Ablaze: The Story of America’s First Female Smokejumper

Growing up in a family attuned to nature, Deanna Shulman later found her calling in the grueling and often dangerous work of U.S. Forest Service wildland crews, reducing wildfire risks and maintaining forest health: “Hard physical work. Camaraderie with crewmates. Being outdoors. All things that fueled her heart’s fire.” But when Shulman aspired to become a smokejumper and trained diligently for the role, she was dismissed for “looking too small.” Undaunted, she filed a complaint under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, never stopped training, and triumphed. Lawson, making her picture book debut, leans into fire metaphors to describe the protagonist’s state of mind across concise, often poetic text that captures Shulman’s passion and steely determination. Warm-toned artwork by Gonzales (You’ll Always Be My Chickadee) makes the most of the book’s horizontal format, evoking the radiant hues and strong graphic lines of WPA murals while depicting Shulman in heroic action poses against sweeping landscapes. In this resonant story, conserving nature, protecting communities, and demanding equal opportunity unite. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–7. Author’s agent: Tina Dubois, CAA. Illustrator’s agent: Alexandra Levick, Writers House. (July)