Enter Three Witches

Caroline Cooney's "Enter Three Witches" offers a compelling, accessible retelling of Shakespeare's Macbeth from the perspective of Lady Mary, a fictional fourteen-year-old ward of the Macbeths. Set in eleventh-century Scotland, the story follows Mary as she loses her father to execution and is forced into servitude, becoming a close observer of Lord and Lady Macbeth's descent into tyranny. The book explores themes of ambition, fate, justice, and personal agency, as Mary discovers her own power to influence the unfolding tragedy. It's an engaging way to introduce middle-grade readers to classic literature and historical drama, while also providing a rich narrative about resilience and standing up to injustice. Parents should be aware of the prominent themes of death, violence, and political intrigue, which are handled appropriately for the age range.

In this story based on the Shakespeare play, "Macbeth," and set in eleventh-century Scotland, Lady Mary, the fourteen-year-old ward of Lord and Lady Macbeth, is sent to live with Lady Macbeth to learn the ways of nobility, but after Mary's father is hanged as a traitor, her fate is in the hands of her ruthlessly ambitious guardians.