Description
Amy is staying in Marysville with her grandmother, and has helped her in the garden and to clean out her gutters. It is, after all, bushfire season. As summer arrives, so do the fires, and Dad is busy helping control the flames in bushfires that have started burning in Victoria. But it is early February 2009, and the Black Saturday bushfire is about to encircle Amy and her family, and teach Amy first-hand about tragedy and survival.
Review
This is truly an emotional story of family, love, courage, tragedy and loss.
It is the summer of 2008/2009 and Amy is emotional that her big brother Aaron has gone overseas for 12 months. It is now just her at home with her Mum, a scientist who researches climate change, and her Dad, who works for Parks Victoria and is also a volunteer fire fighter. Their whole family are all ‘environmentally’ aware and have a strong passion for the environment and climate change.
So when Amy’s Mum then heads to Europe for her work (and to see Aaron), and her Dad is off fighting fires, Amy finds herself at her Gran’s house in Marysville. Amy finds a new friend there, Jackson, and together they have fun over the summer.
But no one could foresee just how quickly things could turn so devastating. Even being ‘fire ready’ didn’t prepare any of them for the events of Black Saturday, and Amy finds courage and bravery that she never knew she had.
This is a very timely read for your senior primary students and highlights just how precious life is.
Reviewed by Sam
