Mattie hates Pernilla’s snobby daughters Colette and Jeannine, and doesn’t share Lucille’s desire that she marry an Ogilvie son because they’re snobs who don’t appreciate her love for books or her passion for social justice work at the Cook Coffeehouse. One day, a neighborhood aristocrat invites Mattie and Lucille to tea. A couple of weeks later, many have died from the fever, but Grandfather argues that it’s nothing to be concerned about. Mattie takes over Polly’s duties in the coffeehouse, hearing her beloved Grandfather debate with customers about rumors of a yellow fever outbreak in the city. But then Mother interrupts again to tell Mattie that Polly has died suddenly of a fever. While she’s working in the garden she daydreams about running businesses someday and meeting Nathaniel Benson, who she likes. Mattie reluctantly gets up and helps out in the coffeehouse with her friend Eliza, who feeds her breakfast before sending her outside to tend to the garden. She’s late for work at the coffeehouse because their serving girl Polly has died from a fever. In August of 1793, 14-year-old Matilda “Mattie” Cook is awakened by her mother, Lucille Cook. Suddenly, her struggle to build a better life must give way to something even more important – the fight to stay alive.1-Page Summary of Fever 1793 Overall Summary
Then tragedy strikes the coffeehouse, and Mattie is trapped in a living nightmare. “Fever” spreads from the docks and creeps toward Mattie’s home, threatening everything she holds dear.Īs the cemeteries fill with fever victims, fear turns to panic, and thousands flee the city. She wants to turn the Cook Coffeehouse into the finest business in Philadelphia, the capital of the new United States.īut the waterfront is abuzz with reports of disease. Fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook is ambitious, adventurous, and sick to death of listening to her mother. I released the handle and the bucket splashed, a distant sound.Īugust 1793. Her mother repeated that over and over, ‘she sewed by candlelight after dinner.’ And then she collapsed.” “And?” I waved a mosquito away from my face.
“I spoke with her mother, with Mistress Logan,” Mother answered softly, looking at her neat rows of carrots. “Where’s Polly?” I asked as I dropped the bucket down the well. Young Hoosier Book Award Master List (IN) Volunteer State Book Award Master List (TN)
Sunshine State Young Reader's Award Master List (FL) Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award (IL) Nutmeg Children's Book Award Nominee (CT) Maud Hart Lovelace Award Master List (MN) Garden State Teen Book Award Nominee (NJ) Buy the Book Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-A-Million Indiebound AwardsĬBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
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