My reading has been eclectic lately (as it always is, actually). I’ve completed my research for Down Salem Way with two of these books, though I will always have a fascination with witch hunts and witch trials.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
I loved this book when I was a teenager and I still love it. Though Speare only wrote three books for young adults, each of the three are classics. More than any other book I read for research, The Witch of Blackbird Pond pulled me into life in 17th-century Puritan Connecticut.
One of the things I had been struggling with was finding what day-to-day life in Puritan New England looked like. The Witch of Blackbird Pond helped me discover daily life in detail. Also, the main character, Kit Tyler, grows a lot during this story, as strong protagonists do. I related to her as a teenager, and in fact, I still do. This is a great book for readers with an interest in 17th-century New England life.
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
This was another favorite book from my younger years that I’ve recently reread. I had forgotten how powerful this book is. My main reason for rereading it was because Down Salem Way is an epistolary novel written as James’ journal. I wanted to read someone’s real-life diary (besides my own). I read articles about how to write an epistolary novel, you know the ones: Do this! Don’t do that! Don’t even think about that!
Mainly, I had been reading that there are things that we should never include in epistolary novels because people don’t actually write those things in their diaries. I’m pleased to say that Anne’s diary proved all that advice wrong. Her diary is beautifully written with attention to detail and deep thought. Beyond using it to help me create James’ journal, it reminded me how precious life is and how we should never take anything for granted.
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
This is not my usual type of reading, but it just goes to show that sometimes we need to push ourselves past our comfort zones. Corrie Ten Boom was a Christian missionary who, along with her father and sister, helped to hide Jewish people in Holland during World War II.
The Ten Booms are discovered, and Corrie and her sister suffer the same fate as many Jewish people–they are sent to a concentration camp. The courage shown by the Ten Booms is amazing. It’s also sobering to realize that Anne Frank was in hiding during the same time the Ten Booms were hiding others. Though it covers a dark time in history, it is an uplifting book in its own way.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
I’ve been on a young adult literature kick lately, but that’s okay. Some of the greatest books ever written were meant for young adults. I love that quote from Madeleine L’Engle: “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” I believe that is true.
I recently saw A Wrinkle in Time on a bookshelf, picked it up, and I’m glad I did. A Wrinkle in Time is one of my all-time favorites, and I still enjoy it whenever I read it. It’s a fantasy adventure, a story about family and friendship, and just plain fun. I recommend it for kids of all ages. A Wrinkle in Time is my favorite fantasy book of all time.
It’s strange to realize that I’m done researching the Salem Witch Trials. Now I can study different areas of history that are equally interesting to me. That’s why I love writing historical fiction–it allows me to learn and grow. What’s next? A novel set during the pioneer days. I’m looking forward to the research.
