The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 - (Disasters in History) by Kay Melchisedech Olson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Discover the story of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, an inferno that forever changed the city's skyline, in this epic graphic novel! Dramatic illustrations and fast-paced text provide a "you-are-there" experience. With extensive back matter, including a bibliography, extended reading list, glossary, and further Internet sources, young readers will gobble up this action-packed comic book about one of history's most compelling disasters.

Review Quotes

The format of this book is my favorite--graphic! This nonfiction book is about the great Chicago fire of 1871. There are four chapters in just 27 pages, and all major facts are well covered. I especially like the small boxes found on many of the pages that give a reason for why things did or did not work. It is almost like the author has guessed the questions the readers are probably asking themselves. For example, before a fire alarm could be sent, a key had to unlock the alarm box. Readers might ask themselves or the person reading the story, "Why in the world would they lock the alarm box?" The answer is provided and states that the fire alarm boxes were located in public places and were locked to prevent false alarms. At the end of the book the author includes two pages of additional information. In addition, there is a glossary, a "Read More" section, Internet sites, and a bibliography. This book is perfect for students who are reluctant readers and never seem to finish a book on their own. It is also a wonderful way to introduce nonfiction books to young people. The graphics are great and provide excellent accompaniment for the text. Graphic books are also perfect for the English as a second language student. Part of the "Graphic Library" series.-- "Children's Literature Comprehensive Database"

The weather had been hot and dry and many people in the city of Chicago were wishing that it would rain. On October 8th a fire broke out in the barn of the O'Leary family in one of the poorer parts of town. The alarm was "turned in" but the signal never reached the fire station. Smoke was seen billowing across the skyline but no one knew where the fire was and precious time was wasted. By the time the firefighters arrived the fire had spread and was out of control. Though the Chief Fire Marshall asked for backup, further confusion meant that he did not get what he needed. Because everything was so tinder dry and because the city was build predominantly out of wood, flying embers caused more fires to break out around the city. By midnight of that fateful day fires were burning all over the city. The rich and poor alike were driven from their homes and soon the streets were full of people running from the fires. In this excellent graphic account the author perfectly captures the chaos that ensued when this historic fire burned much of the great city of Chicago. Readers will be able to see how a lack of organization and poor planning were largely responsible for the rapid spreading of the fire. Readers will find further information about the fire at the back of the book along with a glossary, a bibliography, an index and more.-- "Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Review"