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Witness
Discover the characters who witness social injustice in 1924.
161 pages, Paperback
First published July 5, 2000
207 people are currently reading
2675 people want to read
About the author
Karen Hesse
64 books479 followersKaren Hesse is an American author known for her children's and young adult literature, often set in historical contexts. She received the Newbery Medal for Out of the Dust (1997), a verse novel about a young girl enduring the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. Hesse’s works frequently tackle complex themes, as seen in Witness (2001), which explores the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in a 1920s Vermont town, and The Music of Dolphins (1996), which tells the story of a girl raised by dolphins. Her novel Stowaway (2000) is based on the real-life account of a boy aboard Captain Cook’s Endeavour. Over her career, Hesse has received numerous accolades, including a MacArthur Fellowship in 2002 and the Phoenix Award for Letters from Rifka (1992).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 882 reviews
April 18, 2022
HAPPY POETRY MONTH!
april is national poetry month,
so here come thirty floats!
the cynics here will call this plan
a shameless grab for votes.
and maybe there’s some truth to that—
i do love validation,
but charitably consider it
a rhyme-y celebration.
i don’t intend to flood your feed—
i’ll just post one a day.
endure four weeks of reruns
and then it will be may!
**************************
this is the way this conversation should have gone down.
"so, i want to write a kid's book about the KKK coming to town and the town's reaction to it from all different perspectives"
"okay, i am listening"
"it will be set in vermont..."
"wait - what?? vermont?? not in the south??"
"no, in vermont. the green mountain state"
"okay, your call. keep 'em guessing, i like it. why pick on the south all the time, sure. everyone thinks vermont is so liberal - we will show them!!"
"okay - and i am going to have seventeen main narrators who-"
"seventeen?? really?? that seems like a lot to keep track of, what age group is this for??"
"no, it will be fine, i am going to have photos of all the characters on the front, and each poem will be a different character's perspective, and"
"poem?? what poem???"
"oh, well, it is all in verse, so - "
"no. no. no. no way. no KKK poetry here, please. get out of my office, good lady."
come to my blog!
april is national poetry month,
so here come thirty floats!
the cynics here will call this plan
a shameless grab for votes.
and maybe there’s some truth to that—
i do love validation,
but charitably consider it
a rhyme-y celebration.
i don’t intend to flood your feed—
i’ll just post one a day.
endure four weeks of reruns
and then it will be may!
**************************
this is the way this conversation should have gone down.
"so, i want to write a kid's book about the KKK coming to town and the town's reaction to it from all different perspectives"
"okay, i am listening"
"it will be set in vermont..."
"wait - what?? vermont?? not in the south??"
"no, in vermont. the green mountain state"
"okay, your call. keep 'em guessing, i like it. why pick on the south all the time, sure. everyone thinks vermont is so liberal - we will show them!!"
"okay - and i am going to have seventeen main narrators who-"
"seventeen?? really?? that seems like a lot to keep track of, what age group is this for??"
"no, it will be fine, i am going to have photos of all the characters on the front, and each poem will be a different character's perspective, and"
"poem?? what poem???"
"oh, well, it is all in verse, so - "
"no. no. no. no way. no KKK poetry here, please. get out of my office, good lady."
come to my blog!
June 6, 2020
Well, I didn't see this coming, wasn't expecting to encounter the Ku Klux Klan in a middle grades book set in Vermont, in 1924. But, here we are. And there they were.
Wow. I wasn't quite ready to explain to my 12-year-old daughter about these grown men in their white robes and hoods, burning crosses on people's lawns, but this book begs the discussion.
I think of Vermont, in the 1920s, as a place of almost no racial or cultural diversity, and there wasn't much, to be fair, but this “prose poetry” novel features a Black family named the Sutters and a Jewish family named the Hirshes.
Things are relatively “okay” for both families in this small town outside of Burlington at the start of the story, but then a local branch of the KKK tries to gain a foothold and things turn ugly for both families, and quickly.
The threat to this community is depicted through the voices of 11 speakers, both the victims and the local townspeople with varying views on what's happening. The author, Karen Hesse, includes a photo gallery of the 11 citizens in the front of the book, and, as often as the speaker changes, my daughter and I found this an invaluable addition to the book.
To be honest, my daughter rubbed her eyes a lot throughout this read, and without the photo gallery, she'd have been completely lost. As it was, she frequently asked, “Who?” despite the name of the speaker provided at the top of every selection. She said that if she had to describe her experience of the book in one word, it would be “confusing.”
I'm a little confused myself about the target audience here. As an adult, I understood the story better than my daughter, but it is promoted as a “children's book.” My 9-year-old would have been completely lost in the prose poems and the history and never would have sat still for this story nor read it on her own.
Frankly, the book is peppered with racial slurs and violence, covers the story of a famous murder in Chicago of a young teen, and includes a pedophile and a bootlegger.
I'm going to declare it “YA” at best.
Personally, I'd give it 4 stars, but I defer to my girls on their middle grades reads (since they are the intended audience), and my daughter says “three.”
My biggest takeaway here was the prose poem told from the perspective of Leonora Sutter, the 12-year-old Black resident of the town. It's sad proof that not enough has changed in 100 years:
when i was taking care of mr. field,
doing the light chores,
keeping him alive with my plain
cooking and housekeeping,
i told him about helen keller and how she was blind all the way
and how i wrote her a letter.
and he showed me a
remington portable typewriter,
almost new
you have any use for that? he asked.
for your letter writing and all?
no sir, i said.
i would have liked a machine like that to write on.
but if i went carrying a big old
typewriter home from
dickenson street
all the way to mather road,
constable johnson,
he'd get ten calls before i got halfway to the covered bridge,
telling him how the colored girl
stole some
expensive machinery.
not worth the trouble.
Wow. I wasn't quite ready to explain to my 12-year-old daughter about these grown men in their white robes and hoods, burning crosses on people's lawns, but this book begs the discussion.
I think of Vermont, in the 1920s, as a place of almost no racial or cultural diversity, and there wasn't much, to be fair, but this “prose poetry” novel features a Black family named the Sutters and a Jewish family named the Hirshes.
Things are relatively “okay” for both families in this small town outside of Burlington at the start of the story, but then a local branch of the KKK tries to gain a foothold and things turn ugly for both families, and quickly.
The threat to this community is depicted through the voices of 11 speakers, both the victims and the local townspeople with varying views on what's happening. The author, Karen Hesse, includes a photo gallery of the 11 citizens in the front of the book, and, as often as the speaker changes, my daughter and I found this an invaluable addition to the book.
To be honest, my daughter rubbed her eyes a lot throughout this read, and without the photo gallery, she'd have been completely lost. As it was, she frequently asked, “Who?” despite the name of the speaker provided at the top of every selection. She said that if she had to describe her experience of the book in one word, it would be “confusing.”
I'm a little confused myself about the target audience here. As an adult, I understood the story better than my daughter, but it is promoted as a “children's book.” My 9-year-old would have been completely lost in the prose poems and the history and never would have sat still for this story nor read it on her own.
Frankly, the book is peppered with racial slurs and violence, covers the story of a famous murder in Chicago of a young teen, and includes a pedophile and a bootlegger.
I'm going to declare it “YA” at best.
Personally, I'd give it 4 stars, but I defer to my girls on their middle grades reads (since they are the intended audience), and my daughter says “three.”
My biggest takeaway here was the prose poem told from the perspective of Leonora Sutter, the 12-year-old Black resident of the town. It's sad proof that not enough has changed in 100 years:
when i was taking care of mr. field,
doing the light chores,
keeping him alive with my plain
cooking and housekeeping,
i told him about helen keller and how she was blind all the way
and how i wrote her a letter.
and he showed me a
remington portable typewriter,
almost new
you have any use for that? he asked.
for your letter writing and all?
no sir, i said.
i would have liked a machine like that to write on.
but if i went carrying a big old
typewriter home from
dickenson street
all the way to mather road,
constable johnson,
he'd get ten calls before i got halfway to the covered bridge,
telling him how the colored girl
stole some
expensive machinery.
not worth the trouble.
January 31, 2008
At first, I found Witness difficult to get into, and I was a little skeptical of Karen Hesse's chosen format, namely, writing the book somewhat like a play, insofar as characters switching off in dialog, but poetry because the "dialog" consisted of free verse poems of varying length. Towards the end, I not only grew to appreciate the literary merits of this format, but also grew to like it. Telling the story in this way allows Hesse to convey turmoil that the encroaching Ku Klux Klan, because the text makes it feel like the varying characters voices are swimming around in your mind, echoing, crescendoing, and fading depending from whose perspective the story is currently being told. Though the words in the book are scant, Hesse manages to develop her characters as well, or better than, many large, full-blown novels, in part because she makes use of poetry structure to increase the audience's ability to empathize with the characters.
