Chicago, it's an amazing city! I've lived here for nearly 20 years and I still learn something new all the time. In fact, I learned a lot of new things while I was writing this. Did you know that Chicago is where the brownie was invented? That's the most delicious fact! Even if you were born here, I bet there are plenty of things that you don't know about this great city. Here are some books full of fabulous facts and stories about the people and places in our city.
The Right to Play: Do you like playgrounds? Jane Addams, a very famous Chicagoan who believed that children need playgrounds and had one built at the Hull-house in 1895. It was one of the first playgrounds in the country!
Wonderful Hair: Have you ever heard of Annie Malone? She created the first line of Black hair care--and a college to train people to use it! You may have heard this happened in St. Louis, which is true, but did you know that her famous college moved to Chicago in 1930? I loved this story about how a determined kid became an amazing, groundbreaking inventor.
I Survived the Great Chicago Fire, 1871: Yes, you've probably heard of Chicago's most famous fire. Read about it as part of the popular I Survived series, which features kids at the center of the story. If you prefer graphic novels, you can read it as a graphic novel!
Capsized! There's another disaster that took place here: the SS Eastland Disaster. You may not have heard that a boat sank in the Chicago River and more people died than on the Titanic, even though they were much closer to shore. Dig into the story of why this tragedy happened, which will appeal to many readers of the I Survive series.
Hannah G. Solomon Dared to Make A Difference: You may know about the 1893 Columbian Exposition which took place in Chicago and gave us so many things. People also gathered there, like the astounding gathering of Jewish women organized by one of Chicago's own, Hannah G. Solomon.
Monty and Rose Nest at Montrose: Something that currently makes Chicago special are our nesting piping plovers. Monty and Rose started raising chicks here in 2019. This is the story of how they keep their chicks safe.
Looking for a local adventure outside of a book? Hop on the Metra and head over to Pullman Historical Park! Explore exhibits, homes and firehouses and then read the history of the first black-controlled union.
What's your favorite fun fact about Chicago?
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