The Great Fire by Jim Murphy (138 pages; 2 books) #9 &10
Murphy, Jim (1995). The great fire. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.
Awards: 1995 ALA Newbery Honor Book, NCTE Orbis Pictus Award, Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Book, The Jefferson Cup Award, A SLJ Best Book, A Booklist Editors Choice, A BCCB Blue Ribbon Book, An ALA Notable Book, An ALA Best Book for Young Adults, A PW Best Book
Grade Level: Middle School, High School 5-12
Author Credibility: Jim Murphy was doing research on another book when he came upon several eyewitness accounts from the fire in Chicago. One of the accounts he read was from a girl, Claire Innis. He liked to show to children that they participated in making history. He also wanted to give the fire a personality so people could envision its pursuit across the city. With all of this in mind, he went on a quest to find eye witness accounts of people who witnessed the fire. After reading several books and articles on the fire, he decided to write a book.
Summary/Response: The story begins a few minutes before the fire starts by setting up the looks of the city and its division between the rich and poor. He paints a picture of a city made of wood and ready to burn at any moment and within a few pages, it does. One mistake after another happens in the book that inevitable leads to the destruction of a majority of the city. The people of the city were so used to the fires that unless it directly affected them, they seemed unconcerned and indifferent to the accounts. It was interesting to see how Murphy paints this indifference into city wide panic. Thousands of people were being forced from their homes in a matter of two days which lead to looting and thievery. Chaos and despair broke through many families as they saw their possessions burn and experienced unwanted separation from their families. Relief from the fire by the rain finally comes after an exhausting two days. Even though many were separated, determination was great among the citizens of Chicago. They were not about to let the fire dampen their spirits. The people began to immediately build back an even better Chicago.
The greatness of the fire was shocking to me. The efforts of the firemen were the best that could be done at the time. This disaster shows just how much strength Mother Nature has over us. I can only imagine the thoughts that went through their mind as they realize that all their material possessions were lost, never to be returned. The immediate response in rebuilding the city shows just how strong the human spirit can be in the face of adversity. Murphy does an outstanding job writing out strength of the fire and the strength of the human will to survive.
National Standards: Language: Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
Social Studies: What is citizenship?, What are the rights of citizens?, What are the responsibilities of citizens?, What dispositions or traits of character are important to the preservation and improvement of American constitutional democracy?, How can citizens take part in civic life?
Illustrations: Sepia colored maps, photographs, and sketches
Access Features: Acknowledgements, Table of Contents, Introduction, Bibliography and Sources, Other Books About the Chicago Fire, Index
Related Texts: The Great Chicago Fire by David Lowe- This is another look at the Chicago Fire, Blizzard: The Storm That Changed America by Jim Murphy- This is another story of a Natural Disaster in the U.S.
Classroom Use: This book can be used to show the conflicts that people across the U.S. faced. In fifth grade we study U.S. history during this time period and this can be a great addition to show how people overcame disasters and adversity during this time period and compare it to how people react in this time period.
Murphy, Jim (1995). The great fire. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.
Awards: 1995 ALA Newbery Honor Book, NCTE Orbis Pictus Award, Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Book, The Jefferson Cup Award, A SLJ Best Book, A Booklist Editors Choice, A BCCB Blue Ribbon Book, An ALA Notable Book, An ALA Best Book for Young Adults, A PW Best Book
Grade Level: Middle School, High School 5-12
Author Credibility: Jim Murphy was doing research on another book when he came upon several eyewitness accounts from the fire in Chicago. One of the accounts he read was from a girl, Claire Innis. He liked to show to children that they participated in making history. He also wanted to give the fire a personality so people could envision its pursuit across the city. With all of this in mind, he went on a quest to find eye witness accounts of people who witnessed the fire. After reading several books and articles on the fire, he decided to write a book.
Summary/Response: The story begins a few minutes before the fire starts by setting up the looks of the city and its division between the rich and poor. He paints a picture of a city made of wood and ready to burn at any moment and within a few pages, it does. One mistake after another happens in the book that inevitable leads to the destruction of a majority of the city. The people of the city were so used to the fires that unless it directly affected them, they seemed unconcerned and indifferent to the accounts. It was interesting to see how Murphy paints this indifference into city wide panic. Thousands of people were being forced from their homes in a matter of two days which lead to looting and thievery. Chaos and despair broke through many families as they saw their possessions burn and experienced unwanted separation from their families. Relief from the fire by the rain finally comes after an exhausting two days. Even though many were separated, determination was great among the citizens of Chicago. They were not about to let the fire dampen their spirits. The people began to immediately build back an even better Chicago.
The greatness of the fire was shocking to me. The efforts of the firemen were the best that could be done at the time. This disaster shows just how much strength Mother Nature has over us. I can only imagine the thoughts that went through their mind as they realize that all their material possessions were lost, never to be returned. The immediate response in rebuilding the city shows just how strong the human spirit can be in the face of adversity. Murphy does an outstanding job writing out strength of the fire and the strength of the human will to survive.
National Standards: Language: Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
Social Studies: What is citizenship?, What are the rights of citizens?, What are the responsibilities of citizens?, What dispositions or traits of character are important to the preservation and improvement of American constitutional democracy?, How can citizens take part in civic life?
Illustrations: Sepia colored maps, photographs, and sketches
Access Features: Acknowledgements, Table of Contents, Introduction, Bibliography and Sources, Other Books About the Chicago Fire, Index
Related Texts: The Great Chicago Fire by David Lowe- This is another look at the Chicago Fire, Blizzard: The Storm That Changed America by Jim Murphy- This is another story of a Natural Disaster in the U.S.
Classroom Use: This book can be used to show the conflicts that people across the U.S. faced. In fifth grade we study U.S. history during this time period and this can be a great addition to show how people overcame disasters and adversity during this time period and compare it to how people react in this time period.
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