It Happened in Salem: a Picture Book Packed with Power

 The term "witch hunt"  has been used a great deal throughout the centuries, and particularly so in the past decade. Kids growing up in modern times tend to associate "witch" with Halloween or The Wizard of Oz. If asked to draw a witch, most would lean toward black clothing, a pointed hat (and likely a pointed nose on a sneering face), perhaps adding a broom for flying and a big cauldron containing spell-casting ingredients. 

Few would draw a picture of their neighbor, teacher, or relative in contemporary clothing.

In the earliest years of colonization of North America, Europe had both history  and culture that established witches as residing among them in the realm of everyday life, especially handy when that accusation could provide a scapegoat for anything from the plague to crop failure. Finger-pointing (as seen on the cover and used throughout this picture book as both literal and metaphorical cause for the Salem witch trials and murders) was common for centuries. Those who traveled to make new homes on this continent brought their beliefs and cultures with them. 

There were countless struggles and disasters within the lives of colonizers here, spanning many decades. No doubt an occasional rumor or bit of public distress led to such finger pointing among locals in a village or town. The few years surrounding the  Salem witch uproar (in Massachusetts, in 1692) were a kind of societal infection sparked by accusations and leading to trials. The resulting murders by the hanging, of nineteen local women, came from finger pointing, much of which was instigated by attention-seeking, possibly fearful young girls. To learn more about the actual historical facts of who was involved, how the events accelerated and cascaded, I suggest reading Kate Messner's  HISTORY SMASHERS: The Salem Witch Trials, an upper elementary nonfiction offering from 2024. 

CREATIVE EDITIONS, 2024

IT HAPPENED IN SALEM is also for older readers, in large part because both the images and text suit that age range and also because the theme and historic background relate directly to those preteen years in several ways. Written by award-winning nonfiction author Jonah Winter with art by Illustration Hall of Fame member Brad Holland, this account of the period of the trials focuses very directly on a young person's impulse to start rumors and make accusations. 

To what end? 

The text makes it clear it might be someone mean-spirited, but could also be someone seeking attention, bearing a grudge, or, as time passed, shifting accusations toward themselves onto others. A sort of group hysteria among young people occurs even in our times, and may have also contributed to the sustained belief among the  "adults in charge" that their only choice was to identify and destroy the "witches" of their community. It was not until very recently that the current residents of this historic/notorious community publicly acknowledged the wrongs done by creating named memorials to the nineteen women who were unjustly hung as a result of these impulses and pranks.

As you can see from the cover art, the residents at the time appear even to the modern eye to be familiar, they could be us. The first line of text opens before the title page, with two heads leaning in, whispering, and the lines:

"It could happen anywhere, any time."

From that opening, the author speaks directly to young readers, reminding them that intention does not excuse result. This does not take on a finger-pointing or accusatory voice toward the  audiences, but does invite reflection about their own lives. Adults reading this will feel the same challenge, to flashback to days of youth (or more recent) in which which rumors began or were shared, in which moral wrong was carried out with our silence making it possible. The text is brief but compelling, the events are described clearly and explicitly, but not gruesomely (although murder is always gruesome.)

The art/illustrations anchor the story in a distant past, and yet the settings and expressions and interactions feel both authentic and immediate. Women are pictured hanging from trees, at a distance, and the clothing of the time hides their faces. This is a serious subject and it is treated seriously. Even so, it is handled in a way that invites discussion and connection to modern day patterns in daily life, or in the news. 

It's hard to image any better picture book offering (including the author note in back matter) to introduce a troubling period  in our national story and the troubling nature of social dynamics that are with us still. It is well-researched and incorporates verifiable facts (ones that have been known for centuries) with relevance to life as we know it today. I hope you'll give this one a careful read and share it well.