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Original Essays | December 12, 2009

Alexander McCall Smith: IMG The Courage of Others

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I have recently written a novel about life in England during the Second World War. I felt some concern before I tackled this theme — the War... Continue »
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Fever 1793

by Laurie Halse Anderson

Fever 1793 Cover

ISBN13: 9780689848919
ISBN10: 0689848919
Condition: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

During the summer of 1793, Mattie Cook lives above the family coffee shop with her widowed mother and grandfather. Mattie spends her days avoiding chores and making plans to turn the family business into the finest Philadelphia has ever seen. But then the fever breaks out.

Disease sweeps the streets, destroying everything in its path and turning Mattie's world upside down. At her feverish mother's insistence, Mattie flees the city with her grandfather. But she soon discovers that the sickness is everywhere, and Mattie must learn quickly how to survive in a city turned frantic with disease.

Review:

The New York Times Book ReviewA gripping story about living morally under the shadow of rampant death.

Review:

The New York Times Book ReviewThe plot rages like the epidemic itself.

Review:

VOYAA vivid work, rich with well-drawn characters.

Review:

School Library Journalstarred reviewReaders will be drawn in by the characters and will emerge with a sharp and graphic picture of another world.

Synopsis:

In 1793, the Cook Coffeehouse outside Philadelphia is a haven for those fleeing from the fever sweeping across the mosquito-infested city. Fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook has just lost her childhood playmate to the fever and struggles to keep her family and her family's business alive.
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About the Author

Laurie Halse Anderson is the author of numerous wonderful books for children and teens. Her highly acclaimed novels include Speak, which was a National Book Award finalist, Printz Honor Book, and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Her novel Fever 1793 was named one of New York Public Library's 100 Best Books of 2000, was selected as an ABA Pick of the Lists title, and has won more than a dozen state awards. Her most recent novel, Twisted, was a New York Times bestseller. Laurie lives in Mexico, New York.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 4 comments:
Effie, August 17, 2009 (view all comments by Effie)
This short narrative makes for a realistic read of a historical time period, when the yellow fever was running rampant in Philadelphia in 1793. The narrator is a young independent girl--probably moreso than she would have actually been allowed to be at the time, but it makes for a nice feminist punch for the person reading it today.
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megan s, June 14, 2009 (view all comments by megan s)
Fever 1793 features Matilda Cook a 14 year old girl in Philadelphia in (you guessed it) 1793. Mattie's widowed mother owns and runs the Cook Coffeehouse where important men of the city come to talk politics and enjoy coffee and the fare prepared by Eliza, a free black and friend of the family. At the beginning, Mattie is a typical young girl - more eager to have fun and disobey her mother than to pull her weight at the coffeehouse. As summer is very slowly drawing to a close, disaster strikes as a deadly yellow fever epidemic sweeps the city. The city devolves into chaos and Mattie's life is torn asunder when her mother takes ill. The epidemic forces Mattie to grow up fast as she is left almost alone in a city that seems to be slowly dying. As the first frost comes, effectively ending the fever, and Mattie has still not heard from her mother, Mattie is forced to make some difficult decisions about her future and the future of the coffeehouse.

Mattie is an engaging narrator. It's easy to relate to her desire to leave behind the backbreaking work of the coffeehouse and enjoy her life. Halse Anderson does a fine job of portraying how Mattie changes during the epidemic and gains a new inner strength that she is able to draw upon to pick up her life once the epidemic has ended. Philadelphia in 1793 is realistically portrayed both in health and in sickness. Halse Anderson has obviously gone to great pains to maintain the historical accuracy of her story and succeeds admirably. Included at the end is a very interesting appendix that elaborates on the factual elements of the story. Fever 1793 is great historical novel about a girl transcending her very dire circumstances and finding out who she is in the process.
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Robert Zupperoli, January 31, 2009 (view all comments by Robert Zupperoli)
Historical Fiction is becoming a great way to teach history in elementary school. It teaches reading, comprehension, and exposes children to a great genre. This book by Laurie Anderson, is beautifully written, the images are great, and the historical facts are spot on. I loved reading this book and used it in conjunction with Johnny Tremain. These gave perspectives of this period in American history from the view of young people. The kids related to these books in ways they would not to a text. I would use and read this book every year. Purchase and use this book if you teach; it's a great story about a girl's relationship with her mother, grandfather and friends.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780689848919
Author:
Anderson, Laurie Halse
Publisher:
Aladdin Paperbacks
Location:
New York
Subject:
Action & Adventure
Subject:
Historical - United States - Colonial
Subject:
Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Historical
Subject:
Health - Diseases
Subject:
Epidemics
Subject:
Health & Medicine - Diseases
Subject:
Pennsylvania
Subject:
Survival
Subject:
Yellow fever
Subject:
Philadelphia
Subject:
Action & Adventure - General
Subject:
Philadelphia (pa.)
Subject:
Historical - United States - Colonial & Revolutionary
Copyright:
2002
Edition Description:
B102
Series Volume:
2002-1
Publication Date:
March 2002
Binding:
Paperback
Grade Level:
Children/juvenile
Language:
English
Pages:
256
Dimensions:
7.73x5.12x.74 in. .41 lbs.
Age Level:
10-14
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