Friday, July 29, 2011

Reese's Review of An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793

Newbery Honor Book
Robert F. Sibert Medal
National Book Award Finalist
                Nonfiction books can be boring - not this one. From the subject of the yellow fever epidemic to the presentation of the subject matter, this book intrigues the reader.  The author has done extensive research and documented it with an easily usable source section. Additionally, the index is thorough and well done making this book a wonderful research source for students.  Illustrations which add to the reader’s background knowledge and understanding of the subject matter are scattered throughout: maps, letters, newspaper snippets, photographs, cartoons, pen and ink illustrations, black and white artwork.  I particularly liked the way in which the author divided the book into eleven chapters and began each with a catching title as well as a short quotation which summed up the effect of the fever in the chapter.   By utilizing a multitude of firsthand accounts mixed with medical and historical facts, the author managed to draw me into the book; my curiosity about yellow fever kept me reading.  The book itself reminded me that even in this day and age, our medical community and our society doesn’t have all of the answers. Dangers abound and seemingly innocent mistakes or lack of knowledge can threaten our society as it did in 1793.
Murphy, J. (2003) An American plague: the true and terrifying story of the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. New York: Scholastic .

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