Another reason for which I think that this book bears much merit is the telling of an non-stereotypical story about the Ku Klux Klan. Although we would all acknowledge the importance of the effects of terror the KKK elicited from the black community, it is already a story that has been told many times. Hesse's major contribution to the body of works about the KKK is the insight that she offers into the white community of Vermont in 1924, and the reminder that the KKK's persecution was not limited to blacks, but rather extended to Jews, Catholics, and any whites that aided those groups or whom they thought to be "immoral." In Witness, Hesse chooses not to write primarily from black characters' perspective, choosing instead to show the world mainly through the eyes of Esther, a six-year-old Jewish girl who moved from New York City to the Vermont countryside. In so doing, Hesse may more effectively incorporate her personal experiences as a girl who grew up in the Midatlantic/New England (Baltimore) to weave an authentic story. Furthermore, Hesse's novel stresses human choice in determining whether they are "good," or "bad." Although Witness deals with a serious and fearful topic, it is ultimately a hopeful one, showing that, if individuals and/or the community choose to do so, positive change is possible, and understanding can be achieved so that we don't keep bumping into each other in fear and anger.
Another reason for which I think that this book bears much merit is the telling of an non-stereotypical story about the Ku Klux Klan. Although we would all acknowledge the importance of the effects of terror the KKK elicited from the black community, it is already a story that has been told many times. Hesse's major contribution to the body of works about the KKK is the insight that she offers into the white community of Vermont in 1924, and the reminder that the KKK's persecution was not limited to blacks, but rather extended to Jews, Catholics, and any whites that aided those groups or whom they thought to be "immoral." In Witness, Hesse chooses not to write primarily from black characters' perspective, choosing instead to show the world mainly through the eyes of Esther, a six-year-old Jewish girl who moved from New York City to the Vermont countryside. In so doing, Hesse may more effectively incorporate her personal experiences as a girl who grew up in the Midatlantic/New England (Baltimore) to weave an authentic story. Furthermore, Hesse's novel stresses human choice in determining whether they are "good," or "bad." Although Witness deals with a serious and fearful topic, it is ultimately a hopeful one, showing that, if individuals and/or the community choose to do so, positive change is possible, and understanding can be achieved so that we don't keep bumping into each other in fear and anger.
September 15, 2013
Why a 5 star rating?:
This is a well written, compelling look at prejudice and hate told through a variety a voices and perspectives. Hesse is masterful when it comes to writing poetry and novels in verse. Because the novel is narrated by a diverse group of characters, you get to experience the story in a different way. It's a quick read that tackles tough subjects and leaves the reader wanting to know more about the characters and the town in which they live.
Plot summary:
"Witness" by Karen Hesse examines the lives and choices of the residents living in a small Vermont town in 1924. The plot revolves around the arrival of the KKK and how a diverse group of community members deal with their arrival. With the KKK slowly gaining power in town, the residents take sides and thus begins the breakdown of a community. Told in poetic verse throughout five acts, the characters narrating represent all sides of what's at stake in their community and the various ways people respond to injustice and hate. As the title implies, it's a story about all of those that beared witness to the social injustices of that time, whether they were actively involved, vehemently opposed, or just simply a bystander.
Character Descriptions:
Leanora Sutter: Leanora is a 12 year old black girl living with her father and dealing with the recent death of her mother. Often the target of racial discrimination and intolerance, Leanora's voice is one of strength and resiliency. She forges unlikely friendships with two white people in town and it's through these relationships we see her fiercely caring and protective spirit.
Percelle Johnson: Percelle is the town constable whose main goal is to keep peace and order in his community. From the get go, Percelle tries to remain as neutral as possible when it comes to the KKK. As the story progresses and the KKK begins to take over, Percelle starts to realize that his neutrality is no longer an option and he must start taking a stand for what he has come to believe.
Sara Chickering: Sara is a middle aged, single, female farmer that takes in a young Jewish girl and her father upon their arrival in her town. A bit rough around the edges, Sara begins to soften as she forges a bond with the girl living in her home. Faced with threats from the KKK for harboring Jews, Sara shows how fiercely courageous she is and her unwavering devotion to the ones she loves.
Fitzgerald Flitt: Fitzgerald is the town doctor, and a good one at that. He makes it a point to take care of everyone, regardless of their race, religion, or life choices.
Harvey Pettibone: Harvey, along with his wife, owns and operates the town store. In any other circumstances, Harvey would be a good, caring, law abiding citizen. However, when the KKK shows up, Harvey finds himself moving towards the dark side and becoming someone full of hate and prejudice, willing to do terrible things for his own advancement.
Viola Pettibone: Viola, Harvey's wife, is the conscience in her relationship. She does not agree with what the KKK stands for and is not afraid to tell her husband that. She must walk a fine line between, remaining true to herself and her beliefs, while being a supportive wife.
Merlin Van Tournout: Merlin is an 18 year old white boy who, like many others, does not appreciate a black family living in his town. Often the first one to ridicule, Leanora, Merlin aligns himself with the KKK pretty early on. However, as things start to heat up and he is asked to commit a terrible act in the name of "justice", Merlin begins to question what he really believes. Merlin's character, more than any other, experiences the most change in this story. Not only is he moving into adulthood and trying to figure that out, he is also evaluating his role in society and the world. He is a good representation of how malleable people at that age are and how important it is to listen to that voice in your head and follow your heart.
Esther Hirsh: Esther is a six year old Jewish girl, that moves from New York City to Vermont with her father, following the death of her mother. Sara and her father are taken in by Sara, a local farmer where they build a unique family all their won. Esther is the picture of innocence who does not see color, race, or religion. She loves adnimals and nature and as is often pointed out, has a funny way of speaking. Probably the most unique voice in the story, you can't help but fall in love with Esther and the rose colored glasses she sees the world through.
Johnny Reeves: Johnny is the local clergyman who claims to keep Christ at the center of his life. However, Johnny is one of the first characters to jump on the KKK bandwagon in the pursuit of an all white, all protestant community. He is a hateful character that sexually abuses young children and does just about anything to keep his name in good standing with the KKK. When, things don't quite work out for him, he goes to desperate lengths that in turn, highlight his cowardice and despicable existence.
Iris Weaver: Iris is a 30 year old restaurant owner and rum runner. She is decidedly set in her convictions from the start, and openly despises the KKK. The voice of the modern woman at that time, Iris is independent, brave, hard working, and fearless.
Reynard Alexander: Reynard is a 40 something newspaper editor that decides early on that he needs to remain a neutral party in the KKK debate. As the story unfolds though, Reynard realizes that taking a stand for what is right is more important than just staying out of the way.
Key Issues:
race, lynching, intolerance, death, prejudice, KKK, Jewish, rum runner, choices, struggle, transformation, clergyman, constable, desperation
Other interesting information:
Setting: This story takes place in Vermont in 1924 during the rise of the KKK and prohibition. It's an interesting setting for this kind of story to be told. You typically don't associate Vermont or that region in general with too much KKK involvement or prejudice. Most of these types of stories are set in the south, where slavery and segregation were rampant. With that being said though, it's a testament to the fact that these issues affected the entire country during this time. No where and no one were free from the widespread intolerance of racial and religious differences.
If you enjoyed reading "Witness", check out these other titles from Karen Hesse: "Out of the Dust", "Stowaway", and "The Music of Dolphins". Likewise, if you enjoy historical fiction, particularly about these topics, check out: "Chanins" by Laurie Halse Anderson, "The Watsons go to Birhingham" by Christopher Paul Curtis, and "Roll of Thunder" by Mildred D. Taylor.
This is a well written, compelling look at prejudice and hate told through a variety a voices and perspectives. Hesse is masterful when it comes to writing poetry and novels in verse. Because the novel is narrated by a diverse group of characters, you get to experience the story in a different way. It's a quick read that tackles tough subjects and leaves the reader wanting to know more about the characters and the town in which they live.
