Goliath: Hero of the Great Baltimore Fire

by Claudia Friddell (Author) Troy Howell (Illustrator)

Goliath: Hero of the Great Baltimore Fire
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
In 1904 the city of Baltimore was almost destroyed by fire. Hundreds of firemen, policemen, soldiers, and citizens battled the blaze for three days. The disaster brings out the best in man and the bravest of deeds, but one hero stands head and shoulders above all...literally. Goliath is a fire horse assigned to Engine Company 15. He is massive in size and mighty in heart and steadfastness. To the men of Engine Company 15, Goliath is the ultimate fire horse. He is the lead horse for the team assigned to pulling the mammoth Hale Water Tower No. 1. When the fire alarm sounds, calling them to action, Goliath leads his team into the blaze. Soon his lifesaving actions will lead him into the pages of history. Masterful artwork from acclaimed illustrator Troy Howell brings this true story to pulse-pounding life. Educator Claudia Friddell says of her work researching Goliath, "It was a privilege to meet and interview firefighters and fire historians about the Baltimore Fire of 1904." Goliath is her first children's book. Claudia lives in Baltimore, Maryland. Artist Troy Howell has had a prolific career as a children's book illustrator with countless books to his credit, including The Secret Garden, The Ugly Duckling, and Favorite Greek Myths. He received his formal art education from the Art Center in Los Angeles and the Illustrators' Workshops in New York. Troy lives in Falmouth, Virginia.
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School Library Journal

K-Gr 5--Though not as well known as the Great Chicago Fire, the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 was one of the most destructive in U.S. history. Friddell brings the event to life through the true story of a huge horse from Engine Company 15. Goliath bore the full brunt of an explosion and then heroically pulled an entire fire rig to safety by himself. The text builds suspense as it traces the path of the fire, ending with Goliath's scarred but triumphant return to his post six months after the fire. Howell's expressive, sepia-toned illustrations interplay with the text to keep readers in the moment. Exciting, historically accurate, and visually appealing, this book is an excellent addition to the classroom or the pleasure-reading pile.--Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Claudia Friddell
Claudia Friddell loves the magic of bringing history to life. She is the author of several acclaimed books, including Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls Answer the Call, Saving Lady Liberty, Goliath, and George Washington's Spies. She lives in Baltimore, Maryland. Visit claudiafriddell.com.

Christopher Cyr is an award-winning freelance illustrator living in Massachusetts. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design's Illustration program, his illustrations are painted digitally in Adobe Photoshop. Some pieces integrate scanned sketches and watercolor textures.
Illustrator site: plaidcats.com
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781585364558
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Sleeping Bear Press
Publication date
April 20, 2010
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF025210 - Juvenile Nonfiction | History | United States/20th Century
JNF025180 - Juvenile Nonfiction | History | United States/State & Local
JNF003110 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Horses
Library of Congress categories
History
20th century
Fires
Horses
Maryland
Baltimore (Md.)
Working animals
Baltimore
20th century. 6
Delaware Diamonds Award
Nominee 2011 - 2012
Land of Enchantment Book Award
Nominee 2012 - 2013

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