I love the title.
A spark can start a wildfire.
A spark can bring hope.

Spark by Chris Baron is nothing if not hopeful, and as a middle grade novel that sentiment shines through. This novel in verse spoke to living with fire, in a community where fire danger is present, and what comes next in the aftermath of one. This book tackles the many layers associated with a complex system. I look forward to reading more by this author!

Spark is a wonderful book for students to think about the world around them and the impact that we have on everything. I think students will love getting to know these characters. Definitely a must-have for your shelves!

Lightning strikes, fire starts, forest burns. It's a cycle that nature has been repeating for eons. With more people living in areas closer to forests, more communities are being affected by these fires. This novel in verse follows two kids from the trail cameras they set up to see wildlife and their conflict with a local developer, to evacuation from a fast moving fire and back. With events like these in the news more, his book offers a glimpse into the minds of middle schoolers amidst an unfolding natural disaster. Great for adventure readers.

Wow. This is a powerful novel-in-verse.

Finn and his best friend, Rabbit, live in a small community that's dealt with smoke from distant wildfires. Climate change has causes visible impacts in their young lives, with a local stream drying up, less rain, no snow on the mountains, and more. They have an idea what to do if a fire comes, but once that fire does show up, it moves faster than anticipated.

The children struggle with the aftermath of the fire, including trauma, grief, and more. They also try to get adults to listen to them about how to prevent this from happening again. The children believe that they know a way to rejuvenate the area, but how can they get through to the adults?

So many children deal with the impacts of trauma, including PTSD. I wish a book like this had been around when I was diagnosed with PTSD as a child. I wouldn't have felt so alone. I would have also seen hope in the pages of the book. This book would have made a world of difference for me if it had been around back then. I'm so grateful that it's been written. It will change lives, and it may even save some lives. literally.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC! This should be in all upper elementary and middle school libraries, as well as public libraries.

In Spark, Chris Baron explores climate change and the deadly, devastating impact of wildfire in one small community in California. In this novel in verse, Finn and his friend Rabbit are displaced when a wildfire rips through their town, forcing everyone to evacuate. When they return, nothing is the same and Finn and Rabbit struggle to find a way to use their voices to protect their beloved forest and do what is right for their community. This is a powerful novel that deals with the very real and very scary issue of deadly wildfire in a warming world -- and helps encourage kids to find their voice and stand up for what they believe in.

Timely and powerful middle grade novel-in-verse by Chris Baron! Finn and Rabbit are best friends and neighbors, bonded by their love of nature and wildlife. When wildfires threaten their neighborhood, homes, friends, and families, they are forced to find new ways to continue to fight for the animals and landscape around them while navigating adult-concerns of jobs, income, and the build up of the town around them. Middle grade readers will quickly be absorbed into Finn and Rabbit's world and will have their eyes opened to a highly important topic! A must-have for classroom libraries!

Spark brings the reader into a small community, a comfy collection of friends and families, and a tragedy that comes to them all. The characters and emotions are well written and authentic, and most of the adults are able to make productive and emotionally intelligent suggestions.

At the start of eighth grade Finn knows where he’s from and what’s important. Redwood Hollows, at the entrance to a national forest is a tight knit community and with his best friend Rabbit and her dog Thorn, Finn explores the woods, hoping to glimpse the area’s first wolf in over a hundred years. When a wildfire devastates the town and upends lives, Finn and Rabbit struggle to put the pieces of their community and their friendship back together. Set in northern California, this quick moving verse novel is told from Finn’s perspective. Issues of fire ecology, wildlife-urban interface and climate change are centered, but are leavened by realistic friendship strains, and the drama of a natural disaster. A great book for a class discussion or to hand to an ecology-minded child. Finn reads as white and Jewish, Rabbit’s family is Filipino. Thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for an Advance Reader's Copy in return for an unbiased review.

This is the second novel by Chris Baron that I’ve read, but the first in verse, and what a treat! Like, it’s largely a serious story that bravely excavates some big feelings and mental health issues. I found it incredibly easy to get lost in this story, though. A couple times, I had to pause and just breathe.

In the story, Finn faces some scary situations. Afterward, he experiences some symptoms of PTSD. I remember experiencing some of the symptoms he described. Those lines took me back to those moments– it felt like the kind of observations that had to come from someone who’d been through what Finn felt.

It’s also such a hopeful story, and that’s so important. Wildfires and the threat of them is terrifying. What can one person do in the face of such a huge fire or a serious threat? Baron’s characters explore these questions themselves and look for ways they can help their families and community. They celebrate a connection with nature that others don’t always understand. As they continue sharing their hope and passion, others begin to listen and forge their own connections with the natural world.

I loved that the story faces hardship head-on but remains so focused on hope. I can’t think of anything we need more than stories that take our kids fears and experiences seriously and make space for those things but also remind us to be hopeful and remind us how powerful a little hope can be.

Expect to see Spark on end of the year favorites lists. It’s so worth reading.

Perfect for fans of tense, survival/adventure stories like Alan Gratz, Lauren Tarshis and also Alone by Megan Freeman. I think readers of Pax would also appreciate this story.

Spark tells the traumatic story of a wildfire and its aftermath. Finn and his friends are driven from their home from a fast spreading wildfire. When they return about a month later some things are the same, but still everything seems different. Finn, his parents, his friends, and his community are all trying to deal with the tragedy and the trauma in their own ways, which sometimes puts them at odds with each other. Finn's friend Rabbit, especially, is determined to save their forest by trying to prevent further development that could alter the environment and balance even more. Finn learns about friendship, resilience, and himself throughout this story. As a novel in verse, it will feel accessible to less eager readers, and the story will keep all readers wanting more.