Plot summary:
"Witness" by Karen Hesse examines the lives and choices of the residents living in a small Vermont town in 1924. The plot revolves around the arrival of the KKK and how a diverse group of community members deal with their arrival. With the KKK slowly gaining power in town, the residents take sides and thus begins the breakdown of a community. Told in poetic verse throughout five acts, the characters narrating represent all sides of what's at stake in their community and the various ways people respond to injustice and hate. As the title implies, it's a story about all of those that beared witness to the social injustices of that time, whether they were actively involved, vehemently opposed, or just simply a bystander.
Character Descriptions:
Leanora Sutter: Leanora is a 12 year old black girl living with her father and dealing with the recent death of her mother. Often the target of racial discrimination and intolerance, Leanora's voice is one of strength and resiliency. She forges unlikely friendships with two white people in town and it's through these relationships we see her fiercely caring and protective spirit.
Percelle Johnson: Percelle is the town constable whose main goal is to keep peace and order in his community. From the get go, Percelle tries to remain as neutral as possible when it comes to the KKK. As the story progresses and the KKK begins to take over, Percelle starts to realize that his neutrality is no longer an option and he must start taking a stand for what he has come to believe.
Sara Chickering: Sara is a middle aged, single, female farmer that takes in a young Jewish girl and her father upon their arrival in her town. A bit rough around the edges, Sara begins to soften as she forges a bond with the girl living in her home. Faced with threats from the KKK for harboring Jews, Sara shows how fiercely courageous she is and her unwavering devotion to the ones she loves.
Fitzgerald Flitt: Fitzgerald is the town doctor, and a good one at that. He makes it a point to take care of everyone, regardless of their race, religion, or life choices.
Harvey Pettibone: Harvey, along with his wife, owns and operates the town store. In any other circumstances, Harvey would be a good, caring, law abiding citizen. However, when the KKK shows up, Harvey finds himself moving towards the dark side and becoming someone full of hate and prejudice, willing to do terrible things for his own advancement.
Viola Pettibone: Viola, Harvey's wife, is the conscience in her relationship. She does not agree with what the KKK stands for and is not afraid to tell her husband that. She must walk a fine line between, remaining true to herself and her beliefs, while being a supportive wife.
Merlin Van Tournout: Merlin is an 18 year old white boy who, like many others, does not appreciate a black family living in his town. Often the first one to ridicule, Leanora, Merlin aligns himself with the KKK pretty early on. However, as things start to heat up and he is asked to commit a terrible act in the name of "justice", Merlin begins to question what he really believes. Merlin's character, more than any other, experiences the most change in this story. Not only is he moving into adulthood and trying to figure that out, he is also evaluating his role in society and the world. He is a good representation of how malleable people at that age are and how important it is to listen to that voice in your head and follow your heart.
Esther Hirsh: Esther is a six year old Jewish girl, that moves from New York City to Vermont with her father, following the death of her mother. Sara and her father are taken in by Sara, a local farmer where they build a unique family all their won. Esther is the picture of innocence who does not see color, race, or religion. She loves adnimals and nature and as is often pointed out, has a funny way of speaking. Probably the most unique voice in the story, you can't help but fall in love with Esther and the rose colored glasses she sees the world through.
Johnny Reeves: Johnny is the local clergyman who claims to keep Christ at the center of his life. However, Johnny is one of the first characters to jump on the KKK bandwagon in the pursuit of an all white, all protestant community. He is a hateful character that sexually abuses young children and does just about anything to keep his name in good standing with the KKK. When, things don't quite work out for him, he goes to desperate lengths that in turn, highlight his cowardice and despicable existence.
Iris Weaver: Iris is a 30 year old restaurant owner and rum runner. She is decidedly set in her convictions from the start, and openly despises the KKK. The voice of the modern woman at that time, Iris is independent, brave, hard working, and fearless.
Reynard Alexander: Reynard is a 40 something newspaper editor that decides early on that he needs to remain a neutral party in the KKK debate. As the story unfolds though, Reynard realizes that taking a stand for what is right is more important than just staying out of the way.
Key Issues:
race, lynching, intolerance, death, prejudice, KKK, Jewish, rum runner, choices, struggle, transformation, clergyman, constable, desperation
Other interesting information:
Setting: This story takes place in Vermont in 1924 during the rise of the KKK and prohibition. It's an interesting setting for this kind of story to be told. You typically don't associate Vermont or that region in general with too much KKK involvement or prejudice. Most of these types of stories are set in the south, where slavery and segregation were rampant. With that being said though, it's a testament to the fact that these issues affected the entire country during this time. No where and no one were free from the widespread intolerance of racial and religious differences.
If you enjoyed reading "Witness", check out these other titles from Karen Hesse: "Out of the Dust", "Stowaway", and "The Music of Dolphins". Likewise, if you enjoy historical fiction, particularly about these topics, check out: "Chanins" by Laurie Halse Anderson, "The Watsons go to Birhingham" by Christopher Paul Curtis, and "Roll of Thunder" by Mildred D. Taylor.
February 7, 2010
I first read this in elementary school and loved it, then read it again recently for my Young Adult Literature class and loved it even more. It reads almost like a play, with each character (all residents of a small Vermont town in 1924) telling their version of events (the Ku Klux Klan rolling in and starting to recruit) in free verse. Characters include the local preacher, a twelve-year-old black girl, the town doctor, the sheriff, a six-year-old Jewish girl, and a woman who runs liquor. Amazing, scary, and beautiful.
Read for: Social Justice in Young Adult Literature
Read for: Social Justice in Young Adult Literature
Read
April 15, 2015 I loved this book. it gave me a lot of information on a girl named leonora sutter. It talked about her life and people that knew her. It also talked about the k.k.k. I hope to read another book like it.
January 12, 2017
This little book packs a huge punch.
In 1924, the Ku Klux Klan comes to a small Vermont town to “protect families.” As the Klan becomes more violent and influential, their presence impacts every person in the town. This novel-in-verse is told from multiple points-of-view. The characters are different ages, from different backgrounds, and have different opinions of the Klan. Will the characters give in to the Klan’s influence, or will they run the Klan out of town?
This book is written as free verse poetry. I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m not a poetry expert, but I found the poems well-written and easy to follow. Even the “artsy” poems aren’t confusing. Don’t let the format of the book deter you. It’s just as readable as a prose novel. And, it’s short (160 pages). I got through it in a few hours. If you’re curious about novels-in-verse, this might be a good place to start because it doesn’t require a big time commitment.
Witness has a huge variety of perspectives. It’s a children’s book, but you get to hear from adult characters, which is unusual. Some of the adults support the KKK; others despise it. A few are indifferent. The child characters are caught somewhere in between. My favorite characters are Leanora and Esther. Leanora is a twelve-year-old African American girl who fully understands the threat the Klan poses. Esther is a six-year-old Jewish girl who seems to have some kind of mental problem. She’s preoccupied with her mother’s death and doesn’t fully understand the Klan, but they still have an impact on her life. Both of these characters have strong voices. I loved them instantly.
I also really like Harvey and Viola Pettibone, an older couple whose poems are often written as dialogues. Harvey is curious about the Klan, but Viola is a realist and shoots down his ideas pretty quickly. Even though society tells Viola she’s supposed to be a supportive wife, she’s skeptical of all this Klan nonsense. It’s brilliant.
The characters are where this book shines, but I think there are too many of them. The book has 11 different narrators. There are photos of each narrator at the beginning of the novel, but my memory isn’t that good. When I first started reading, I had to flip back to the photos to remind myself who is who. It was distracting because the poems are short. Each page is narrated by a different character. Once I learned all the names, this was fine, but there was a lot of page flipping going on at the start.
Even though this isn’t a plot-driven book, I wish the mystery had been introduced earlier. Near the end of the story, a crime is committed by a Klan member, but nobody knows which one. The middle of the book feels a bit saggy and directionless to me. Introducing the mystery earlier could have helped that. The novel is so short that the sagginess didn’t really bother me, though.
The best part of Witness is that it imagines people complexly. It resists the oversimplified “good vs evil” plot. It shows that an evil organization like the Klan can seem tempting to regular people. Witness also shows that people can change their minds and learn from their mistakes. In the end, the story is about the choices that people make. If we’re willing to change our ideas and stop ignoring problems, we can make a difference in the world.
Witness gets some bonus points from me for historical accuracy. It references real events. The author also explains that the KKK doesn’t just target dark-skinned people. They hate Jews, Catholics, and anybody who is sympathetic to these groups. History books often focus on African Americans and ignore the other groups who are persecuted. Witness corrects a few misconceptions.
This is a solid novel-in-verse. I’m going to look up more of Karen Hesse’s work.
