Last round.....

Day 10 Rainbow - IG post from COYER Summer 2017 edition https://www.instagram.com/p/BXm9lPTBN_U/?taken-by=tearainbook

Day 9 Spines - another IG post from COYER Summer 2017 edition https://www.instagram.com/p/BXtcs5LhArT/?taken-by=tearainbook

Day 8 Funny - Is it Just Me? by Miranda Hart (and it is a shame she isn't more loved by folks in the US)

Day 7 Sad - The Mercy of the Sky by Holly Bailey (the part when she wrote of the rescue and recovery at the elementary school killed me)

Day 6 Time - Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson (a great middle grade book about a yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia)

Day 5 Place - The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow by Olivia Newport (Chicago during the World's Fair)

Day 4 Plans - my bedroom will be center stage for my reading - it is the only place I can get some quiet.

Day 3 Break - I plan on taking a break to sleep. A short catnip can give the reader a better recharge than drinking caffeine. I plan to get a few hours over the course of the read-a-thon.

Day 2 New - Saga series by Brian Kl Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Day 1 Stack - Books by Michael Lewis I have read and recommend:

                       Moneyball

                       Liar's Poker

                       The Big Short

                       Boomerang

                       Flash Boys

Car was at the mechanic's shop getting an oil change, so I took the kids to the library to wait. While there, I picked up this book and decided it would be a good fit for a bingo square "Historical Fiction." Seriously, this bingo card is going to fill up with YA/MG titles the way I am going.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book. Our heroine, Matilda Cook (Mattie for short), is the daughter of a widow and owner of a coffeehouse and the grand-daughter of a veteran of the American Revolutionary War. Along with mom and grandfather, there is Eliza, the coffeehouse cook who was born a slave but is a free black woman; Nathaniel Benson, a somewhat love interest/definitely dear friend of Mattie's and apprentice for the painting family the Peales; and finally, there is Philadelphia - the city is definitely part setting/part character in this book. These characters were fully fleshed out without resorting to stereotypes; the relationships between the characters gave this book a lot of heart.

The epidemic of yellow fever started in early August and didn't end until late October. Each chapter is titled with the date to show how days, then weeks, then months moved the epidemic along. Society broke down during the epidemic; there were points in the book that the plot turned from historical fiction to downright apocalyptic. There was a lot of pain, which made the moments of joy or unity so much sweeter but also brought realism and balance to the story.

It took a few hours to read, but I am glad I did. Anderson has a wonderful voice and writing style, plus she does her homework on the historical accuracy front. 4 stars. Summer Bingo square "Historical Fiction" filled.

I kept my eyes closed, trying to see Polly happy, joking, maybe stealing a kiss with Matthew, then bursting through the door to tell me. It couldn't be real. How could Polly be dead?

- Chapter 3

 

Some doctors warn we may see a thousand dead before it's over. There are forty thousand people living in Philadelphia, William. Can you imagine if one in forty were to die?

- Chapter 8

 

My eyes closed. It was never going to stop. We would suffer endlessly, with no time to rest, no time to sleep.

- Chapter 25

 

In the year 1793, yellow fever hits Philadelphia and hits it hard. Mattie is separated from her sick mother and forced to flee the city with her grandfather. When he falls ill, Mattie must help him and take care of herself. She must fight to survive.

I read this book as part of my study of books for ages 9-12 with strong female protagonists.

This book deals with a lot of suffering, but Mattie is a survivor. No matter what happens, she doesn't give up. Despite all the death and sadness, there is a message of hope. Towards the end, Mattie spends a great deal of time caring for others. She also shows that she knows what she wants and is determined to get it.

This is a good historical fiction book and the first book I read on this topic. It is well-written and easy to read.  

Recommended to:

Ages 9-12; readers who enjoy historical fiction or books with strong female characters.

Find my thoughts on all things books and reading at Read, Run, Ramble

I read this book with my daughter who chose it as her Historical Fiction book report read. Each of us checked out a copy from our local library (shout out to the fabulous Johnson County Public Library) and each day I would make sure to read as many chapters as she did so we could spend part of our evening discussing what had taken place.

Not only did I love this experience with my daughter, but I loved that Fever 1793 was the book with which we started this new tradition. It was a fun, yet educational read and the first book in a long time that my daughter has truly gotten excited about (yay - that makes a bookworm mom's heart sing)!

This story, based on the events of the Yellow Fever epidemic in 1793, blew my socks off. Using Fiction to liven up a historical event to teach our kiddos about a very significant portion of American History is simply awesome, and I was captivated by it as well.

I've seen a couple reviews that mention it is not written in a way that would make it appealing to us old folks. To that, I say SHUT YOUR MOUTH (just kidding - we all have our opinions). In all seriousness, yes it is written in a way to make it appealing to adults. The characters are well developed and show much growth throughout the story - I really felt like I connected with them and I think my daughter did to (judging by the conversations we had at night - she really personalized them). The storyline is factual and detailed, yet written in a way to keep children interested and learning. That isn't to say it is so simple you feel like you're reading an infant's board book though. So while the book is indeed written for the teen and pre-teen crowd and, therefore, should be written to their level, it is also an intriguing and thoughtful read for the adults that choose to give it a chance.

Now, for the 6th grader's review - she gave it 5 out of 5 stars and said it was "awesome"! My dear daughter thought it was one of the best books she's ever read. I can vouch for that review because she eagerly discussed this book with me every evening and never complained about having to spend part of her free time reading it (she is a very reluctant reader; especially when it comes to assigned reading). She thought Mattie was courageous, and she was very entertained by King George the parrot.

For parents, teachers, or other caregivers looking for a fun, but also educational read, grab this one. Or if you're looking for a book to read with the children in your life, pick this one up. It worked for me and my reluctant reader!

I decided after reading Wintergirls and Speak that I wanted to read all of Laurie Halse Anderson’s books. So I’ve been making my way through them. I plan to pick up Catalyst when I go back to the library. I was a little nervous about reading this one. I thought I might not be as interested in it since it’s a suject matter I wouldn’t normally read about. However, I found it absolutely captivating. I just couldn’t stop listening. I also learned a lot. I’ll go ahead and be honest. I didn’t know anything about the yellow fever epidemic before I read this. This book has dynamic characters, an enthralling plot, and a lot of historical information. It’s official. Laurie Halse Anderson is one of the best young adult novelists of our time.

Watching Mattie develop throughout this book was a wonderful experience. In the beginning, we meet this stubborn, rather selfish girl with big dreams. By the end of the book she has transformed into a strong woman who knows how to make those dreams a reality and take care of those in need. I was so thrilled to watch her grow with each experience she faced during the epidemic. The plot was gripping and pretty fast-paced. There was a new learning experience for Mattie around each corner, it seemed. But her trials make her a stronger person. It’s a truly amazing book with a really great message.

Anderson includes some appendices about the epidemic and the history of it. She points out some of the factual things that occur in the story. It’s very interesting, so if you read this, don’t skip that part. Emily Bergl was the perfect Mattie. She was very convincing and engaging. That’s all I ask of my audio books!