I thought that the book, The Great Fire, was good in some ways, and bad in other ways. Some of the bad things were that it was really hard to follow. I thought that it was hard to follow because there were many different story lines going on at the same time, and they switched them around to quickly. I also think that the book was boring because it was basically just about people running from the fire and losing their families. I thought that all of the stories about what happened to people during the fire were basically all the same. Some of the good things about the book were that it was full of facts about the fire. It also told the real story about what happened to people during the fire, what caused the fire, and what helped to stop it. Overall I thought that the book was kind of interesting but hard to follow, and that it was boring, but factual. I didn't think that this was the best book I have ever read, but it wasn't the worst either.

This book is a very interesting book about the fire in Chicago in 1871. It is a journal type book because of its look and feel. It is quick reading because it is such a fascinating tragedy. This book has wonderful photographs and has four peoples points of view and commentaries throughout the book. There is actually a mix of photographs, maps and drawings. They work to enhance the book dramatically and give it a more personal and real touch. It is a Newbery Honor book and is definitely worthy of that title.
This book interested me because I grew up in a suburb of Chicago, Naperville, all during my elementary and Jr. High school years. We were taught about this fire every year for school and Girl Scouts and pretty much everything else I was involved with. In fact there is a song about it that is very catchy and teaches about the fire and has hand movements and the works. Now that I am older and I haven't lived there for a long time it is interesting to go back and refresh my memory about this event and see it from a different perspective.
Jim Murphy has also written many books in a similar fashion including books about the Yellow Fever and Alamo.

The Great Fire by Jim Murphy is an expansive look into the fire that destroyed Chicago. It is as enthralling as it is amusing and it's a good read for all levels.

Through a compilation of different people this story unfolds colorfully. This book is based around real accounts of a variety of people. One of the most interesting people of the book is the news reporter, because all of his facts are blatantly wrong. These facts would later be the view of the majority of critics.

Uncovered facts, which were unknown at the time of the fire, make the book sometimes funny. One of the funniest things about the book is that the fire could've been stopped in several instances, but because of human ignorance it was allowed to grow. Also the fact that most of the firefighters had been fighting fires for two days straight didn't help the situation.

This is a must read book for anyone no matter what your special interest are. Jim Murphy does a great job of arranging many people's stories to create a strong picture of The Great Fire.

The book "The Great Fire" tells you about terrors, events, burned buildings and more. If you're someone who likes to know what has happened in the late 1800s you will find this book interesting. In the book, there are people who have been interviewed and tell what happened to them during the fire. Three people will tell actual stories about their experiences starting near the first quarter of the book. Throughout this story pictures are shown of paintings from the fire and maps of an overview of Chicago, showing building areas and where the fire had spread. This book is a fun and easy read about history.

I have read the other reviewers and I have to agree this is a great read for the young adult and for that matter everybody else. Murphy does not get bogged down in great details but simply tells the story from the perspective of a handful of individuals. Along with this, the author provides numerous illistrations and maps detailing the progress of the fire from its origin at O'Leary's barn. The writing is smooth and gives urgency to read just a few more pages. This is the best type of writing to urge younger people to read.
This is a great little book for readers of all ages. The author focuses on the young adult as an audience, but his writing style is better than most other authors vying for a more sophisticated reader.