In 1924, the Ku Klux Klan comes to a small Vermont town to “protect families.” As the Klan becomes more violent and influential, their presence impacts every person in the town. This novel-in-verse is told from multiple points-of-view. The characters are different ages, from different backgrounds, and have different opinions of the Klan. Will the characters give in to the Klan’s influence, or will they run the Klan out of town?
“To those who swear our young are on the road to perdition take comfort in this—every generation has felt somewhat the same for two or three thousand years and still the world goes on.” – Witness
This book is written as free verse poetry. I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m not a poetry expert, but I found the poems well-written and easy to follow. Even the “artsy” poems aren’t confusing. Don’t let the format of the book deter you. It’s just as readable as a prose novel. And, it’s short (160 pages). I got through it in a few hours. If you’re curious about novels-in-verse, this might be a good place to start because it doesn’t require a big time commitment.
Witness has a huge variety of perspectives. It’s a children’s book, but you get to hear from adult characters, which is unusual. Some of the adults support the KKK; others despise it. A few are indifferent. The child characters are caught somewhere in between. My favorite characters are Leanora and Esther. Leanora is a twelve-year-old African American girl who fully understands the threat the Klan poses. Esther is a six-year-old Jewish girl who seems to have some kind of mental problem. She’s preoccupied with her mother’s death and doesn’t fully understand the Klan, but they still have an impact on her life. Both of these characters have strong voices. I loved them instantly.
I also really like Harvey and Viola Pettibone, an older couple whose poems are often written as dialogues. Harvey is curious about the Klan, but Viola is a realist and shoots down his ideas pretty quickly. Even though society tells Viola she’s supposed to be a supportive wife, she’s skeptical of all this Klan nonsense. It’s brilliant.
The characters are where this book shines, but I think there are too many of them. The book has 11 different narrators. There are photos of each narrator at the beginning of the novel, but my memory isn’t that good. When I first started reading, I had to flip back to the photos to remind myself who is who. It was distracting because the poems are short. Each page is narrated by a different character. Once I learned all the names, this was fine, but there was a lot of page flipping going on at the start.
Even though this isn’t a plot-driven book, I wish the mystery had been introduced earlier. Near the end of the story, a crime is committed by a Klan member, but nobody knows which one. The middle of the book feels a bit saggy and directionless to me. Introducing the mystery earlier could have helped that. The novel is so short that the sagginess didn’t really bother me, though.
The best part of Witness is that it imagines people complexly. It resists the oversimplified “good vs evil” plot. It shows that an evil organization like the Klan can seem tempting to regular people. Witness also shows that people can change their minds and learn from their mistakes. In the end, the story is about the choices that people make. If we’re willing to change our ideas and stop ignoring problems, we can make a difference in the world.
Witness gets some bonus points from me for historical accuracy. It references real events. The author also explains that the KKK doesn’t just target dark-skinned people. They hate Jews, Catholics, and anybody who is sympathetic to these groups. History books often focus on African Americans and ignore the other groups who are persecuted. Witness corrects a few misconceptions.
This is a solid novel-in-verse. I’m going to look up more of Karen Hesse’s work.
June 18, 2014
3.5***
Eleven residents of a small Vermont town in 1924 reveal what happens when the Ku Klux Klan moves in. Neighbors turn against one another and no one is safe, particularly two children: twelve-year-old Leonora, an African American girl, and six-year-old Esther, who is Jewish. The residents of the town bear witness to the events of 1924 in haunting free verse.
I’ve read several of Hesse’s works now, and am in awe of how much she can convey in so few words. Despite using free verse for the entire novel, she was able to give each resident a unique voice. I can easily distinguish the ringing oratory of the preacher, the quiet strength of the town’s doctor, the distress of young Leonora, the down-to-earth practicality of the shopkeeper’s wife, the outrage of the newspaper editor, the complacency of the town constable, the steadfastness of a farmer, the confusion of a teenager, or the bravado of a bootlegger.
Images are vivid if sparsely described – a burning cross whose unnatural light can find its way into the darkest closet, the sucking mud of a country road in spring, a field of dandelions fluttering in the breeze of a locomotive rumbling past, even a near riot when ladies vie for sale items.
As I think about the novel I am tempted to rate it higher, but the very stilted style and odd syntax Hesse uses for Esther’s narration just didn’t work for me. It is so off-putting, that I think some readers might quit because of it. I dropped a half-star as a result.
Eleven residents of a small Vermont town in 1924 reveal what happens when the Ku Klux Klan moves in. Neighbors turn against one another and no one is safe, particularly two children: twelve-year-old Leonora, an African American girl, and six-year-old Esther, who is Jewish. The residents of the town bear witness to the events of 1924 in haunting free verse.
I’ve read several of Hesse’s works now, and am in awe of how much she can convey in so few words. Despite using free verse for the entire novel, she was able to give each resident a unique voice. I can easily distinguish the ringing oratory of the preacher, the quiet strength of the town’s doctor, the distress of young Leonora, the down-to-earth practicality of the shopkeeper’s wife, the outrage of the newspaper editor, the complacency of the town constable, the steadfastness of a farmer, the confusion of a teenager, or the bravado of a bootlegger.
Images are vivid if sparsely described – a burning cross whose unnatural light can find its way into the darkest closet, the sucking mud of a country road in spring, a field of dandelions fluttering in the breeze of a locomotive rumbling past, even a near riot when ladies vie for sale items.
As I think about the novel I am tempted to rate it higher, but the very stilted style and odd syntax Hesse uses for Esther’s narration just didn’t work for me. It is so off-putting, that I think some readers might quit because of it. I dropped a half-star as a result.
November 9, 2017
We read this in English class, and I first I was very confused and didn't love it. It's a very fast read, being a play and all, but the action really picked up. I read Merlin Van Tornhout's part when we read it aloud in class, and I really liked his character and the way he changed his ways (I was so thankful for that).
I FREAKING LOVE THE LAST CHAPTER OF LEONORA'S. I was stunned into being speechless by how wonderfully tied together everything became in Act 5. It was just beautifully written.
I FREAKING LOVE THE LAST CHAPTER OF LEONORA'S. I was stunned into being speechless by how wonderfully tied together everything became in Act 5. It was just beautifully written.
October 27, 2009
I just finished reading this book of poems about a community in Vermont and the KKK... it was very interesting... my favorite line - "persecution is not american. it is not american to give the power of life and death to a secret organization. it is not american to have our citizens judged by an invisible jury. it is not american to have bands of night riders apply the punishments of medieval europe to freeborn men. the ku klux klan must go."
July 25, 2023
I have never read a book like this before. It is written in acts in a series of poems by 11 people to tell a story. It was different but wonderful. It made you really think about how we need to filter everything for whether it is truly good or bad.
July 11, 2024
Excellent.
One of the best books I have ever picked up at my local 4th of July book sale. Geared for intermediate readers, but the quality writing and subject area are equally challenging for adults.
One of the best books I have ever picked up at my local 4th of July book sale. Geared for intermediate readers, but the quality writing and subject area are equally challenging for adults.
January 28, 2018
Though there is a list of characters (complete with photographs) at the start of this book, it was very difficult to keep track of who each person was. The adults frequently sounded like children, and no one sounded especially realistic. The characters mostly sounded like talking heads for putting across certain beliefs that were held by individuals and groups of the time period. Six-year-old Esther Hirsh, part of the Jewish family in the story, was probably the only voice I instantly recognized each time it appeared, and that was only because of an annoying affectation in her speech, where she uses the verb "to do" in front of every verb ("I did go," "she does go," "we did see," etc.) and also adds an "ing" ending to words that don't need it ("we can have thinkings," "I do have talkings to God," etc.) I'm guessing it was meant to show her immaturity and childishness, but because she made the same errors in every instance, she didn't feel like an authentic kid, just a caricature of one. The character who was hardest for me to remember was Iris Weaver, whose only role in the story is to run illegal rum. She could have been edited out without changing a thing about the plot.
I also thought that, for a book that is supposed to be about witnessing history, it kept the reader pretty distant from the events of the story, and even from the emotions of the characters. There were some nice moments, but mostly I wondered whether kids with no awareness of the existence of the KKK would be able to figure out what the book was really about, or how it felt to live in a place where the Klan was an imminent threat. Some major things happen in this book - including a suicide! - and yet, the delivery of each segment of the plot feels flat and disconnected.
