1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
Twelve-year-old Opal has a secret: she’s deathly afraid of fire. Still Opal is preparing to become a fourth-generation lookout on Wolf Mountain, deep in the New Mexico wilderness. She, Mom, and Gran live at ten thousand feet in a single room at the top of a fire tower. They are responsible for spotting any hint of smoke before it becomes an uncontrollable blaze.
Instead of training for the lonely life of a lookout, Opal wishes she could be starting seventh grade in Silver City, attending real classes with kids her own age and even going to afterschool clubs like FFA. But Wolf Mountain has other ideas. When Mom makes the long trek to town for supplies and Gran goes missing, Opal is the only one to spot a tell-tale spiral of smoke moving up the mountainside. She’ll have to be braver than she’s ever been as she heads into the woods, beyond Wolf Ridge’s old blackened burn scar, to face down a fire on her own. But when a fire is what took her father away, and Opal herself knows the sting of smoke and lick of flames, how can she be brave enough when it really counts?
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
May 13, 2025 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780593617946
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780593617946
- File size: 1741 KB
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Accessibility
The publisher provides the following statement about the accessibility of the EPUB file supplied to OverDrive. Experiences may vary across reading systems. After borrowing the book, you may download the EPUB files to read in another reading system.
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This ebook features mark-up that supports accessibility and enables compatibility with assistive technology. It has been designed to allow display properties to be modified by the reader. The file includes a table of contents, a defined reading order, and ARIA roles to identify key sections and improve the reading experience. A page list and page break locations help readers coordinate with the print edition. Headings allow readers to navigate the ebook quickly by level. Images are well described in conformance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Colors meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA contrast standards. There are no hazards.
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Has alternative text descriptions for images.
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The publication contains a conformance statement that it meets the EPUB Accessibility and WCAG 2 Level AA standard.
The publication was certified by Penguin Random House LLC.
This publication claims to meet EPUB Accessibility 1.1 WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
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Table of contents to all chapters of the text via links.
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Additional Information
Page breaks included
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Color is not the sole means of conveying information
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Starred review from March 1, 2025
Grades 5-8 *Starred Review* Opal lives in a fire tower in the Gila Wilderness with her mom and Gran. On her twelfth birthday, she begins her training as a fire lookout--the first step in following in her mother's, grandmother's, and great-aunt's footsteps. There's just one problem: Opal is deeply afraid of fire. While her mom is on a supply run, Opal's Gran fails to return from a walk. Fearing the worst, Opal sets out to find her--and spots her first smoke. This novel in verse exquisitely captures Opal's journey as she owns her fear, learns what it takes to overcome it, and discovers what she's capable of. Opal's voice shines through each poem, deepening moments of emotional resonance and intensifying action sequences. Rose seamlessly integrates the science of wildfires into the poems while also acknowledging Indigenous land practices and how modern fire management has begun employing them; the author's note elaborates on these ideas. Excellent pacing, an engrossing plot, and an endearing main character make this impossible to put down. A riveting survival story with emotional growth.COPYRIGHT(2025) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Starred review from March 15, 2025
A young wilderness lookout confronts family expectations and her fear of fire. This novel written in emotive free verse brings the emotional impact of poetry to 12-year-old Opal Gloria Halloway's coming-of-age tale of survival. Living in a lookout tower in New Mexico's Gila National Forest with her mother and grandmother, she struggles with competing fears and desires. Blue-eyed, red-haired Opal genuinely wishes to follow in the paths of three generations of women in her family who were fire-spotting lookouts: As Gran says, "'It seems like forever / we've lived on this mountain.' // 'But fire's lived here longer.'" Yet Opal also yearns to simply attend seventh grade in nearby Cielito and live with the Trujillos, whose twin boys, Vince and Jacob, are her best friends. Deeper down, she struggles with an overwhelming fear of flames: A horrific wildfire claimed her father's life. When a washed-out trail leaves Opal's mother stranded in town and Gran gets lost in the forest, Opal must dig deep to find the courage to protect the people she loves and figure out her place in the world. Believable emotions, gripping action, and skillfully incorporated information about climate change and wildfire management make this a relatable and engaging read. A girl-versus-nature story that shines with evocative verse, a compelling protagonist, and a brisk plotline. (author's note)(Verse fiction. 10-14)COPYRIGHT(2025) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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May 1, 2025
Gr 4-7-A fear of fire is a secret that weighs heavy in the heart of 12-year-old Opal, the fourth generation of women to live in the fire lookout tower on isolated Wolf Peak in the Gila National Forest. Gran has started training her to one day be the fire lookout, but what Opal really wants is to move to town to attend middle school. After a storm lands them at their post without Opal's mother, Gran suddenly needs more help than Opal can provide; then Opal spots her first fire, sure to become a blaze and headed right for Gran. This fast-paced survival story is written in verse; the style brings readers along with Opal, racing through the forest as she calls on everything she has learned to take control of a situation she never dreamed of mastering. Descriptions of the National Forest feel vivid and realistic; Opal and her family know and love the land and detailed pictures are painted by the verse. They are not Indigenous, and lands are seen through their eyes, with mention of the ways that the Mogollon and Apache peoples dealt with fire. VERDICT The adventure starts fast in this wilderness survival verse novel that will circulate in libraries with students who enjoy Dusti Bowling's The Canyon's Edge, and Gary Paulsen's "Brian's Saga" series.-Jill Shepard
Copyright 2025 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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