Big Top Burning: The True Story of an Arsonist, a Missing Girl, and The Greatest Show On Earth

by Laura A. Woollett

Overview

International Literacy Association Award Winner for Intermediate Nonfiction 2016
Eureka Children's Book Honor 2016

On July 6, 1944, thousands of fans made their way to Barbour Street in Hartford, Connecticut, to see the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performance. Not long after the show’s start, a fire broke out and spread rapidly as panicked circus-goers pushed and scrambled to escape. Within 10 minutes the entire big top had burned to the ground, and 167 people never went home.
 
Big Top Burning recounts the true story of one of the worst fire disasters in US history. It follows the tragic stories of the Cook family—including children Donald, Eleanor, and Edward, who were in the audience that day—and 15-year-old Robert Segee, a circus employee with an incendiary past. Drawing on primary sources and interviews with survivors, author Laura Woollett guides readers through several decades of investigations and asks, Wasthe unidentified body of a little girl nicknamed“Little Miss 1565” Eleanor Cook?Was the fire itself an act of arson—anddid Robert Segee set it? Young readers are invited to evaluate the evidence and draw their own conclusions.
 
Combining a gripping disaster story, an ongoing detective and forensics saga, and vivid details about life in World War II–era America, Big Top Burning is sure to intrigue any history or real-life mystery fan.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781613731147
Publisher:	Chicago Review Press, Incorporated
Publication date:	06/01/2015
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	10 - 18 Years

About the Author

Laura A. Woollett has a master’s degree in children’s literature from Simmons College and is a writer and editor of literacy curriculum for kids and young adults. Originally from South Windsor, Connecticut, Laura now lives in Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and two cats.

Editorial Reviews

While walking readers ages 11 and older through the disaster and its long investigative aftermath, Ms. Woollett takes pains to point out how the world 70 years ago differed from our own.” —The Wall Street Journal



"This chronological account vividly describes the circus, the fire, the rescue, and the medical care that followed. History buffs and fans of forensic television shows will especially appreciate this exploration of one of the worst fires in American history.” —Kirkus Reviews


"Fascinating, devastating, and impeccably researched." —Booklist


"This meticulously researched book will draw readers in to a terrifying disaster story—and an unsolved mystery.” —Steve Sheinkin, award-winning author of The Port Chicago 50 and Bomb! The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon


“Big Top Burning is a gripping narrative of one of our country’s most horrific yet largely unknown disasters.” —The Republican-American


“Wollett brings the incident alive by combining the historical accounts with the mystery surrounding the disaster. The author does a stellar job describing the gripping story in an age-appropriate way. For example, she focuses on the mystery of an unidentified little girl. Youth will enjoy evaluating the evidence and drawing their own conclusions. This short book would be a good choice for reluctant readers looking for an interesting history project topic.” —Annette Lamb, Teacher Librarian



“This piece of engaging nonfiction would lend itself to analysis, prediction, and as a catalyst for future research. The inclusion of notes, bibliography, and image credits make this a great mentor text.” —School Library Connection

From the Publisher

06/01/2015
Gr 5–8—The Hartford, CT, circus fire of 1944 is still infamous locally for killing 167 people and injuring more in only 10 minutes. Woollett's retelling of the event is interspersed with thought-provoking questions designed to encourage readers to ponder the gaps in our knowledge about the event ("So what about the city of Hartford? Did it have a role in not preventing the disaster?"). The story of the actual fire is gripping, but the narrative is occasionally on the dry side, and the pace slows as the book goes into more detail covering the arson investigation and the identification of the victims. The inclusion of photos and documents adds appeal, though, and students learning about forensics may be interested in the investigation processes. VERDICT A suitable addition to history collections.—Dorcas Hand, Annunciation Orthodox School, Houston, TX

School Library Journal

2015-04-01
In 1944, 167 people died in a circus fire in Hartford, Connecticut; 59 of them were children under 10. Some were trampled when the audience of 6,000 tried to flee the tent; others died from burns. This chronological account vividly describes the circus, the fire, the rescue, and the medical care that followed. The polished text draws from interviews the author conducted as well as legal documents, newspapers, letters, and more. Black-and-white photographs of mixed quality add both information and a sense of the time. Much of the book focuses on mysteries surrounding the fire, such as its causes and unidentified bodies, puzzling them out from official reports from the time and subsequent investigations. Woven throughout is the story of a child's unclaimed body, perhaps that of Eleanor Cook, a missing girl who wasn't identified at the time. Details about the child's clothes, her injuries from being trampled, and even a dental chart provide clues for readers to assess. It remains uncertain if the fire was caused by arson or if the body was Eleanor Cook's, leaving readers with the realistic but possibly disappointing view that not all mysteries from the past can be solved. History buffs and fans of forensic television shows will especially appreciate this exploration of one of the worst fires in American history. (author's note, notes, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 10-13)

Kirkus Reviews