Being from northeastern Massachusetts, the Salem Witch trials are not a historical event in the far past. 80% of my hometown was involved with a number of people executed by their neighbors. This graphic novel is a useful early book for teens and those who have not had as much exposure to the story of the accused. I like the style of drawing, not too cluttered but generally authentic clothing. The resources in the back are all good, excellent authors of long form books on witchcraft and the trials.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review, opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book before publication.

Telling part of the story of the Salem Witch Trials in the form of a graphic novel was genius. It’s easy to disassociate while reading and attempt to stay away from the trials characters are put through. With a graphic novel, however, the images are there in front of you, so it’s close to impossible to separate yourself from the story. Add in that this really happened in the United States and this book becomes a devastating reminder of the cruelty and indifference humanity is capable of, especially against neighbors and family.

I went into this book already knowing what the Salem Witch Trials were, but I had not had a visual accounting of it. I appreciate the author using what they knew of the characters in their research to help tell their stories. I felt invested in the complicated and complex relationships of the townspeople and the total lack of checks and balances during Puritan rule.

Hello Fellow Readers,

An Outbreak of Witchcraft was such an interesting take on the Salem witch trials, but also horrifying when you remember halfway through that this isn't a fictional tale. The dialogue in some parts may be embellished but these were real people. This was a real event that happened in our history. Noyes must be an amazing researcher because they did an amazing job at recounting incidents. I will admit that history has never been my strong suit and I don't typically search it out but Noyes made me pay attention. Duffy also did a great job bringing life to each character. I could almost feel the hysteria and fear roll off the pages.

Overall, I can't wait to see what else these two have in store.

This is a great addition to any junior high or high school library. The Salem Witch Trials has always been a topic I am aware of but in the barest sense. I found the art to be accessible but not too scary or intimidatingly given the subject material. I do not recall seeing any vulgarity in the book and personally feel it is good for Junior High and High School. I would caution against elementary as the book has a higher vocabulary.

I received this ARC from Netgalley. This is a great way to help teach about the Salem Witch trials. Being from MA and visiting Salem, I have learned a lot about this subject. This would be much more appealing to those who don't get bored with the more traditional history books, as this is a more immersive reading experience in the graphic novel format.

I’m really interested in this story especially because its about the Salem witch trials, but the texts are blurry and hard to read:( I’ll try reading it again using the final finished ebook.

This was a fantastic read! I cannot wait to add this to my classroom library. We cover this topic in history lessons so having this information accessible in a graphic novel is ideal. Students can gain a better understanding about an important event in history. Plus, the illustrations were great!

Thank you, NetGalley!

I really liked this Graphic Novel. It was informative and I really liked the art style. I did have some problems with the format of this graphic novel. But hopefully, it gets fixed for publication.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I absolutely loved the way this book was illustrated. To be 100% honest, I wish they had this medium of storytelling when I was in school. I know the Salem Witch Trials fairly well as it is one of my favorite subjects, but I was curious what a graphic novel telling would look like. The arts is beautiful and it is such an easily digestible version of these historical events and I would definitely recommend it to someone who wants to learn about these events.

Before I start my review it is a weird choice to give a very low-res ARC as this is a graphic novel meaning a fair chunk of the reading experience comes from the visuals.
I am always a fan of more nonfiction content for middle schoolers! The Salem Witch Trials is something many kiddos find interesting and Deborah Noyes sets up an excellent telling of the Salem Witch Trials focused on the psychology of all (victims, prosecutors, judges, and the community at large). You really feel for all those that faced the hardships, torture, and suffering from the Trials but it's never scandalized. Everyone is treated as a human first and foremost with no-one villified (the girls have light shed on them rather well while not downplaying the severity of their actions).
I appreciate the focus on the victims as they get torn down by lies into “admitting” they are witches with the pain and isolation they get in return. It's treated seriously and solemnly (but not too much as this is middle YA) and is respectfully done. The writing can be a bit hard to follow though. You have to reaaaalllyyy focus on the dates and such while reading. With so many jumps between court cases, accusations, and follow ups its hard to follow. It does create that sense of dizzying hysteria well but it also makes it hard to follow individual moments. I also enjoy the author shed light on the girls who started it well and their own struggles in a highly controlled and restrictive environment.
The art is meant to be readable but heavily bends to focus on the mood, feeling, and evocative imagery. It's usually done to good effect (with some paneling choices being gorgeous) though a minute selection of pages end up looking more strikingly artsy than understandable. Additionally, it can be hard to read characters as some can look same-y with the young girls having the most sameness.

1692 in the town of Salem, there is something wrong with a group of young girls—and they are about to make it everyone’s problem.

Centuries after the Salem Witch Trials we are still as captivated as they were then. How did a town full of neighbors turn so quickly against each other. This is a great way to open to reluctant middle grade readers. I enjoyed the art, and the storytelling. Def adding this to my collection.

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I have always been fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials so I was excited to read this. It is beautifully illustrated and offers a new medium for an old subject. I really enjoyed it.

Very anti-Christian feeling from the first page.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to preview this book.

Fabulous presentation of a difficult subject for children to understand. Very informative and beautifully illustrated.

I personally am fascinated by this period in history and the events that took place. This is probably best for 3rd grade + with parental discussion due to the nature of the material. But has some parallels kids can draw (bullying, looking different, belief systems, mob mentality).

Highly recommend!

I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. I found this book to be an interesting read about the Salem Witch Trials. This book is very well illustrated. While this is a middle to high grade book as an adult I still found it to be attention grabbing and informative of the Salem Witch Trials.

What a beautifully illustrated and powerfully written graphic novel! Learning about history is one of the most powerful tools we can provide to children, even if it is a dark and uncomfortable moment from the past. Introducing children to the era where innocent people were accused of witchcraft and hung for a crime they did not commit is a difficult undertaking. This graphic novel is the perfect introduction to the Salem witch trials. While there are some disturbing images and concepts, the content is handled in an relatable yet poignant manner. We have had the privilege to take our children to visit the historic sites in Salem and I happily shared this beautiful book with them and would recommend this book to any middle grade reader, young adult, or even adult to appreciate this important era in US history.

Posted to Goodreads. Will post to Instagram june 1st close to publication date.

I have always been interested in the Salem witch trials, reading many books and watching many shows about the subject. This was a new medium that added a whole new perspective to the trials. It made it almost more haunting than normal. Id say it's a must read for people interested in seeing the human side of these horrific events. Thank you netgalley for the arc

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy of An Outbreak of Witchcraft in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed my informational read of this story. I learned a lot and as an adult would like to know more about this time period which is often romanticized. An Outbreak of Witchcraft will likely need to be read with others in a group or with a teacher/ parent. It is for younger readers but may be difficult for them to understand without context and assistance. All and all I think this book will be great for libraries and will really inform younger people about the horrors that occurred during this time period. We need to do anything we can to inform and educate especially given the current political climate surrounding books. This novel will help add to that information and education.

*5 star rating given because it is a non-fiction novel and shouldn't be rated as less without good reason.