The lack of capitalization also struck me as an odd and unnecessary choice that alienated me further from a book I initially expected to like. I understand that free verse is not meant to conform to the conventions of prose, but it seemed silly to me that at the very least proper names were not capitalized. An author's note explaining this decision could conceivably have changed my mind, but without such a thing, it just felt random, and therefore distracting.
It was irritating, too, to read hints toward the future in some of the poems. I know part of the goal of historical fiction is to educate future generations about the past and its mistakes, but pointed and preachy statements like "future take note" and comments on the fact that some people always think "that everything/approached perfection/only in the/good old days" feel out of place and awkward. If this novel were strong enough to deliver its intended message, over-explanations like this would not be necessary to drive home the story's moral.
I like novels in verse, and I have liked books by Karen Hesse, but this book just did not meet my expectations. I think it could work okay to supplement a lesson about the KKK and the 1920s, and it might have special appeal to families with roots in the state of Vermont, but otherwise, it was really just okay for me, and it seems like its flaws become more obvious the more I think about it.
I also thought that, for a book that is supposed to be about witnessing history, it kept the reader pretty distant from the events of the story, and even from the emotions of the characters. There were some nice moments, but mostly I wondered whether kids with no awareness of the existence of the KKK would be able to figure out what the book was really about, or how it felt to live in a place where the Klan was an imminent threat. Some major things happen in this book - including a suicide! - and yet, the delivery of each segment of the plot feels flat and disconnected.
The lack of capitalization also struck me as an odd and unnecessary choice that alienated me further from a book I initially expected to like. I understand that free verse is not meant to conform to the conventions of prose, but it seemed silly to me that at the very least proper names were not capitalized. An author's note explaining this decision could conceivably have changed my mind, but without such a thing, it just felt random, and therefore distracting.
It was irritating, too, to read hints toward the future in some of the poems. I know part of the goal of historical fiction is to educate future generations about the past and its mistakes, but pointed and preachy statements like "future take note" and comments on the fact that some people always think "that everything/approached perfection/only in the/good old days" feel out of place and awkward. If this novel were strong enough to deliver its intended message, over-explanations like this would not be necessary to drive home the story's moral.
I like novels in verse, and I have liked books by Karen Hesse, but this book just did not meet my expectations. I think it could work okay to supplement a lesson about the KKK and the 1920s, and it might have special appeal to families with roots in the state of Vermont, but otherwise, it was really just okay for me, and it seems like its flaws become more obvious the more I think about it.
May 17, 2012
Witness is a true story. It takes place in Vermont and there are many things going on in the story. You get to see this from everyone's point of view. In the beginning, all of the characters are deciding whether to be a part of the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) or not. That was the major part of the story-the KKK. Leonora Sutter is a young teen, and she's also black. She only has one friend, Ester, who is six years old, and she's pretty much the only child that doesn't want to be involved with the KKK in the story. There are many other people in the story also. When it comes to the adults, the majority of them wants to be in the KKK, so they join. In the middle of the book you really know who is a part of the KKK. In this book, it shows people how bad the KKK really was. It really gets people thinking of how bad the KKK was and how horrible people were treated, just because of the color of their skin. Honestly I'll never be a racist. One of my best friends is African American, and I love him (as a friend). There's nothing special about one certain race. We're all the same deep down. People aren't discriminated against because of their hair color-why should they be discriminated against because of the color of their skin? I could go on forever on this because I feel really strongly about not being racist. I could write a huge essay on it in very little time at all.
Anyway, I really liked this book and I learned how bad we used to be. And some people are still like that. I just don't get it. I never will. The KKK would kill black people just because they didn't have the same white skin that they did. I would recommend this book to everyone! It was really good!
Anyway, I really liked this book and I learned how bad we used to be. And some people are still like that. I just don't get it. I never will. The KKK would kill black people just because they didn't have the same white skin that they did. I would recommend this book to everyone! It was really good!
April 23, 2017
1. One of the best books I've ever read.
2. The different points of view were rich and real and had me in the palm of their hand. It's just amazing because this story was told by the whole town. You really got to see the far reaching affects of the Klan.
3. Can I adopt Esther?
4. Favorite page by Fitzgerald Flitt:
the flapper
is not the least bit alarming,
not a sign of the declining social standard.
though she drinks cocktails and shows and inordinate fondness
for lipstick and the rouge pot,
we have nothing to fear.
i doctor these women
and I have seen over the last years a transformation in them.
and what i see,
the opening of roses kept bud-tight so many years, it warms this aging soul.
5. I love how sassy Viola is. After Harvey spends a bunch of money on phonograph records she tells him:
i was hoping to put new linoleum on the floor this month.
now it looks like we might just have to nail your records down instead.
6. I literally cried when Esther's dad got shot.
7. So much history: women's suffrage, Coolidge becoming president, KKK, flappers, prohibition, Catholics, Jews and black people being discriminated against.
8. When Leanora wrote Helen Keller:
about how maybe we'd be better off
if no one could see.
then nobody would mind about
a person's skin color.
9. I would also like to be best friends with Sara and possibly Iris.
10. OBSESSSSEDDDDD.
11. Johnny Reeves. Rot in hell. Neighbor.
12. There are some pretty adult themes for this being written for an audience of 8 years old and up.
2. The different points of view were rich and real and had me in the palm of their hand. It's just amazing because this story was told by the whole town. You really got to see the far reaching affects of the Klan.
3. Can I adopt Esther?
4. Favorite page by Fitzgerald Flitt:
the flapper
is not the least bit alarming,
not a sign of the declining social standard.
though she drinks cocktails and shows and inordinate fondness
for lipstick and the rouge pot,
we have nothing to fear.
i doctor these women
and I have seen over the last years a transformation in them.
and what i see,
the opening of roses kept bud-tight so many years, it warms this aging soul.
5. I love how sassy Viola is. After Harvey spends a bunch of money on phonograph records she tells him:
i was hoping to put new linoleum on the floor this month.
now it looks like we might just have to nail your records down instead.
6. I literally cried when Esther's dad got shot.
7. So much history: women's suffrage, Coolidge becoming president, KKK, flappers, prohibition, Catholics, Jews and black people being discriminated against.
8. When Leanora wrote Helen Keller:
about how maybe we'd be better off
if no one could see.
then nobody would mind about
a person's skin color.
9. I would also like to be best friends with Sara and possibly Iris.
10. OBSESSSSEDDDDD.
11. Johnny Reeves. Rot in hell. Neighbor.
12. There are some pretty adult themes for this being written for an audience of 8 years old and up.
August 14, 2020
This has been recommended to me a whole bunch of times and I finally got around to reading it. I’m so glad I did!
The story revolves around a small town is Vermont that the KKK are trying to infiltrate and shows how they go about it, who they approach and the reaction of the townspeople. Apparently it’s based on a true story.
The book is told in free verse from the viewpoints of the townspeople around the time that a black family and a Jewish family are being persecuted by the new KKK group in town. Its set a hundred years ago but could quite believably have been set in recent times and I guess that’s what makes it such a powerful read.
Because the narrative is split between so many people you don’t get a sense of character development and I didn’t get much of a sense of what the town was like before the events in the book. It does deal heavily with social narrative and themes like small town hypocrisy.
The story revolves around a small town is Vermont that the KKK are trying to infiltrate and shows how they go about it, who they approach and the reaction of the townspeople. Apparently it’s based on a true story.
The book is told in free verse from the viewpoints of the townspeople around the time that a black family and a Jewish family are being persecuted by the new KKK group in town. Its set a hundred years ago but could quite believably have been set in recent times and I guess that’s what makes it such a powerful read.
Because the narrative is split between so many people you don’t get a sense of character development and I didn’t get much of a sense of what the town was like before the events in the book. It does deal heavily with social narrative and themes like small town hypocrisy.
September 2, 2015
3.5 stars.
Historical fiction usually isn't quite my thing, but I really enjoyed this. It's written in verse, which made everything feel more close and real to me. The characters were all very vivid to me and I especially loved little Esther and the newspaper editor.
The one thing that bothered me about this book was that it was too short. I felt like the plot didn't have enough time to develop and grow. *sighs*
Overall though, I really *did* enjoy this book.
Historical fiction usually isn't quite my thing, but I really enjoyed this. It's written in verse, which made everything feel more close and real to me. The characters were all very vivid to me and I especially loved little Esther and the newspaper editor.
The one thing that bothered me about this book was that it was too short. I felt like the plot didn't have enough time to develop and grow. *sighs*
Overall though, I really *did* enjoy this book.
