What Was the Great Chicago Fire?

Written by Janet B. Pascal

Following the success of the “Who Was” series, many great books have been published as part of the “What Was” series. This new book is superb and is sure to be a favorite. The book starts with a history of firefighting. Chicago was lucky because they could get an unlimited supply of water from Lake Michigan. Chicago was proud of their firefighting program, which was ahead of many cities, but the pride actually caused some of the problems during the fire. A short description of Chicago in the 1800s in given, which sets the scene for the calamity that follows when the fire hits. Several chapters focus on the fire and the devastation. The old photos and drawings help the reader visualize the event. This is a wonderful book in a fantastic series.

Review by Teresa Edmunds, Westbrook Elementary Media Center
Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 3-7

What Was the Great Chicago Fire?
Written by Janet B. Pascal
Grosset & Dunlap, an imprint of Penguin Random House
108 pages
Release Date: October 25, 2016
A review copy was provided by the publisher.

Tags:

2016 Children's Nonfiction, Chicago, Disasters, firefighters, Fires, great Chicago fire, Janet B. Pascal, Teresa Edmunds, U.S. History, What Was the Great Chicago Fire?, What Was... Series, Who Was Series