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I Witnessed: The Lizzie Borden Story
Charlie witnesses a murder at his next-door neighbor Lizzie Borden's house, but will anyone believe what he saw? For fans of I Survived and Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales but with a true crime twist, read about Lizzie Borden’s trial of the century in this I Witnessed graphic novel.
On the morning of August 4, 1892, fourteen-year-old Charlie sees a horrifying act unfold at his next-door neighbor Lizzie Borden’s house—something he can’t keep to himself. Yet no one believes what Charlie saw . . . not even when Andrew and Abby Borden are found dead later that morning. Charlie is determined to use all that he witnessed to help find the murderer…even if it means having to face the prime suspect, his enigmatic neighbor Lizzie Borden, accused of killing her own father and stepmother. What began as one innocent moment of being in the wrong place at the wrong time becomes a suspenseful game of cat and mouse as Lizzie faces the trial of the century, and Charlie must ask himself: Can you ever really know someone’s true character?
Inspired by the real fourteen-year-old neighbor of Lizzie Borden, Charlie's story offers a fictional kid POV rooted in historical facts about the Borden family, the house, and the infamous trial. Case fact sidebars offer additional nonfiction elements to the story.
On the morning of August 4, 1892, fourteen-year-old Charlie sees a horrifying act unfold at his next-door neighbor Lizzie Borden’s house—something he can’t keep to himself. Yet no one believes what Charlie saw . . . not even when Andrew and Abby Borden are found dead later that morning. Charlie is determined to use all that he witnessed to help find the murderer…even if it means having to face the prime suspect, his enigmatic neighbor Lizzie Borden, accused of killing her own father and stepmother. What began as one innocent moment of being in the wrong place at the wrong time becomes a suspenseful game of cat and mouse as Lizzie faces the trial of the century, and Charlie must ask himself: Can you ever really know someone’s true character?
Inspired by the real fourteen-year-old neighbor of Lizzie Borden, Charlie's story offers a fictional kid POV rooted in historical facts about the Borden family, the house, and the infamous trial. Case fact sidebars offer additional nonfiction elements to the story.
208 pages, Paperback
Published March 18, 2025
23 people are currently reading
3796 people want to read
About the author
Jeramey Kraatz
10 books203 followersHi! I’m Jeramey Kraatz. That’s like “cats” with an “R” in it, by the way. I wrote THE CLOAK SOCIETY and SPACE RUNNERS series from Harper.
I grew up in Odessa, Texas, studied advertising and English at TCU, and graduated from the MFA program at Columbia University where I studied nonfiction writing. In the past, I’ve worked as a snow-cone maker, barista, mannequin dresser, and intern in the X-Men Editorial Department at Marvel Comics. When I’m not working on books, I write English dub scripts for various anime series, like Seraph of the End and My Hero Academia. You never have to grow up, kids.
I like bad horror movies, comic books, queso, and music that sounds like laser pistols. I live and work in Texas with, predictably, my cat: Loki.
I grew up in Odessa, Texas, studied advertising and English at TCU, and graduated from the MFA program at Columbia University where I studied nonfiction writing. In the past, I’ve worked as a snow-cone maker, barista, mannequin dresser, and intern in the X-Men Editorial Department at Marvel Comics. When I’m not working on books, I write English dub scripts for various anime series, like Seraph of the End and My Hero Academia. You never have to grow up, kids.
I like bad horror movies, comic books, queso, and music that sounds like laser pistols. I live and work in Texas with, predictably, my cat: Loki.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
March 30, 2025
This was a shockingly good book! I say shockingly because I came across it by accident in the children's section at the library. I started reading it because I couldn't believe anyone would have written a kid's graphic novel about the Borden murders. But the Kraatz seems to have stuck to the real details of the case pretty closely while also weaving in some very interesting 'what ifs' from the perspective of the real boy next door, Charles Churchill. None of it felt childish or campy, and I had no issue enjoying it as an adult reader. Is it for kids or teens? Not too sure, but I feel like it deals with the subject in a very mature and sensitive way. And the art done by Jayme is evocative and beautiful. 10/10!
December 17, 2025
Enjoyed the art style, but the way fact and fiction were woven together felt choppy. No pun intended. Seriously.
January 14, 2025
*An ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Actual rating: 4.5 stars.
This was fantastic. I didn't know what to expect from a Lizzie Borden graphic novel aimed at middle grade, but I am here to say this was a phenomenal success. I'm not sure if "I Witnessed" is going to be a spin off series of the "I Survived" series I remember from my childhood, but this book was exactly what I was hoping for and more. Who doesn't love a creative take on one of America's first murder trials?
I'm vaguely familiar with the details of the Borden story and I read this start to finish in one sitting. The novel is narrated by the actual 11-year-old neighbor of Lizzie Borden (fictionally narrated, of course- I'm not sure 11-year-old boys in Puritan New England would've kept journals) and absolutely masters the suspenseful tone of a psychological thriller while still keeping the book age-appropriate for a middle grade audience. A hard balance, surely, but one the author does effortlessly (or makes to appear effortless). Not only is Kraatz's art exceptional, but his style works well with the setting and pace of the story to create a graphic novel I recommended to all my librarian friends the moment I finished it.
Peppered with helpful facts from the actual case in distinct speech bubble-esque boxes, this graphic novel also does a brilliant job navigating the lines of fact and fiction within the Lizzie Borden case. Maybe I'm just a sucker for a graphic novel, but I think the medium actually makes the story more truthful to it's folklore roots than if this was written as a typical, words-and-no-pictures chapter book. There is a level of ambiguity created by the story being told as a graphic novel that feels appropriate for a murder case that doesn't have a neat and tidy conclusion.