February 26, 2016
I had to read this for my YA lit class. I... have mixed feelings. I don't really know what I think about it. Soooo no rating!
September 27, 2019
The Vermont Times is going around and interviewing many different types of people from many different places in Vermont. We are not with Leanora Sutter, a twelve year old girl that lives in a small town. Being the only black child in her town, she faces a lot of discrimination and more recently has had to face the Klu Klux Klan.
Question: I know that you love to dance, but are there any other activities that you love too?
Answer: Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever find anything that I love other than dance. I think it is because my love for dance is at such a high standard that it would be impossible to find anything else that meets or exceeds it.
Question: How does it feel to be discriminated because of your skin color, and how do you overcome it?
Answer: It really hurts that people take one look at me and already have their impression of who I am. I understand that I am different, but just in the color of my skin, not by the way I think or act. One way that I get over it is dance. When I express myself through the way I move, all of my thoughts fly out of the window. Although I have never been able to find a permanent fix for how to cope with being discriminated, dance is a great temporary solution.
Question: What do you think about the people who have discriminated against you? Would you ever accept an apology?
Answer: It’s hard to understand why a person would say and think such mean things about me just because I’m black. I feel bad for them, I feel bad that they are not smart enough to see that I am no different. It would be hard for me to accept an apology, but my mamma always said to be grateful for those who admit that they are wrong. I guess I would follow her advice and forgive them, I just don't know if I ever could fully forget.
Question: What emotions went through your head when the Klu Klux Klan came to your town?
Answer: At the beginning, I was very nervous, I thought that the Klu Klux Klan coming to town would threaten both my father’s and my life. Even with how scared I was, I tried to stay calm and use my intelligence. I truly believe that it kept me safe.
Question: Tell me more about Esther. How did you become great friends and how did she help you seek comfort.
Answer: I never thought that I could be friends with someone half my age let alone someone with the polar opposite personalities. To my surprise, Esther and I became great friends. I think that it is because we are the only two minorities living in my small town. This helped us relate to one another and at times, we were the only one that understood what we both were going through. I can't imagine what would’ve happened if I didn't have her by my side when the KKK came to town.
Question: Other than Esther, was there anyone else that helped you through all of the segregation and violence?
Answer: I automatically think of Miss Harvey. If it weren’t for her talking me into dancing in the Fountain of Youth, I wouldn’t have been able to dance which is the one activity where I didn’t feel different in a bad way, I feel unique.
Question: What did you think when you heard about Lewis’ death.
Answer: This may sound weird, but I understood what he was going through. I knew what it felt like to be buried. The only difference was that Lewis was buried by sand but I’m being buried in all of the whiteness, gasping for air that understands and welcomes me.
Question: Why have you always been so intrigued about Helen Keller?
Answer: I think it’s because I’ve always wonder what life would be like where no one can see, where no one can tell apart color. At times, I wish that no one would mind about a person’s skin color but I know that will never happen in real life although, I’ve always liked to imagine it.
Question: How did it feel when Mr. Field didn’t treat you differently than anyone else?
Answer: It made me feel normal for once. It might not seem like a lot to most, but I always wished for people to not have an impression of me just because of the color of my skin, but because of who I truly am.
Question: Finally, It seems that you have learned a lot through this whole experience. Do you have any advice to give to other people facing discrimination?
Answer: Although everyone goes through something different, one thing that I’ve learned which I feel can be applied to any scenario that relates to being the odd one out is that the odd one out always gets objectified as being different than everyone else. This tends to mean that people don’t normally treat them the same. What I would tell that person is to prove everyone wrong, to prove that they are just as good as everyone else if not better. Even if this doesn’t help anyone else’s impression on them, it will help themselves feel better about who they are.
Question: I know that you love to dance, but are there any other activities that you love too?
Answer: Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever find anything that I love other than dance. I think it is because my love for dance is at such a high standard that it would be impossible to find anything else that meets or exceeds it.
Question: How does it feel to be discriminated because of your skin color, and how do you overcome it?
Answer: It really hurts that people take one look at me and already have their impression of who I am. I understand that I am different, but just in the color of my skin, not by the way I think or act. One way that I get over it is dance. When I express myself through the way I move, all of my thoughts fly out of the window. Although I have never been able to find a permanent fix for how to cope with being discriminated, dance is a great temporary solution.
Question: What do you think about the people who have discriminated against you? Would you ever accept an apology?
Answer: It’s hard to understand why a person would say and think such mean things about me just because I’m black. I feel bad for them, I feel bad that they are not smart enough to see that I am no different. It would be hard for me to accept an apology, but my mamma always said to be grateful for those who admit that they are wrong. I guess I would follow her advice and forgive them, I just don't know if I ever could fully forget.
Question: What emotions went through your head when the Klu Klux Klan came to your town?
Answer: At the beginning, I was very nervous, I thought that the Klu Klux Klan coming to town would threaten both my father’s and my life. Even with how scared I was, I tried to stay calm and use my intelligence. I truly believe that it kept me safe.
Question: Tell me more about Esther. How did you become great friends and how did she help you seek comfort.
Answer: I never thought that I could be friends with someone half my age let alone someone with the polar opposite personalities. To my surprise, Esther and I became great friends. I think that it is because we are the only two minorities living in my small town. This helped us relate to one another and at times, we were the only one that understood what we both were going through. I can't imagine what would’ve happened if I didn't have her by my side when the KKK came to town.
Question: Other than Esther, was there anyone else that helped you through all of the segregation and violence?
Answer: I automatically think of Miss Harvey. If it weren’t for her talking me into dancing in the Fountain of Youth, I wouldn’t have been able to dance which is the one activity where I didn’t feel different in a bad way, I feel unique.
Question: What did you think when you heard about Lewis’ death.
Answer: This may sound weird, but I understood what he was going through. I knew what it felt like to be buried. The only difference was that Lewis was buried by sand but I’m being buried in all of the whiteness, gasping for air that understands and welcomes me.
Question: Why have you always been so intrigued about Helen Keller?
Answer: I think it’s because I’ve always wonder what life would be like where no one can see, where no one can tell apart color. At times, I wish that no one would mind about a person’s skin color but I know that will never happen in real life although, I’ve always liked to imagine it.
Question: How did it feel when Mr. Field didn’t treat you differently than anyone else?
Answer: It made me feel normal for once. It might not seem like a lot to most, but I always wished for people to not have an impression of me just because of the color of my skin, but because of who I truly am.
Question: Finally, It seems that you have learned a lot through this whole experience. Do you have any advice to give to other people facing discrimination?
Answer: Although everyone goes through something different, one thing that I’ve learned which I feel can be applied to any scenario that relates to being the odd one out is that the odd one out always gets objectified as being different than everyone else. This tends to mean that people don’t normally treat them the same. What I would tell that person is to prove everyone wrong, to prove that they are just as good as everyone else if not better. Even if this doesn’t help anyone else’s impression on them, it will help themselves feel better about who they are.
October 13, 2009
*Please forgive me for the length of this review. I actually could have easily written a whole dissertation about this novel.*
First of all, I have to say that this book is amazing. At first, I wasn’t sure how a novel could be made using verse; however, Ms. Hesse has shown me that not only is it possible, it suits very well for telling a story through characters’ accounts. As the book is set up almost as if it were a play, it makes sense to have a style of writing that is almost like people talking. The words flow with the rhythm of natural speech. Verse helps to allow for emotion, passion, drama, or even a reluctance to show these; natural speech does not always follow the conventions of perfect grammar, sentence structure and punctuation.
The story starts out by telling who the characters are in the story. Photos of real people from the time period have been attributed fictional personas. Under each photo, simple details are given: the person’s name (first and last), age, and profession (for the adults). The only details about the setting are that it takes place in Vermont in 1924. Even though these details are sparse, they really tell so much. A reader with the right knowledge of American history of the time period would be able to glean that this story takes place in the North in an area that is sometimes known for conservatism. It is not at the heart of the United States as it is a bit more remote than, say, Boston or New York City. It was not a “slave state” in earlier historical times, yet racism was prevalent. There were probably few Black or Jewish families living out there. The year is significant because it was after the Civil War, a few years after the Great War (World War I), a wave of immigrants coming to the U.S.A, just after women were given the right to vote, during Prohibition, and a couple of years before the Stock Market Crash which would lead into the Great Depression. Some “modern” women “bobbed” their hair and began showing more independence. It was also a time when the Klu Klux Klan’s influence was at an al-time high. All of this can be applied to the story with only the words “Setting: Vermont. Time: 1924.”
