conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Do you know a description for a book titled How to Hang a Witch about Salem, Sam, Descendants with the genre: Teen & Young Adult, Literature & Fiction?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Gr 9 UpSamantha the author's life has been turned upside down after her father becomes ill and slips into an unexplained coma. Uprooted from New York, Sam's father is placed in a Boston medical facility while Sam and her stepmother move into her father's house in Salem, MA. As a direct descendant of the infamous Cotton the author of the Salem witch trials, Sam is shunned by most of the town and becomes a target at school of the Descendants, a powerful clique of progeny of those murdered as a result of the trials. As strange and unexplainable events occur, the teen realizes that there are dark forces at work in Salem that are beyond her ability to fight. Help comes from the least likely of placesa disgruntled 324-year-old ghost named Elijah. Together they uncover clues about an evil curse plaguing the town and must join with the Descendants if they hope to stop the deadly cycle from continuing. the author's brilliantly written novel is full of twists and turns, spine-tingling drama, and ghostly encounters. The vibrant characters leap off the page, and the narrative is incredibly deepaddressing issues such as acceptance, bullying, loyalty, hatred, revenge, and being true to yourself and destinyall perfectly packaged without being simplistic or preachy. VERDICT A captivating and highly recommended read. Teens will not want this tale to end.Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Do you know the first five paragraphs for this book?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: How to Hang a Witch
  I sip my hot cocoa, not the powdered kind that comes out of a packet, but the shaved-chocolate kind made from scratch. Mrs. Meriwether places a plate of steaming croissants in the middle of my dining room table. They smell like warm butter.
  Jaxon grins, poised to take a bite of French toast. "You've got that morning punk-rock thing going on again."
  I touch my hair and discover that I do in fact have a cowlick. I smile. "At least I don't have toothpaste on my face. His time in a coma felt like an endless walk down a dark tunnel. I'm sure I'll eventually get used to him just sitting here drinking coffee and smiling. But for these past six months, every minute I've spent with him still feels like borrowed time.
  My dad's eyes twinkle with mischief. "Now, we all know it was your slingshot. You're too young for your memory to be slipping. Maybe you should do more crossword puzzles."
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Add another sentence about chewing.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: How to Hang a Witch
  I sip my hot cocoa, not the powdered kind that comes out of a packet, but the shaved-chocolate kind made from scratch. Mrs. Meriwether places a plate of steaming croissants in the middle of my dining room table. They smell like warm butter. 
  Jaxon grins, poised to take a bite of French toast. "You've got that morning punk-rock thing going on again. "
  I touch my hair and discover that I do in fact have a cowlick. I smile. "At least I don't have toothpaste on my face. "
  My dad smiles at her, and I stop chewing. His time in a coma felt like an endless walk down a dark tunnel. I'm sure I'll eventually get used to him just sitting here drinking coffee and smiling. But for these past six months, every minute I've spent with him still feels like borrowed time. 
  My dad's eyes twinkle with mischief. "Now, we all know it was your slingshot. You're too young for your memory to be slipping. Maybe you should do more crossword puzzles. "
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Do you know three more paragraphs?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: My dad smiles at her, and I stop chewing. His time in a coma felt like an endless walk down a dark tunnel. I'm sure I'll eventually get used to him just sitting here drinking coffee and smiling. But for these past six months, every minute I've spent with him still feels like borrowed time.
  My dad's eyes twinkle with mischief. "Now, we all know it was your slingshot. You're too young for your memory to be slipping. Maybe you should do more crossword puzzles."
  Mrs. Meriwether raises her eyebrows. "Be very careful, Charlie, or I'll tell them about the time you tried to prank Ms. Walters. Emphasis on the word 'tried.' " She looks at me and Jaxon. "I believe you know her as Mrs. Hoxley."
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Delete the first sentence.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: His time in a coma felt like an endless walk down a dark tunnel. I'm sure I'll eventually get used to him just sitting here drinking coffee and smiling. But for these past six months, every minute I've spent with him still feels like borrowed time.
  My dad's eyes twinkle with mischief. "Now, we all know it was your slingshot. You're too young for your memory to be slipping. Maybe you should do more crossword puzzles."
  Mrs. Meriwether raises her eyebrows. "Be very careful, Charlie, or I'll tell them about the time you tried to prank Ms. Walters. Emphasis on the word 'tried.' " She looks at me and Jaxon. "I believe you know her as Mrs. Hoxley."
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Do you know the last three paragraphs?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: I sit straight up, every muscle in my body ready to run away from this conversation. Did Mrs. Meriwether tell my dad about me seeing Elijah? Or did he hear the rumors in town? How could I be so stupid to think this would all just go away?
  My dad stares at me with such seriousness that everyone gets quiet, waiting on his reaction. "Sam, did you see something just now?"
  My dad looks from Mrs. Meriwether to me. "Then why is Mae worried about a ghost appearing in your passenger seat?"