Paradise on Fire

By Jewell Parker Rhodes

A wilderness adventure turns deadly as a forest fire forces city kids to fight for survival.

3.7/5 Goodreads · 1,492 ratings

256 pages· 27,182 words· Est. 3 hour read

$16.99Save 6%

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Bookroo's summary

Addy, haunted by her parents' tragic death, joins a wilderness program with five other city kids. As they learn survival skills, a forest fire erupts, forcing Addy to confront her past and lead her friends to safety. With her grandmother's teachings and newfound courage, Addy must navigate the flames and her fears. Can she save them all, or will the fire claim more than just the forest?

From the publisher

From award-winning and bestselling author Jewell Parker Rhodes comes a powerful coming-of-age survival tale exploring issues of race, class, and climate change. Addy is haunted by the tragic fire that killed her parents, leaving her to be raised by her grandmother. Years later, Addy’s grandmother has enrolled her in a summer wilderness program. There, Addy joins five other Black city kids–each with their own troubles–to spend a summer out west. Deep in the forest the kids learn new (and to them) strange skills: camping, hiking, rock climbing, and how to start and safely put out campfires. Most important, they learn to depend upon each other for companionship and survival. But then comes a devastating forest fire… Addy is face-to-face with her destiny and haunting past. Developing her courage and resiliency against the raging fire, it’s up to Addy to lead her friends to safety. Not all are saved. But remembering her origins and grandmother’s teachings, she’s able to use street smarts, wilderness skills, and her spiritual intuition to survive. BCALA 2021 Best of the Best Book A Cadmus Children’s Fiction Award for the Green Earth Book Award winner

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