Fire Shapes the World
Summary For AFE Community by author, Joanna Coke
Fire Shapes the World is a nonfiction children's picture book, which provides an invitation to see wildland fire as a natural and vital part of life on earth.
The Pyrocene is upon us—a fire epoch of our own creation. As fire ecologists, you understand the scientific foundations of such a term as well as the cultural history that helped it flare to life. But what about those outside the world of fire ecology and fire management—the people seeing fire scorch their communities or breathing smoke from fires afar? How do they view fire, its history, and our future with it? As a writer of books for young readers, I’m especially interested in how fire is introduced to kids.
Written with a child-friendly approach in picture book format, Fire Shapes the World introduces the story of fire and how it has changed this planet. It's an encouraging springboard for conversation, allowing children to explore their connection to this most elemental agent of change. Young minds first understand the world as based on opposites—hot and cold, up and down, inside and outside. Real life is much more complex, and this book offers young readers a chance to see fire with that complexity. If given the chance to understand fire as a nuanced element framing life on Earth, then there is a higher likelihood they will develop a deep appreciation for and positive engagement with fire as adults.
In many ways, Fire Shapes the World is a love story to fire. I want readers to feel a sense of wonder, curiosity, and openness toward fire. Certainly, we face many challenges when it comes to living in a fire-prone world. Exposing young minds to the scope of fire’s impact on Earth in a positive, hopeful way may provide some comfort. Together, comfort and wonder could make all the difference for humanity to not just survive but also thrive.
Click here to the Yosemite Conservancy website’s online store if you are interested in purchasing.
