Wayland Books ISBN 97780750298209 £12.99
Published to coincide with the 350th Anniversary of the Great Fire in 1666, this re-telling of the story is lavishly and strikingly illustrated. It describes London at the time, the cause of the fire, attempts to put it out and the planned rebuilding of the City afterwards. There are some short pithy primary sources, [extracts from Samuel Pepys Diary] to accompany the text, otherwise this is a straightforward narrative of events, with no room for different ideas or opinions about causes or consequences. The big, bold illustrations reinforce the text, making the book a pleasure to read.
The Great Fire of London usually appears in key stage 1 history, and often in Year Two. This would make a great text for the class teacher to read aloud to children, showing the pictures as in ‘big book’ style. It is just a pity there is no hint of disagreement about events because it is important that children learn from an early age that history is often disputed, depending on which evidence you choose. Nevertheless, this is a lovely book which older KS2 children will enjoy reading for themselves – informative, engaging and beautifully illustrated. Get a copy for the school library.
Alf Wilkinson, The Historical Association
