the trials, and the aftermath of the trials, including the institution of a day of remembrance, a public apology, reparations to victims, and overturning of guilty verdicts, concludes the text. Waxman writes in a conversational tone that will engage readers. Further questions and answers are contained in text boxes, while contemporary illustrations and examples of primary sources are featured throughout the text. Students are encouraged to write an article about the witchcraft trials using the six who/what/when/where/why/how questions. Several images are cleverly presented as if appearing on a smartphone or other modern electronic device, which are effective attention-getters. A solid, informative title.—Jennifer Schultz, Fauquier County Public Library, Warrenton, VA