Rose, Caroline Starr. Burning Season, The. Nancy Paulsen, 05/2025. 237pp. Fiction. Trade $17.99. 978-0-593-61793-9. GRADES 4–7. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
Twelve-year-old Opal lives with her mother and grandmother in a fire observation tower in a forest in New Mexico, where they all work to keep fires from getting out of control. Like previous books by this author, including May B (2012), the story is told in compelling free verse which helps create tension and urgency. Opal and her family appear to be white but her best friends the Trujillos are Latine, and during an emergency Opal has an inner monologue on how the indigenous tribes of that area dealt with fires before whites came there. Although the first half takes a while to get going, the last half will keep readers on the edge of their seats. An author’s note adds facts about the Gila National Forest and firefighting techniques.
Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool