Fever 1793

I'm taking a Children's Lit course this fall, and I plan to write about some of the books we read along the way.  Right now I'm reading ahead a bit to get a start on the semester.

The first book I read for class was Laurie Halse Anderson's Fever 1793.  The book is targeted to middle schoolers but I highly recommend this book even for adults.  Fever 1793 is a quick read but with lots of substance.  The characters are well-developed, especially the main character, 14 year old Matilda Cook (Mattie).  Fever 1793 is a coming of age story about how Mattie faces adversity when faced with the tragic yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia in 1793.  Anderson paints a vivid picture of the politics and society in 1793, and the perpetual struggle of mankind to help one another survive in the face of disaster. 

On a personal note, Fever 1793 reminded me that the struggle and adversity that you face in life makes you stronger and shapes the person you become.