Wild Things: YA Grown-Up discussion

I love Anderson's writing, and this one was no different. The story didn't do what I thought it would, and I'm glad that it was unexpected. I loved all the different aspects of the time and how Anderson tied them all in. It really made the story feel like you were witnessing history to see what George Washington, Benjamin Rush, the Free African Society, etc were doing to combat yellow fever.

For all the recent epidemic scares (remember Avian Flu and SARS??) after reading this I shrudder to think what would happen in this country if a major city got hit with a true epidemic. We've come a long way with medicine, but there's still a lot we don't know.

D'oh! I mean Fever 1793, not 1973...

I saw this at the library today, and was THISCLOSE to picking it up.

I've been on hold for this and just picked it up at the library today. I read Chains last week and liked it a LOT - 5 stars! I also really liked Speak.

There is a nonfiction book by Jim Murphy called An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793, if you are interested in reading more on the 1793 plague.

I read this book about 3yrs ago & recently purchased it for my 11yr old's ever growing library. I was looking for a fast paced historical read for him. I came across this on a clearance shelf for $1.00. Made me a little sad that it was only valued @ $1.00 but I smiled all the way to the register w/ my new book! I am re-reading it now & neglecting the other books I vowed to finish.
Luann, thank you for the non-fiction suggestion. I expect to look into it soon.

I found myself really invested in this book. Like, crying for people invested. It was my first Anderson, but it won't be my last.

I just finished Fever 1793. I liked the true historical perspective of the events of the story, and I really appreciated the research that went into the book. That being said, I have enjoyed some of Anderson's other works more. Perhaps that's because I just read Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer and I'm a little saturated/freaked out by end of the world level disease.

Doesn't it creep you out more, though, that this was real? I mean, the story's not, but the plague was real, not hypothetical, like in the Pfeffer book or other recent post-apocalyptic.

Have any of you read An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy? Jim Murphy is one of the only nonfiction authors I read and enjoy and this novel is no exception. It is so interesting and it is a great companion to Fever 1793.

No. I intended to read it when I read Fever, but that didn't happen. Maybe I will for the WT challenge.

I have always disliked history (as a subject) but I enjoy, or am interested by, historical events as told through individual stories. So Fever 1793 was perfect for me!

I read Jim Murphy's book right before I read Fever, and I really liked them both. I am a huge LHA fan and loved this one. Jim Murphy writes really good non-fiction for children. His writing is very accessible and very interesting while being very informative. I originally read the Murphy book because it's on the Newbery Honor list, but I was quite impressed by how much I enjoyed reading it.

And Fever, 1793? Well, I absolutely love LHA and this one was no different. I think she is an amazing author!

Misty wrote: "Doesn't it creep you out more, though, that this was real? I mean, the story's not, but the plague was real, not hypothetical, like in the Pfeffer book or other recent post-apocalyptic."

Fever 1793 sure freaked me out, and yet I loved how Anderson covered the material without making it too heavy. Mattie was such a lovable character, and I enjoyed watching her grow up as the events around her challenged her and as the people around her taught her to be a woman.

I got the book with the intention of reading it with my daughter (we're studying Early American history in our homeschooling right now) but decided to read it first, not because I was concerned about the content but because I was out of books to read.

Now I'm wondering though if it's a bit too scary for her. She's 8 and I think it might be traumatizing.

She's a tenderhearted child, so I think I'll wait a few years. We're reading Johnny Tremain and Witch of Blackbird Pond. I read those as a kid, and I think she'll enjoy them.

I think that when I picked up Fever 1793, I wasn't feeling very well. That would add to the "freaked out" reaction. But the worst part for me was the idea of so many children being separated from their children. That's one of my worst fears, my children losing me or me losing my children.

Rita, have you or your daughter read Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith? It's another Newbery Winner, and it takes place during the Civil War. I actually liked it better than Johnny Tremain, although it is at a bit of an older reading level than Tremain is.

I'll check that out too. Thanks.

Have you read Across Five Aprils it was one of my favorites also My Brother Sam is Dead those are also great reads for young historial fiction. She might also like the American Girl books to read on her own they are really small only about 70 pages and I read them in second or thrid grade.