Plague! (Crabtree Chrome). Lynn Peppas. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2013. 48 pp., pbk. & hc., $11.95 (pbk.), $21.56 (RLB.). ISBN 978-0-7787-1122-3 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-1102-5 (RLB.). Subject Headings: Plague-History-Juvenile literature. Black death-Juvenile literature. Medicine, Medieval-Juvenile literature. Grades 3-9 / Ages 8-14. Review by Ian Stewart. ***½/4

excerpt:

London 1347 – more than 1000 people were dying every day. Swollen corpses lay in the streets. The city echoed with the cries of people in agony and motherless children. The same scenes were playing out in cities across Europe, Asia, and Africa...

Nearly everyone in Europe during that period suffered the effects of plague in one way or another. People either got sick themselves or lost those they loved. So much death changed the way people thought and acted. People began to live each day as if it were their last...

After people died or fled the cities to escape the plague, many homes were left abandoned. Some people moved into the empty houses and lived there. Others stole belongings that had been left behind. They thought the owners were probably dead. (Guided Reading Level: M)

Plague, a high interest title designed for reluctant readers, is from Crabtree's "Chrome" series. It is written for students who are reading at a beginning to middle grade two levels (levels L & M). Each title in the series is colourfully illustrated and contains captions of important and interesting facts, a bibliography, glossary and index.

      Plague, which is surprisingly detailed and fact-filled, is an excellent introductory history for all ranges of students. It begins with the story of the "Black Death" coming to the city of London in 1347 and how, over the course the Middle Ages, tens of millions of people, approximately half of Europe's population died from plague. The story moves on to explain how the incurable plague was spread from rats to fleas to humans and that it could take three deadly forms: septicaemia, pneumonic and, most commonly, bubonic.

     Various killing plagues have cursed mankind for ages as people developed ways to travel longer distances in the quest for land, wealth and trade. The natural boundaries of oceans, mountains and rivers were no longer barriers to the spread of disease. As life became more cosmopolitan and urbanized in the Middle Ages, conditions were rife for the spread of plague. Cities were dirty, filthy and congested places.

     Without any knowledge of germ theory, people believed plague was sent by God as punishment for their sins. This led to religious persecution and the rise of radical religious sects, such as the flagellants, whose practices were often condemned by the established Catholic church. Students learn that people sought out all kinds of cures for the plague, but, of course, none were effective.

     The world changed because of the return of the Black Death to Europe over successive centuries. Survivors made more money as there were fewer people to work in the fields or as shopkeepers. Advances were made in medicine and hospitals were established.

     Today's modern medicine has found a cure for plague, but it remains a threat as outbreaks still occur around the world and health officials remain vigilant.

Highly Recommended.

Ian Stewart is a Reading Recovery teacher at Cecil Rhodes School in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

Hosted by the University of Manitoba.

 

NEXT REVIEW | TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - May 31, 2013.

AUTHORS | TITLES | MEDIA REVIEWS | PROFILES | BACK ISSUES | SEARCH | CMARCHIVE | HOME