"Fever 1793" is a young adult historical fictional novel based on an outbreak of Yellow Fever in the fall of 1793 that crippled the city of Philadelphia. The main character is 14-year old Matilda, the daughter of a widow who runs a coffeehouse. Matilda's character starts off slightly immature and sassy, but she is forced to grow up fast as she watches her family, friends and community succumb to a pestilence of unknown origin. The book is well written and engaging for readers who will learn about the community dealing with the horror of the disease, the fear of the unknown cause, the agony of the primitive medicine, and the madness of crowds that turned neighbor against neighbor, producing looting and violence, bringing about dehydration and starvation. The book also used much parlance of the times and accurately explored racial themes. The reader was moved by the heroism of Mattie and her grandfather, and kept turning pages find out what happened both to Mattie's mother and to Nell, the orphan child Mattie took in.

The appendix at the back with historical facts added new light to the context of the fiction in the body of the work. I liked the reference to famous painter and naturalist Charles Willson Peale.

I'm surprised this is not an award winner (that I know of), but its good to see it spawned curriculum guides as this book seems of great value for classroom use.

Also recommended for young readers, probably from ages 8 - 14 especially those interested in history, or just a good story.

Left on a table near the elevators with another free book, Indian in the Cupboard. Saw lots of elementary school children in the hotel this evening, so it looks like it was a good time to release these children's books here.