The old story about Mrs. O'Leary's cow turns out to be a bit of a tall tale. How did the fire start and how did it spread? How did the fire department handle or mishandle this disaster? This is a wonderful exploration of the course of the fire with all the human error and heroism involved.
144 pages 978-0590472678 Ages 9-13
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
****** The Great Fire of 1871 was one of most colossal disasters in American history. Overnight, the flourshing city of Chicago was transformed into a smoldering wasteland. The damage was so profound that few people believed the city could ever rise again.
By weaving personal accounts of actual survivors together with the carefully researched history of Chicago and the disaster, Jim Murphy constructs a riveting narrative that recreates the event with drama and immediacy. And finally, he reveals how, even in a time of deepest dispair, the human spirit triumphed, as the people of Chicago found the courage and strength to build their city once again.--from the publisher
