Witness

It is 1924, and a small Vermont town finds itself under siege by the Ku Klux Klan. Using free verse, Newbery Medal-winning author Karen Hesse allows 11 unique voices to narrate the story of the Klan's infiltration into a Prohibition-era community. The initially embraced 'all-American' philosophy of the Klan quickly sows division among the town's influential men and their families. As tension escalates, the town's only African Americans and a young Jewish girl face increasing prejudice. The situation reaches a boiling point when a violent act is committed, forcing the community to confront the insidious racism that has taken root. Through the intertwining stories of the town's residents, the novel explores themes of race, identity, and moral courage.