Emmi in the City: A Great Chicago Fire Survival Story

Girls Survive

by Salima Alikhan, Alessia Trunfio (Illustrator)

Although Emmi has lived in Chicago for two years, she finds it hard to love her adopted city. As a German immigrant in the early 1870s, she's often teased by her America-born peers. But when the Great Fire breaks out on October 8, 1871, Emmi and her enemies find themselves braving the smoke and flames together. Can Emmi and the others survive the danger to escape the burning city? Readers can learn the real story of the Great Chicago Fire from the nonfiction back matter in this Girls Survive story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical, Childrens, Survival, Fiction, Young Adult

104 pages, Library Binding

Published January 1, 2019

About the author

Salima Alikhan is the illustrator of Pelican's Rocky Mountain Night Before Christmas. With a German mother and an Indian father raised in Pakistan, Alikhan grew up hearing a variety of fairytales, which aided her in developing an enchanted imagination. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and continues to pursue her passion of writing and drawing in Austin, where she resides."

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tiny bit of immigration life and how the fire briefly leveled things, and a lot of running around in fear. Exciting but not super informative.

[Alyssa Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Emmi in the City is a great book about a girl who is struggling to find her place in Chicago, a city full of immigrants and people doing the same. However, when the city is devastated by one of the biggest fires its ever seen, she sees how birthplace doesn’t matter when everyone reaches across the divides they’ve created with one another and helps each other out.

This book is great because it not only teaches a big moment in history for the city of Chicago, but it also contains a lot of other topics to teach kids about, such as immigration during this time and social/emotional stuff about how to help out others and show kindness.

It has wonderful illustrations that capture the emotion and mood of the story, and Emmi is such a relatable, resourceful main character. The writing style is simple and flows nicely while also evoking beautiful imagery and strong emotions. It would be great for younger kids and an especially great addition to any classroom.

Also posted on Purple People Readers.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the less dark Girls Survive installments. There are many scenes of peril, and the book clearly describes the terror and impact of the fire, but everyone in the main character's social circle survives.

The book includes some positive messages about overcoming differences, as Emmi connects with previous enemies in the midst of the disaster. She and the other children overcome their ethnic tensions from their German and Irish backgrounds and become friends, and the author's note shares historic details about how the fire brought people in the city together.

[Adelaide Pond · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this! It was a very powerful book and taught me a lot about the Chicago fires! I will definitely recommend reading it! Definitely makes me want to research the Chicago fires a little more, and look at some of the survivor stories. I never knew the fires were that bad, in the amount of deaths that it cost! I think everybody should know about how brave these people where.

[Ali Whitley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting telling of the Chicago fire with a female protagonist. Great details & similar to I Survived style with lots of history!

[Tracy Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Action packed, 1st person account of the events during the Great Chicago Fire. My 3rd grade students would enjoy reading Emmi’s experiences from so long ago.
Those who enjoy the I Survived Series will enjoy this book. It is good for the girls to see a female protagonist.

[J. Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tragedy can be an equalizer because it rips away class, race, and religion as constructions. It reveals people for who they are…all of us, simply human. Emma is presented with a fierce tragedy…fire. Together with folks who wouldn’t bond in good times, quickly bond in bad. A story of great resourcefulness.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emmi and her father have recently arrived in Chicago from Germany. Emmi misses their life in Germany, but hopes her father's dreams of a toy shop filled with any toys he desires to make can come true here in America. She's been surprised by the animosity between German and Irish immigrants in Chicago, but also has met some Irish immigrants who have become friends and she loves their music. Two Irish twins, though, often make her life and others' lives miserable. One night, the fires in the city spark back to life and start devouring the city. Emmi's father went out to see how bad it was and hasn't come back. Emmi decides to run farther from the fire, but ends up in an alley with the twins. Is her night about to get worse, or will the fire make enemies into friends as they struggle for survival?

This is another great title in the Girls Survive series that tells the story of a historic event from a perspective that highlights ethnic tensions at the time and how that played into the event. (If you want even more details of how anti-Irish sentiments played into the history of the Chicago Fire I suggest reading The Great Chicago Fire by Kate Hannigan that was released last year in the History Comics series. It does an even more amazing job than this book does.) I really like the resolution between Emmi and the twins. This is a pretty safe retelling of the Chicago Fire in that very few fatalities or serious injuries are related, it is mostly just destruction of property talked about. So if you have a middle grade reader interested in the Chicago Fire, and maybe a little sensitive and/or reluctant to touch anything "too long", try this one.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. The kids know the fire is potentially serious and worry for family members they are separated from, but it turns out ok for everyone they know.

[Maura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short middle grades chapter book in the Girls Survive series explores the Great Chicago Fire from the perspective of a German immigrant to Chicago, the daughter of a toymaker. Readers don't learn much about Emmi before the fire starts, but the author does introduce the conflict between German and Irish immigrants in Chicago by introducing Seamus and Cara, two Irish children who bully and harass her. Emmi, Seamus, and Cara are thrust together when they both become separated from their families in the fire, and they come to protect and appreciate each other.

Emmi in the City felt much more flimsy than some of the other titles in the city and it was a very quick read. It felt less harrowing and was less descriptive than a similar title in the series, Lucy Fights the Flames, about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. I predict that my students in grades 2-4 will eat it up, however, as they will other titles in this series.

