Fires in the Wilderness: A Story of the Civilian Conservation Core Boys

by: Jeffrey L. Schatzer

Published by: Mitten Press

Reviewed by Connie Anderson

Middle readers and young adults boys who like adventure, a peek into the past–and good over evil, will especially like this work of historical fiction–and so will anyone who likes good storytelling about our country’s past.

In the 1930s, following the Great Depression, families were starving because the fathers didn’t have jobs, or the job didn’t pay enough to provide for their families. President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation Core (CCC) to put young men to work so they could earn money to send home to their families.

With that history lesson, we follow a bunch of long-time friends from Polish immigrant families living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Written in first-person voice of 16-year-old Jarek (he had lied that he was 18). He and brother Squint joined the CCC and traveled with a train full of others to a training camp in Battle Creek, Michigan. After everyone has the physical, Squint is sent home because of his vision problems, leaving his younger brother alone, and now responsible for feeding his family. Of his $30 a month pay, $25 was sent directly home.

These skinny city kids had been living on one meal a day and were always hungry. At the CCC they were promisef “three hots and a cot.”

These hundreds of boys were put on a train leading into the wilderness miles from any town. We live through their struggles and character-building challenges.

Some of the boys were selected as Assistant Leaders in charge of other boys–and Jarek’s leaders was Mike O’Shea, who Jarek had pushed earlier on the train in order to prevent a fight. O’Shea had been embarrassed and this bully made life very tough on Jarek and his friends.

Twice the boys had to fight forest fires that rushed across the land–and the writing was so real I found myself urging the boys to be careful.

The glossary of terms was helpful. Also included is an 18-point question or project idea that would be great for groups or homeschooling.

The chapter book was well written and tells a good story about our past.

Armchair Interviews says: The author’s father was in the CCC boys’ camp in 1935. Schatzer has also written other books for children: The Bird in Santa’s Beard and The Bump on Santa’s Noggin (see our reviews).