Out of the Fires

June 1, 2023
The aftermath of a natural disaster becomes an educational narrative. Narrated by a boy coming back to school following a wildfire that canceled classes for two weeks, this book is intended to help young people grappling with similar events. The first section deals with the return to school in paragraphs broken up by related, colored pencil-esque images. The boy learns strategies for dealing with trauma (writing, drawing, taking deep breaths). It's not until the second section that readers discover exactly what happened, though the author's introduction details the 2017 California wildfires that inspired the book. This section describes the fire and the boy and his family's evacuation, giving readers a child's-eye view that, amid the chaos, grounds itself in people's kindness. The narrator's reaction to the fire evolves over time; sometimes he feels angry, other times sad and lost. Moments of frustration are conveyed, too: "My emotions exploded," he says, alongside an image of a mushroom cloud. However, seeing his friends again makes him feel happy; the child's emotional journey will reassure both young people and adults. Interspersed news clippings describe what is happening in the community at large, though the narrator mostly focuses on his personal journey. At the end, however, he discusses worldwide disasters, and he and his classmates send encouraging messages to kids in Australia, where wildfires also raged. An important guide to finding strength after trauma for children and guardians alike. (resiliency and coping worksheet, additional resources) (Fiction. 8-12)

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June 1, 2023
Grades 3-6 In the aftermath of a wildfire that destroys his family's home, a young boy turns to his journal as an outlet, processing his emotions through writing and drawing. Earnest and forthright, the boy's journal entries follow his gradual understanding that "there is no right or wrong way to feel" as he develops coping strategies with the help of his teachers, counselors, and family. Experienced author and licensed clinical psychologist Lara deftly models a child's journey through grief and resilience in this empathetic, unintimidating portrayal of loss. Multimedia illustrations by Larmour, from colored-pencil sketches to sandwich crumbs to newspaper clippings, enrich the narrative. Drawings add depth and significance to the entries by filling in the gaps when words aren't enough--or when they're too much. Published by the American Psychological Association, the book provides a hopeful narrative of healing for young readers experiencing disruption from climate disasters or other crises. The book includes extensive back matter resources on resilience and coping with disasters for readers and caregivers.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.