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Quick answer: If you loved Fever 1793, read Laurie Halse Anderson's Chains and Forge, then Out of the Dust, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Year of Wonders, Johnny Tremain and Number the Stars. All are historical novels set during times of crisis.
Laurie Halse Anderson's 2000 novel follows sixteen-year-old Mattie Cook during the yellow fever epidemic that struck Philadelphia in 1793, as she survives illness, loss and a failing family business. It is fast and based on real history. The books below offer similar historical fiction of survival.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny Tremain | Esther Forbes | Ages 10-14 | American Revolution |
| Year of Wonders | Geraldine Brooks | Adult | plague village |
| Bud, Not Buddy | Christopher Paul Curtis | Ages 9-13 | Depression-era journey |
| Chains | Laurie Halse Anderson | 10-14 | readers who like the Revolution |
| Speak | Laurie Halse Anderson | 14 and up | serious topics |
| Out of the Dust | Karen Hesse | 10-14 | Dust Bowl poems |
| Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry | Mildred D. Taylor | 10-14 | family strength |
| Number the Stars | Lois Lowry | Ages 9-13 | courage in war |
| A Journal of the Plague Year | Daniel Defoe | Adult | London in 1665 |
| Refugee | Alan Gratz | 10-14 | readers who like action and history |
| Salt to the Sea | Ruta Sepetys | Ages 12+ | wartime refugees |
| Code Name Verity | Elizabeth Wein | Ages 13+ | friendship in war |
| Inside Out & Back Again | Thanhha Lai | 8-12 | readers who like verse novels |
| Hatchet | Gary Paulsen | Ages 10-14 | wilderness survival |
| Between Shades of Gray | Ruta Sepetys | Ages 12+ | Soviet deportation |
1. Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
A silversmith's apprentice joins the patriots in Boston. A classic of the Revolution.
Best for: American Revolution.
2. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
A village isolates itself during the plague in 1666. Gripping and moving.
Best for: plague village.
3. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
An orphan searches for the man he believes is his father. Funny and tender.
Best for: Depression-era journey.
4. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Isabel is a young slave in New York during the Revolution who spies for the rebels. Vivid and tense.
Best for: readers who like the Revolution.
5. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
After being assaulted, Melinda stops speaking at school. A short, honest novel about trauma and finding a voice.
Best for: serious topics.
6. Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
A girl in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl tells her story in verse. Spare and powerful.
Best for: Dust Bowl poems.
7. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
The Logan family fights to keep its land in Depression-era Mississippi. A Newbery winner and a classic of historical fiction.
Best for: family strength.
8. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
A girl in Denmark helps her Jewish friend escape the Nazis. Short and powerful.
Best for: courage in war.
9. A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe
A fictional account of the plague in London. A classic of epidemic writing.
Best for: London in 1665.
10. Refugee by Alan Gratz
Three children, in Nazi Germany, Cuba and Syria, flee their homes. Intense and fast-paced.
Best for: readers who like action and history.
11. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Four young refugees face the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff. Gripping and sad.
Best for: wartime refugees.
12. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Two young women, a pilot and a spy, are caught in the Second World War. Clever and devastating.
Best for: friendship in war.
13. Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Ha, ten, leaves Saigon in 1975 and settles in Alabama. A verse novel based on Lai's own life, with humor and grace.
Best for: readers who like verse novels.
14. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
A boy survives alone in the Canadian wilderness. Simple and gripping.
Best for: wilderness survival.
15. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
A Lithuanian girl is deported to Siberia. Lyrical and heartbreaking.
Best for: Soviet deportation.
How to Choose
For more Anderson begin with Chains. For plague stories choose Year of Wonders or A Journal of the Plague Year. For Depression-era tales pick Out of the Dust or Bud, Not Buddy. For wartime read Number the Stars or Refugee. Fever 1793 is short and tense, so these picks suit readers who like history with survival. Anderson researched the real 1793 epidemic in Philadelphia, which killed about a tenth of the city's people. The book is a common pick for school history units.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Fever 1793 about?
A teenager survives a yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia.
Who wrote it?
Laurie Halse Anderson.
When was it published?
2000.
Is it based on a real event?
Yes, the 1793 yellow fever epidemic.
What age is it for?
Roughly ages 11 to 15.
Is it scary?
It has illness and death but is age-appropriate.
Is it used in schools?
Yes.
What should I read next?
Try Chains or Year of Wonders.
Which book here is best for readers who like the Revolution?
Try Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, which suits readers looking for readers who like the Revolution.
Which book here is best for family strength?
Try Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor, which suits readers looking for family strength.
Which book here is best for readers who like action and history?
Try Refugee by Alan Gratz, which suits readers looking for readers who like action and history.