Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

Presenting panoramas of a lightning-sparked wildfire, Wolff honors a forest ecosystem and the workers who monitor, manage, and fight forest fires.Cinematic scenes toggle between animals-sensing danger, seeking shelter for themselves and their young-and humans, who are spotting, communicating, and fighting the wildfire, from the air and on the ground. Various birds-jay, raven, and more-sound the alarm, echoing Wolff's refrain: "FireFireFire in the forest!" Double-page spreads feature dramatic perspectives and a palette of cool blue-greens and browns, and fiery red, yellow, and purple. Wolff portrays the humans involved in this crucial, often dangerous work as a committed group of racially and gender-diverse workers: Maria staffs a fire lookout; Mia's a pilot ferrying smokejumpers. Dedicating the project to her son Brennan, a Pacific Northwest hotshot for three seasons, Wolff depicts him by name as a crew member. A bulldozer's wide swath of "scraped earth finally halts the fire's march." A welcome storm helps douse flames as tired crews return to base and pilots fly smokejumpers to new wildfires. Final spreads convey a charred forest that nonetheless highlights some of fire's natural, regenerative properties: burst pine cones with nuts for squirrels; temporary meadows for deer; tree snags for foraging woodpeckers. An author's note details shifts in federal response to wildfires and the increasing impacts of climate change and human activity. (This book was reviewed digitally.)A handsome, well-researched tribute to forest ecology and the brave people who help protect it. (glossary, firefighting tools, sources) (Picture book. 5-8)

ALA Booklist (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Written to honor firefighters, this accurate account of how some forest fires are dealt with will enlighten readers. As a jay sounds the alarm for other forest creatures, Maria, high in a lookout tower, radios that smoke has been sighted after trees were struck by lightning. Men and women fight the blaze, both on the ground as "Hotshot" crews and from above with different kinds of aircraft filled with fire retardant and water, while the forest animals hunker down with their young to stay safe. Throughout the book, many different birds repeat the same refrain: "FireFireFire in the forest!" Other forest critters are also mentioned in the text and shown in the illustrations. A fortuitous rain storm assists the exhausted firefighters, dousing the remaining flames and bringing a satisfactory ending to the story. The book offers further information in the form of an author's note, a glossary, sources, and a list of firefighting tools. An engaging introductory lesson in how forest fires are fought.

Horn Book (Mon Feb 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Wolff tells a story of both animal survival during a wildfire and the work of forest firefighters. Readers and listeners will appreciate the clear, direct text -- "Buck hears the rumble. Squirrel sees the flash." Once the lightning strike starts a blaze, humans and animals react. The animals warn one another and take cover or run: turtles burrow, porcupines hide, and bears wade into water. Aircraft head for Spruce Mountain, where firefighters parachute in and trucks arrive loaded with people and equipment. At the culmination of the firefighting efforts, crew members create a firebreak with bulldozers and shovels; and finally a rainstorm helps to douse the flames. With the blaze extinguished, animals come out of hiding and "life continues on Spruce Mountain." The wide, dramatic vistas of forest scenes will feel familiar to fans of Wolff's work (Stella and Roy Go Camping, rev. 5/99; Where, Oh Where, Is Baby Bear?, rev. 11/17). The paintings in vivid reds, oranges, and golds along with the descriptive yet brief text provide sensory details of forest life and wildfire. It is a hopeful story of a fire put out quickly thanks to the efforts of humans and a good deal of luck. Helpful back matter includes a glossary of specialized vocabulary, a list of firefighting tools, and websites for further exploration. A timely, informative, and approachable book. See also Hello, Tree on page 69. Maeve Visser Knoth

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Presenting panoramas of a lightning-sparked wildfire, Wolff honors a forest ecosystem and the workers who monitor, manage, and fight forest fires.Cinematic scenes toggle between animals-sensing danger, seeking shelter for themselves and their young-and humans, who are spotting, communicating, and fighting the wildfire, from the air and on the ground. Various birds-jay, raven, and more-sound the alarm, echoing Wolff's refrain: "FireFireFire in the forest!" Double-page spreads feature dramatic perspectives and a palette of cool blue-greens and browns, and fiery red, yellow, and purple. Wolff portrays the humans involved in this crucial, often dangerous work as a committed group of racially and gender-diverse workers: Maria staffs a fire lookout; Mia's a pilot ferrying smokejumpers. Dedicating the project to her son Brennan, a Pacific Northwest hotshot for three seasons, Wolff depicts him by name as a crew member. A bulldozer's wide swath of "scraped earth finally halts the fire's march." A welcome storm helps douse flames as tired crews return to base and pilots fly smokejumpers to new wildfires. Final spreads convey a charred forest that nonetheless highlights some of fire's natural, regenerative properties: burst pine cones with nuts for squirrels; temporary meadows for deer; tree snags for foraging woodpeckers. An author's note details shifts in federal response to wildfires and the increasing impacts of climate change and human activity. (This book was reviewed digitally.)A handsome, well-researched tribute to forest ecology and the brave people who help protect it. (glossary, firefighting tools, sources) (Picture book. 5-8)