The author continues on using simple ways to tell us about the characters, their views, actions, and motives. (Interestingly, she uses only lowercase letters throughout the whole story.) Style is established using key words and phrases in each person’s monologue that tell us so much. For example, the very first time we meet Leonora Sutter on page 3, even without looking at the photo attributed to the character, we know that she is a proud Black girl. She talks about being talked into being part of a dance performance by “miss harvey," which we can assume must be her teacher. She dances, “separated on the stage from all those limb-tight white girls.” Leonora goes on saying that many of the girls “wouldn’t dance with a negro,/ they went home in a huff that first day.” From this we get a sense of indignacy, and we can interpret that the “brown skin girl” in question is Leonora; however, it is not until the final line of the page that she says, “only esther didn’t mind about me being colored.” Along the same lines, we are never told directly that Esther and her father (a character who actually is not a speaker in the book, but is often referred to) are foreign, only that they have come from New York and are Jewish. Yet we can infer that Esther is probably not originally from the USA by the way people speak about her as being “that funny talking kid” (3) and by her speech pattern. Although she speaks English and is able to communicate ideas well, the order of her words and unusual grammar gives one sense of not being a native speaker, perhaps from Poland or Russia, or some other Slavic country. Her verb tenses, use of plurals and unusual use of the word “squeaks” are very telling of this, as in the following passage from page 65:
“sara chickering did come with me
and we did gather
sticks and sticks of rhubarbs from the garden.
we did put the rhubarbs in my wagon
and have squeaks, squeaks to town,
pulling rhubarbs behind us all the places
and we did sell sara chickering’s rhubarbs,
ten sticks a nickel.
and we had comings back with the rattle-empty wagon,
and five jingle nickels.”
There are many, many other examples of the author’s supreme usage of literary elements; however, I fear that I could end up writing my own book to cover all of these.
This would be a fantastic book to use with a high school class. They would have to have an understanding of the history of the United States at the time, but this could also be part of the unit. An excellent way to go about reading and understanding the book and the author’s clever use of literary elements, would be the same way I went about reading this book. As I read, I kept up a notecard for each character. (I started to do this after I had started reading a bit and needed a way to keep track of them.) On the lined side I wrote the name of the character and the information given about the character at the beginning of the book. As I learned more about the character I jotted down notes and wrote the page number. On the back of the card, I wrote list (in column form) of the pages on which they “spoke.” I did not do this, but it could also be useful to have a second column to list pages on which that character was mentioned (and by whom). This is useful because it lets me see which characters are more prevalent or have more to say during certain acts. (I put a line in between numbers to denote a new act of the “play.”) As I found plot elements or other important information I wanted to note, I wrote these down on another card. (I ended up using more than one card for this.) To make it easier, I color coded the cards. I only had five colors of cards, plus some white ones, so I did the following:
color of cards---character---reason:
Pink —Leonora Sutter and Esther Hirsh—young girls
Purple—Sara Chickering and Iris Weaver—adult women
Yellow—Viola Pettibone and Harvey Pettibone—married couple, often listed on same page
Blue—Merlin Van Tornhout and Johnny Reeves—Male, displayed racism from beginning
Green—Percelle Johnson, Fitzgerald Flitt, Reynard Alexander—Male, seemed that either neutral, or was not evident for sure if racist
White—for story, literary info
This is the way that I chose to take notes and arrange information, but others might find other ways to have students keep track of things. This information can then be used to focus on certain literary elements later on. Students could apply this to studies of character, voice, intentions of the author, plot development, motivations, etc.
First of all, I have to say that this book is amazing. At first, I wasn’t sure how a novel could be made using verse; however, Ms. Hesse has shown me that not only is it possible, it suits very well for telling a story through characters’ accounts. As the book is set up almost as if it were a play, it makes sense to have a style of writing that is almost like people talking. The words flow with the rhythm of natural speech. Verse helps to allow for emotion, passion, drama, or even a reluctance to show these; natural speech does not always follow the conventions of perfect grammar, sentence structure and punctuation.
The story starts out by telling who the characters are in the story. Photos of real people from the time period have been attributed fictional personas. Under each photo, simple details are given: the person’s name (first and last), age, and profession (for the adults). The only details about the setting are that it takes place in Vermont in 1924. Even though these details are sparse, they really tell so much. A reader with the right knowledge of American history of the time period would be able to glean that this story takes place in the North in an area that is sometimes known for conservatism. It is not at the heart of the United States as it is a bit more remote than, say, Boston or New York City. It was not a “slave state” in earlier historical times, yet racism was prevalent. There were probably few Black or Jewish families living out there. The year is significant because it was after the Civil War, a few years after the Great War (World War I), a wave of immigrants coming to the U.S.A, just after women were given the right to vote, during Prohibition, and a couple of years before the Stock Market Crash which would lead into the Great Depression. Some “modern” women “bobbed” their hair and began showing more independence. It was also a time when the Klu Klux Klan’s influence was at an al-time high. All of this can be applied to the story with only the words “Setting: Vermont. Time: 1924.”
The author continues on using simple ways to tell us about the characters, their views, actions, and motives. (Interestingly, she uses only lowercase letters throughout the whole story.) Style is established using key words and phrases in each person’s monologue that tell us so much. For example, the very first time we meet Leonora Sutter on page 3, even without looking at the photo attributed to the character, we know that she is a proud Black girl. She talks about being talked into being part of a dance performance by “miss harvey," which we can assume must be her teacher. She dances, “separated on the stage from all those limb-tight white girls.” Leonora goes on saying that many of the girls “wouldn’t dance with a negro,/ they went home in a huff that first day.” From this we get a sense of indignacy, and we can interpret that the “brown skin girl” in question is Leonora; however, it is not until the final line of the page that she says, “only esther didn’t mind about me being colored.” Along the same lines, we are never told directly that Esther and her father (a character who actually is not a speaker in the book, but is often referred to) are foreign, only that they have come from New York and are Jewish. Yet we can infer that Esther is probably not originally from the USA by the way people speak about her as being “that funny talking kid” (3) and by her speech pattern. Although she speaks English and is able to communicate ideas well, the order of her words and unusual grammar gives one sense of not being a native speaker, perhaps from Poland or Russia, or some other Slavic country. Her verb tenses, use of plurals and unusual use of the word “squeaks” are very telling of this, as in the following passage from page 65:
“sara chickering did come with me
and we did gather
sticks and sticks of rhubarbs from the garden.
we did put the rhubarbs in my wagon
and have squeaks, squeaks to town,
pulling rhubarbs behind us all the places
and we did sell sara chickering’s rhubarbs,
ten sticks a nickel.
and we had comings back with the rattle-empty wagon,
and five jingle nickels.”
There are many, many other examples of the author’s supreme usage of literary elements; however, I fear that I could end up writing my own book to cover all of these.
This would be a fantastic book to use with a high school class. They would have to have an understanding of the history of the United States at the time, but this could also be part of the unit. An excellent way to go about reading and understanding the book and the author’s clever use of literary elements, would be the same way I went about reading this book. As I read, I kept up a notecard for each character. (I started to do this after I had started reading a bit and needed a way to keep track of them.) On the lined side I wrote the name of the character and the information given about the character at the beginning of the book. As I learned more about the character I jotted down notes and wrote the page number. On the back of the card, I wrote list (in column form) of the pages on which they “spoke.” I did not do this, but it could also be useful to have a second column to list pages on which that character was mentioned (and by whom). This is useful because it lets me see which characters are more prevalent or have more to say during certain acts. (I put a line in between numbers to denote a new act of the “play.”) As I found plot elements or other important information I wanted to note, I wrote these down on another card. (I ended up using more than one card for this.) To make it easier, I color coded the cards. I only had five colors of cards, plus some white ones, so I did the following:
color of cards---character---reason:
Pink —Leonora Sutter and Esther Hirsh—young girls
Purple—Sara Chickering and Iris Weaver—adult women
Yellow—Viola Pettibone and Harvey Pettibone—married couple, often listed on same page
Blue—Merlin Van Tornhout and Johnny Reeves—Male, displayed racism from beginning
Green—Percelle Johnson, Fitzgerald Flitt, Reynard Alexander—Male, seemed that either neutral, or was not evident for sure if racist
White—for story, literary info
This is the way that I chose to take notes and arrange information, but others might find other ways to have students keep track of things. This information can then be used to focus on certain literary elements later on. Students could apply this to studies of character, voice, intentions of the author, plot development, motivations, etc.
