Fire on Headless Mountain

by Iain Lawrence Narrated by Michael Crouch

Overview

Separated from his siblings in the midst of a dangerous forest fire, 11-year-old Virgil must find a way to survive using only his wits and the lessons his late mother taught him about the wilderness.

Virgil is making his older siblings trek to a mountain lake on a trip unlike any they have taken before. They carry precious cargo: the ashes of their beloved mother, who asked that her remains be scattered at her favorite spot. But when a forest fire is sparked by a bolt of lightning at the exact moment when their van breaks down, the journey quickly turns to disaster.

While the oldest, Josh, is gone to find help, Virgil and his sister, Kaitlyn, spot fleeing animals and soon see flames flickering above the tree line. Once the sky begins to darken with the haze of burning timber, Virgil finds himself separated from his sister and left alone in the wilderness. He isn't sure he can make it, but with the memory of his late mother, a science teacher, and all her lessons to guide him, he quickly learns that not everything has a perfect explanation and survival starts with letting go.

Fire on Headless Mountain showcases not only the overwhelming beauty and terrifying power of nature, but also the gift of memory when facing great emotional and physical trials. Lessons on ecosystems and fire safety are also seamlessly interwoven into this thrilling adventure tale.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"This page-turning and atmospheric adventure story also teaches fascinating science skills. . . . A superb tale of survival and courage."—Kirkus Reviews

"[A] richly imaginative survival adventure. . . . the unrelenting drama of their immediate peril makes for a nail-biting read, sure to satisfy fans of Paulsen's Hatchet." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
 
"Vividly wrought, scientifically grounded text layers facts to develop the protagonists' plight. . . . Lawrence (Deadman's Castle) draws from his experience fighting forest fires; that expertise informs harrowing descriptions of the out-of-control blaze, creating an elucidating and hopeful portrait of grief amid the natural world."—Publishers Weekly

Kirkus Reviews

2022-05-10
A trip by three siblings to scatter their mother’s ashes in a wilderness lake turns dire.

Eleven-year-old Virgil, 15-year-old Kaitlyn, and 19-year-old Joshua Pepper are taking Rusty, their family’s old camper van, to Little Lost Lake, miles into the Pacific Northwest wilderness, to scatter their mother’s ashes. It is a place filled with special memories for Virgil, as it’s where his beloved science teacher mother taught him wilderness skills like using the stars as a compass and building a fire without matches. Thirty-three miles into the trip on the cratered dirt road known as the Boneyard, Rustybreaks down. There is no cellphone signal, and the siblings discover they have forgotten the food and water. The only nearby dwelling is a creepy so-called Sasquatch museum—a run-down trailer, its fence decorated with animal skulls and antlers—that their mother hated. To make things worse, a lightning strike has started a forest fire. Kaitlyn is injured while climbing a tree as a lookout, and the siblings plan a course of action—Joshua will go off for help, and Virgil decides to try to fix Rusty. But their plans go awry, and Virgil becomes lost and separated from the others as the fire rages closer. Clutching the box with his mother’s ashes, he must remember everything she has taught him in order to survive. This page-turning and atmospheric adventure story also teaches fascinating science skills. Characters read as White.

A superb tale of survival and courage. (Adventure. 9-13)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940175037280
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	08/23/2022
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

Videos