Karen hesse lives in vermont with her husband and two teenaged daughters. When the ku klux klan invades a small town in vermont in the 1920s, its citizens are divided. I really enjoyed the style of writing that hesse used in the book. Witness joins the scholastic gold line, which features awardwinning and beloved novels. Merlin is only 18, but was happy to sign up when the klan came to town. Isbn 0439452309 plot summary hesse writes and poignant story of a small vermont town s introduction to the ku klux klan in 1924 as told through eleven characters voices. It was published by scholastic paperbacks and has a. This book is about the reactions of small town people when the ku klux kan movie in to their town. To jean feiwel and in this yard stenogs, bundle boys, scrubwomen, sit on the tombstones, and walk on the grass of graves, speaking of war and weather, of babies, wages and love.
The narrative poems in karen hesses witness represent a cast of characters in a novel intended to be read as readers theater, as a play in five acts. Karen hesses newbery awardwinning skills are put to great use in witness, a poetic tale about friendship, fanaticism, and the deadly undercurrents of racial prejudice. Witness by karen hesse paperback book the parent store. Witness is a free poetry book of historical fiction written by karen hesse in 2001, concentrating on racism in a rural vermont town in 1924. Here, 11 narrative voices chronicle actual events occurring in a sleepy vermont town after the arrival of the ku klux klan in 1924. Readers theater differs from staged productions in its simplicity and informality. The year is 1924 and the klan has come to small town vermont. As they attract new members, many people are troubled by their presence. Her titles include witness, the cats in krasinski square, and the newbery medal winner out of the dust, among many others.
The ku klux klan affected hundreds of peoples lives throught out the u. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. She lives in vermont with her husband and two teenaged daughters. Karen hesse books, author biography, and reading level. Divided into five acts, witness crosses genres from poetry to novel, verse to monologue. Witness 2003 read online free book by karen hesse in. Discovering rediscovering karen hesses witness and its multi. For two young girls, one africanamerican and the other jewish. The story takes place in a small vermont town in the year 1924, revealing the devastating impact of the ku klux klan on this pastoral, insular community. Character analyses of the characters in karen hesses novel, witness. Witness is about a town in vermont where the kkk decides to live in.
Her books include aleutian sparrow, the music of dolphins, stowaway, witness, and out of the dust, for which she won the more about karen hesse. Members of the town are all influenced by the klan in some way. The setting for this book takes place in the 1920s in vermont, when the kkk was going around the nation recruiting members. Eleven characters speak revealingly for themselves to describe a year in which the ku klux klan arrives, seduces many solid citizens, moves from. The klan has been settling in this little town, causing trouble. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Hesse tackled a more disturbing subject in the 2001 verse novel witness. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The 11 members that have a voice in the book range in age, gender, sex and opinion. Written by karen hesse, audiobook narrated by uncredited. The ku klux klan had its beginning in the south immediately following the civil war. To hesses credit, the story does a fantastic job of carrying the reader into the middle of a small communitys crisis as it faces the development of the kkk within its town. Each section is written in first person from the point of view of one of a variety of characters.
Two girls, leanora sutter and esther hirch, one black and the other jewish, are among those who are no longer welcome. A verse novel, witness by karen hesse tells the stories of residents of a vermont town in 1924. The story hits a high point, or climax, when a few of the klan members decide to act out against the two girls. Her book out of the dust was awarded the newbery medal for 1998. Witness tells the story of the klans attempt to recruit members in a small town in vermont in 1924. Life is hard for everyone in the town, especially six yearold esther hirsch, who is jewish, and leonora sutter, who is black. Karen hesses newbery awardwinning skills are put to great use in witness. In this book, karen hesse returns to the spare, poetic style of her beautifully written out of the dust. The book is a moving and quick read but it is powerful. Summary of witness in the book witness, the ku klux klan has entered a small town in vermont in 1924.
Voices include those of leanora sutter, a 12yearold african american girl. The narrative poetry format has fitting roots in the spoon river anthology. Karen hesse is the awardwinning and critically acclaimed author of many books for children. The rising action is the rise of the ku klux klan in the town, and the decision making around the town. Set in 1924, a small vermont town is faced with a new force in town. From the newbery awardwinning author of out of the dust, karen hesse, comes the story witness.
A series of poems express the views of various people in a small vermont town, including a young black girl and a young jewish girl, during the early 1920s when the ku klux klan is trying to infiltrate the town. Newbery medalist karen hesse immerses readers in a small vermont town in 1924 with this haunting and harrowing tale. Each section is written in first person from the point of view of one. You can find some quotes, events, or some thoughts about the book. The year is 1924, and a small town in vermont is falling under the influence of the ku klux klan. For such a simply worded novel, witness is an utterly compelling, absorbing, and. Witness by karen hesse takes place in a small town in vermont in 1924. It is about the ku klux klans attempt to move into and control a small town in vermont, and the voices of the townspeople who witnessed and participated in the events. In the book,witness, karen hesse tells the story of a small town in rural vermont where the kkk is trying to recruit new members. This book, set in a small vermont town in 1924, is told from the point of view of eleven of its residents, including two memorable children, twelveyearold leonara sutter, who is black, and sixyearold esther hirsh, who is jewish. In witness 11 voices tell the story of when the ku klux klan came to town.
In the front of the book is a character guide, for the book is written in short, narrative poems by a certain character. The book witness by karen hesse is a story with multiple characters perspectives on the kkk moving into their town, some for the klan and some against it. In this stunning piece of littleknown american history, hesse stowaway, 2000, etc. The narrative poems in karen hesses witness represent a cast of characters in a. Hesse is an american author of childrens literature and literature for young adults, often with historical settings. The ku klux klan, reinvigorated in the 1920s in this book, 1924 and 25 tries to take over a small vermont town. Brooklyn bridge by karen hesseaudiobook excerpt duration. Revived in the early years of the 20th century, the klan expanded its campaign of hate and violence to include newer immigrants, particularly from eastern europe, and especially jews and catholics. A town that turns against its own when the ku klux klan moves in.
Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. The title of this book is witness and it was written by karen hesse. Leanora sutter, a young black girl, feels isolated by racial prejudice and her mothers recent death. It is about the childhood of a black girl, leanora sutter, and a jewish girl, esther hirsh, and the different opinions of people in their town when an allamerican, redneck.
Fiction the ku klux klan had its beginning in the south immediately following the civil war. For example, he says, the ku klux klan is looking to rent the town hall for their meetings. It takes place in 1924, where racial hate is a big topic in the town. I have read witness by karen hesse, and i believe that it was a very good book. Sutter, esther hirsh, merlin van tornhout and johnny reeves are among the unforgettable cast inhabiting a small vermont town in 1924. Merlin van tornhout when i couldnt put the poison in sutters well, i went to harvey, he said theyd come after me, the klan would, i dont have any choice but to run. In the voices of 11 residents of the town, the reader experiences the series of events from many different points of view, in the form of a poetic play in five acts. Other characters the town constable, percelle johnson, and the. Karen hesse won my heart with her novel out of the dust, so i was disappointed to realize the lack of character development in witness. Witness, karen hesse karen hesse the characters in a vermont town, both adult and children, tell from their perspectives the effect that the ku klux klan has in the town. From a slave in christ jesus this is the book of the witness. However, it is also a wellresearched, fictional account that is a testament to history and a passionate will to survive. Some, such as minister johnny reeves and teenager merlin van tornhout join the klan. Percelle johnson, also known as constable johnson, is the 66 year old town constable.