I loved this book! As someone from Illinois, I am constantly looking for books that will bring history into the lessons. This book brings the Great Chicago Fire to life in this story. The characters are relatable and likable. This was a wonderful book that I will definitely add to my lesson plans in the library.!

One type of books my children and I really enjoy reading is picture books that tell about something that really happened. I was delighted to find Fiery Night, a story about the Great Chicago Fire. I can't remember ever reading anything to my children about that event, although I've read a few books about it. I started reading this story to my 8- and 5-year-olds, and soon even the teenagers were gathered around to see the pictures and hear the story!
Justin Butterfield had a pet goat, Willie, which he loved very much. He cared for Willie and told him stories. After he told his pet Good Night, he went into the house with his family. His brother read a story in the newspaper about a fire—it was only a mile from the Butterfield home. With no rain for several weeks, conditions were perfect for fire, and sure enough, during the night a fire broke out next door. Though the family battled valiantly to save their home, they had to give up.
The Butterfields joined many other people in fleeing to Lake Michigan for safety. Justin wouldn't leave Willie behind—but his goat was too afraid to walk on the sidewalk or go into the water. Would the family survive? Would the goat live?
We liked the author's note at the end of the book. In it, she confirmed that the story is very factual. That always makes a story better for us! The pictures really help to tell the story, too. They aren't quite as realistic as my favorite books, but close. They are just slightly cartoonish. I really liked the way the neighbors helped each other and cared for those whose houses had been destroyed, and the way the family worked together and stuck together for survival. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a true story told in a picture book.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* The art in this book is amazing and I really love that its based off a true story and mentions that at the end!

Based on the true story of a family's escape from the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, this lavishly-illustrated (via some fine, high-quality artwork by illustrator Kayla Herran) details the story of the Butterfield family, who were alerted by neighbors the night of the oncoming blaze. Initially trying to save what belongings they could, the family was forced to leave with only whatever they could carry ... until young Justin Butterfield refuses to flee without taking his friend and pet goat, Willie. The family has no choice but to find Willie and take off, traversing on foot through the massive crowds of family, friends and neighbors trying to escape the encroaching flames. Author Sally Walker, with a number of nonfiction books for young and beginning readers to her credit, began this book after discovering a copy of a letter written by Justin, chronicling their escape, and the tension and fear of the Butterfields comes across palpably on the page, as they are soon forced to drop and leave behind even what few possessions they had grabbed in desperation, even as Justin sees escape as the only option if he wants to save Willie, his family soon taking the boy's determination to heart in their own hearts to make it. An inspiring, touching story that comes across so beautifully, via art and story, kids and parents alike will find the story of the Butterfield family's plight engrossing, all the more so because it's based in truth - yet will find the heart and hope of the story in Willie the goat as he helps empower the family to make it. Beautifully-done book, for beginning readers to adults, complete with a little background on the real-life family/story that inspired it. (Available August 1) 4.5/5 stars

NOTE: I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a bit of a Chicago Fire hobbyist and this picture book shows exactly what I think it looked like o that day in 1871. Highly recommend for kids.

Justin Butterfield lives in Chicago with his family and his beloved pet goat, Willie. Justin and Willie are inseparable. One night they awaken to someone pounding on their door, yelling “Fire!” The family tries to save their home and a few belongings, but soon the fire rages out of control. Justin runs to get Willie. The family makes their way to nearby Lake Michigan with many neighbors.

The illustrator played with light and shadow throughout and the resulting artwork is beautiful. The book is worth enjoying for the illustrations alone.

The characters are not developed very thoroughly, but the story is simple and well written. The book is probably suitable for middle to older elementary aged children. One of the illustrations shows Willie’s fur catching on fire. This might bother younger or sensitive children. Some of the illustrations accurately portray the fear and chaos people must have experienced while fleeing for their lives.

The book is based on a true story. The real Justin Butterfield wrote a letter to a friend explaining how his family escaped the fire and saved Willie. He included a drawing of the family leading their goat to safety. There are photographs of Chicago after the fire and Justin’s drawing.

I received an ARC copy from net galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

An enjoyable historical fiction book by award-winning children's author, Sally M. Walker. Great informational back matter will satisfy readers who yearn to know more on the real event but not enough meat for state or city reports for students in Illinois. Recommended for independent readers or as a read aloud for first to third grades.

Based on a true story, this longer picture book focuses on a little boy named Justin and his young goat Willie and how they escaped the Chicago Fire of 1871. Readers will relate to Justin’s need to protect his pet, but the story is not that impactful. The full color illustrations resemble gouache paintings, dominated by orange, yellow, and shades of brown depicting the city and fire in a style reminiscent of sepia-toned photos; the family members appear to be Caucasian. The author is best-known for tween nonfiction (including the Sibert Medal winner Secrets of a Civil War Submarine, 2005), and this illustrated fictional story exhibits her usual attention to research. A map is featured at the beginning, and there is an author’s note, bibliography, and photos included at the back.

This was a really great historical fiction picture book. This would be the perfect introduction to historical fiction for the early elementary readers. The story focuses a young boy and his goat during the Great Chicago Fire. By focusing on the boy and his pet goat, the reader is introduced to a scary situation in a way that is less threatening. Children can learn about the events of that night without it being too scary for them.

