Fever 1793 Binding: Paperback A yellow fever epidemic sweeps through the streets of 1793 Philadelphia in this novel from Laurie Halse Anderson where “the plot rages like the epidemic itself” (The New York Times Book Review)—now with a brand-new look! During the summer of 1793, Mattie Cook lives above the family coffee shop with her widowed mother and grandfather. Mattie spends her days avoiding chores and making plans to turn the family business into the finest Philadelphia has ever seen. But then an epidemic breaks out—a deadly one: yellow fever. Disease sweeps the streets, destroying everything in its path and turning Mattie’s world upside down. At her feverish mother’s insistence, Mattie flees the city with her grandfather. But she soon discovers that the sickness is everywhere, and she must learn quickly how to survive in a city turned frantic with disease.Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times bestselling author known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity. She’s twice been a National Book Award finalist, for Chains and Speak; Chains also received the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. Laurie was chosen for the 2009 Margaret A. Edwards Award and received the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2023, presented to her by the Crown Princess of Sweden. She lives in Pennsylvania, and you can follow her adventures on X @HalseAnderson or visit her at MadWomanintheForest.com. Reading Group Guide to Fever 1793 By Laurie Halse Anderson About the Book August 1793. Fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook is ambitious, adventurous, and sick to death of listening to her mother. Mattie has plans of her own. She wants to turn the Cook Coffeehouse into the finest business in Philadelphia, the capital of the new United States. But the waterfront is abuzz with reports of disease. “Fever” spreads from the docks and creeps toward Mattie’s home, threatening everything she holds dear. As the cemeteries fill with fever victims, fear turns to panic, and thousands flee the city. Then tragedy strikes the coffeehouse, and Mattie is trapped in a living nightmare. Suddenly her struggle to build a better life must give way to something even more important—the fight to stay alive. Discussion Topics 1. What was Philadelphia like in 1793? What were the advantages and disadvantages of living in the countryside outside of Philadelphia? 2. How was the life of a fourteen-year-old in 1793 different from the life of a fourteen-year-old today? In which period would you rather live? Why? 3. Mattie’s grandfather didn’t think there was any need to rush out of Philadelphia when the fever started to spread. Why did some people think it was safe to stay? What would you have done? 4. The color yellow is used throughout the story. What does it symbolize? What other symbols are used in the book? 5. What do you think will happen to Mattie, her mother, and friends in 1794? What will their lives look like in 1800? In 1813? 6. During the Revolutionary War, women took on tasks that were traditionally performed by men. After the war they were expected to go back to their spinning wheels and kitchens. How are Maggie’s dreams in conflict with what her society expects of young women? Why does Maggie’s mother want a different life for her daughter? 7. The Free African Society volunteered to take care of the sick and bury the dead, even though there was no cure for yellow fever. Why did they do that? Would you have helped? Projects and Research History • Mattie was born in 1776, Make a time line of Mattie’s life and the history of the United States. • Philadelphia was h Anderson, Laurie Halse ISBN: 9798347106646

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