Like any good middle grade novel, the book also had a lovably foolhardy narrator, Charlie. Highly, highly recommend to anyone looking for a spooky read to start out their 2025 reading challenge.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars.
This was fantastic. I didn't know what to expect from a Lizzie Borden graphic novel aimed at middle grade, but I am here to say this was a phenomenal success. I'm not sure if "I Witnessed" is going to be a spin off series of the "I Survived" series I remember from my childhood, but this book was exactly what I was hoping for and more. Who doesn't love a creative take on one of America's first murder trials?
I'm vaguely familiar with the details of the Borden story and I read this start to finish in one sitting. The novel is narrated by the actual 11-year-old neighbor of Lizzie Borden (fictionally narrated, of course- I'm not sure 11-year-old boys in Puritan New England would've kept journals) and absolutely masters the suspenseful tone of a psychological thriller while still keeping the book age-appropriate for a middle grade audience. A hard balance, surely, but one the author does effortlessly (or makes to appear effortless). Not only is Kraatz's art exceptional, but his style works well with the setting and pace of the story to create a graphic novel I recommended to all my librarian friends the moment I finished it.
Peppered with helpful facts from the actual case in distinct speech bubble-esque boxes, this graphic novel also does a brilliant job navigating the lines of fact and fiction within the Lizzie Borden case. Maybe I'm just a sucker for a graphic novel, but I think the medium actually makes the story more truthful to it's folklore roots than if this was written as a typical, words-and-no-pictures chapter book. There is a level of ambiguity created by the story being told as a graphic novel that feels appropriate for a murder case that doesn't have a neat and tidy conclusion.
Like any good middle grade novel, the book also had a lovably foolhardy narrator, Charlie. Highly, highly recommend to anyone looking for a spooky read to start out their 2025 reading challenge.
November 23, 2025
꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶꒷꒦꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶꒷꒦꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶꒷꒦
This had a lot of information I didn't know about prior to reading this Graphic Novel. I would recommend not reading this at night in the dark while your family sleeps like I did lol.
If you like True Crime and you like graphic novels I would recommend this one.
The characters
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Charlie ~ I liked him.
Lucy ~ she was interesting to say the least.
Lizzie ~ Now obviously Lizzie Borden was a real person and these murders did really happen so it's hard to say if I liked her character because again she was a real person she wasn't created for this book to be likable so no I didn't particularly like her and I don't understand her because I could never even imagine doing something like that to anyone much less the people who raised me.
What to expect
🪓 True Crime Retelling
🪓 Graphic Novels
🪓 Murder Mystery
🪓 Suspense
Quotes
~~~~~~~
“They don't realize they're prisoners. Is that lack of awareness comforting, I wonder. If they don't know they're trapped, they don't know they should be unhappy.”
“They kept to themselves. I assumed they were harmless. How could I have known the horrors that were to come?”
“Poison. A double murder. Two women who heard nothing. A shadow in the woods. I didn't know what to make of it all. Or how much I could trust anyone in the Borden house.”
“Lizzie Borden took an axe, and gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one. Andrew Borden now is dead. Lizzie hit him on the head. Up in heaven, he will sing. On the gallows, she will swing. One, two, three–”
Content
~~~~~~~
❤️🔥Romance| none.
🤬Language| none.
🗡️Violence| Axe Murder,
🏳️🌈LGBTQ| none.
✝️ Religion/spirituality| none.
⚠️Other| Poisoning, Murder, blood,
This had a lot of information I didn't know about prior to reading this Graphic Novel. I would recommend not reading this at night in the dark while your family sleeps like I did lol.
If you like True Crime and you like graphic novels I would recommend this one.
The characters
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Charlie ~ I liked him.
Lucy ~ she was interesting to say the least.
Lizzie ~ Now obviously Lizzie Borden was a real person and these murders did really happen so it's hard to say if I liked her character because again she was a real person she wasn't created for this book to be likable so no I didn't particularly like her and I don't understand her because I could never even imagine doing something like that to anyone much less the people who raised me.
What to expect
🪓 True Crime Retelling
🪓 Graphic Novels
🪓 Murder Mystery
🪓 Suspense
Quotes
~~~~~~~
“They don't realize they're prisoners. Is that lack of awareness comforting, I wonder. If they don't know they're trapped, they don't know they should be unhappy.”
“They kept to themselves. I assumed they were harmless. How could I have known the horrors that were to come?”
“Poison. A double murder. Two women who heard nothing. A shadow in the woods. I didn't know what to make of it all. Or how much I could trust anyone in the Borden house.”
“Lizzie Borden took an axe, and gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one. Andrew Borden now is dead. Lizzie hit him on the head. Up in heaven, he will sing. On the gallows, she will swing. One, two, three–”
Content
~~~~~~~
❤️🔥Romance| none.
🤬Language| none.
🗡️Violence| Axe Murder,
🏳️🌈LGBTQ| none.
✝️ Religion/spirituality| none.
⚠️Other| Poisoning, Murder, blood,
June 14, 2025
✨ "Tragedy is not something that can be contained in a sitting room or a house. It seeps, spreading, touching everyone around it. But life continues on. You just have to learn to accept that sometimes there are no answers."