Illustrations of fierce orange, angry red, and threatening yellow await readers in this harrowing and heartwarming historical picture book story about a boy named Justin Butterfield and his goat, Willie, during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

Around midnight, Justin and his family are woken up to pounds on the door telling them they need to wake up. A policeman tell them there is a fire and they need to protect themselves. The family rushes to save their house from flying orange embers, but soon realize it is too late: the house is lost and they will need to find a way to escape. They gather all the belongings they can into a wheelbarrow while Justin is determined to ensure Willie comes with them.

Slowly their family along with many, many other families are forced into the street looking for safety, which they hope they will have once they reach Lake Michigan. Willie is scared. The air is filled with too much smoke and the flames are getting closer so the family is forced to leave even their belongings in order to keep ahead of the fire, but Justin keeps Willie and continues to protect him from the ash and the wind and the fire throughout the night until it is over.

Two things are simply amazing to me:

1) After the fire the Butterfields stayed with friends. While there Justin wrote a letter to a friend telling him of what happened and drew a picture of them fleeing the fire that was included within the fire. This picture is now housed at the Chicago Historical Society and can be seen at the end of the story along with actual photos of the aftermath of the event.

2) The pictures are perfection. Their vivid colors evoke so much emotion as they help recreate the story of what the Butterfields and others must have witnessed and experienced during this fire. A few years back I remember seeing a specific video shown on the nightly news of a person’s car ride escape from one of the California fires. The colors of orange, yellow, and red screaming out all around them. If you have ever seen one of those videos then you can imagine what many of the illustrations may look like within this picture book.

Fiery Night is a well told story that is paced evenly showing the love between Justin and Willie and the escape. And even though the story focuses on one family, I appreciated how it demonstrated that this impacted more than just the Butterfield’s and how it impacted the entire city and community. The story and the illustrations together create a wonderfully memorable book that will be difficult to pass up. However, please note that because of fierceness of the flame illustrations and because the story recounts a very dramatic moment in time some children may find it a little scary.

Thanks to Netgalley and Capstone for the advanced reader copy and opportunity to provide an honest review.

I received this ebook ARC from Netgalley.

I am passionate about primary sources and often forgotten stories from history. Fiery Night contains both very successfully. Sally M. Walker tells the story of Justin Butterfield and his family as they try to escape the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Justin refuses to leave his pet goat Willie behind and struggles to overcome the difficulties of dragging a goat through a crowd escaping a devastating fire. Walker's story is a snapshot in time, a peek into what it must have been like to flee from that horrible fire.

Kayla Harren's illustrations bring the fear that the citizens must have felt to life. Her use of the light from the fire helps to set the mood of the story and creates a sense of urgency for the reader. These illustrations create a depth that takes a small piece of history and makes it a reflection of a larger event. Both the story and the artwork place the reader in the midst of the fire. The use of primary sources including Justin's drawing of his family fleeing and photos of the aftermath which are placed at the end of the book are valuable resources.

I recommend this book for K-5 libraries and would include this story in lessons about the importance of primary sources as well as historical events.

To make history relevant to children, and adults as well, it is important to bring in the personal. And what can be more personal than a pet baby goat. In this picture book, based on a true story of the Great Chicago Fire, we follow and boy and his pet goat as they have to escape the flames. Like the fire that burned San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake, this fire took out so much of the city that it left 100,000 without a home.

Fires can be scary, as it isn't so much the flames, but the smoke that kills you. And it is so destructive.

The story is very sweet. Not scary, but one of peril just the same.

Recommended as historical fiction based on fact. Apparently Justin wrote a letter to a friend about escaping the fire with his goat, so that much is fact, at least.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This is a fantastic story based on a true story about a little boy ( Justin) and his goat escaping the great Chicago fire.
The little boy in the story loves an cares for his goat like he is a member of the family and ensures his goat is kept safe.
This fire must have been devastating to so many people and family's and the illustrations in the book make you understand the fear and tragedy of the fire.
This would be a great book to tie in with a history lesson within a school too. At the back of the book is the original drawn picture sent by the boy to his friend of him, his family and the goat escaping the fire.

This introduction to the topic of the Chicago fire is a fictional story based on an actual account. The author’s note at the end provides useful information. I would appreciate a nonfiction account by Sally Walker to accompany this book.

Historical fiction for younger readers meets a need among the fantasy and humor books that dominate the shelves of the age group. Based on a true story, this is a brisk retelling of the Chicago Fire. Fiery Night is Illustrated with vibrant colors (you can almost feel the heat), a jumping off book for further investigation of the Great Fire or other books of courage.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO NETGALLEY AND CAPSTONE FOR THE E-ARC COPY TO READ AND REVIEW.

What an interesting part of history, it’s seldom talked about yet wow how impactful it is.

What a kind thing Justin did during all of this, his goat was clearly his best friend and it was sweet that no matter what obstacle was in his way Willie was going every step of the way with him and his family.

It was a very interesting but sad read, with very beautiful detailed illustrations along the way. What a sad story of history, peoples houses burning just after a major fire had been in the bigger city, of all families huddling away together.

This book would be a wonderful book to be read with a child, especially if you are teaching of history, it will teach them a lot of different things along the way. It also includes facts about the fire and of Justin himself. It’s a quick read but worth your time