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History Comics: The Great Chicago Fire: Rising from the Ashes by Alex Graudins, Kate Hannigan
tswanson103's review against another edition
3.0
I really like the way the story of The Great Chicago FIre was told in this graphic novel. I found the story easy to follow and compelling. Tying the story together with young characters and a puppy is a great way to keep kids connected to the text. I did find the pages about Chicago architecture at the end a little bit hard to stay engaged by and would have preferred it just explained the way the fire changed Chicago, but overall, I think this is an excellent graphic telling of a historical event and am excited to incorporate this into my classroom.
jennmarshall27's review against another edition
4.0
Another title in the History Comics Collection. I love that they explained the story of O'Leary's cow and how racism made her a scapegoat. There were also theories that I had not heard of before. The dialogue did get a bit awkward in places, but nothing that interrupted the flow of the story. This is definitely a must-add to my classroom library. The timeline and maps of places to visit in Chicago really helped show the impact of the fire.
Creative Team:
Written by Kate Hannigan
Art by Alex Graudins
Creative Team:
Written by Kate Hannigan
Art by Alex Graudins
kateteaching7and8's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to #NetGalley and First Second Books for allowing me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of History Comics: The Great Chicago Fire: Rising From the Ashes by Kate Hannigan. This book will be released on June 30, 2020. All opinions are my own.
In this installment of History Comics, it's 1871 and a fire is blazing through Chicago. The story follows a two siblings as they struggle to stay ahead of the fire and reunite with their family. It not only discusses theories about how the fire started, but it goes through why the fire was so damaging, and what changes came about in regards to architecture and city planning due to the fire.
I found this to be a fun way to learn more about the Great Chicago Fire. I liked that it discussed more than just the Old Lady Leary theory. I also like that it stated that Mrs. Leary was cleared of fault. There was a big focus on architecture and how the fire changed the way buildings were built. In 1871, Chicago was a wooden city and that had fatal repercussions. I also liked that it discussed the Chicago World's Fair and all of the events and things that occurred there. The Orville brothers play a cameo as do Frederick Douglas, Ida B. Wells, and Buffalo Bill. There is also a focus on acceptance. It examines the way Irish immigrants were treated and then Polish, Greek, Italian, and Jewish immigrants. One of the young characters questions why we can't all get along which is a question still being asked today. Another character makes it a point to state that we're all originally from somewhere else. I think this book could spark great discussions with students and is a fun way to introduce them to the topic of the Great Chicago Fire.
In this installment of History Comics, it's 1871 and a fire is blazing through Chicago. The story follows a two siblings as they struggle to stay ahead of the fire and reunite with their family. It not only discusses theories about how the fire started, but it goes through why the fire was so damaging, and what changes came about in regards to architecture and city planning due to the fire.
I found this to be a fun way to learn more about the Great Chicago Fire. I liked that it discussed more than just the Old Lady Leary theory. I also like that it stated that Mrs. Leary was cleared of fault. There was a big focus on architecture and how the fire changed the way buildings were built. In 1871, Chicago was a wooden city and that had fatal repercussions. I also liked that it discussed the Chicago World's Fair and all of the events and things that occurred there. The Orville brothers play a cameo as do Frederick Douglas, Ida B. Wells, and Buffalo Bill. There is also a focus on acceptance. It examines the way Irish immigrants were treated and then Polish, Greek, Italian, and Jewish immigrants. One of the young characters questions why we can't all get along which is a question still being asked today. Another character makes it a point to state that we're all originally from somewhere else. I think this book could spark great discussions with students and is a fun way to introduce them to the topic of the Great Chicago Fire.
sdertinger's review against another edition
4.0
I have always been intrigued by history, especially history near to my home. This graphic novel telling of The Great Chicago Fire will be great for young readers. I loved that it was a mix of panels, speech bubbles, diagrams, and other text features. The illustrations are wonderful, and I think it is overall pretty engaging (I think for reluctant readers too). My only worries is the hard to follow pace. There were moments where it felt rushed and you kind of asked yourself, "What did I just read?" But then there were parts/text features that could have been placed elsewhere so it would flow better. Other than that, I think this is a great start to a series that I would like to add to my classroom.
iamthelizardqueen's review against another edition
5.0
Love this series. Cute illustrations, nice story and lots of facts that are easy to digest. The kids at my library have been loving them.
sevenacrebooks's review against another edition
4.0
Great illustrations and a story full of historical facts make for a great reading experience for younger readers. My son loved this book and I look forward to adding to the Library's shelves.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.
bookishcb_21's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very factual, yet pleasing, graphic novel for children. Thanks again to NetGalley and First Second for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for feedback.