Super interesting Lizzie Borden retelling in graphic novel form! Had me wanting to do my own deep dive by the time I finished it in one sitting. The court case and public sentiment were actually very well done. I have mixed feelings about the art; it wasn't bad but I didn't love it but had problems telling the female characters apart at times.
An engaging and compelling read overall! I would love to see the author give other infamous cases the same approach and treatment.
More favourite quotes:
✨ "They don't realize they're prisoners. Is that lack of awareness comforting, I wonder. If they don't know they're trapped, they don't know they should be unhappy."
✨ "A woman who has courted so much scandal would never have a moment's peace here. I suspect once she realizes that, she'll leave and never return."
Super interesting Lizzie Borden retelling in graphic novel form! Had me wanting to do my own deep dive by the time I finished it in one sitting. The court case and public sentiment were actually very well done. I have mixed feelings about the art; it wasn't bad but I didn't love it but had problems telling the female characters apart at times.
An engaging and compelling read overall! I would love to see the author give other infamous cases the same approach and treatment.
More favourite quotes:
✨ "They don't realize they're prisoners. Is that lack of awareness comforting, I wonder. If they don't know they're trapped, they don't know they should be unhappy."
✨ "A woman who has courted so much scandal would never have a moment's peace here. I suspect once she realizes that, she'll leave and never return."
You want closure.
I want to feel like I understand what happened and why. But now it seems like I never will.
I suspect the power of truth is never so evident as when you realize you may never have it.
July 24, 2025
If you grew up in the US, you probably know the story: once upon a time, a woman did (or didn't) pick up an axe and hack her father and stepmother to death. She was arrested, she was put on trial—and she was found not guilty. She lived the rest of her life in relative obscurity, and to this day nobody knows who committed the murders.
I learned about the Lizzie Borden case when I was in grade six, and it has stayed with me ever since. I'm not really sure why—I mean, yeah, I like reading true crime as much as the next person, but there's unsolved case upon unsolved case out there, and this should be no different. And yet...it's one of those things where, when a new book comes out, off I go to the library to seek it out.
Here, the story is told from the perspective of Lizzie Borden's next-door-neighbour, a boy who existed in real life but about whom little is known. A bit player at best in the real-life story but the main character here, Charlie is in the thick of it: he sees violence through his window and tracks a possible murderer through the woods; he tries to convince the police that he has something important to say; he eavesdrops on conversations and is the recipient of various oblique, confession-like comments from various characters. It's safe to say that Charlie is invested.
This is middle grade, so I'm not the target audience, and this is one where I can't really gauge how it would go over with kids. From my adult perspective, this fell a little flat—though the art was nice enough, I often struggled to distinguish between the various characters (especially Lizzie, her sister Emma, their maid Bridget, and Charlie's mother), and I guess I was just hoping that this would add something new to the books I've already read. I suppose that a tween would enjoy imagining themselves in the thick of it, not at risk but feeling as though they had a stake in the matter, but I think if this were going to be a fictionalization anyway, I'd have preferred it to twist things a little further rather than shoehorning in a character who knows more than the police do. But again: not the target audience! Perhaps someday there'll be another graphic novelization of the Borden murders that suits me better...and until then, I think I should probably go read The Lizzie Borden Trial again and see if my impressions have changed since I was a tween myself.
I learned about the Lizzie Borden case when I was in grade six, and it has stayed with me ever since. I'm not really sure why—I mean, yeah, I like reading true crime as much as the next person, but there's unsolved case upon unsolved case out there, and this should be no different. And yet...it's one of those things where, when a new book comes out, off I go to the library to seek it out.
Here, the story is told from the perspective of Lizzie Borden's next-door-neighbour, a boy who existed in real life but about whom little is known. A bit player at best in the real-life story but the main character here, Charlie is in the thick of it: he sees violence through his window and tracks a possible murderer through the woods; he tries to convince the police that he has something important to say; he eavesdrops on conversations and is the recipient of various oblique, confession-like comments from various characters. It's safe to say that Charlie is invested.
This is middle grade, so I'm not the target audience, and this is one where I can't really gauge how it would go over with kids. From my adult perspective, this fell a little flat—though the art was nice enough, I often struggled to distinguish between the various characters (especially Lizzie, her sister Emma, their maid Bridget, and Charlie's mother), and I guess I was just hoping that this would add something new to the books I've already read. I suppose that a tween would enjoy imagining themselves in the thick of it, not at risk but feeling as though they had a stake in the matter, but I think if this were going to be a fictionalization anyway, I'd have preferred it to twist things a little further rather than shoehorning in a character who knows more than the police do. But again: not the target audience! Perhaps someday there'll be another graphic novelization of the Borden murders that suits me better...and until then, I think I should probably go read The Lizzie Borden Trial again and see if my impressions have changed since I was a tween myself.
February 13, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
This graphic novel follows the Lizzie Borden murders from the point of view of Charles Churchill, a young neighbor who starts to converse with Lizzie about the pigeons that she keeps. After these are killed by her father, Charles sees Lizzie trying to buy Prussian acid in the pharmacy, claiming she needs it to clean a cloak. The family mysteriously falls ill, and not long after, Charles sees (Rear Window style) activity in the Borden house. The parents are killed, local interested is ignited, and there is a sensational trial. Borden is, of course, acquitted.
There have been several explorations of the 1892 case, including Miller's 2016 The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden and the Trial of the Century and Wallach's fictional 2023 Hatchet Girls, as well as other nonfiction titles. My students are interested in true crime information, but I'm not sure how much interest there is in a crime that happened before my grandmother was born. This was well done, and I normally love Kraatz's work, but I'm debating whether or not to purchase this.
