How To Hang a Witch

Gr 9 Up—Samantha Mather's life has been turned upside down after her father becomes ill and slips into an unexplained coma. Uprooted from New York, Sam's father is placed in a Boston medical facility while Sam and her stepmother move into her father's house in Salem, MA. As a direct descendant of the infamous Cotton Mather of the Salem witch trials, Sam is shunned by most of the town and becomes a target at school of the Descendants, a powerful clique of progeny of those murdered as a result of the trials. As strange and unexplainable events occur, the teen realizes that there are dark forces at work in Salem that are beyond her ability to fight. Help comes from the least likely of places—a disgruntled 324-year-old ghost named Elijah. Together they uncover clues about an evil curse plaguing the town and must join with the Descendants if they hope to stop the deadly cycle from continuing. Mather's brilliantly written novel is full of twists and turns, spine-tingling drama, and ghostly encounters. The vibrant characters leap off the page, and the narrative is incredibly deep—addressing issues such as acceptance, bullying, loyalty, hatred, revenge, and being true to yourself and destiny—all perfectly packaged without being simplistic or preachy.