May 20, 2024
This book is written as a reader's theater for young people. It deals with the KKK trying to seek power in a small town in Vermont in 1924. If that seems unlikely, read some history of the state of Vermont. There WAS a movement by the KKK there in the early 1920s, but the people pushed back against it. This story focuses on a young 12-year old black girl, Leanora Sutter, a 6 year old Jewish girl, Esther Hirsh, and other members of the community. The first of the book lists the characters with a picture of each. The book is best understood if read by individuals as a reader theater. If not, one should take the time, especially at the beginning of the story. to look back and see who each speaker is. The book is written in free verse. I like free verse and found this a plus for the story, especially if it is read aloud. If a person doesn't care for free verse, this book may be a challenge. The story includes a man being shot by the KKK as well as references to other murders. It is dark in many ways, but the end is hopeful, appropriate for a state in which the people did not fall into the trap of racism of the KKK. I personally come from a place in which the 1920s were full of racism. Our courthouse was burned, a man was lynched, and the entire black section of the city was set aflame. This book offers a counter to that fate -- "We have antilynching laws on the book, but that isn't why necks are less often swinging in nooses; it is the people saying "no." And that is the book, a story showing how a community can say "no" to organized hate such as that exhibited by the Klan.
March 15, 2021
The book Witness really touched me in a way I didn't think it could do. It is a story about the Klu Klux Klan coming to a town and recruiting people. There are many characters, the main one being Leanora Sutter, who was a 12 year old African American woman. There are other characters but the list is too long to say. The story of everyone's experience is told through each individuals way which was very cool.
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. My favorite part about was everyone story was told through their own perspective. It wan't just through Leanora's perspective and that really caught my attention. I also enjoyed learning about the time of the KKK. I knew who they were but I never really knew much about them. The KKK were bad people and I liked seeing how the people that were affected by them thought about them.
I would definitely recommend this book to someone. If you don't know much about the KKK and what they did, then you should definitely read this book. It will really open your eyes about what they did and how significant they were to the African american community. This book will show you the perspective of the African Americans and show you how they feel about them. All in all, I enjoyed this book very much and would definitely recommend this book to someone who hasn't read it and doesn't know much about the KKK.
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. My favorite part about was everyone story was told through their own perspective. It wan't just through Leanora's perspective and that really caught my attention. I also enjoyed learning about the time of the KKK. I knew who they were but I never really knew much about them. The KKK were bad people and I liked seeing how the people that were affected by them thought about them.
I would definitely recommend this book to someone. If you don't know much about the KKK and what they did, then you should definitely read this book. It will really open your eyes about what they did and how significant they were to the African american community. This book will show you the perspective of the African Americans and show you how they feel about them. All in all, I enjoyed this book very much and would definitely recommend this book to someone who hasn't read it and doesn't know much about the KKK.
April 28, 2024
“Witness” by Karen Hesse is the first novel in verse I have ever read. Because of the format, I found it a bit hard to know which character was which, but as I kept reading it was easier. It was interesting to me because when I first started I read each page like a poem, but then as I got used to it, I read it like a normal book. The book takes place in Vermont during 1924—during the rise of the Ku Klux Klan. It is a story about a couple of people and their experiences and viewpoints on race and discrimination. It mainly follows a colored girl named Leanora Sutter, and how her life is affected by “The Klan” and other racists. The book was a bit slow for a good chunk, but then it got a little better. I would give this book a ⅗ and recommend it to anyone who likes a small novel in verse. It does have some heavier topics, so it's maybe not good read for kids.
February 16, 2018
Witness by Karen Hesse is phenomenally written! Due to this being a verse novel, it’s an easy and quick read. The setting is in a small, Vermont town in 1924. Two characters, Leanora and Esther, are threatened when the Ku Klux Klan Klan comes to town. The KKK quickly takes over the town and everyone is witness to tragedy, friendship, and changing of beliefs. My favorite part of this book was the layout! Karen Hesse lists the characters at the front of the book and each page is a different character telling their part of the story. As a future educator, this book would be perfect to begin a unit surrounding points of view. However, there is something to be cautious of when assigning this book. There is challenging and inappropriate wording that need to be addressed by the teacher. There are wonderful lessons to be learned within this book, there just needs to be responsibility when choosing this novel. Overall, a fantastic and ‘at the edge of your seat’ book. One of my favorites!
July 30, 2025
2 1/2 stars
Quite a mixed bag, this one.
For starters, I dont think this book works on the level of a middle grade book; the themes are good, yes, but more mature in nature and the poetry used to tell the story (while it's good), I can't imagine a middle grader being particularly riveted.
I enjoyed it for what it was, but I did find myself wondering if the story could have been better in narrative form because I found the poetry/monologue style to be somewhat distracting in parts.
It's a good story to be sure and I think it has one of the prettiest covers (One of my all time favorites actually), but between the amount of characters to keep track of and the other previously mentioned issues, I don't think I will come back to it.
Quite a mixed bag, this one.
For starters, I dont think this book works on the level of a middle grade book; the themes are good, yes, but more mature in nature and the poetry used to tell the story (while it's good), I can't imagine a middle grader being particularly riveted.
I enjoyed it for what it was, but I did find myself wondering if the story could have been better in narrative form because I found the poetry/monologue style to be somewhat distracting in parts.
It's a good story to be sure and I think it has one of the prettiest covers (One of my all time favorites actually), but between the amount of characters to keep track of and the other previously mentioned issues, I don't think I will come back to it.
January 26, 2024
This book is billed as a Young Adult, but it has very adult themes. The main topic of the book is the rise of the KKK in the mid 1920's in Vermont. It's written in a multi-voice narrative (similar to the book Wonder) but in poem style. I chose this book for a Children's Lit class, and out of the many I could choose from, I'm so glad I chose this one. I loved the writing style; it is so different than anything I've ever read. I had to flip back to the "Characters" page several times, as the book quickly changed narrators from page to page, to remember who each character was, but it's a pretty quick read: I finished it in a couple of hours.
January 26, 2018
I found the affected style of the book to be annoying and somewhat pretentious. The concept was fine; the story was fine - why exactly can't we have proper capitalization? The consistent peculiarities of the little girl's words also did not work for me. It didn't seem real that someone would be wrong in the same way every single time without fail. The photos and identifications were a little helpful, but for heaven's sake, why go to all the effort and then include MORE names that are not included in that line up?
May 27, 2017
Witness by Karen Hesse is a book written in poetry form telling the story of different people through different perspectives. I find this book very interesting and fun to read because of its description and syntax. The book tells one story told by different people and what they think about it. It shows how diverse people can be.
The poetry form of this book gives it a different style making it easier for the story to flow. The divergent character and stories add on to the description and make this book very interesting to read. The way the author describes the characters in the story through their thinking in poetry form build up the story making more catchy for the reader.
In this book there are many stories that include social issues. The book talk about sexism, injustice, and corruption; many of these issues are the reality we are living in today. I can relate to one of the characters who talks about how things could be if we didn’t concentrate on looking at the bad things and differences we have. But that reality is too good to be true.
I would recommend this book to people who want to write poetry and who enjoy realistic fiction because the book talks about many things we face in our daily life through the poetic words of each character.
The poetry form of this book gives it a different style making it easier for the story to flow. The divergent character and stories add on to the description and make this book very interesting to read. The way the author describes the characters in the story through their thinking in poetry form build up the story making more catchy for the reader.
In this book there are many stories that include social issues. The book talk about sexism, injustice, and corruption; many of these issues are the reality we are living in today. I can relate to one of the characters who talks about how things could be if we didn’t concentrate on looking at the bad things and differences we have. But that reality is too good to be true.
I would recommend this book to people who want to write poetry and who enjoy realistic fiction because the book talks about many things we face in our daily life through the poetic words of each character.
Read
August 15, 2019This book is written and verse, and I love books that are written in verse. There are multiple characters in this book and they each tell a different story, and each one is heartbreaking. There are so many things about this book that are relevant to today, it's such an important book and one that should and needs to be read.
February 7, 2017
Author Karen Hesse truly captured a bit of all the suffering that anyone of color went through back in history. Ms. Chickering embracing Mr. Hirsh and his baby girl, Leanora and her Pa living in an all white town, and some white folks still trying to be the better people when the Klan was strong and feared. This is one for the classroom, this type of writing would teach our children just a bit of history and what went on without over bearing or boring them.
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