Dan Paley

Dan Paley is the author of Luigi and the Barefoot Races (Tilbury House, 2015),  a picture book illustrated by Aaron Boyd about the races he and his friends ran as children on hot summer nights in Philadelphia. He is also the author of Rubio and Julienne, A Sweet and Cheesy Tale (Tilbury House, 2018) which was illustrated by Lauren Gallegos. It’s a playful take on Romeo and Juliet, in which two star-crossed foodies discover delicious combinations of flavors, and food’s ability to bridge cultures and overcome differences among people.

Two nonfiction projects are forthcoming— a picture book biography of the revolutionary artist nun, Corita Kent (Candlewick Press), and a picture book about wildfire and the elite wildland firefighters who brave them (Chronicle Books).

Dan’s writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and McSweeney’s, among other publications. He is the communications manager at the Center for Population, Inequality, and Policy at UC Irvine. He studied Geography and City Planning at West Chester University of Pennsylvania and Science Writing at Johns Hopkins University. Dan is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the National Association of Science Writers (NASW).

Reviews

They Hold The Line: Wildfires, Wildlands, and the Firefighters Who Brave Them

“Daunting, exhausting, sweaty, filthy, and dangerous are all words that can describe the work of the teams of firefighters who join together to contain and control wildfires. Paley and Mendoza’s informative picture book gives readers a full view of the effort that goes into protecting homes, people, and habitats when these all-too-common out-of-control fires endanger lives. Technical vocabulary abounds and is well explained in Paley’s clear text, which follows a team of firefighters from the first indication of a blaze until the last embers are extinguished. Reminiscent of WPA National Park posters, Mendoza’s graphically striking art is energetic and engrossing. The yellows, reds, and oranges that fill the pages provide a visceral sense of a wildfire’s heat, while cool blues and purples provide readers a chance to recover. The abundance of captions in and around the art informs curious readers about each piece of firefighting minutia, while sidebars provide detailed explanations where necessary. Extensive back matter includes a history of wildfire management, explaining how past policies have contributed to the now-common occurrences of massive wildfires and the increased dangers they present. Specific mentions of Indigenous “hotshot crews” and the important role Indigenous leaders have in crafting more sustainable fire management practices are very welcome.”—Horn Book Magazine, Starred Review

“After a fire lookout, perched on a tall tower in the woods, notices smoke, she calculates the location of the fire and radios dispatch. This opening sequence sets up this timely, strikingly illustrated informational picture book on smoke jumpers, hotshot firefighters, and some of the people who support them to put out wildfires. Dramatic scenes, such as smoke jumpers parachuting to the site of the fire, a hotshot firefighting crew establishing a fire line to contain the blaze, and a helitack crew extracting an injured firefighter, are digitally rendered in bold colors and a style that is at once retro and fresh. Chunked text with descriptions packed with action verbs matches the intensity of the dangerous firefighting efforts. Boxed text, inset illustrations, and specialized terms with accompanying definitions provide more details about wildfires, fire lines, and the working conditions of the diverse, elite firefighters. A wildfire’s danger to animals, as well as its emotional impact on humans forced to evacuate, also become visceral experiences. The story line concludes with an exhausted but smiling crew, because the fire’s out. Extended back matter explains fire ecology, U.S. fire management, and the makeup of some hotshot crews (including seven Native American crews and the unjust use of incarcerated individuals), while infographics display protective gear and supplies and thumbnails of safety standards. A spectacular, up-close look at heroic firefighting.”—Booklist, Starred Review

“A tribute to wildfire fighters and the teams supporting them. In orotund tones Paley lionizes frontline firefighters and those behind them, from lookouts to medevac workers, in the struggle to control a forest fire. These rugged heroes, he writes, “do not slide down poles or ride in shiny red trucks” and must be “part lumberjack, part mountain goat” to do their dangerous, exhausting jobs. Moreover, as recognition of the central importance of periodic fires to forest and other ecosystems has grown, he goes on to note repeatedly, they have taken on a larger mission to be “stewards of the land.” Seven elite “hotshot crews” of Native Americans are singled out for special commendation at the end, and though the diverse figures in Mendoza’s dramatic, swirling montages are as generic as the fire, she well serves readers fond of poring over fine details of tools and gear with exact depictions of specialized equipment, from an Osborne Firefinder and Bambi Buckets to digging and clearance implements like the Pulaski and Rhino. And standard checklists drawn from a professional manual of best safety practices and outdoor fire hazards may help any readers become more fire aware. A solid addition to the smokejumpers shelf, timelier than ever.”—Kirkus

“At the top of a tall tower in the wilderness, a person surveys the land for signs of fire. With a view of a hundred miles in every direction, their job is to be the eyes of the forest. A thunderstorm rolls through the landscape and lightning strikes, igniting trees in the distance, as indicated by plumes of smoke. The fire lookout calculates the location of the fire and communicates with a dispatch center, initiating a firefighting response. This generalized story serves as an example of the systems, techniques, tools, and personnel that must operate synchronously to fight wildfires. Paley’s well-researched text operates on three levels to efficiently convey a substantial amount of information, differentiated by font size and page layouts. The large-font base text describes the sequence of events, additional or contextual information is written in white text in black blocks on the edges of spreads, and definitions of terminology are interspersed on relevant pages. While the text is educational, Mendoza’s digital art brings a deeply felt intensity to the scenes of forest landscapes, wildfires, and firefighting heroes. Employing many comic-style conventions, like panels, black linework with color overlay, and montaged scenes, plus a brilliantly saturated and high-contrast palette, the illustrations convey the action, emotion, and unpredictability of fighting a fire. Ten pages of backmatter supplement the story and address fire ecology concepts, the history of managing fires in the United States, the identities and training of firefighters, an inventory of protective gear, an overview of firefighting safety rules, and notes from the author and illustrator.”—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“This jam-packed picture book incorporates sidebars, captioned pictures, labeled diagrams, and extensive back matter, treating readers to a text both informative and exciting. Beginning with a lone figure “watching and waiting... she is watching as a dry thunderstorm rolls over the timbered horizon,” the narrative continues as the first spark creates a “finger of smoke,” and details the jobs of an extensive crew that includes smokejumpers, hand crews, and the burn boss (with definitions in sidebars) as they enforce the fireline. Vivid ­colors in deeply saturated hues of red, yellow, and orange convey the heat and danger of the situation; as the fire gains momentum, the illustrations grow increasingly dense and suffocating. Sweat beads dot the firefighter’s faces as the threat increases, with a breath of white space emerging only when the fire, finally, is contained. Back matter confirms that “some of the most elite hotshot crews are Native Americans.” The dense material covers fire ecology, conservation, environmental risks, fire prevention, and the role of science—all while reinforcing the goal of the firefighter: to be a steward of the land. This visual and textual feast highlights the skill of firefighters as well as honors their mission. ­Recommended for all library collections.”—School Library Journal