Rebellion 1776
After the death by smallpox of her mother and siblings, Elsbeth and her father move to Boston, fleeing their own grief. Her father finds work as a sailmaker, but disappears on the day the Loyalists flee Boston because the Patriots have conquered the city. Thirteen-year-old Elsbeth, excited to be rid of the British, finds herself all alone. She had been a maid-of-all-work for a Loyalist judge who left the city. Fortunately, Elsbeth is taken on by the large Pike family as a maid. When smallpox becomes an epidemic in the city, Elsbeth must work extra hard, taking care of the inoculated, but very sick, Pike children and their mother. Her only friend has joined the Patriot army, and her dream of becoming a seamstress seems impossible to reach.
Anderson does an amazing job of bringing the setting, Boston in 1776, to life. While Elsbeth and the Pike family are aware of the War for Independence, their lives carry on mostly as usual. There is work to be done, sick children to care for, a cow to milk, thieves to outmaneuver, and funerals to attend. A regime change brings both hope and fear, but mostly uncertainty. Elsbeth is a courageous, intelligent, and inspiring character. This novel digs deep into setting and character, with a plot that is also engaging. Who will die of smallpox? What will happen to Elsbeth? Where is her father? Will her dear friend return from the battlefield? An excellent read for children who enjoy historical fiction. Ages 10-14.