This graphic novel follows the Lizzie Borden murders from the point of view of Charles Churchill, a young neighbor who starts to converse with Lizzie about the pigeons that she keeps. After these are killed by her father, Charles sees Lizzie trying to buy Prussian acid in the pharmacy, claiming she needs it to clean a cloak. The family mysteriously falls ill, and not long after, Charles sees (Rear Window style) activity in the Borden house. The parents are killed, local interested is ignited, and there is a sensational trial. Borden is, of course, acquitted.
There have been several explorations of the 1892 case, including Miller's 2016 The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden and the Trial of the Century and Wallach's fictional 2023 Hatchet Girls, as well as other nonfiction titles. My students are interested in true crime information, but I'm not sure how much interest there is in a crime that happened before my grandmother was born. This was well done, and I normally love Kraatz's work, but I'm debating whether or not to purchase this.
October 16, 2024
I would like to thank edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I have always been fascinated by the Lizzie Borden case so I was interested to read this graphic novel told from the perspective of the teenage boy who actually lived next door to the family. We follow him and his thoughts about Lizzie and the murder, did she do it, did someone else? An interesting new fiction perspective on the case. I also enjoyed the art, I feel it matched the tone of the book.
March 10, 2025
This is a great middle grade graphic novel! I loved the layout of the panels and the "case facts" that were included to give us extra information about the Borden murders case. Some of the women looked too similar and hard to tell apart, but that is my only complaint. I'll definitely be getting this one for my school's library, and I deeply hope this becomes a series; I could see it being just as popular as the "I Survived" books.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC!
July 3, 2025
The story of Lizzie Borden shown through the eyes of her 14 year old neighbor, Charlie.
I'm impressed that this creative team found how to retell a crime in a YA friendly way. It feels like one of those murder investigative podcast that has dramatic reenactments interspersed with facts from the case. This story doesn't show any gore, and adds a younger cousin character for moments of levity. I'm interested to see if this angle will be repeated on other pertinent crimes and be as successfully done as this one. Good for that macabre youngster in your life.
I'm impressed that this creative team found how to retell a crime in a YA friendly way. It feels like one of those murder investigative podcast that has dramatic reenactments interspersed with facts from the case. This story doesn't show any gore, and adds a younger cousin character for moments of levity. I'm interested to see if this angle will be repeated on other pertinent crimes and be as successfully done as this one. Good for that macabre youngster in your life.
April 7, 2025
While reading this I realized Karen Read is a modern day Lizzie Borden: a media spectacle and we’ll never know for sure if she did it or not.
I liked the mix of fact and fiction in the book. Sometimes I couldn’t distinguish the female characters because they were all dressed similarly with the same hair. And I had no idea the Lizzie Borden rhyme originated before she even went to trial!
I liked the mix of fact and fiction in the book. Sometimes I couldn’t distinguish the female characters because they were all dressed similarly with the same hair. And I had no idea the Lizzie Borden rhyme originated before she even went to trial!
September 8, 2025
"Tragedy is not something that can be contained in a sitting room or a house. It seeps, spreading, touching everything around it."
I picked this up for the illustrations (which were really well done. Love Crystal Jayme's style), without actually knowing much about Lizzie Borden, so this was an informative read. I was completely surprised by the court ruling.
I picked this up for the illustrations (which were really well done. Love Crystal Jayme's style), without actually knowing much about Lizzie Borden, so this was an informative read. I was completely surprised by the court ruling.
October 27, 2025
Lizzie Borden took an Axe.....
What would you do or say if you saw what happened on that infamous day?
Was Lizzie guilty? Was the evidence correct? What really happened?
Here is a unique look into the Lizzie Borden murder mystery and trial told via Graphic Novel.
Jeramey Kraatz has crafted a unique world and introduced middle-school-age readers to one of the creepiest stories in history.
If you like I survived, Hardy Boys (the originals), and enjoy twisted history, this is for you.
What would you do or say if you saw what happened on that infamous day?
Was Lizzie guilty? Was the evidence correct? What really happened?
Here is a unique look into the Lizzie Borden murder mystery and trial told via Graphic Novel.
Jeramey Kraatz has crafted a unique world and introduced middle-school-age readers to one of the creepiest stories in history.
If you like I survived, Hardy Boys (the originals), and enjoy twisted history, this is for you.
March 22, 2025
Neither my son nor I could put this down--entertaining but also substantive. Loved it!
April 10, 2025
I was lucky enough to have won this book through a Goodreads giveaway. Although, I’m not the intended audience, I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel. I enjoyed both reading it and looking at the graphics. I would highly recommend this book to your 8-12 year old. It wasn’t graphic in content even though two people are murdered with axes so definitely age appropriate.
November 1, 2025
3.5 stars
Bookopoly - Format: Graphic Novel
Bookopoly - Format: Graphic Novel
April 23, 2025
Lizzie Borden books are still being published over 130 years after the crime because it's a fascinating story! I loved how this one was geared toward a younger audience and told in graphic novel format while keeping so much of the true facts. Well done to the author and illustrator.
October 21, 2024
I’ve always been fascinated by the Lizzie Borden case so when I saw this graphic novel on Netgalley I knew I had to read it. I thought this graphic novel was super interesting and it made me want to do more research on the case again. The artwork was really good and I thought it matched the story well. I liked reading this one. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!