Back matter includes some facts about the breadth of the Chicago Fire and a map of the spread of destruction (difficult to contextualize b/c it only shows the streets involved, not a full Chicago map). It also includes a glossary and 3 discussion questions. Recommended for elementary libraries and classroom collections.

[Lynn]

In the early 1870’s Emmi and her widowed father must move from Germany to Chicago where Emmi quickly learns the Irish Catholics and German Protestants of the city do not get along. When the Great Chicago Fire began in the early morning hours and quickly spread through the city, Emmi is separated from her father and finds she must find a way to survive.

My fourth grade granddaughter loves The Girls Survive series. As a former teacher, I was impressed with how the numerous titles are designed. They are not just a fictional girl surviving actual historical disasters. The last section of this book included Notes from the Author, maps of the disaster site, a glossary and questions to help readers make connections between themselves and the book’s characters. Emmi in the City is the only one of the series I have finished, but I am looking forward to checking out more of their titles.

[H · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series immediately proved popular with 3/4/5 girls in my school - even my heavy duty readers enjoyed the short length, the plucky heroines, and the "I Survived" aesthetic. Towards the end of the year I had kids just gobbling up 3-4 a week. This installment is written with a quick pace and works well for students who either want to hear more about the Great Fire, or who just want a fast moving story with a relatable protagonist. Critics might say they want more angst, or more examination of why people were homeless, or a more critical look at the forces that set up immigrant groups as rivals - but this is just the kind of book a lot of kids are looking for - a bite of history in an easily read package. (I also enjoyed not one mention of "Mrs O'Leary" or her less than historical cow).

[Bonnie Grover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you #BookPosse for giving me the opportunity to read this book. This book is definitely going to be on my historical fiction shelf. Emma is a German immigrant in Chicago in the early 1870’s . She faces many of the typical struggles of immigrant children who were often bullied by their American-born-peers. The author does a great job placing Emma right in the center of the Chicago Fire. She also explains the aftermath of the fire, which sometimes gets overlooked. There is a glossary and reader question section at the end of this book which might make it a great for book groups. I am anxious to read her other books and share them with my students. @Salmiaalikhan @capstonepub

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely will recommend this to lovers of the "I Survived" series. Beautiful illustrations and a straight forward, action-packed survival story. The story mentions the ethnic tensions of the time between immigrant groups during this time period. Not as historical as its "male" counterpart, but I can see many children liking this series.

I also love the glossary and making connections parts at the end.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was another book that is great for young kids to learn about some of the big historical moments in our nation's history. The Chicago fire is one that is unique in the way that the fire jumped the river and continued burning on the other side.

Emmi is a good character and we see her along with two other children who hadn't been friends work together to survive the night and find their families after the fire.

One unique thing I liked about this book was how in the kindle version of it highlights certain words that most kids wouldn't know and gives a definition for them at the end of the page. I think this is really helpful and is a good way to keep them interested in the story, while also learning new words along the way.

[Katrina Kuhn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I *know* I am not the intended audience for these, but I can't help myself when I'm in the library's children's section with my kids.

"Emmi in the City" is one of my least favorite in the Girls Survive series. Why does the fire start immediately on page one, with no time spent introducing the characters and setting the scene?

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical fiction similar to I Survived series.
Emmi and her father have immigrated from Germany to Chicago in the 1880's. They get separated during the Great Chicago Fire and she survives with the help of her Irish immigrant twin neighbors.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Salima Alikhan creates a fast-paced, evocative story that kids will love. I wish this book had been around when I was young because it has just the right amount of historical information, adventure, grit and heart.

[Jessica F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Girls Survive takes us to 1870's Chicago in this installment, a time when tensions between immigrants and older residents was high - and high too were the temperatures. Will the Great Fire destroy Emmi and Papa's dream of a new life here in America? Lots of action and exciting near misses in this survival story. And of course I'm a sucker for the sweet, somewhat sappy ending!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book that tells the story of a fictional girl in the Great Chicago Fire. It's effective at showing the danger and the context of the tragedy while still providing some hopefulness through Emmi's story.

[Astrid Evasdotter Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

En bra, spännande bok om en verklig händelse. Det är en lättläst bok, men eftersom det är Hegas nivå 4, så är det ändå ganska mycket att läsa. Den är väldigt spännande och har ett fint budskap om att saker kan förändras till det bättre även om det ser illa ut. En bok jag skulle rekommendera.

[Jennybeast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice focus on historical immigrant experience, and Emmi's experience is certainly a mile-a-minute action.

[Yue Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have really good memories of it

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good job projecting the fear the residents of Chicago felt during the terrible fire in 1871.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!

A nail biter! My 11 yr old enjoyed listening to this and I liked reading it to her. We will definitely be reading the rest of the series!

[Su]

Didn't know anything about this history... I think my students will love this one... And all in this series.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great addition to the series!

[Chrissy Shea Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this at my son’s request and it’s really good. Very informative about the Chicago Fire and exciting. Great young (very) adult book.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story of survival. I loved the fact that Emmi had a single dad. The illustrations were stellar as well -- gorgeous black and white digitally rendered images. Five stars.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

not bad

[JC · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suggest all kids read it.