Fire Ship

Jean Free, a library consultant, is a retired public-school teacher and
librarian in Whitby, Ontario.

“What’s the use of having dreams that can’t come true?” moans
13-year-old Dan Dobson’s twin sister, Susan, as the young people
remember the horrendous week in the late winter of 1813 when the
Americans captured York. The shattering personal experiences of
war—losing the warship Sir Isaac Brock; neighbors’ suspicions about
the loyalty of the Dobson family; the hard life of early Upper Canada
pioneers—force the young people to mature quickly. Finally, with the
letdown of war’s tragedy, Dan sadly concludes that there’s
“nothing splendid anymore.”

This book is alive with historic detail, decisive action, and
information about period clothing, buildings, and lifestyles. A map of
1813 Toronto’s waterfront and downtown helps to clarify wartime
events. The book would broaden an intermediate student’s knowledge of
the emotions of the Yankees, the British soldiers, and the Loyalists in
Upper Canada.

Fire Ship would be an excellent choice of historical novel for Grade 8
classes. Its large-format, interesting cover, fast-paced story, and
short chapters with frequent breaks would lead readily to class
discussion and insight into this historical period.