November 16, 2025
I Witnessed: The Lizzie Borden Story blends historical events with an engaging fictional perspective, creating a fresh and immersive take on one of America’s most infamous unsolved cases. Jeramey Kraatz weaves a compelling mystery through the eyes of Charlie Churchill, a fictionalized character based on the real neighbor of the Bordens, whose firsthand account gives true crime lovers that fly on the wall feeling with the well-known story, following the events the family experienced while adding some new possibilities along the way. The narrative is gripping from the start, balancing suspense with historical depth while exploring themes of sensationalism, truth, and perception that mirrors the very real fascination society develops for events like these.
The artwork by Crystal Jayme is a standout element, perfectly capturing the eerie atmosphere of 1892 Fall River. The expressive character designs and moody color palettes add to the tension, making the setting feel alive and immersive. The integration of real-life facts within the fictional story is done seamlessly, offering both entertainment and historical insight. Whether you're familiar with the Lizzie Borden case or coming into it fresh, I Witnessed offers a compelling, visually stunning, and well-executed take on a case that still fascinates (and let’s be honest, kind of disturbs) to this day.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The artwork by Crystal Jayme is a standout element, perfectly capturing the eerie atmosphere of 1892 Fall River. The expressive character designs and moody color palettes add to the tension, making the setting feel alive and immersive. The integration of real-life facts within the fictional story is done seamlessly, offering both entertainment and historical insight. Whether you're familiar with the Lizzie Borden case or coming into it fresh, I Witnessed offers a compelling, visually stunning, and well-executed take on a case that still fascinates (and let’s be honest, kind of disturbs) to this day.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 12, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the e-arc of this book in excange of a review.
Well, I didn't know this was a real case, which was cool I guess, but I spent the entire time speculating who it actually could've been, only to find out that's the end. I was disappointed...
Well, I didn't know this was a real case, which was cool I guess, but I spent the entire time speculating who it actually could've been, only to find out that's the end. I was disappointed...
December 29, 2024
3 1/2 stars rounded up
Summary:
Charlie is fourteen years old, and he just saw something truly unspeakable. It’s the morning of August 4, 1982—the morning that tragedy struck Lizzie Borden’s house. Unfortunately, he can’t get anyone to believe what he saw.
Not until the bodies are found, at any rate. Charlie will have to do everything in his power to ensure his voice is heard so that justice can be found for Andrew and Abby Borden. Who would have thought Charlie would end up in such a situation?
Review:
Before I dive into my review, I just want to point out that I Witnessed is historical fiction. It is based on real events (the Lizzie Borden trial and murders), but Charlie’s story is largely imagined and exaggerated. I’m not sure I would have read the graphic novel otherwise, you know?
Honestly, I was curious to see how I Witnessed would handle such heavy content for young readers. As a reminder, this book is a middle-grade book. And I’m pleased to say they did a great job. They don’t hide away from the truth but don’t relish the gory details.
What I enjoyed was this mystery from Charlie’s perspective. Even though he’s a witness, he’s still not certain of Lizzie’s guilt. Did she do it? Was she framed? The book does a great job of leaving it ambiguous, letting readers decide based on how they’re feeling about the mystery.
Highlights:
Middle-Grade Novel
Historical Fiction
Witnesses & Truth
Trigger Warnings:
Graphic Details
Thanks to HarperAlley and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
You Can Also Find Me On:
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Tumblr | Reedsy
Summary:
Charlie is fourteen years old, and he just saw something truly unspeakable. It’s the morning of August 4, 1982—the morning that tragedy struck Lizzie Borden’s house. Unfortunately, he can’t get anyone to believe what he saw.
Not until the bodies are found, at any rate. Charlie will have to do everything in his power to ensure his voice is heard so that justice can be found for Andrew and Abby Borden. Who would have thought Charlie would end up in such a situation?
Review:
Before I dive into my review, I just want to point out that I Witnessed is historical fiction. It is based on real events (the Lizzie Borden trial and murders), but Charlie’s story is largely imagined and exaggerated. I’m not sure I would have read the graphic novel otherwise, you know?
Honestly, I was curious to see how I Witnessed would handle such heavy content for young readers. As a reminder, this book is a middle-grade book. And I’m pleased to say they did a great job. They don’t hide away from the truth but don’t relish the gory details.
What I enjoyed was this mystery from Charlie’s perspective. Even though he’s a witness, he’s still not certain of Lizzie’s guilt. Did she do it? Was she framed? The book does a great job of leaving it ambiguous, letting readers decide based on how they’re feeling about the mystery.
Highlights:
Middle-Grade Novel
Historical Fiction
Witnesses & Truth
Trigger Warnings:
Graphic Details
Thanks to HarperAlley and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
You Can Also Find Me On:
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Tumblr | Reedsy
July 23, 2025
In 1892, Charlie and his mother lived next door to the Bordens. Yes, those Bordens: Father, stepmother, and twenty-something daughters Lizzie and Emma, as well as the maid Bridget. Charlie sometimes talks to Lizzie, who keeps pigeons and wonders if it's cruel to keep things in cages that want to be free. One day, from his window, Charlie sees the silhouette of someone with an ax behind the silhouette of someone else. He tries to get his mother to believe him, but she doesn't--just gets mad at him (again) for scaring the young cousin staying with them. But then Lizzie comes out of the house in a state, saying someone murdered her father. Charlie's mother rushes over, and later she is the one who finds Lizzie's stepmother, also murdered. So starts the media circus, and Charlie decides to do his own investigation. At the center of everything is Lizzie--composed, enigmatic, possibly threatening but possibly just a bit of an odd duck. Will Charlie find out what really happened? Unlikely, as this is a fairly true historical account, but maybe he'll find more questions.
