The Great Fire is a novel by Jim Murphy about the Chicago fire of 1871, which destroyed most of the city. The fire was believed to have started in a barn, and eventually spread throughout Chicago. This book describes the fire from several different perspectives. These perspectives enable to reader to learn about the human impact of this devastating tragedy. The book also contains many pictures to help visualize the events.

Before reading this book, I did not know about the Great Chicago Fire. I found this book to be highly informative and engaging. The different human perspectives made it feel very personal. I was especially affected by the perspective of a thirteen-year-old girl named Claire Innes. I felt like I could relate to her because we are close in age. Claire was separated from her family during the fire as the people around her panicked as they tried to escape. Her house was burned down, just like the houses of most of the other residents of Chicago.

The fire caused major destruction, and many people died. After the fire, the people worked to rebuild the city. This book provides a realistic view of what it would be like to deal with such a disaster. The book earned many awards, including a Newbery Honor. I can understand why this book earned so many awards, because it is very well-written and compelling. I would highly recommend it.

The Great Fire by Jim Murphy is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.