Nonfiction in children's literature, "The Great Fire" by Jim Murphy

"The Great Fire" by Jim Murphy is a nonfiction children's book that focuses on the Great Fire that took place in Chicago in 1871 that destroyed much of the city. The book includes how the fire started, accounts of rebuilding, saving lives, and the overall struggle that the city faced during this time. "The Great Fire" explores themes of determination, resilience, and historical accounts of actual events. The illustrations in this book are historical pieces created following the fire, giving insight into the size of the fire and range of destruction that followed. This assists in understanding the depth of the chaos that ensued. 

For classroom use, students would break off into groups to research how Chicago was rebuilt after the fire. Each group would focus on a different rebuilding tactic including architecture, business, and socially. They can create a poster or presentation to be given in front of the class to further explore the efforts made in 1871 to rebuild after damage. 

Works Cited

BeechBeech, Linda, et al. The Great Fire by Jim Murphy. New York, Ny, Scholastic Teaching Resources, 2003.