London, 1854. A medical breakthrough.In a fascinating manner, Deborah Hopkinson delivers a novel that draws the reader into the fictional story of a boy called Eel, while surrounding the narrative with the true, groundbreaking discoveries of Dr. John Snow. Dr. Snow’s work is not widely known, though he is a pioneer in the field of epidemiology.

The novel opens as Eel, a street urchin, is trying to survive while avoiding capture by his villainous stepfather. While we learn Eel’s story, Hopkinson adds foreshadowing that coincides with the scientific side of the novel. The cholera outbreak in the Broad Street area of London becomes the primary story line as Hopkinson introduces the devastation caused by “The Blue Death.” Her pungent description of the disease, sanitation issues, and the faces of those affected adds a strong dose of reality to the story. Dr. Snow’s and Eel’s roles in the drama work well together and hold the reader’s interest.

As the story continues, Dr. Snow hopes to prove that cholera is caused by tainted water from London’s Broad Street pump rather than by miasma, or bad air, as was the common belief of the day. His goal is to trace cholera’s source via mapping the disease’s spread and to find an unexpected case that would link the cause to bad water. To quote Dr. Snow, “Today we are using science—not superstition—to stop the spread of disease. You and I may not live to see the day, and my name may be forgotten when it comes, but the time will arrive when great outbreaks of cholera will be things of the past” (206). 

One great aspect of historical fiction is that it surrounds actual events, people, and places with a story. Therein lies its power to teach. Stories give people and events faces and names, making them more memorable and meaningful to adults and students alike. Hopkinson has set the stage for teachers to use this novel for further investigation. She includes a wealth of information: a reader’s guide, a timeline of the cholera outbreak on Broad Street, and websites and sources for additional study. It could be used as a shared reading experience for the entire class or as a small group novel option.

Although the novel would lend itself well to enhancing content in other subject areas, the science-related strands in The Great Trouble clearly stand out. Here are a few possibilities for connecting the story to science curriculum:

• Spread of disease: After tracing the spread of cholera in the novel, using both selected passages and the timeline provided, students could research parallel instances of disease outbreaks and how medical discoveries have affected human life. Studying Dr. Snow’s methods of proving his theories, as well as others who have made similar medical breakthroughs, could fit well in a science unit. Or students could continue the timeline and follow cholera’s trail through the decades, perhaps exploring cholera in the world today (e.g., in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake).
• Sanitation: Hopkinson’s description of sanitation on Broad Street in London could coincide with a discussion on how sanitation affects the spread of disease. This idea, of course, could lead to a plethora of examples from history and the world today where sanitation, or lack thereof, greatly affects people’s lives.
• Scientists: Dr. Snow, of course, is just one of many scientists who have changed the world through their medical discoveries. Students could explore the work of other scientists and trace their methods as well as their impact. They could research the world-changers of today. Perhaps a speaker from the field could visit to discuss his or her work.
• Mapping: In the novel, Eel and his friend create a detailed map to trace the spread of cholera throughout the Broad Street area of London. This map, actually created by Dr. Snow, is the main feature of the book The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson. Students could pursue the role of mapping in both science and social studies (e.g., cultural diffusion). Since mapping’s benefits lie in allowing students to visualize what they cannot see, my colleague recently found it worked well to use excerpts from The Great Trouble as an impetus for an outdoor education mapping project.
• Scientific advancements: Teachers of both science and social studies could study how scientific developments have related to superstition, religious beliefs, and so on, asking questions and challenging presupposed “truths.” This could lead to thought-provoking discussions about the significance of such time periods as the Enlightenment, or it could lead to a broader look at the relationship between faith and science.

Regardless of how it is used in class, The Great Trouble has a lot to offer those seeking to enrich their curriculum with the power of historical fiction.

Work Cited

Hopkinson, Deborah. The Great Trouble: A Mystery of London, the Blue Death, and a Boy Called Eel. Yearling, 2013.

Gretchen VanHeukelum is the librarian and enrichment teacher at Allendale Christian School in Allendale, Michigan. She would like to thank her colleagues and 8th grade students for collaborating with her by reading The Great Trouble and sharing their insights and ideas.