The Devil's Door

Gr 4—6—Sarah Wright and her father, Ephraim, escape to Salem after an attack by Wabanaki warriors on their homestead in Maine. They settle there just as the witchcraft trials are beginning. They are lodged at Dr. Griggs's home where Betty Hubbard, one of the accusers, is indentured to her uncle. Sarah becomes an eyewitness to the disturbances caused by the girls, the accusations, hysterical behavior, the trials, and the executions. She is befriended by Abe Toothaker, who fleshes out the theories about witchcraft in their conversations. As the arrests occur, Ephraim is recruited as a constable, only to be accused of witchcraft himself. The third-person narrative reveals Sarah as a reportorial, somewhat apprehensive but empathetic innocent observer. Factual material is incorporated into the narrative, creating a fast-paced, fascinating read.—Kathryn Kosiorek, formerly at Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brooklyn, OH