Review: The Great Trouble by Deborah Hopkinson

The Great Trouble by Deborah Hopkinson.

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 2013
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780375848186

Review: It all begins with the air filled with pollution, or so I think. Suddenly it finally strikes when Mr. Griggs becomes sick and dies. Then more people die. After investigation, it becomes clear it's not pollution, but instead it's cholera! If you want to find out what disease killed so many and more about this real tragic event, read the nonfiction book The Great Trouble, written by award writing author Deborah Hopkinson.

Eel, a mud lark that walks the streets in London has a heap of jobs and knows hundreds of people, including two of his former employers Mr. Griggs and Dr. John Snow. But when he gets fired from his main job at "The Lion" he can only work at his part time jobs with the shoe tailor and the doctor. Then when cholera strikes down Mr. Griggs, Eel knows he must do something. But when Eel gets this crazy idea to study this horrible disease he's putting his life in danger. Finally after reaching the doctor they can get some work done. After conducting the necessary research, he needs, can they get the town board to do what's right or will it be to late?

The Great Trouble, I would say has become one of my favorite books! I just loved how Hopkinson made this a first person point of view book. You could really feel the moods throughout the book. I also loved how this was based on a real event; it was really descriptive and I felt like I was even there experiencing it. The Great Trouble includes a lot vivid words, which gave me very clear images of what was happening in the book, which I just loved. The book uses some words that are older and you might need to find definitions, but it will make you have a higher vocabulary. I also learned so many interesting facts in the book. For example they have a building with a few people and they recorded everybody who died. I just find it fascinating how they can record everybody who dies because within a day in the book, over 100s of people die and it is amazing how they can update that every day. Also The Great Trouble is one of those kinds of books that you can't put down. It has a lot for everybody; it has adventure, mystery, and it is also very realistic. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to try something new.

Review written by Ian (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of The Great Trouble for this review.

Have you read The Great Trouble? How would you rate it?