Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Fever, 1793

Anderson, Laurie Halse. 2000. Fever 1793.

Set in Philadelphia in 1793, FEVER follows the spread of yellow fever within the community through the eyes of a young girl, Mattie (Matilda). Mattie's family owns a coffeehouse. At first, when the epidemic first begins their side of town has not been effected yet. In fact, their business is booming because people are scared to go to certain streets/places in town. But all that changes as the disease makes it way through town. Young, old, man, woman...all are at risk...all are at danger. Mattie is no stranger to danger as she watches her mother get sick. Soon her and her grandfather are packing up what they can and trying to leave town. There is a family in the country where they feel they'll be safer. But are they taking the danger with them into the country? Is any place really 'safe' with an epidemic this size? The novel traces the epidemic from August to December. It is a personal, emotional journey of struggles, sorrows, and endurance.

This book pairs excellently with the nonfiction book An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy.

http://www.writerlady.com/fever1793.html
http://www.writerlady.com/fever1793_teachers.html

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

this is a very cool book