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roseleaf24's review against another edition
4.0
This was not the most interesting of children's nonfiction I've read, but it was interesting enough and written at a level to engage but not stump young readers. The photographs and maps were very helpful, and I really appreciated the final chapter which cleared up some myths about the fire that have lasted this long and also addressed the class issues exacerbated by the tragedy, and how the language we use and the assumptions we make can affect poverty.
ogreart's review against another edition
4.0
Again Murphy takes a large scale historical event and brings human faces to it. Mali's narration was spot on.
bookgirl4ever's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating account of the great Chicago fire of 1871. Murphy explains where the fire began, the ensuing chaos, and the aftermath, including who was blamed and how the incident affected class relations in Chicago.
Will add to this review once I look at the book, which apparently has some great graphics to contribute to the account.
Will add to this review once I look at the book, which apparently has some great graphics to contribute to the account.
bernee's review against another edition
3.0
A good short and descriptive nonfiction read. I learned things I didn't know about the Chicago Fire.
jtferdon's review against another edition
4.0
The Great Fire by Jim Murphy - 1995
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4 Stars
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I am a history lover and this book has been on my TBR for awhile. It documents the 1871 Chicago Fire. I didn’t realize that this book was YA and a Newberry Award winner until I started reading. The book was a very good account of the Fire, the devastation and the aftermath. It also a snapshot of human nature and how some people can band together and gang up on people when rumors about how the fire started point toward a family. The author also discusses how the poor were forced to relocate to outlying areas after the fire due to new building requirements for homes. These actions segregated the poor from the wealthy residents in the city.
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It was a quick read and I enjoyed this book.
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4 Stars
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I am a history lover and this book has been on my TBR for awhile. It documents the 1871 Chicago Fire. I didn’t realize that this book was YA and a Newberry Award winner until I started reading. The book was a very good account of the Fire, the devastation and the aftermath. It also a snapshot of human nature and how some people can band together and gang up on people when rumors about how the fire started point toward a family. The author also discusses how the poor were forced to relocate to outlying areas after the fire due to new building requirements for homes. These actions segregated the poor from the wealthy residents in the city.
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It was a quick read and I enjoyed this book.
nglofile's review against another edition
3.0
Both interesting and informative. Though the audio format precludes the illustrations of the print, not too much is lost. History is presented as a blended story representing several witness accounts.
audiobook note: Narrator Taylor Mali has an extremely pleasant natural reading voice, but his efforts to alter it for different characters are not as successful.
audiobook note: Narrator Taylor Mali has an extremely pleasant natural reading voice, but his efforts to alter it for different characters are not as successful.
mallorykjorgensen's review against another edition
4.0
Awards Won: Newbery Honor (1996)
As someone who is not a native Chicagoan, I found this book very fascinating and educational. The photographs that accompanied the narrative provided a great mental image of the destruction that Chicago faced that tragic night.
I think that this would be a great book to use when third graders learn about Chicago. The book is definitely appropriate for older readers, but could be used for a whole group read-aloud to engage the students. Other content areas could also be incorporated such as social studies, science, and math. Students could create map showing the course of the Chicago fires, build structural replicas of Chicago, and much more!
As someone who is not a native Chicagoan, I found this book very fascinating and educational. The photographs that accompanied the narrative provided a great mental image of the destruction that Chicago faced that tragic night.
I think that this would be a great book to use when third graders learn about Chicago. The book is definitely appropriate for older readers, but could be used for a whole group read-aloud to engage the students. Other content areas could also be incorporated such as social studies, science, and math. Students could create map showing the course of the Chicago fires, build structural replicas of Chicago, and much more!
sc104906's review against another edition
4.0
This is a historical account of the large and deadly fire that took place in Chicago at the end of the 1800s. It reads like a fictional adventure book. Murphy highlights several characters, or real people from the event, and lays out their journey along with the overall events in the city.
Reluctant readers will have a hard time putting this book down. The fast paced intensity of this novel keeps readers wanting more and more. Murphy teaches about history, without the reader ever realizing that he is giving them a good dose of information. His work is what other nonfiction books can aspire to be.
Reluctant readers will have a hard time putting this book down. The fast paced intensity of this novel keeps readers wanting more and more. Murphy teaches about history, without the reader ever realizing that he is giving them a good dose of information. His work is what other nonfiction books can aspire to be.