I was interested to see how the author would work this, basing the recounting of the tragedy through the eyes of a real-life person that almost nothing is known about, the boy next door. There are some narrator notes here and there to add context to the events, which is helpful. The coloring is limited to tones of black, grey, and muted turquoise. I found a number of the women hard to tell apart, as they all had dark hair in buns and long black dresses. The story is well-structured and will hold reader interest. There are some inventions, like the visiting cousin who likes to play pirates, and Charlie finding something buried in the woods. Overall, a good overview of the story that isn't too bloody (perhaps the lack of color is helpful there!). The bodies are never shown, though later their skulls are. I'd recommend for 6th grade and up.
I was interested to see how the author would work this, basing the recounting of the tragedy through the eyes of a real-life person that almost nothing is known about, the boy next door. There are some narrator notes here and there to add context to the events, which is helpful. The coloring is limited to tones of black, grey, and muted turquoise. I found a number of the women hard to tell apart, as they all had dark hair in buns and long black dresses. The story is well-structured and will hold reader interest. There are some inventions, like the visiting cousin who likes to play pirates, and Charlie finding something buried in the woods. Overall, a good overview of the story that isn't too bloody (perhaps the lack of color is helpful there!). The bodies are never shown, though later their skulls are. I'd recommend for 6th grade and up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2024
This is not the first book about Lizzie Borden for younger readers that I have read. In fact, I'm fairly certain I read one back in elementary school, possibly because the old rhyme about axes and whacks was inexplicably THE song to jump rope to for a bit. Despite that, I do think this is one of the best books on the murder for kids, because it knows exactly how many punches to pull and how much to insinuate, leaving the reader to have to decide for themself whether or not Lizzie was guilty - and whether or not she may have had a reason. There are definitely a couple of dropped hints that could be taken to imply that the Borden house was not an easy one to live in - and that Andrew Borden was not an easy man.
What this really has going for it is its protagonist. Charlie Churchill was a fourteen-year-old boy who really did live next door to the Bordens in 1892, and while we don't know much more about him, he's the perfect character to follow. He's proactive and engaged, but he's also increasingly aware of the human toll both the murders and subsequent trial take, and the final scene, of him laying a pear on Lizzie's grave many decades after the murders, beautifully captures how conflicted he remained. There's no denying that something like that haunts a person, and Charlie embodies the concept well.
Obviously this won't be the book for all middle grade readers. It doesn't show anything too gruesome, nor does it go all-in on the horrible details. But it does build a solid sense of uneasiness, peppering its story with a lot of facts and primary source quotations. Almost more than being about Lizzie Borden, this is about the way that tragedies and crimes take their toll on the survivors - even those who just had the misfortune of being in their vicinity.
What this really has going for it is its protagonist. Charlie Churchill was a fourteen-year-old boy who really did live next door to the Bordens in 1892, and while we don't know much more about him, he's the perfect character to follow. He's proactive and engaged, but he's also increasingly aware of the human toll both the murders and subsequent trial take, and the final scene, of him laying a pear on Lizzie's grave many decades after the murders, beautifully captures how conflicted he remained. There's no denying that something like that haunts a person, and Charlie embodies the concept well.
Obviously this won't be the book for all middle grade readers. It doesn't show anything too gruesome, nor does it go all-in on the horrible details. But it does build a solid sense of uneasiness, peppering its story with a lot of facts and primary source quotations. Almost more than being about Lizzie Borden, this is about the way that tragedies and crimes take their toll on the survivors - even those who just had the misfortune of being in their vicinity.
May 3, 2025
A well done graphic novel portraying all of the intrigue and events surrounding the Lizzie Borden story. For any true crime aficionado, you’ll recognize this historic tale of Lizzie’s step mother and her father’s brutal murder involving an axe, leaving her and her sister his large estate.
It has baffled the public for years, and even today there is a lot of unanswered questions and speculation about Lizzie’s innocence. And if she was, then who was the real murderer?
The story is told through their teenage neighbor Charlie who witnesses something that he finds suspicious. Once he starts talking about it, all eyes begin to focus on Lizzie as the culprit when her father and step mother are found brutally murdered.
There’s nothing too graphic described. In fact, this graphic novel is meant for middle grade or YA, and it’s a great introductory story into Lizzie’s circumstances and the trial that she went through.
I know a lot of kids are very interested in historical true events, especially any surrounding mystery or the unexplained, such as ghosts, Amelia Earhart or the Bermuda Triangle. This lends itself well to this category. The story is clear, fast paced and the reader really doesn’t know who/what to believe. There’s a certain level of innocence that Charlie possesses that passes through the pages onto the reader, which perfectly illustrates the removed voyeristic quality of the narration. The art is clean, colored well and really helps keep the story paced, especially at the beginning when Charlie is first introducing all of the characters.
For any fan of this story in particular, or historic true crime, I would recommend this book. It’s a fast read but captures the mystery and the still unanswered questions bout this massive trial.
It has baffled the public for years, and even today there is a lot of unanswered questions and speculation about Lizzie’s innocence. And if she was, then who was the real murderer?
The story is told through their teenage neighbor Charlie who witnesses something that he finds suspicious. Once he starts talking about it, all eyes begin to focus on Lizzie as the culprit when her father and step mother are found brutally murdered.
