THE BIG BURN

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. (June)