November 11, 2002
The confluence of wildfires that burned in Idaho and Montana in 1910—eventually christened the Big Burn—serves as the setting for this dramatic work of historical fiction. Gaines takes on a confident air and deliberate reading pace as he relates how people from all walks of life in the Pacific Northwest dealt with the ravaging natural disaster. Ingold intertwines the stories of three teenagers—a bumbling soldier, a feisty homesteader's niece and a young fire patrol worker—presenting their experiences in alternating chapters. The accounts of a forest ranger and a botany professor are interspersed as well, as "field notes" sections. This structure allows Ingold to deliver scientific fact and theory about how wildfires have historically behaved and been managed. Chapter introductions and well-timed pauses keep listeners on track as they follow each character. Current information on wildfires is included in an afterword, which should be of particular interest given the fires that ravaged Colorado and other states in the summer of 2002. Gaines's enthusiasm for capturing every detail here is catching; listeners will want to find out what happens to Seth, Lizbeth and Jarrett. Simultaneous release with the Harcourt hardcover.
Ages 12-up.
August 25, 2003
"Against the backdrop of beauty and devastation, each of three teens battles the momentum of a wildfire, 'the big burn,' that scorched millions of acres across Idaho and Montana in 1910," wrote PW. Also available this month by Ingold: The Window, $6.95-204926-6. Ages 12-up.
July 1, 2002
Ingold (Pictures, 1918) captures the momentum of a wildfire in this historical novel about "the big burn" that scorched millions of acres across Idaho and Montana in 1910. Against the atmospheric backdrop of beauty and devastation, each of three teens bravely battles the fire. As a member of the all-black infantry sent to help, Seth conquers his own insecurities; Jarrett, younger brother of a forest ranger, chooses to combat the blaze with the rough-and-tumble, ill-equipped hired crews; while Lizbeth and her guardian cousin reluctantly abandon their homestead, only to face the danger in town. Ingold intersperses the intersecting stories of the teenagers with "field notes" recorded by a ranger and a university professor; these slow the pace but offer illuminating background, including the contrast between the Indian tradition of setting controlled fires annually versus the government's belief that "the only safe way to control fire was to not let it burn in the first place." The narrative flags a bit—a romance between Jarrett and Lizabeth never becomes as compelling as their individual struggles—but on balance, the triumphs and casualties recounted here will heighten appreciation for the courage and sacrifice of firefighters and settlers; the book may be especially timely in light of this summer's runaway fires in the West. Ages 12-up.