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.
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"Anderson has a way with words! This is my favorite of all her books but she has a way with all her books to captivate her readers and make her readers really feel, see and hear what living in this time must have been like for the main character. She is absolutely fantastic. I strongly recommend these books to my students as well, they are so true to history - Anderson puts in so much effort to find her facts and back story. Wonderfully written - finished in a couple a days over just a few hours. So good!"
— Danielle (5 out of 5 stars)
" Great historical fiction. Loved the feelings portrayed in the story. "
— Austin, 2/17/2014" I started/finished it yesterday ( the 15th) and enjoyed it. It was a quick easy read with a compelling storyline and good characters I'm going to read other books by the author just to see how she writes. "
— Callie, 2/15/2014" 5 th grade tutoring book. Good one!!:) "
— Brandy, 1/29/2014" This tale of Mattie Cook and the coffeehouse is definitly believable probably is close to some stories of what people experienced when they had yellow fever. Mattie is very courageous character and pushes through loss and short comings to come back on top. "
— Alyse, 1/28/2014" This is definetly worth a read! I am a historical fiction fan and this is a book set in early America (1793) where populations could be wiped out with the introduction of a new disease...in this case yellow fever. The remedies were interesting, the taboos were interesting, the fact that they thought blacks couldn't get yellow fever...really? Great story of a heroine trying to do the best she can as the world she knows falls apart around her. "
— Jilyan, 1/27/2014" Hey, the girl on the cover kind of looks like Emma Watson... "
— Mahima, 1/22/2014" Fever of 1793 is about a girl name Mattie. She is a Cook. She fourteen-year-old girl living above a coffeehouse in Philadelphia with her mother, grandfather, a orange cat named Silas, a parrot named King George and a Eliza, a free black woman. One day a girl named Polly doesn't show up for work. she came down with a case of the fever. she died the next day she escapes town with her father but how read to find out. "
— Max, 1/16/2014" Good history lesson and story for preteens. "
— Heidi, 1/13/2014" I did not think it was a good book because it was boring and nothing big really happened action wise. "
— Tyler, 12/24/2013" This is a GREAT book READ it. "
— ~Hannah~, 12/9/2013" This is the best book in the world I just love it "
— Kiernan, 11/21/2013" This made me very interested to learn more about this event and time period. Interesting read. "
— Trent, 10/1/2013" Enjoyed this more from the historical aspect than the aspect of it beign a great story. This was an interesting way for me to learn more about Philadelphia in the 1700's and the role of African Americans, women, and medicine. "
— Ms., 8/29/2013" Although this book wasn't quite what I thought it would be, I did like it. As a teacher, I appreciated the historical tidbits in the back. Overall, something I would consider having my students read. "
— Tamara, 5/4/2013" A great little book. Perfect young adult read. "
— Erica, 4/24/2013" I enjoyed the history of this book. This particular part of history was one I was not familiar with- I didn't know there was a plague of yellow fever in Philadelphia. Just enough story to keep it moving, with the right amount of facts to keep it educational. "
— Corey, 4/20/2013" An easy, informative young adult book. I read it in preparation for a short unit on the topic. "
— Meg, 3/21/2013" Fever 1793 is about a little village in Philadelphia were people start to get very sick. This sickness is called the Yellow Fever. The Yellow Fever is very bad... It can kill you. In fact in this book almost everyone in town dies. "
— Paige, 2/28/2013" This book was a very scary but true look at what happens to people who are not only stricken with disease but also with fear. The scariest part is in this technologically advanced time we are but a moment away from repeating the same ignorance and suffering. A must read! "
— Sarah, 2/5/2013" I first read this book when I was in grade school, and now at the age of 19, this book still brings tears to my eyes and a chill down my spine. Although meant for younger readers, the writing remains beautiful and haunting. I'm so glad I picked this back up after years. "
— Rebekah, 1/6/2013" I saw that Lavinia was reading this book and wouldn't you know It that I found it at the library last week! It was a sad great story of a young girl Matilda who lived in Philadelphia at the time of the yellow fever epidemic. it's a young adult read. Very well written. "
— Andrea, 12/21/2012" Another good YA by Laurie Halse Anderson! The yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia is the backdrop for Mattie Cook, the 14 year old daughter of a coffeehouse owner. "
— Karen, 9/7/2012" Is this for young adults? A quick read but still somewhat captivated. "
— Lisette, 7/20/2012" This is a very well done "young adult" read, about a fictitious 14 yr old girl who lived through the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, 1793. I love historical fiction, and had no previous knowledge of the epidemic or how it affected our country's capital city (at that time). "
— Gretchen, 6/30/2011" I enjoyed the history of this book. This particular part of history was one I was not familiar with- I didn't know there was a plague of yellow fever in Philadelphia. Just enough story to keep it moving, with the right amount of facts to keep it educational. "
— Corey, 6/29/2011" It was a very good book and it seemed to be very authentic. I really like the back pages when it talked about true events. "
— Alyssa, 6/29/2011" Read for school. Awesome perspective of Yellow Fever outbreak in Philadelphia in 1793. "
— cassie, 6/22/2011" Great book set after the Revolutionary War in Philadelphia.<br/> "
— Kgmedia, 6/22/2011" Will certainly use this one next year - an microcosmic look at history via the yellow fever epidemic in philadelphia. "
— Heather, 6/19/2011" This book is amazing! I have read it many times over and over again. I need to buy it and put it on my shelf. "
— Jess, 6/17/2011" Though a bit morbid at times, an interesting read. I liked it. "
— Mary, 6/14/2011" Book was appropriate for age group, but wish the character was a little deepeer. "
— Kelleyn, 6/12/2011Laurie Halse Anderson, New York Times bestselling author, writes for kids of all ages. Known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity, her work has earned numerous American Library Association and state awards. Two of her books, Speak and Chains, were National Book Award finalists. Chains also made the Carnegie Medal shortlist in the United Kingdom. She lives in northern New York, where she likes to watch the snow fall as she writes. She and her husband, Scot, plus their menagerie of critters, enjoy country living and time in the woods. When not writing or hanging out with her family, you can find her training for marathons or trying to coax tomatoes out of the rocky soil in her backyard.
Bailey Carr is a New York City–based audiobook narrator. She graduated with a BFA in acting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Bailey has narrated audiobooks for multiple New York Times bestselling authors.