Paradise on Fire

Description

'Addy is a heroine any reader might aspire to be, a teenager who learns to trust her own voice and instincts, who realizes that fire can live within someone, too' - New York Times WINNER OF THE GREEN EARTH BOOK AWARD From award-winning and bestselling author Jewell Parker Rhodes comes a powerful coming-of-age survival tale set during a devastating wild fire. Addy is haunted by the tragic fire that killed her parents, leaving her to be raised by her grandmother. Now, years later, Addy's grandmother has enrolled her in a summer wilderness programme. There, Addy joins five other Black city kids - each with their own troubles - to spend a summer out west. Deep in the forest, the kids learn new (and to them) strange skills: camping, hiking, rock climbing and how to start and safely put out campfires. Most important, they learn to depend upon each other for companionship and survival. But then comes a furious forest fire ... From award-winning and bestselling author Jewell Parker Rhodes comes a powerful survival tale exploring issues of race, class, and climate change. Cadmus Children's Fiction Award winner for the 2022 Green Earth Book Award

Jewell Parker Rhodes grew up in Pennsylvania. She is a best-selling author of adult and children's books, a Coretta Scott King Honour award-winner, and a professor of creative writing at Arizona State University. She currently lives in Seattle.

Addy is a heroine any reader might aspire to be, a teenager who learns to trust her own voice and instincts, who realizes that fire can live within someone, too -- Jennifer Medina * New York Times * ...refreshing, especially in light of national conversations around racial equity in outdoor spaces ... a thrilling survival story * Booklist * Rhodes delivers another gripping story about loss, resilience, and healing ... perfect for reluctant readers ... this is a tale of survival and hope that doesn't disappoint * School Library Journal * Rhodes has a knack for disaster stories with real-life implications, and Addy is an original character whose focus on control is plausible and plausibly advantageous in this very different milieu ... Addy's (and the author's) clear love of the natural world shines throughout, balancing the pounding adventure with respect and appreciation * BCCB * Parker Rhodes believably explores one Black city girl's discovery of the wilderness around her * Publisher's Weekly * Lyrical in tone, the first-person narration brings home Addy's love of nature as well as her urgency to protect it ... Rhodes's contribution brings desperately needed diversity to the wilderness/adventure genre * Horn Book *