Wildfire
by Breena Bard (Author)
An inspiring and moving graphic novel, Wildfire follows climate change through the eyes of one middle-school girl, who's eager to turn her anger into action.
Julianna loved her life in rural Oregon.
She loved taking care of her farm animals and being part of her local 4H club. But then the unthinkable happened...a wildfire destroyed her family's home.
In the aftermath, her family relocated to Portland, Oregon, where Julianna hopes to put everything behind her. Believing the fire to be the result of kids playing with fireworks, she certainly isn't interested when her parents and younger sister start getting involved in the growing climate change protests.
All she wants to do is move on, but that becomes near impossible when Carson, an old friend from her hometown who may have had a hand in starting the wildfire, is suddenly back in her life. Julianna can't seem to catch a break, but when two new friends invite her to join their school's conservation club, she learns that maybe she can turn her anger into something powerful.
Emotional and inspiring, Wildfire shows readers that healing from tragedy can take many forms and demonstrates what it means to take action in the face of climate change--and how that action can be different for each of us.
Locate at a Library Near You WorldCat is the world's largest library catalog, helping you find library materials online.
Find books about:
Publishers Weekly
Heading home from her weekly 4-H meeting, 13-year-old Julianna finds her friend Carson playing with fireworks in the Oregon woods. Julianna informs him that he could accidentally start a fire, but Carson rebuffs her warnings. Later, Julianna and her younger sister, Stella, notice an ominous yellow haze filling the sky. At their parents' urging, the siblings pack up essential belongings--along with their cat and goats--to evacuate ahead of an oncoming wildfire. Soon they're renting a house in Portland, having lost their home, and Julianna starts eighth grade intending to hide that she's the "lost-everything-in-a-fire girl." When she learns that Carson is enrolled at the same school--and worse, that he's attending an after-school environmental conservation group that Julianna recently joined--she struggles to reconcile her bitter feelings toward him. Bold, loopy outlines and vibrantly saturated hues depict plentiful natural landscapes and smiley, dot-eyed characters, all rendered with varying skin tones. Without dwelling on the fire itself, Bard (Trespassers) credibly explores the emotional trauma caused by climate change. Timely messaging surrounding conservation efforts and the catharsis that a supportive community can bring permeate this gripping graphic novel. Ages 8-14. Agent: Alex Slater, Trident Media Group. (Sept.)
Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.ALA/Booklist
Climate anxiety is a real concern for many kids, especially those who have experienced wildfires first hand, and this thoughtful comic will surely ring powerfully true.
Kirkus
A compassionate, action-focused story about climate justice, relationships, trauma, and healing.
Review quotes
JUV029010 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | Environment
Protest movements
Cartoons and comics
Wildfires
Climatic changes
