The Big Burn

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 1, 2002
Gr 7 Up-This exciting survival/adventure story is told ensemble-style. Bumbling Private Seth Brown of the all-black 25th infantry wonders if the Army will be as good to him as it was to his father. Lizbeth, 16, wants to stay on the homestead claimed by her 26-year-old aunt Celia, but Celia can't wait to return East. Jarrett Logan, 16, tossed out on his own by his gruff and demanding father, finds that being reunited with his older brother, a forest ranger, isn't much smoother. These threads become plausibly entwined as each short chapter gradually builds toward the climactic "perfect storm" of forest fires that raged in Idaho and surrounding states during the summer of 1910 and is known as the Big Burn. The author's frequent foreshadowing seems heavy-handed. Periodic "Field Notes" give authorial voice to background material that, while relevant, is clearly shown in the plot. Stereotyping the bad guy as having a scar and a crossed eye seems unnecessary. Excellent period vocabulary may send some readers to the dictionary. The round-robin plot construction keeps the pace moving effectively through the climactic scenes and the mostly predictable, satisfying resolutions that follow. An afterword notes that evidence of this fire remains visible today. The "Sources and Suggestions for Further Reading" section is excellent, subdivided by subject and including books, newspapers, and Internet resources.-Joel Shoemaker, Southeast Junior High School, Iowa City, IA

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.