This is a middle grade graphic novel that allowed me to learn more about the Great Chicago Fire without feeling overwhelmed with all of the facts. It not only talked about the fire, but also provided information about how it possibly started to what was done after the fire diminished. It didn’t break the people that lived there during that time; it helped them rebuild the city to what it is now (and providing ways to make construction of buildings better than it was). I loved the illustrations and can’t wait to read more History Comics!
This is a middle grade graphic novel that allowed me to learn more about the Great Chicago Fire without feeling overwhelmed with all of the facts. It not only talked about the fire, but also provided information about how it possibly started to what was done after the fire diminished. It didn’t break the people that lived there during that time; it helped them rebuild the city to what it is now (and providing ways to make construction of buildings better than it was). I loved the illustrations and can’t wait to read more History Comics!
mldavisreads's review
adventurous
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Middle grade graphic novel, historical fiction. After the success of the Science Comics series, the publisher has ventured into history. Kate Hannigan wrote the inaugural book, which makes sense since her historical fiction for this age is wonderful. The Great Chicago Fire in 1871 burned for 30 hours, destroyed 1/3 of the homes in the city, and changed architecture forever. After a letter from a Chicago Fire chaplain and historian, Hannigan takes us right to the neighborhood of infamous (and innocent) Mrs. O'Leary. We see the fire unfold through the eyes of J.P. and Franny, Irish American siblings who got separated from their family while trying to reunite a puppy with its mother. As they try to escape the flames and find their own family, they hear a lot of anti-Immigrant rhetoric. When the rain finally puts out the fire, they witness the devastation of their city. The last section shows the World Fair in 1893, which is celebrated as Chicago's "rebirth" after the fire. Back matter includes an author's note, an expanded timeline of the events of the fire, a map of the city with relevant landmarks, additional facts about Chicago and the Fire, and an extensive resource list.
I had heard about this event of course, but not recently and not in this detail. Reading that 100,000 people lost their homes, that over 70 miles of streets were destroyed, and that the damages would cost $4 billion in today's currency is just shocking. Seeing those numbers, it amazes me that only 300 people died from the fire. This story is done very well, with the fictional parts in white text boxes and the historical facts or primary source quotes being framed by beige text boxes. This keeps the flow of the story going while keeping a clear line between what is fact and what is story. The ways that the fire changed the city (it burnt so quickly because everything was made of wood) were also very interesting to read. Ending the story with the Columbian Fair keeps it from ending on a depressing note and also shows how quickly innovations can happen. Recommended for history and architecture buffs or anyone who wants to learn more about this famous tragedy.
I had heard about this event of course, but not recently and not in this detail. Reading that 100,000 people lost their homes, that over 70 miles of streets were destroyed, and that the damages would cost $4 billion in today's currency is just shocking. Seeing those numbers, it amazes me that only 300 people died from the fire. This story is done very well, with the fictional parts in white text boxes and the historical facts or primary source quotes being framed by beige text boxes. This keeps the flow of the story going while keeping a clear line between what is fact and what is story. The ways that the fire changed the city (it burnt so quickly because everything was made of wood) were also very interesting to read. Ending the story with the Columbian Fair keeps it from ending on a depressing note and also shows how quickly innovations can happen. Recommended for history and architecture buffs or anyone who wants to learn more about this famous tragedy.
marquessa17's review
3.0
3.5 stars I am not sure what genre this would be so I am going to call it a narrative nonfiction graphic novel that I really enjoyed. Focusing on the Great Chicago Fire we follow a brother and sister as they navigate the streets of Chicago trying to find their parents while also contending with the treachrous fire closing in on them and the city. This was the perfect mix of fact and story and it would be a great read for students. I look forward to reading more in the History Comics series.