Paradise on Fire (2021) is a middle grade novel by Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes. It tells the story of Addy, a teenage girl from the Bronx whose parents died in a fire. Addy joins a wilderness program in California at her grandmother’s insistence, but while she is learning survival skills and making new friends, a wildfire breaks out. Addy must use her newfound knowledge to help herself and her friends survive. Parker Rhodes is an award-winning New York Times best-selling author and educator for both youth and adults. She has published nine novels for children. Her novels primarily focus on Black experiences, particularly related to the natural world and natural disasters. 

This guide refers to the print edition released by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in 2023.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide discuss an apartment fire and wildfire, survival situations, death, gun violence, and trauma.

Plot Summary

The story follows Adaugo, or “Addy,” a Black teenager grappling with the loss of her parents in a tragic fire when she was four. She struggles to understand how she escaped the fire that killed her parents because she cannot remember all the details of that night. The trauma from this event has left her deeply afraid of fire and haunted by a lingering sense of guilt and loss. As a coping mechanism, she maps her possible escape paths from any building or area she is in. 

Addy’s life changes when her Grandma Bibi—her mother’s mother, who has been raising her since her parents died—insists that she go to a summer program for teens that provides wilderness adventures in California. Bibi believes that Addy must leave the city to continue her personal journey. Bibi moved from Nigeria to New York City to raise Addy after Addy’s parents died, and Addy is devoted to her grandmother. The wilderness program is designed to teach city kids about nature, survival skills, and environmental conservation. The group is led by two college-aged counselors, Dylan and Jamie, and the founder of the program, Leo. 

The group that attends comprises six Black teenagers from New York and New Jersey who have never been in the wilderness. Immediately, Addy is surprised at how friendly the other teens are to her, and Jay and Nessa immediately introduce themselves. Addy has always been friendless and is used to isolation, in part because she believes that being an orphan makes her unworthy of relationships with others. When they arrive at the camp in the California wilderness, Addy is initially overwhelmed by the new environment and concerned because she cannot map an easy “escape.”

Soon after arriving, Addy has a nightmare about the night her parents died and leaves the cabin, and Leo begins mentoring her. He has already noticed that she is attuned to nature and feels at home there. He shows her how to map nature using topography and how to read maps and use a compass. He takes her on hikes with him as he collects data for scientists focused on predicting and controlling wildfires. Leo is extremely environmentally aware; he explains what climate change and global warming are to Addy, who becomes interested. Addy has never felt particularly good at anything, but she and Jay are the strongest hikers in the group and immediately love the outdoors. Addy and Jay become friends, sharing more about their lives with each other.

Leo and the camp counselors teach the group essential survival skills, and they go on daily hikes that increase in difficulty. Jay joins Leo and Addy on their morning hikes before the others wake up, and Leo and Addy make maps of the areas. One day, while Leo, Addy, and Jay are hiking, they find a campsite with trash and a campfire that was not extinguished. Leo is horrified and shows Jay and Addy how to make sure a fire is completely put out, reiterating how dangerous a single spark can be in dry woodlands.

As the summer continues, the group takes on challenges such as learning how to rock climb safely, use a zipline, and hike with heavy packs. They each begin exploring separate passions, such as DeShon realizing his love for reptiles, which Leo encourages and gives him resources with which to expand his understanding. As the summer progresses, the group’s friendships grow stronger, and Addy begins to emerge as a leader because of her growing wilderness skills.

During a multi-night hiking trip that is the group’s “graduation” from camp, a wildfire breaks out near their campsite during the night. Dylan and Addy argue over which way they should flee the wildfire, and the group is split into two, with Jay, Nessa, and DeShon fleeing with Addy. Addy’s fear of fire continues, but she draws strength from what she has learned from Leo and Grandma Bibi and the support of her friends. Together, they navigate through the smoke and heat, demonstrating courage, resilience, and the importance of community. 

After surviving the fire, Addy returns to Paradise Ranch the next summer. She reflects on her journey and the personal growth she has experienced. She feels sorrow for the group that was led by Dylan, who all died in the wildfire. Nature has become a place of healing and transformation for her: She feels a deep sense of gratitude for the lessons she has learned and is determined to become an environmentalist.