About the book
Natalia is not the kind of girl who takes risks. Six years ago, she barely survived the house fire that killed her baby brother. Now she is cautious and always plays it safe. For months, her co-worker Wyatt has begged her to come hiking with him, and Natalia finally agrees.
But when a wildfire breaks out, blocking the trail back, a perfect sunny day quickly morphs into a nightmare. With no cell service, few supplies, and no clear way out of the burning forest, a group of strangers will have to become allies if they’re going to survive. Hiking in the dark, they must deal with injuries, wild animals and even a criminal on the lam—all while avoiding the fire racing to catch them.
Awards and honors
Audio rights sold
YALSA Quick Pick Nominee
Finalist for the Oregon Book Award
Winner of the Oregon Spirit Book Award
Reviews
Haunted by a devastating fire in her childhood, Natalia is afraid of a lot of things: fire, heights, water. So when her crush, Wyatt, begs her to go hiking in the tranquil Oregon woods, Natalia is reluctant, though she agrees. The hike is ruined when a forest fire erupts and cuts off her group of hikers, forcing them all to work together to survive and escape. Natalia becomes the “doctor” of the group, helping those that are injured, yet her fears might be the thing that can’t be fixed. Prolific, best-selling Henry (The Girl in the White Van, 2020) returns with a novel based on the Eagle Creek Fire of 2017. As the group of strangers try to survive a natural event, Henry employs flashbacks in order to give readers insight into the roots of Natalia’s fear and anxiety. Inspiration abounds, though, as the teens work together, making this read adventurous as well as satisfying.
— Savannah Patterson, Booklist
"Natalia’s horrifying history with fires is slowly revealed, amping up the already high tension as it becomes clearer exactly why she is as terrified as she is. ... well written and undeniably, regrettably relevant given the inevitability of future West Coast conflagrations."
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"When a fast-moving wildfire traps Natalia, Wyatt, and a group of other hikers, they must do whatever it takes to make it out alive, which means hiking farther into the forest and potential danger. During this treacherous journey, the group must use their survival skills to help each other as they encounter wild animals, injuries, and very rough terrain. This is not what Natalia had in mind for her and Wyatt’s first date.
"Playing with Fire starts off with a bang, literally, and the action doesn’t stop until the very end. Teens will enjoy the quick hook, diverse set of characters, and fast-paced plot progression. Including Natalia’s backstory adds depth to the story and gives the reader more insight into why the stakes are higher for her when trying to outrun the fast-moving wildfire.
"Fans of reality television such as Survivor and Bear Grylls’s Man vs. Wild franchise would be a great match for this book. Other books the reader might enjoy are Aftershocks by Marisa Reichardt and I am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall, both of which also feature survival situations and a lot of action.
—Jayna Ramsey, Lakewood, CO, YALSA
Inspiration
This book was inspired by the Eagle Creek Fire, which decimated the Columbia Gorge in 2017. A single person’s careless actions endangered many lives and burned 50,000 acres. Among those affected by the fire was a group of strangers who had taken a short hike to a waterfall. Trapped by the fire, they had to flee for their lives.
When I read about them, I thought it's a thriller, only in this story the serial killer is nature.
To research the book, I:
Natalia is not the kind of girl who takes risks. Six years ago, she barely survived the house fire that killed her baby brother. Now she is cautious and always plays it safe. For months, her co-worker Wyatt has begged her to come hiking with him, and Natalia finally agrees.
But when a wildfire breaks out, blocking the trail back, a perfect sunny day quickly morphs into a nightmare. With no cell service, few supplies, and no clear way out of the burning forest, a group of strangers will have to become allies if they’re going to survive. Hiking in the dark, they must deal with injuries, wild animals and even a criminal on the lam—all while avoiding the fire racing to catch them.
Awards and honors
Audio rights sold
YALSA Quick Pick Nominee
Finalist for the Oregon Book Award
Winner of the Oregon Spirit Book Award
Reviews
Haunted by a devastating fire in her childhood, Natalia is afraid of a lot of things: fire, heights, water. So when her crush, Wyatt, begs her to go hiking in the tranquil Oregon woods, Natalia is reluctant, though she agrees. The hike is ruined when a forest fire erupts and cuts off her group of hikers, forcing them all to work together to survive and escape. Natalia becomes the “doctor” of the group, helping those that are injured, yet her fears might be the thing that can’t be fixed. Prolific, best-selling Henry (The Girl in the White Van, 2020) returns with a novel based on the Eagle Creek Fire of 2017. As the group of strangers try to survive a natural event, Henry employs flashbacks in order to give readers insight into the roots of Natalia’s fear and anxiety. Inspiration abounds, though, as the teens work together, making this read adventurous as well as satisfying.
— Savannah Patterson, Booklist
"Natalia’s horrifying history with fires is slowly revealed, amping up the already high tension as it becomes clearer exactly why she is as terrified as she is. ... well written and undeniably, regrettably relevant given the inevitability of future West Coast conflagrations."
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"When a fast-moving wildfire traps Natalia, Wyatt, and a group of other hikers, they must do whatever it takes to make it out alive, which means hiking farther into the forest and potential danger. During this treacherous journey, the group must use their survival skills to help each other as they encounter wild animals, injuries, and very rough terrain. This is not what Natalia had in mind for her and Wyatt’s first date.
"Playing with Fire starts off with a bang, literally, and the action doesn’t stop until the very end. Teens will enjoy the quick hook, diverse set of characters, and fast-paced plot progression. Including Natalia’s backstory adds depth to the story and gives the reader more insight into why the stakes are higher for her when trying to outrun the fast-moving wildfire.
"Fans of reality television such as Survivor and Bear Grylls’s Man vs. Wild franchise would be a great match for this book. Other books the reader might enjoy are Aftershocks by Marisa Reichardt and I am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall, both of which also feature survival situations and a lot of action.
—Jayna Ramsey, Lakewood, CO, YALSA
Inspiration
This book was inspired by the Eagle Creek Fire, which decimated the Columbia Gorge in 2017. A single person’s careless actions endangered many lives and burned 50,000 acres. Among those affected by the fire was a group of strangers who had taken a short hike to a waterfall. Trapped by the fire, they had to flee for their lives.
When I read about them, I thought it's a thriller, only in this story the serial killer is nature.
To research the book, I:
- Talked to a fire captain and paramedic, Portland Fire & Rescue, about how house fires behave.
- Discussed with a firefighter the best way to torch a car—and how to make that fire spread.
- Brainstormed worst-case scenarios with a longtime volunteer with Multnomah County Search and Rescue.
- Became certified in wilderness first aid through NOLS (which began life as the National Outdoor Leadership School). One of my instructors was Paul Dreyer, CEO of Avid4 Adventure (avid4.com), which introduces kids to the powers of the outdoors. For months after the course ended, Paul answered a million and one questions about how to deal with various first aid emergencies in the wilderness.
- Interviewed a nurse who treats diabetic patients about what would happen to a diabetic who hiked for hours and did not eat.
- Asked the president of Austin Babywearing a bunch of questions about how to carry a toddler in various dangerous scenarios.
- Learned from a structural engineer about how bridges work as well as all the correct names for bridge parts.
- Interviewed a honey bee expert about wild bees nesting in trees.
See how volunteers and Mother Nature have healed the Eagle Creek Trail
Playing with Fire hardcover features embossed fiery foil on interior cover
This video gives a great overview of what really happened.
