- 1995 ALA Newbery Honor Book
- NCTE Orbis Pictus Award
- Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Book
- The Jefferson Cup Award
- A SLJ Best Book
- A Booklist Editors Choice
- A BCCB Blue Ribbon Book
- An ALA Notable Book
- An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
- A PW Best Book
“A veritable cinematic account.”
—Kirkus (pointered review)
“Engrossing.”
—Publisher’s Weekly (starred)
“A book that sparks excitement and interest from the cover to the last well-written chapter. Murphy’s text reads like an adventure/survival novel and is just as hard to put down. The diversity and multitude of personal accounts [provide] a better appreciation of the event as a dynamic experience from which we still have much to learn. History writing at its best.”
—School Library Journal (starred)
“The Great Fire will automatically draw readers with its fiery cover and illustrations of disaster, but the text will keep them reading.”
—Booklist (starred)
“The energy and depth of the presentation make this thought-provoking history lesson absorbing and riveting reading.”
—Horn Book (starred)