The Great Fire by Jim Murphy

Murphy, Jim. The Great Fire. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1995.

Summary

Jim Murphy gives a vivid firsthand description by people who lived through the 1871 Chicago fire. This fire is known for the disaster of wiping out a wide part of Chicago. Murphy will also look at the origins of the fire, errors of judgments, and the problems with organization amongst the city’s firefighters, plus efforts to rebuild.

Personal Opinions/Reactions

Murphy does a fascinating job of laying out the facts concerning one of the biggest disasters to take place in American history. He includes accounts of witnesses that were involved in the fire, as well as historic photos, engravings, and newspaper clippings on almost every page. Readers will be fascinated with the stories and pictures included that will help the audience get a true understanding of what took place during that time. As the fire continues to spread through Chicago, Murphy includes a drawing that shows how the city continues to burn giving a detailed vision in a readers mind. The story is fact-based and suspenseful that will keep you turning the page, but gaining an educational insight as well.

I would recommend The Great Fire for those ten years old and up. This is a good resource to have in a classroom setting with the inclusion of lithographs, historical photographs, and a bibliography, especially with the drought and continuous problems of forest fires.

Reviews

Newbery Medal/Honor

Notable/Best Books (A.L.A)

The Horn Book: "Vivid firsthand descriptions by persons who lived through the 1871 Chicago fire are woven into a gripping account... Absorbing and riveting reading."

School Library Journal: “The diversity and multitude of personal accounts is presented in both text and voice so that there is no sense of frustration in the changes of viewpoints, but rather a better appreciation of the event as a dynamic experience from which we still have much to learn.”