Perspective

An American Plague - The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy is written in the third person narrative. Murphy is a prolific writer who has written over twenty-five books for young people. With that in mind, it is obvious that Murphy approached the writing of this book with the clarity and details that would be appropriate for, as well as understandable by, his target audience of readers. Murphy is a proven success in writing for children having won the Newbery Honor for The Great Fire, and many other awards, including the Robert F. Sibert Information Book Award and the Golden Kite Award.

By reviewing the the volume of resources that Murphy used in writing this book, it is apparent that he went to great lengths to provide an accurate historical work and to provide both sides of the controversies that arose...