Published: 2021
Author: Jewell Parker Rhodes
Genres: Middle Grade, YA Realistic Fiction, Survival, Adventure
Audience: Grades 5–12
Number of Stars: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Goodreads Link: Paradise on Fire
Content Warnings: Death of parents, grief/PTSD, racism, and intense wildfire situations.
Publisher’s Summary
A 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. Now, 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.
Full Review
Paradise on Fire is a high-stakes survival story that is nearly impossible to put down. Jewell Parker Rhodes is a master of “hi-lo” writing—creating stories with high-interest themes that remain accessible to a wide range of reading levels. This book tackles deep, timely issues like climate change, systemic racism, and the lingering effects of trauma, yet it does so in a way that feels organic to the adventure.
The protagonist, Addy, is a compelling lead. Because of her past trauma, she is constantly “on edge,” mapping out escape routes in every room she enters. Her talent for seeing spaces from an aerial perspective and sketching them is a unique narrative device, and these drawings are included throughout the book to help the reader visualize her world.
I read this with my middle school class, and they were completely engaged. It pushed them to think critically about real-world events and the power individuals have to make a difference. Whether you are looking for a pulse-pounding adventure or a sensitive exploration of healing, I highly recommend this book.
📊 Intersectionality: Race, Class, and Nature
Rhodes highlights the “Adventure Gap”—the historical and systemic reasons why Black youth are often underrepresented in wilderness spaces.
- Demographics in the Outdoors: According to the 2021 Outdoor Participation Trends Report, while Black Americans make up roughly 13-14% of the US population, they represent only about 9% of outdoor participants.
- Urban Heat Islands: Addy and her friends come from the Bronx. Studies show that formerly redlined neighborhoods (predominantly minority communities) can be up to 12.6°F hotter than non-redlined areas due to lack of green space.
- Environmental Justice: The book explores how climate change disproportionately affects different communities, connecting the “city kids”‘ experiences to the global environmental crisis.
🎒 Classroom & Curricular Connections
-
Science (Earth & Environmental Science): Use the book to study the impact of climate change on weather patterns.
Activity Idea: Research the “Camp Fire” of 2018 in Paradise, California. How do the events in the book mirror the real-life tragedy of that town?
-
ELA (Imagery & Perspective): Analyze Addy’s “Map-making” as a metaphor for her PTSD.
Activity Idea: Have students draw an “aerial map” of their school or neighborhood, marking “safe zones” and “escape routes” as Addy would. Discuss how her perspective shifts from fear to leadership.
-
Social Studies (Civics & Geography): Discuss the concept of Environmental Racism.
Activity Idea: Research the history of National Parks in the US. Why might kids from the Bronx feel like “outsiders” in the California wilderness?
-
Psychology (PTSD and Resilience): Explore how Addy’s trauma actually provides her with the hyper-vigilance needed to save her friends.
Activity Idea: Discuss the “Fight, Flight, or Freeze” response. Identify moments in the book where characters display each of these reactions during the fire.
