Reviewer: Mary Lignor
Title: Emma's Secret: The Cincinnati Epidemic - Sisters in Time
Author: Veda Boyd Jones
Publisher: Barbour
ISBN-13: 978-1-59310-658-4
Release Date: February 2005
Genre/Sub-genre: Youth Inspirational Historical Fiction
Publisher’s Age/Grade Recommendation: Ages 8-12
OUAR’s Age/Grade Recommendation: Ages 8-12
Year/Setting: 1832, Cincinnati Ohio 1832 worst flood in the history of the city
Overall Rating: 4.5
Veda's Website: www.vedaboydjones.com
Dear Readers:
An intriguing tale about the events that happened in the year 1832 in Cincinnati. The city had one of the biggest floods that caused the most damage in the history of the area and the people were barely able to clean up the flood damage when cholera hit killing at least 800 people.
This is the story of Emma Farley and her cousin Rob Etingoff who are school children during this time. When the flood was about to hit the children went to help a couple of elderly sisters to take their furniture and possessions to the second story of their house to save them from destruction. They realize that their life long dreams of becoming a medical doctor for Rob and a vet for Emma may have come to naught because of the harm that the flood caused. Dr. Daniel Drake, who becomes friendly with the young boy and girl is very encouraging to Rob in his quest to become a doctor but, doesn't encourage Emma because she is a girl and he comments that someday she will be a very caring wife and mother. This makes Emma mad because, although she sees nothing wrong with that, her dreams of becoming a professional vet seems to be very far away. Soon after the flood subsides, a resulting cholera epidemic is starting in the city. Emma and her family take Rob's family in as Emma lives in the country and the city seems to be the hotbed of the disease. Rob's dad becomes ill and one of the sisters that they helped during the flooding passes away along with many others. The children try very hard to keep up with their dreams but, so many things stand in their way.
Although Rob and Emma and their families are fictional characters, Dr. Drake is a historical figure from that era. His efforts to get people to clean up garbage in the streets after the flood saved many lives during the epidemic. More than 800 people died during the epidemic but, many more lives were saved because of Dr. Drake's cleanups. I was surprised that I liked this book as much as I did. The writing was first class and I found that I was living right along with these people in their sorrows and trials. And found that Emma is not all that different from girls of today that are living with a dream of the future. Good luck to all of them and I hope that they attain their dream.
I'll talk to you soon,
Mary
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