Fever 1793

Title: Fever 1793
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Series: None
Genre: Historical Fiction/Young Adult



Mattie is a young girl who lives in Pennsylvania with her Mother and Grandfather. They own and operate a coffeehouse in 1793. It seems almost overnight people have contracted Yellow Fever and are dying. Mattie's own Mother is dumped at their doorstep after having fainted from contracting the fever. It is decided that Mattie will go to the country with her Grandfather to escape the fever outbreak.

Mattie's Grandfather has a cough and therefore they are denied entrance to a small town they need to pass through to get to their country destination, the two become deserted in the middle of nowhere and of course Mattie falls ill with Yellow Fever.

The story continues with Mattie's almost coming of age story. She survives the fever and has to learn how to survive in a new city. Food is scarce and crime is high.

I was recommended this book by a fellow teacher. She wasn't mistaken, I think this was a phenomenal book. There is an appendix that tells what is true from the book. I found it very interesting to know that all along mosquitoes were carrying the fever. I'm usually not one for much in the way of history, but this book was simply fantastic.