Description
An epidemic of fever sweeps through the streets of 1793 Philadelphia in this novel from Laurie Halse Anderson where "the plot rages like the epidemic itself" (The New York Times Book Review).

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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272 pages

Average rating: 6.65

51 RATINGS

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4 REVIEWS

Community Reviews

Reanae99
Apr 26, 2024
8/10 stars
This is not my usual type of story. I only read it because it fit the criteria of a challenge I was trying to do. That being said I did become emotionally invested in the characters. I came very close to crying a couple of times.

I found it difficult to try and imagine living through something like that. I honestly don't know how I would handle myself. I think I would have been one of the people to have fled or maybe one of the people to get sick ...read more
TifFanny
Sep 22, 2023
10/10 stars
Beautifully written. I read this as a read aloud to my middle school age children, and certainly in 2020 this holds special importance. The writing is incredibly vivid and descriptive. I loved the historical notes in the end of the book.
AtlasAcademics
Jan 15, 2023
9/10 stars
Really enjoyed this book, It was a great Opportunity to Learn more about American History. I cried when the Grandfather died!
aubreyyyy64
Mar 08, 2022
8/10 stars
This book really represents the struggles of the fever sickness along with adding a lot of emotion to the storyline. I absolutely loved this book.

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