THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

Campers are evacuated from a summer camp due to an approaching forest fire. 12 year-old Sam returns to his cabin to retrieve his cell phone and is separated from the group. He finds himself fighting to stay ahead of the forest fire and find safety.

Wildfire is a gripping, fast-paced adventure!

The good:

• Have courage and move forward in spite of fear
• Assess danger and find a way to survive
• Take safety precautions and be prepared
• Develop self-reliance, grit, and endurance
• Learn as you go
• Have hope and never give up

Content of which to be aware:

• Slang, insults, exclamations, or profanity: “sucked,” “stupid,” “duh,” “butt,” “fatty camp,” “toot,” “creeps,” “jerks,” “darn,” “puke,” “dork,” “dumb,” “loser,” “idiot,” etc.
• Sam’s mother is in drug rehab (mentioned in chapters: 3, 6, 7, 19, 20, 22, 26, 32, 33, & 41). However, the references to drugs are not central to the plot. You can cover over the passages with white out or skip it if you are reading aloud.
• Hunger and thirst
• Intense danger
• A girl sneaks away from camp at night to meet a boy
• Sam’s father died in Afghanistan
• There is a vehicle accident
• Sam trespasses and stays in a cabin
• Sam worries his luck will run out
• When Sam apologizes to his father for not being able to do something, his father responds, “Don’t give me sorry, boy. I don’t believe in sorry.”
• Sam steals and drives a jeep
• Encounter with a bear
• Arsonists start a fire
• Children are chased by arsonists