Ordering Information
$16.95, 6 x 9 in, PB, 208 pages, 47 graphite sketches
ISBN:
Print ISBN: 78-1-963714-13-5
Audiobook ISBN: 978-1-963714-29-6
eBook ISBN: 978-1-963714-28-9
Publication date: October 6, 2026
To order copies, please visit CasemateIPM.com or give them a call at (610) 853-9131.
Death By Molasses
Written by Kate Schoedinger
Illustrated by Susan Olejarz
Middle grade historical fiction novel, Death By Molasses, follows Luca, a child survivor of the 1919 Great Boston Molasses Flood, who dares to speak out against greedy powerhouses, to avenge his sister’s death. His testimony becomes a spark that ultimately contributes to the creation of modern workplace protections, now known as OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration).
Readers’ Comments
“Kate Schoedinger renders a little-known disaster in early 20th century in sticky, vivid detail through the eyes of a feisty protagonist. Death by Molasses is a mix of science, history, and heart.”
—Skyler Schrempp, Author of middle grade historical fiction novel Three Strike Summer
“Boston’s Great Molasses Flood of 1919 seems like the made-up stuff of fiction, but the chaos and destruction of this historical tragedy was all too real. This story, told in powerful language with excellent historical details, puts a human face on this bit of Boston history. The story grips the reader—even when you know what’s coming, you cannot look away. You must live it, breathe it, bear it— through the eyes of young Luca Ciotti and this memorable cast of characters.”
—Rhonda DeChambeau, Writer-In-Residence at Boston Public Library, author of Top Heavy
“Schoedinger shares the story of the enormous molasses tank and its construction, the terror of the flood itself, and the legal aftermath of the disaster. The author’s detailed, well-paced, and dramatic narrative allows the reader to experience this harrowing disaster as it might have been viewed through the eyes of three youngsters of Boston’s North End neighborhood in January of 1919.”
—Alan Rumrill, senior historian, Historical Society of Cheshire County
About the Author
Kate Schoedinger recently retired after forty joyful years teaching in the Bedford, New Hampshire school district where she learned daily from the curiosity, humor, and persistence of her students. Kate holds an M.Ed., from Antioch of New England, an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and a BA from Wittenberg University. She serves as the secretary on the board of the George and Raymond Frank Foundation, which operates Camp Kawanhee and is also a founding board member of the New Hampshire Book Festival.
