Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 09/15/2023 *Starred Review* After a fire lookout, perched on a tall tower in the woods, notices smoke, she calculates the location of the fire and radios dispatch. This opening sequence sets up this timely, strikingly illustrated informational picture book on smoke jumpers, hotshot firefighters, and some of the people who support them to put out wildfires. Dramatic scenes, such as smoke jumpers parachuting to the site of the fire, a hotshot firefighting crew establishing a fire line to contain the blaze, and a helitack crew extracting an injured firefighter, are digitally rendered in bold colors and a style that is at once retro and fresh. Chunked text with descriptions packed with action verbs matches the intensity of the dangerous firefighting efforts. Boxed text, inset illustrations, and specialized terms with accompanying definitions provide more details about wildfires, fire lines, and the working conditions of the diverse, elite firefighters. A wildfire’s danger to animals, as well as its emotional impact on humans forced to evacuate, also become visceral experiences. The story line concludes with an exhausted but smiling crew, because the fire’s out. Extended back matter explains fire ecology, U.S. fire management, and the makeup of some hotshot crews (including seven Native American crews and the unjust use of incarcerated individuals), while infographics display protective gear and supplies and thumbnails of safety standards. A spectacular, up-close look at heroic firefighting. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 07/01/2023 Gr 2–5—This jam-packed picture book incorporates sidebars, captioned pictures, labeled diagrams, and extensive back matter, treating readers to a text both informative and exciting. Beginning with a lone figure "watching and waiting… she is watching as a dry thunderstorm rolls over the timbered horizon," the narrative continues as the first spark creates a "finger of smoke," and details the jobs of an extensive crew that includes smokejumpers, hand crews, and the burn boss (with definitions in sidebars) as they enforce the fireline. Vivid colors in deeply saturated hues of red, yellow, and orange convey the heat and danger of the situation; as the fire gains momentum, the illustrations grow increasingly dense and suffocating. Sweat beads dot the firefighter's faces as the threat increases, with a breath of white space emerging only when the fire, finally, is contained. Back matter confirms that "some of the most elite hotshot crews are Native Americans." The dense material covers fire ecology, conservation, environmental risks, fire prevention, and the role of science—all while reinforcing the goal of the firefighter: to be a steward of the land. VERDICT This visual and textual feast highlights the skill of firefighters as well as honors their mission. Recommended for all library collections.—Rebecca Kirshenbaum - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.