A review by elizabethlk
The Great Chicago Fire: Rising from the Ashes by Kate Hannigan
4.0
3.5 stars.
I've really been enjoying the History Comics series so far, and I'm glad to have had the chance to read The Great Chicago Fire! This feels like the kind of book I would have enjoyed more as a kid than I did as an adult, but it was still an entertaining and educational story for the most part.
The art was really cute and helped liven up the story. The information given was accurate to the best of my knowledge and was genuinely very informative. I feel like I definitely learned from this story, even though I was familiar with parts of it. I do wish that the story had been told by omniscient narrators (like they have usually been in my experience with Science Comics and History Comics) rather than children involved in the events. I probably would have enjoyed this aspect more as a child, but in some ways I feel like we got less information as a result (for example, no one in the story dies, which would have been upsetting to read, but an omniscient narrator could have given us information about some of the people who died in the fires without it being traumatic for readers).
Despite it's flaws it's still an enjoyable and informative history comic that kids will learn from and enjoy. For the most part I would recommend it for the younger end of middle grade, but some of the story/art might be upsetting for more sensitive readers (I would have loved this book as a kid, my sister would have been sobbing for parts of it), so I've left some content warnings below.
Content warning: a horse collapses of exhaustion/smoke inhalation on page, puppies in peril (everyone is okay), people are shown on fire but not dying.
I've really been enjoying the History Comics series so far, and I'm glad to have had the chance to read The Great Chicago Fire! This feels like the kind of book I would have enjoyed more as a kid than I did as an adult, but it was still an entertaining and educational story for the most part.
The art was really cute and helped liven up the story. The information given was accurate to the best of my knowledge and was genuinely very informative. I feel like I definitely learned from this story, even though I was familiar with parts of it. I do wish that the story had been told by omniscient narrators (like they have usually been in my experience with Science Comics and History Comics) rather than children involved in the events. I probably would have enjoyed this aspect more as a child, but in some ways I feel like we got less information as a result (for example, no one in the story dies, which would have been upsetting to read, but an omniscient narrator could have given us information about some of the people who died in the fires without it being traumatic for readers).
Despite it's flaws it's still an enjoyable and informative history comic that kids will learn from and enjoy. For the most part I would recommend it for the younger end of middle grade, but some of the story/art might be upsetting for more sensitive readers (I would have loved this book as a kid, my sister would have been sobbing for parts of it), so I've left some content warnings below.
Content warning: a horse collapses of exhaustion/smoke inhalation on page, puppies in peril (everyone is okay), people are shown on fire but not dying.