There’s nothing too graphic described. In fact, this graphic novel is meant for middle grade or YA, and it’s a great introductory story into Lizzie’s circumstances and the trial that she went through.
I know a lot of kids are very interested in historical true events, especially any surrounding mystery or the unexplained, such as ghosts, Amelia Earhart or the Bermuda Triangle. This lends itself well to this category. The story is clear, fast paced and the reader really doesn’t know who/what to believe. There’s a certain level of innocence that Charlie possesses that passes through the pages onto the reader, which perfectly illustrates the removed voyeristic quality of the narration. The art is clean, colored well and really helps keep the story paced, especially at the beginning when Charlie is first introducing all of the characters.
For any fan of this story in particular, or historic true crime, I would recommend this book. It’s a fast read but captures the mystery and the still unanswered questions bout this massive trial.
August 18, 2025
“Lizzie Borden took an axe/She gave her mother forty whacks/When she saw what she had done/She gave her father forty-one.”
Most people know about Lizzie Borden. Jeramey Kraatz gives the story a fresh set of eyes for younger readers whilst giving them actual facts. Charles Churchill was a real boy that did live next door to Lizzie Borden. However, the POV, life, and perceptions in this graphic novel are made up.
Charlie’s neighbors were always a bit odd and kept to themselves. Lizzie Borden takes care of her pigeons and her sister shops for dresses. Over a short period of time, things seem to escalate for the Borden family next door. Lizzie’s pigeons are killed, her family may have been poisoned, and Charlie might have seen her stepmother being murdered. All the hot tea is that Lizzie killed her parents.
I’m still not sure whether Borden killed her father and stepmother. Maybe new evidence or DNA could be revealed to us soon. One thing is for sure, Fall River was never the same.
#ThxNetGalley #JerameyKraatz #IWitnessed:TheLizzieBordenStory
Merged review:
“Lizzie Borden took an axe/She gave her mother forty whacks/When she saw what she had done/She gave her father forty-one.”
Most people know about Lizzie Borden. Jeramey Kraatz gives the story a fresh set of eyes for younger readers whilst giving them actual facts. Charles Churchill was a real boy that did live next door to Lizzie Borden. However, the POV, life, and perceptions in this graphic novel are made up.
Charlie’s neighbors were always a bit odd and kept to themselves. Lizzie Borden takes care of her pigeons and her sister shops for dresses. Over a short period of time, things seem to escalate for the Borden family next door. Lizzie’s pigeons are killed, her family may have been poisoned, and Charlie might have seen her stepmother being murdered. All the hot tea is that Lizzie killed her parents.
I’m still not sure whether Borden killed her father and stepmother. Maybe new evidence or DNA could be revealed to us soon. One thing is for sure, Fall River was never the same.
#ThxNetGalley #JerameyKraatz #IWitnessed:TheLizzieBordenStory
Most people know about Lizzie Borden. Jeramey Kraatz gives the story a fresh set of eyes for younger readers whilst giving them actual facts. Charles Churchill was a real boy that did live next door to Lizzie Borden. However, the POV, life, and perceptions in this graphic novel are made up.
Charlie’s neighbors were always a bit odd and kept to themselves. Lizzie Borden takes care of her pigeons and her sister shops for dresses. Over a short period of time, things seem to escalate for the Borden family next door. Lizzie’s pigeons are killed, her family may have been poisoned, and Charlie might have seen her stepmother being murdered. All the hot tea is that Lizzie killed her parents.
I’m still not sure whether Borden killed her father and stepmother. Maybe new evidence or DNA could be revealed to us soon. One thing is for sure, Fall River was never the same.
#ThxNetGalley #JerameyKraatz #IWitnessed:TheLizzieBordenStory
Merged review:
“Lizzie Borden took an axe/She gave her mother forty whacks/When she saw what she had done/She gave her father forty-one.”
Most people know about Lizzie Borden. Jeramey Kraatz gives the story a fresh set of eyes for younger readers whilst giving them actual facts. Charles Churchill was a real boy that did live next door to Lizzie Borden. However, the POV, life, and perceptions in this graphic novel are made up.
Charlie’s neighbors were always a bit odd and kept to themselves. Lizzie Borden takes care of her pigeons and her sister shops for dresses. Over a short period of time, things seem to escalate for the Borden family next door. Lizzie’s pigeons are killed, her family may have been poisoned, and Charlie might have seen her stepmother being murdered. All the hot tea is that Lizzie killed her parents.
I’m still not sure whether Borden killed her father and stepmother. Maybe new evidence or DNA could be revealed to us soon. One thing is for sure, Fall River was never the same.
#ThxNetGalley #JerameyKraatz #IWitnessed:TheLizzieBordenStory
March 27, 2025
When I was younger I was into the whole Lizzie Borden thing. I was an axe-murderer/slasher movie kind of a kid. I could enjoy the story without needing a Hardy Boys-wannabe teenage sleuth inserted into the narrative. And that's where this story stumbles and falls. When it's just looking through the eyes of a young teen who is dealing with the reality of living next door to the scene of an infamous murder, with the accused murderer being someone they've known all their life, with their small town overnight turning into a circus sideshow it's compelling enough. When it ridiculously slips in some imaginary stories about following mysterious figures into the dark woods late at night or breaking into a murder suspect's basement to plant the missing murder weapon discovered in your adolescent investigations then it just gets silly. There's only two ways the story can go from there. Either the author is going to completely ditch historical accuracy and end with some thriller movie scene of our hero being stalked through the forbidding Borden house by the axe-welding (PLOT TWIST!) Emma Borden or things will just play out as they did in real life which renders those made-up scenes completely pointless. These unnecessary asides are just there to add artificial tension to the story, but only end up making something that seems to want to be taken seriously feel like that cartoon about the mouse who was really responsible for Benjamin Franklin's inventions.
