Buy Used
Used - Good See details
$3.87 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
John Blair and the Great Hinckley Fire
 
 
Tell the Publisher!
I'd like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

John Blair and the Great Hinckley Fire [Hardcover]

Josephine Nobisso (Author), Ted Rose (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.


Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Hardcover --  

Book Description

8 and up4 and up
No one who boarded the Limited No. 4 train on the morning of September 1, 1894, anticipated disaster down the tracks, but by three o’clock in the afternoon, the sky was as black as night and everyone knew something was wrong. Soon burning trees lined either side of the tracks, illuminating the smoky sky like gigantic torches. With fire ahead and fire behind, how would the passengers escape?
Amid the flames of the most devastating firestorm in U.S. history, the train’s porter, John Wesley Blair, acted with courage and compassion throughout that terrible day. Here, finally, is the untold story of a hero whom history almost forgot.
A brief mention of the Hinckley fire in a nature magazine inspired Joi Nobisso to find out more about this awesome event. After several years of research, she uncovered the tale of John Blair’s bravery and knew she had to tell his story.

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4-John Blair, an African-American railway porter, was a hero during the 1894 disaster that killed more than 400 people living in the remote Minnesota backwoods. Here, Nobisso describes the phenomenon of a firestorm that moved so explosively that settlers escaped their woodland homes to embark on the train, thus doubling its load. Despite the unbearable heat, Blair kept comforting passengers and sprayed water on them. He finally led them off the train into the safety of a swamp. An epilogue explains how the Great Hinckley Fire gave rise to the forest-fire monitoring program in the United States and that John Blair was later recognized for his valor. The descriptive language conveys the seriousness of the situation and reads well aloud. The watercolor illustrations are mostly double-page spreads featuring lots of smoky gray and hot-orange backgrounds and impressionistic renderings of the suffering, terrified people. The format is large for group sharing and the story would tie in well with studies of Midwest settlement, forests, fires, railroads, and notable African Americans.
Jean Gaffney, Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library, Miamisburg, OH
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"An exciting introduction to a little-known incident in American history and to a genuine African-American hero." —Kirkus Reviews (8/15/00) Kirkus Reviews

"John Blair emergees as a quiet hero . . . a man who simply behaved the way we all hope we might, were we to face such awful danger." —Riverbank Review (Fall 2000)

"A powerful one-stop introduction to a little-known historical event." —The Bulletin (10/00) The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The descriptive language conveys the seriousness of the situation and reads well aloud. . . . The format is large for group sharing and the story would tie in well with studies of Midwest settlement, forests, fires, railroads, and notable African-Americans." —SLJ, 12/00 School Library Journal

Product Details

  • Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  • Hardcover: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children; First Printing edition (September 26, 2000)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0618015604
  • ISBN-13: 978-0618015603
  • Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #390,866 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Josephine Nobisso's first story appeared in a national magazine when she was 18. Since then, she has published over fifty books, mostly for children.

Each year, to rave evaluations, Miss Nobisso conducts about 100 workshops in "The Nobisso Recommendations: Guiding Students to Write in Their Authentic Voices," part of which comes to life in her book, Show; Don't Tell! Secrets of Writing. a book for which she received "The Global Learning Initiative Award" for "The Best Trade Book with Educational Application"-- a singular citation jointly administered by the Association of Education Publishers and the Bologna Children's Book Fair.

The National Catholic Educational Association named her "Distinguished Graduate," and Delta Kappa Gamma--the international society of honored teachers-- named her "Friend of Education," for "someone outside the profession who has worked significantly toward improving the educational opportunities of others, and who has given outstanding service to promoting quality education."

Among the very many honors that Miss Nobisso books have received are five other awards for Show; Don't Tell! Secrets of Writing: the International Reading Association/Children's Book Council "Children's Choice Award," an American Booksellers Association BookSense "Pick of the Lists" citation, a Parents' Choice Award, a National Parenting Publications Award, and was a ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Finalist.

Born February 9, 1953, in the Bronx, Miss Nobisso homeschooled her daughter, Maria Nicotra, the Art Director of Gingerbread House, the press they founded together. Miss Nobisso and her family live on the East End of Long Island.

 

Customer Reviews

2 Reviews
5 star:
 (2)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars John Blair and the Great Hinckley Fire, June 5, 2010
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
Advertised as "like new-used." It arrived with one tiny "bump" on the spine -- other than that it was in excellent condition for a "used book!!! Very moving, true story also! Thanks!!!!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING!, September 12, 2006
This review is from: John Blair and the Great Hinckley Fire (Hardcover)
Another fabulous , wonderful, and insightful book authored by Mrs. Nobisso! Do not stop with just one or two of her books. All of her books are to read, enjoyed, and passed down!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Only search this product's reviews



Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
STEAM HISSED ONTO THE RAILROAD PLATFORM IN DULUTH. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
The Limited, Skunk Lake, Engineer Root, John Blair
New!
Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:

Citations (learn more)
1 book cites this book:

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
 
(3)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums



So You'd Like to...


Create a guide


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject