A Break with Charity

A village girl seeking friendship is swept up into the Salem Witch Trials in award-winning author Ann Rinaldi’s young adult novel, A Break with Clarity.

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.

“A graceful blend of fiction and history, Rinaldi’s incisive and thoughtful narrative brings to life a dark period in America’s past.” —Publishers Weekly

“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

“A Break with Charity portrays an excruciating era in American history from a unique perspective, and it will be enjoyed by readers who enjoy psychology, the supernatural, and history.” —School Library Journal

Includes Reader’s Guide