Saturday, October 7, 2-4 PM: YA Graphic Novelist Breena Bard, from Portland: Meet and Greet, Book Talk, Signing
Breena wiil be visiting in celebration of her newest graphic novel, “Wildfire.” Breena’s 2020 release Trespassers (Scholastic/Graphix) won an Oregon Book Award for graphic literature in 2022. Both books will be available for purchase and signing.
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About Wildfire:
Publishers Weekly (07/10/2023):
Heading home from her weekly 4-H meeting, 13-year-old Julianna finds her friend Carson playing with fireworks in the Oregon woods. Julianna informs him that he could accidentally start a fire, but Carson rebuffs her warnings. Later, Julianna and her younger sister, Stella, notice an ominous yellow haze filling the sky. At their parents' urging, the siblings pack up essential belongings--along with their cat and goats--to evacuate ahead of an oncoming wildfire. Soon they're renting a house in Portland, having lost their home, and Julianna starts eighth grade intending to hide that she's the "lost-everything-in-a-fire girl." When she learns that Carson is enrolled at the same school--and worse, that he's attending an after-school environmental conservation group that Julianna recently joined--she struggles to reconcile her bitter feelings toward him. Bold, loopy outlines and vibrantly saturated hues depict plentiful natural landscapes and smiley, dot-eyed characters, all rendered with varying skin tones. Without dwelling on the fire itself, Bard (Trespassers) credibly explores the emotional trauma caused by climate change. Timely messaging surrounding conservation efforts and the catharsis that a supportive community can bring permeate this gripping graphic novel. Ages 8-14. Agent: Alex Slater, Trident Media Group. (Sept.) Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Biographical Note:
Breena Bard writes and illustrates comics for kids and kids at heart, drawing inspiration from the stacks of graphic novels on her bedside table. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two kids. When she's not working on books, Breena enjoys eating pizza, watching movies, playing the drums, and exploring the outdoors with her family.
Review Quotes:
"A compassionate, action-focused story about climate justice, relationships, trauma, and healing."-- Kirkus Reviews
Review Quotes:
*"Timely messaging surrounding conservation efforts and the catharsis that a supportive community can bring permeate this gripping graphic novel."-- Publishers Weekly, starred review
Review Quotes:
"A vibrant and attention-grabbing story kids won't be able to turn away from. A perfect firework of a book."-- Ira Marcks, author of Shark Summer and Spirit Week
Review Quotes:
"Loss, grief, resilience, forgiveness, and our rapidly heating planet--Wildfire is a modern tale about what it means to be a climate refugee, but above all, it is a story of hope that will inspire collective action."-- Aron Nels Steinke, Eisner Award-winning author of the Mr. Wolf's Class series
Review Quotes:
"Like a forest after a burn, Wildfire is a thoughtful reminder that things don't end after loss, it's just a time for regrowth. How we choose to do that is up to us."-- Jonathan Hill, author of Tales of a Seventh-Grade Lizard Boy
Review Quotes:
"Breena Bard's Wildfire is a grounded, graceful story about the losses we face -- some more acutely than others -- from a changed environment. Bard excels with warm, natural dialogue and a careful attention to place. A lovely book."-- Jonathan Case, author of Little Monarchs
Publisher Marketing:
An inspiring and moving graphic novel, Wildfire follows climate change through the eyes of one middle-school girl, who's eager to turn her anger into action.
Emotional and inspiring,Wildfire shows readers that healing from tragedy can take many forms and demonstrates what it means to take action in the face of climate change--and how that action can be different for each of us.
Review Citations:
Publishers Weekly 07/10/2023 (EAN 9780316277686, Hardcover) - *Starred Review
Kirkus Reviews 07/15/2023 (EAN 9780316277655, Paperback)
