Rebellion 1776

De: Laurie Halse Anderson

Narrado por: Phoebe Strole

From New York Times bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson comes an eerily timely historical fiction middle grade adventure about a girl struggling to survive amid a smallpox epidemic, the public’s fear of inoculation, and the seething Revolutionary War.

In the spring of 1776, thirteen-year-old Elspeth Culpepper wakes to the sound of cannons. It’s the Siege of Boston, the Patriots’ massive drive to push the Loyalists out that turns the city into a chaotic war zone. Elspeth’s father—her only living relative—has gone missing, leaving her alone and adrift in a broken town while desperately seeking employment to avoid the orphanage.

Just when things couldn’t feel worse, the smallpox epidemic sweeps across Boston. Now, Bostonians must fight for their lives against an invisible enemy in addition to the visible one. While a treatment is being frantically fine-tuned, thousands of people rush in from the countryside begging for inoculation. At the same time, others refuse protection, for the treatment is crude at best and at times more dangerous than the disease itself.

Elspeth, who had smallpox as a small child and is now immune, finds work taking care a large, wealthy family with discord of their own, as they await a turn at inoculation, but as the epidemic and the revolution rage on, will she find her father?

Fabulous!

Loved all of it! The plot, characters and historical grounding were fantastic. I am using it in my sixth grade class next year as it aligns with their curriculum. Rich source of vocabulary, author's craft and literary devices accessible to YA readers. The story is engaging and suspenseful. Another winner from LHA!