January 18, 2025
On the morning of August 4, 1892, fourteen-year-old Charlie sees a horrifying act unfold at his next-door neighbor Lizzie Borden’s house—something he can’t keep to himself. Yet no one believes what Charlie saw . . . not even when Andrew and Abby Borden are found dead later that morning.
I have been fascinated by the Lizzie Borden story for as long as I can remember, and read jut about anything I come accross. Nothing like an unsolved murder to grab the imagination.
This graphic novel captures the entire story as realistically as any non-fiction bersion I have read.
The illustrations are very well done as is the telling of Lizzie's and Charlie's story.
The story takes no sides and leaves you to decide if Lizzie was guilty or not. My honest thought is "not guilty" but if nothing else there was reasonable doubt and that is the foundation of the judicial system.
I was surprised to see this was a graphic novel for children, middle age I beleive, and I was wooried it would either be too graphic or sugar coat what is essentially a tragic story. But worries were unfounded as the subject was handled with sensitivity but did not shy away from what actually transpired.
Highly Recommended Published 03/18/2025
Thanks to @Netgalley and Harper Collins Children's Books for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
I have been fascinated by the Lizzie Borden story for as long as I can remember, and read jut about anything I come accross. Nothing like an unsolved murder to grab the imagination.
This graphic novel captures the entire story as realistically as any non-fiction bersion I have read.
The illustrations are very well done as is the telling of Lizzie's and Charlie's story.
The story takes no sides and leaves you to decide if Lizzie was guilty or not. My honest thought is "not guilty" but if nothing else there was reasonable doubt and that is the foundation of the judicial system.
I was surprised to see this was a graphic novel for children, middle age I beleive, and I was wooried it would either be too graphic or sugar coat what is essentially a tragic story. But worries were unfounded as the subject was handled with sensitivity but did not shy away from what actually transpired.
Highly Recommended Published 03/18/2025
Thanks to @Netgalley and Harper Collins Children's Books for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
March 22, 2025
The author says, "this is a fictional book with an awful lot of truth in it". The story is told from the viewpoint of a 14-year-old next-door neighbor who was real but not much is known about him. This young man represents the reader, who is looking for answers, because only the victims and the murderer know what happened that day. Was it Lizzie, and maybe, in part, her sister? Was it an intruder? Was it Uncle John? This is one of those situations that we may never know. I really enjoyed reading this graphic novel. Like the author says, there are lots of facts and I like the way it was told in a day-to-day fashion. I did write down some "case facts" as they came up in the story.
page 11 - Andrew Borden's estate would be worth almost $10 million today.
page 27 - Leftovers were stored at room temperature. Food poisoning would be called the "summer complaint" because it was so common.
page 141 - Lizzie's lawyers sometimes stayed at the house where the murders took place.
page 142 - The rhyme was popular before the trial even began. You know the one....Lizzie Borden took an axe...and so on. But her father only really received 10. And, like the rest of the facts, no one knows who came up with this rhyme.
I think the author did a great job with this story and I liked the illustrations. You felt like you were there.
page 11 - Andrew Borden's estate would be worth almost $10 million today.
page 27 - Leftovers were stored at room temperature. Food poisoning would be called the "summer complaint" because it was so common.
page 141 - Lizzie's lawyers sometimes stayed at the house where the murders took place.
page 142 - The rhyme was popular before the trial even began. You know the one....Lizzie Borden took an axe...and so on. But her father only really received 10. And, like the rest of the facts, no one knows who came up with this rhyme.
I think the author did a great job with this story and I liked the illustrations. You felt like you were there.
March 5, 2025
I Survived, but make it true crime - that's what I expected given the start of the title, and that's pretty much what you get. As someone who has had phases of being deeply intrigued by this case and the uncertainties of it(and the fact that we'll probably never know what really happened), I was interested as a children's librarian but also personally in what this book would be like.
Using the lens of a teenager living next-door to the Bordens really serves to highlight the uncertainties and the way information can be twisted to serve a purpose (absolutely a topic we need to talk about right now), and overall I did enjoy this book - including the notes at the end that gave some clarity to what was historical and what was fictional (which is so important in any historical fiction work).
We're definitely going to have kids interested in this at the library, and I'd be interested in seeing more like this. (But also - did something happen in the last year or two with Lizzie Borden stuff? I saw several Lizzie Borden winter guard shows in WGI last year and now a kids graphic novel - what did I miss that brought this into the forefront of people's minds???)
4/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children's for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Using the lens of a teenager living next-door to the Bordens really serves to highlight the uncertainties and the way information can be twisted to serve a purpose (absolutely a topic we need to talk about right now), and overall I did enjoy this book - including the notes at the end that gave some clarity to what was historical and what was fictional (which is so important in any historical fiction work).
We're definitely going to have kids interested in this at the library, and I'd be interested in seeing more like this. (But also - did something happen in the last year or two with Lizzie Borden stuff? I saw several Lizzie Borden winter guard shows in WGI last year and now a kids graphic novel - what did I miss that brought this into the forefront of people's minds???)
4/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children's for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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