Fever 1793

*****

Laurie Halse Anderson

Mattie is a 16-year-old in 1793 Philidelphia. Like many teenagers, all she wishes for is a little freedom, the boy of her dreams and a chance to sleep just a little later in the mornings. But all of these simple desires change when the family's maid becomes one of the first to die from Yellow Fever. As the death toll rises, the city begins to shut down. Mattie tries to hold her family together and at times just to survive as the world around her falls into utter chaos.

This is an excellent book! You won't be able to put it down. Laurie Anderson is one of the best writers I know, and this book is no exception! It's a very easy read and would be good for anyone who likes books that are a little sad, but really, really good.

If you like this book, look for:
Out of the Dust
Day of Tears
The Mailbox
Speak
Catalyst

Day of Tears

*****
Julius Lester

Follow Emma, Maddie, Will and their friends on this heartbraking journey. Master Pierce has lost all of his money gambling and has to sell off his slaves to pay his debts. It's hard on the Butler family to lose the people they've grown up with, but it's much harder on the slaves sold to new owners around the country. As families are split apart, the tales intertwine to give a clear and crushing story of what it is like to live in slavery.

This is an excellent book. It's written as a play and makes you feel like you're really there alongside the families suffering in this book. Even though it's mostly sad, it's a wonderful book to read. It gives such a clear picture of the loss and suffering as well as some heartening stories of reunion.

If you like this book, look for:
Fever 1793
Out of the Dust
Run for Your Life