On My Bookshelf

“Fever 1793” by Laurie Halse Anderson

Clare Brown , 11, sixth grader at Bret Harte Middle School

Hilary Powers , 12, seventh grader at Castillero Middle School

Clare Brown and Hilary Powers are two middle school students developing great skills by their participation in a mother/daughter book club. “We've learned about a lot of different stuff,” said Powers. “One time we mined for gold from sand in the garage,” continued Brown. The girls' book club provides ample opportunity for learning about new trades and lifestyles. The group consists of eight mother-daughter pairs and meets monthly to discuss a book chosen by one household. The duo then hosts the next meeting, choosing a theme from the book and tailoring activities around it. The activities help group members gain experience in how characters from the books lived. Recently Brown, Powers, and the rest of the Mother-Daughter Book Club read a Junior Library Guild Selection called “ Fever 1793,” written by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Anderson's “ Fever 1793” is extremely well researched in depicting a fictional account of actual events of the late 18th century. The story centers around 16-year-old Mattie Cook, the budding daughter of a strict widow eternally occupied running the family's coffee shop with the help of Mattie's grandfather and a freed slave, Eliza. Mattie is constantly irritated with her mother's excessive precautions against the spreading yellow fever. At times Mattie ignores her mother's wishes, dismissing her “paranoia” because sailors seem to be the only people at risk. However, Mattie's outlook changes after her mother comes down with a case of the yellow fever. On her afflicted mother's suggestion, Mattie and her grandfather set out to start a new life in the country.

“‘ Fever 1793' was interesting and hard for me to put down,” commented Powers. “I liked it because it reflected a real epidemic,” adds Brown. “I read it twice.” Powers and Brown both feel like reading this book in particular is very important. “There are so many things to learn about that time and history is so interesting,” adds Powers.

-- By Justin Petersen