A Break with Charity by Ann Rinaldi: Book Cover

    A Break with Charity: A Story about the Salem Witch Trials by Ann Rinaldi

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    Synopsis

    Susanna English desperately wants to join the circle of girls who meet every week at the parsonage, but she doesn’t realize the leader of the group, the malicious Ann Putnam, is about to set off a torrent of false accusations that will lead to the imprisonment and execution of countless innocent people-victims of a witch-hunt panic. “The author’s skillful manipulation of the conventions of the young-adult novel-particularly the rich exploration of being an outsider and going against the mainstream-makes this book a superb vehicle for examining the social dynamics of this legendary event.”-The Horn Book

    Annotation

    While waiting for a church meeting in 1706, Susanna English, daughter of a wealthy Salem merchant, recalls the malice, fear, and accusations of witchcraft that tore her village apart in 1692.

    Children's Literature

    Historical fiction readers, both adult and young adult, will be fascinated by this tale of the Salem Witch Trials. Rinaldi has an uncanny talent for slipping into the skin of her characters. In this novel, her viewpoint comes from Susanna English, the daughter of a rich merchant. Susanna's money and station place her outside the circle of girls at the center of the hysteria, but not outside their sphere of influence. Susanna knows that the accusations are being put forth by young adolescents driven by revenge-and by a wish to escape the boredom of church and Bible reading. Fearing for her family, she refuses to share this knowledge. As the fervor builds, so does Susanna's guilt and sorrow until finally she is rescued from "going down a dark road" by a loving friend and her own moral code. Rinaldi's research is flawless and her period familiarity striking, but her strongest power is as a storyteller.

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    Biography

    ANN RINALDI is an award-winning author best known for bringing history vividly to life. She has received numerous starred reviews and awards, as well as widespread recognition for her historical novels. Ms. Rinaldi lives in central New Jersey.

    Customer Reviews

    To break charity or to lose lifes?by Anonymous

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    May 31, 2008: A Break with Charity by Ann Rinaldi is a story about the Salem witch trails. A group of girls are accusing innocent people of being witches the study of witchcraft is against their religion. The people being accused are losing their lives because of these lies. The problem is, will anybody have enough courage to stand up for what?s right and stop the madness happening in Salem? There are three main characters in this story. Susanna English is the main character. She was born into a wealthy family, and desperately wants to join the circle of girls. Susanna is fourteen years of age but is very mature and determined. She knows a secret that could stop the trials. She does not say anything to anyone, because she was threatened by Ann Putnam. Ann Putnam is the leader of the circle of girls. This group consists of Mary Walcott, Elizabeth Booth and Susannah Sheldon, Abigail Hobbs and Betty Parris help these girls. Ann is about the same age as Susanna. Ann is a sly, evil and sneaky girl. She tricks the reverends and magistrates into thinking that the innocent people were real witches. She told Susanna the secret about the circle of girls, but if Susanna breaks charity, Ann will name Susanna?s entire family as witches. Later, Susanna?s parents are named as witches. They and their other daughter, Mary, flee to Boston for safety. Susanna stays in Salem to be with the one she loves, Jonathan. During this time she lives with Joseph Putnam, Ann?s uncle. Joseph is very unlike Ann. He works hard to try and stop the trials, while Ann is the one who started everything. Joseph is a trustworthy friend to whom Susanna breaks charity and tells him the secret. Joseph is a loyal and helpful citizen to the town of Salem. The key passage of this story is when Susanna tells Joseph the secret. ?Joseph, I have not been honest with you? said Susanna. ?The afflicted girls dissemble, Joseph.? ?But we have no proof.? ?I have proof. There was a circle, Joseph. All the afflicted girls belonged to it before the madness began. They would meet every day at the Reverend Parris?s parsonage. They met with Tituba (Reverend Parris?s slave). She told them stories, read their palms, and conjured. I wanted to join the circle. They seemed to be having such good times. But they didn?t want me. Then I heard that Tituba was telling fortunes. And I went to see her without the knowledge of the girls in the circle. I wanted to know if she could tell me of my brother, William, who was then lost to us, at sea. On my first visit, Tituba told me William would return. On my second visit, I met little Betty Parris. She was taken with fever that would lead to her fits. She was near demented and raving about how I would be punished if the other girls found me there. And how she had tampered with the forbidden. Oh, she was a frightened and guilty little thingy, Joseph! She said her father preached against pleasures, and she indulged in them. Soon after reverend summoned the doctor.? ?And he pronounced the evil hand upon her.? replied Joseph. ?Yes.? ?Ann said they had started the circle for sport, then little Betty was getting so much attention. Then, when the ministers came, the rest of the girls in the circle became afflicted in like manner, because this was their chance to break out of the restrictions put upon them by our way of life in Salem. I understood immediately what they were about. Ann Putnam told me that little Betty and Abigail did not have the sense to carry...

    Amazing!!by Anonymous

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    July 08, 2005: This book really was truely amazing. This book not only made me not be able to put it down but it also had a fantastic ending. When Suesanna forgived Ann at the end of the book I wanted to cry. When the cover says 'Rinaldi at her best' you can believe it. A Break with Charity was one of the most powerful books I have ever read.


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