An Outbreak of Witchcraft Retells the Salem Witch Trials in Graphic Novel Form

I’m always happy to see a new nonfiction graphic novel being published. I enjoy reading nonfiction, but my attention span can wane when there’s a lot of information to keep track of. So when I heard about An Outbreak of Witchcraft: A Graphic Novel of the Salem Witch Trials, it immediately piqued my interest. Written by Deborah Noyes and illustrated by M. Duffy, this book is an easy read highlighting the major events of the Salem trials, which I last remember learning about in my AP US history class in high school.

Little, Brown Ink

An Outbreak of Witchcraft is told in four parts: the rise of witchcraft accusations in Salem, the people who were accused, the use of spectral evidence in the trials, and the aftermath, as well as theories as to how the Salem witch trials gained so much traction in a short period. The sections tie into each other as the accusations come from children within a close-knit community. Without scientific backing for the evidence used at these trials, it seems anyone could be accused of witchcraft. Loved ones are turned against each other, and the conclusion leaves a community of people heartbroken at what they lost.

Little, Brown Ink

I love that An Outbreak of Witchcraft has a guide at the beginning, with several pages featuring the characters’ portraits and explaining how they were involved. This was so helpful! I struggle to remember names, so it was a great resource to reference as I continued reading. Besides the guide, key characters’ names are highlighted throughout the story when they’re introduced. One of the challenges of nonfiction graphic novels is that the story can become convoluted since there’s so much to tell. From start to finish, An Outbreak of Witchcraft made everything clear, and I felt compelled to keep reading each section.

The art throughout is exquisite. One of my favorite panels, below, is from a scene during the accusations. In it, a character describes seeing a hog and a hound appearing before her. As she’s seated in a chair, there’s a bright red hog and a red hound on either side of her as she tells her story. It has a certain level of unease that I think is representative of how upsetting the Salem witch trials are.

Little, Brown Ink

Another haunting panel shows the gravestones of all those who were executed for witchcraft. I felt myself staring at the art for a long time. Even after I finished the story, I paged through the graphic novel again solely to review the art and see what I had missed the first time.

An Outbreak of Witchcraft is a haunting documentation of the Salem witch trials. Noyes and Duffy partner well together to spin a tale of accusations, a torn community, and betrayal. It is out now and recommended for those 14 years and above.