CHILDREN OF THE FIRE

In search of adventure, feisty 11-year-old Hallelujah escapes the watchful eye of her guardian and watches Chicago burn down around her during one memorable October week. Meticulously, Robinet re-creates the events of the 1871 fire. Hallelujah wanders about, witnessing behavior both brave and cowardly; performing some brave deeds of her own; alternating between excitement, horror at the destruction, and guilt that she is enjoying the experience; and meeting a succession of people- -including Elizabeth, a wealthy, newly homeless white girl who lives with Hallelujah until her snooty parents track her down. The characters here are less well developed than the themes; adults can sound childlike (``Lordy, Mr. Joseph, what have you done did?'') while children sound like adults (``We're both children. We have the same feelings and needs...''), but Hallelujah sees many people put aside their racial prejudices and pitch in to begin rebuilding. The message sits a bit heavily, and there are some careless repetitions; still, this child's-eye view of a great event should appeal to readers with a historical bent. Bibliography; maps not seen. (Fiction. 10-13)