Big Top Burning investigates the 1944 Hartford circus fire and invites readers to take part in a critical evaluation of the evidence
 
The fire broke out at 2:40 p.m. Thousands of men, women, and children were crowded under Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey’s big top watching the Flying Wallendas begin their death-defying high-wire act. Suddenly someone screamed “Fire!” and the panic began. By 2:50 the tent had burned to the ground. Not everyone had made it out alive.
 
With primary source documents and survivor interviews, Big Top Burning recounts the true story of the 1944 Hartford circus fire—one of the worst fire disasters in U.S. history. Its remarkable characters include: Robert Segee, the 15-year-old circus roustabout and known pyromaniac; and the Cook children, Donald, Eleanor, and Edward, who were in the audience when the circus tent caught fire. Guiding readers through the investigations of the mysteries that make this moment in history so fascinating, this book asks: Was the unidentified body of a little girl nicknamed “Little Miss 1565” Eleanor Cook? Was the fire itself an act of arson—and did Robert Segee set it? Big Top Burning combines a gripping disaster story, an ongoing detective and forensics saga, and World War II–era American history, inviting middle-grades readers to take part in a critical evaluation of the evidence and draw their own conclusions.

“While walking readers ages 11 and older through the disaster and its long investigative aftermath, Ms. Woollett takes pains to point out how the world 70 years ago differed from our own.” —The Wall Street Journal

"This chronological account vividly describes the circus, the fire, the rescue, and the medical care that followed. History buffs and fans of forensic television shows will especially appreciate this exploration of one of the worst fires in American history.” —Kirkus Reviews

"Fascinating, devastating, and impeccably researched." —Booklist

"This meticulously researched book will draw readers in to a terrifying disaster story—and an unsolved mystery.” —Steve Sheinkin, award-winning author of The Port Chicago 50 and Bomb! The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon

“Big Top Burning is a gripping narrative of one of our country’s most horrific yet largely unknown disasters.” —The Republican-American

“Wollett brings the incident alive by combining the historical accounts with the mystery surrounding the disaster. The author does a stellar job describing the gripping story in an age-appropriate way. For example, she focuses on the mystery of an unidentified little girl. Youth will enjoy evaluating the evidence and drawing their own conclusions. This short book would be a good choice for reluctant readers looking for an interesting history project topic.” —Annette Lamb, Teacher Librarian

“This piece of engaging nonfiction would lend itself to analysis, prediction, and as a catalyst for future research. The inclusion of notes, bibliography, and image credits make this a great mentor text.” —School Library Connection

Laura A. Woollett is an educational publisher in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she writes and edits fiction and nonfiction texts for struggling and reluctant readers. She is member of SCBWI and a former reviewer for the Horn Book Guide. She lives in Framingham, Massachusetts.