The Accused

Wildly Josiah looked around the court. But there was no one there to save him. There was nothing. Only the voice of Magistrate Jonathon Corwin saying sharply, “Answer me, boy!”

Book: The Accused by Nancy Rue, Focus on the Family Publishing, 1995

 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Target Audience: Boys and Girls 11-15

Subjects: Love for one another, accepting differences in people

Summary: The Merry Band strikes again. They were determined to undo some of the harm being caused, even though their parents don’t want them mixed up in the wars between families. But then something goes wrong and the next thing Josiah knows he is standing alone in court trying to take full responsibility for what the Merry Band did and trying to figure out how to prove he didn’t set fire to a shed while Nathaniel Putnam angrily accuses him.

Notes: Nancy Rue writes a powerful story. Set in the time of the Puritans, Josiah's family is not accepted as members of the Church as it is run by some corrupt men filled with hate. Yet when Josiah's family attempts to attend a different Church, they run into even more trouble. Josiah is struggling with how to become a dependable young man and wrestling with all these questions, but all everyone sees is a foolish boy who never thinks. There are alot of lessons in these stories of a young boy's growing up years, everything from religious differences to racial differences. This is the 4th book in the Christian Heritage Series, the Salem Years.

Recommendation Scale: 5

Reviewer: J:-)mi