Poison in the Colony: James Town 1622 Paperback – March 24, 2020

A magnificent sequel to the excellent Blood on the River, this novel may be the most effective use of accurate historical research in a children's historical fiction piece that I've read in years. For 4th and 5th grade teachers of Virginia Studies, in particular, Poison in the Colony accomplishes SO much in terms of historically accurate depictions of the Jamestown colony and inclusions of real people from history based on first person, primary sources:- Exploding the myth of Pocohontas and John Rolfe falling in love, and providing a version of the history of Pocohontas from the Powhatan perspective- Illustrating the unequal treatment of people under martial law in Jamestown before the first General Assembly in 1619- Showing how life in the colony changed with the arrival of women and people from Africa- Putting the massacre of 1622 in the context of the encroachment on Powhatan lands and the unjust murder of a Powhatan warrior- Exposing the tensions among classes of colonistsIn many ways, I think it's actually a superior novel to Blood on the River. The only element I did not enjoy, although it was central to the plot, was the fact that Virginia was gifted with supernatural "knowing" ability. Weaving the magical realism throughout what is otherwise such a historically accurate novel takes away from its feel of realistic depiction of the era. Young readers do love magical realism, however, and it's what kept the plot moving, so for most readers I think this would be a plus. I appreciate that this storyline opened up other opportunities for kids to learn about real-life accusations of witchcraft in Virginia history, such as the story of Grace Sherwood.Highly, highly recommended!

Fans of Blood on the River (2006) will love this fast paced, exciting sequel. Virginia Laydon, whom readers were introduced to when she was a baby in Blood on the River, is the main character, grown up to a pre-teen. Virginia discovers within herself an unsettling ability--uncanny intuitive powers, which her mother fears will be the cause for accusations of witchcraft. As she navigates through changes in the colony and within herself, her life is challenging and ultimately inspiring. Beautifully written and meticulously researched, this story will support teachers who are covering the early colonial period as well as keep readers on the edge of their seats. As a teacher, I found it totally engrossing! I highly recommend this for students grades 5 – 8.

I’m a teacher...my fifth grade students are reading this as follow up to Blood on the River. It’s a great book and they are very engaged in it. Good read and worth the continuation as it lines up with our scope and sequence for our standards (Florida, Martin County).

I HAD to ditch boring history curricula. Teaching through stories is so much better! I know my daughter won’t forget everything she learned from this book. And I won’t either!

My students read Blood on the River and loved it, so they saw this book and wanted to read it. It is great...the historical narratives really grab your attention. A great deal of reluctant readers read the whole book independently.

Read this with my 4th grade son as he’s learning about Va history in school. It builds on Blood on the River and is excellent. We both really enjoyed it.

Very good for my Daughter in the 5th grade!! Her class read Blood On The River and she fell in love with it! (Very good for Social Studies)

This book has many of the same characters and is just as much a page turner as Blood on the River. It's got all of the excitement and adventure, a strong, plucky heroine, and authentic historical details. A winner!