Katherine “Kit” Tyler is a free-spirited young woman of sixteen who has been brought up by her unconventional grandfather in the beauty of the Barbados islands. After her grandfather’s death, Kit is forced to relocate to the cold, bleak Connecticut Colony of 1687 to join a family she has never met. But she is unprepared for the religious intolerance and rigidity of the Puritan community. Kit tries hard to fit in with the restrictive ways, but she frequently shocks her aunt, uncle, and cousins with her unconventional dress, behavior, and ideas. The townspeople of the stern Puritan village view her with suspicion and disapproval.
Only the Meadow with its windswept openness is a sanctuary for Kit and she finds a sympathetic friend in Hannah Tupper, the elderly Quaker widow who lives in a tiny cabin there. Kit’s friendship with Hannah, who is shunned by the superstitious townsfolk, and Kit’s championship of Prudence, a poor child who Kit teaches to read, proves more dangerous than she could have imagined.
When a deathly sickness strikes the village, first Hannah and then Kit are accused of being witches. This threat ultimately forces Kit to choose between her heart and her duty in order to rescue Hannah and to defend her own life against the accusations of the angry and vengeful townspeople. Through these conflicts and experiences, Kit comes to know and accept herself, to understand others, and to value the steadfastness of the New England colonists. This knowledge ultimately leads her to romance and happiness.
The story’s characters are fully developed and realistic. Readers will find themselves caring about the characters and sharing Kit’s emotional reactions to her circumstances. Kit is a dynamic character, discovering insights and growing in understanding throughout the story. “Going through the shed door one morning,…Kit halted, wary as always, at the sight of her uncle. He was standing not far from the house, looking out toward the river, his face half turned from her. He did not notice her. He simply stood, idle for one rare moment, staring at the golden fields…As Kit watched, her uncle bent slowly and scooped up a handful of brown dirt from the garden patch at his feet, and stood holding it with a curious reverence, as though it were some priceless substance. As it crumbled through his fingers his hand convulsed in a sudden passionate gesture. Kit backed through the door and closed it softly. She felt as though she had eavesdropped. When she had hated and feared her uncle for so long, why did it suddenly hurt to think of that lonely defiant figure in the garden?”
Speare has created a believable, entrancing novel about being true to one’s own feelings while still valuing and respecting the ways of others. Her narrative style and vivid period details combine to authentically depict early colonial life. The language, clothing, daily activities, and attitudes of the Puritan community are recreated faithfully, helping to bring this time and place to life for the reader and create a moving vicarious experience. Expressive descriptions of the Connecticut colony, countryside, and climate enable the reader to easily visualize the story’s setting, making it an integral part of Kit’s story.
Though many editions with multiple cover illustrations are in print, the original 1958 hardcover edition features an evocative jacket painting by watercolor artist Nicholas Angelo, which also helps the reader to picture the time period.
Reviews and Awards
Newbery Medal Winner, 1959
ALA Notable Children's Book, 1958
Children's Book Committee: Children's Book of the Year, 1958
Booklist: "Strong plot, fully realized characters, and convincing atmosphere distinguish this historical narrative."
The New York Times: “The book has a lively plot and excellent characterizations. The background has every dimension of reality.”
The New York Herald-Tribune: “Rarely has a book taken us back into seventeenth-century life as this does.”
Connections
One literature-based activity to enrich the social studies curriculum would be to compare and contrast the early colonial life Kit experienced with the attitudes and experiences of young adults today, finding the similarities and differences between Kit’s world and contemporary life. Additionally, students could research and give a brief presentation on some aspect of New England life in the late 1600s. A unit on this subject, especially around November when early American history is in the forefront of the curriculum, might be a welcome change from the usual Pilgrim lessons. An afternoon of presentations, complete with costumes, could culminate with foods and activities representative of the period.
Other historical fiction novels by Elizabeth George Speare:
Calico Captive, notable Children’s Books, 1957Bronze Bow, Newbery Medal winner, 1962
Sign of the Beaver, Newbery Honor Book, 1984
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