Spend some time talking to kids and you’ll discover that they are passionate about and willing to work hard for things that are important to them. The forest is important to Finn and Rabbit for a number of reasons. In this powerful novel in verse the forests they love are constantly threatened by fire and these kids are ready to do something about it! Whether you love the outdoors, novels in verse, or just a story about strong-willed characters, then this book is for you.

It only took a few sparks to ignite a fire that grew to cover a vast area. But two nature loving youngsters manage to find a spark of hope in this brilliant story in verse. Chris Baron explores both the physical destruction of the forest and encroaching construction and the psychological toll on the people effected. The use of verse captures the wonder of observing the animal life and the devastation felt by the victims. His story explores both the causes of wild fires and some of the things that can be done to help solve the problem.

This fantastic story has a lot of diversity in the characters. The main character is Jewish and so is his teacher. His best friend is a Pilipino American. Although their cultures are explored to some degree, their backgrounds do not figure as major plot points. However the friend with a mom in in a wheelchair and another friend with asthma do show some of the extra hardships experienced by disabled people in a disaster,

This middle grade novel is a must read for any child who has felt powerless and wished that they could find a way to make a difference.

This middle grave novel in verse is for your young nature lovers. Finn and his best friend Rabbit are obsessed with nature, especially after their small town is ravaged by wildfires. They’re dedicated to do whatever they can to “save the forest!” and help foster in a new season of regrowth.

The characters are so well done, the story balance well between action and introspection. The messages of saving our planet and facing adversity with resilience are great.

I found myself confused at parts while reading. The novel in verse is a tricky format, and I think some things were not always explained and the action sometimes jumped from scene to scene. All dialogue is in italics instead of quotation marks, so I had to really pay attention when a character began speaking or when a conversation was happening. Although novels in verse are touted as great for struggling readers, this one may need to be for readers with stronger comprehension because of the inference skills needed.

3.5 stars rounded up

Author Chris Baron has written a moving story that pulled me in immediately. I identified with the suspense felt by the neighborhood residents as they carried on with their lives hopeful that the nearby wildfires would stay away and I loved the subplot with Uncle Charlie, teacher and environmentalist. While Spark is a middle age book, I found myself emotionally engaging with the plight of Rabbit and Finn as they try to save their beloved forest from the effects of climate change. And I felt deep sympathy for the mental health of the characters as their neighborhood is engulfed in flames requiring evacuation. Spark brings the desperate need for climate change mitigation to the forefront in a story that's engaging and heartfelt.

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

This sweet novel deals with the hardships that families face when natural disasters, such as the California wildfires, sweep through their area. Told in verse, in a style that looks like diary or journal entries, this will bring to life these experiences for those that haven't experienced them, and help develop empathy for others. Meanwhile, those that have endured this unique type of displacement and the grief that accompanies it will feel seen and heard in this novel. It's written simply enough to be read by as young as 2nd graders and will likely appeal to students through 5th and maybe 6th grade.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, for allowing me to read Spark by Chris Baron in exchange for my honest review. #Spark

Finn and Rabbit are best friends, adventurers, and, more importantly, recent survivors of the fires that destroyed their town. After the fire, everything changes; school no longer feels the same for Finn. He doesn't want to pick up his field guide and write in it anymore. He barely feels like himself, but he holds it together for his best friend, Rabbit, who is also falling apart. She lost her dog, Thorn, before the fire, and he still hasn't turned up. On top of that, one person is talking about building a baseball stadium and houses on the recently ashen grounds of their favorite park. Read more to find out what happens.

This powerful novel in verse is timely and a must-read.

A novel in verse focusing on an all too common event in the United States: devastating forest fires.

Finn and his parents live in Redwood Hollows, a rural California area. Rabbit (Marisol) is a best friend who shares his concern with the environmental effects caused by the frequent fires, especially what is happening to animals and plants in the forest. But what can two kids do to help?

When another out of control fire gets too close, everyone is forced to evacuate leaving homes and belongings behind. Finn’s family stays with his aunt in another California community farther away from the danger. Meanwhile, Rabbit’s beloved dog is missing but her family flees to find safety in Texas.

These two continue to communicate and discover evidence of what may have started the fire via Rabbit’s trail camera they had set up. The main focus of this engaging story though is on evacuation, rebuilding and the effects of life turned upside down for all residents.

Reading this revealing story gives you a deep understanding of wildfires and how climate change is causing their increased frequency. Equally important is the spark of hope a community feels thanks in part to Finn and Rabbit. SPARK is an important novel, one that will appeal to middle grade readers of all ages.

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: SPARK by Chris Baron

1. Finn is a good student and his voice carries the story so well.
2. PTSD is discussed as their substitute teacher virtually connects with the students and has them talk about what they are going through emotionally. Such an important component to healing and one Finn realizes he also needs.
3. The author based the story on his own experiences living in California which result in a much deeper reveal for the effects of wildfires.
4. How builders of new projects are often blind to the interaction of their projects and the environment. Working together is the answer that brings positive results.
5. Firefighters and evacuation strategies are the heroes in making everyone feel safe.

Powerful and emotional, action-driven novel in verse telling the story of California wildfires. I particularly appreciated the author’s note detailing how he came to write the book from his own experiences with wildfires.

This book was absolutely beautiful! I marked so many lines in this novel in verse story. I know a lot of my students will love this story. I’m excited to share this as a recommendation to them because it is truly a beautifully written book.