Ablaze: The Story of America's First Female Smokejumper

by Jessica Lawson, Sarah Gonzales (Illustrator)

A lyrical and empowering biography on Deanne Shulman, America's first female smokejumper.

Deanne loved being outdoors.

With her family, she spent summers sailing the Salton Sea and backpacking the Sierra Nevada Mountains. As she grew older, her love of nature only grew. So when the heat rose each fire season and the blazes burned near and far, she noticed. Deanne knew she had to do her part in fighting the fires. She spent years on woodland crews, clearing brush and branches that could make the fire spread, and on hotshot crews where she fought faster fires and took bigger risks, spending weeks in one-hundred-degree heat working twenty-four-hour shifts. But what Deanne really wanted was to be a smokejumper, to jump from planes and parachute into dangerous wildfires that no truck could ever reach. To be the first line of defense. The only problem? There had never been a female smokejumper before.

With lyrical text from Jessica Lawson and striking illustrations from Sarah Gonzales, Ablaze tells the story of Deanne Shulman’s groundbreaking work with the United States Forest Service as she fought against unfair rules and blazed the way for women in firefighting.

Genres: Picture Books, Biography, Nonfiction, Childrens, History, Firefighters

40 pages, Hardcover

Published July 1, 2025

About the author

This is the disambiguation profile for otherwise unseparated authors publishing as Jessica Lawson

Reviews

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABLAZE introduces young readers to Deanne Shulman, the woman who became America's first female smokejumper. Growing up Deanne loved to spend time in the outdoors with her family. Climbing trees, hiking, camping, she did it all. As she got older she noticed the wildfires that wreaked havoc on nature as well as people's homes. While she knew some fires could be healthy, some fires raged out of control and caused misery for humans and animals alike. As an adult she joined the United States Forest Service to help fight these fires. With more experience she eventually became part of the the hotshot crews that took more risks and fought bigger fires. Eventually she decided she wanted to become a smokejumper, the most dangerous firefighting job of all. Yet she was denied the right to take the final test because of her size. She fought back and eventually, at age 28, she was allowed to take the tests and became the first female smokejumper in American history. Not only does Deanne's passion shine through in the text and the glowing red illustrations, but so to does her determination in standing up to discrimination. The author's note at the end briefly highlights Deanne's career as a firefighter as well as what she does now. A glossary of terms gives readers background information about working as a firefighter. The watercolor, Gouache, colored pencil, and pastel illustrations highlight the risks of firefighting as well as Deanne's passion for her work. They practically jump off the page. Not only is this book informative but also inspiring. Highly recommended for both personal reading and classroom use.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copy provided by the publisher

Deanne Shulman loved being outdoors as a child, and her concern for the natural environment led her to apply to work with the United States Forest Service, where her brother had also worked. Her job was to help fight fires by clearing brush and debris, working in hot conditions for long hours. This was her passion, so it's not surprising that she was interested in trying out a related job- smoke jumping. Being able to travel to remote areas to fight fires by parachuting into them was another level of dedication, but Deanne was denied the chance to do this in the 1990s because of her size, even though she passed all of the physical tests. There had never been a woman smoke jumper, but the Forest Service claims that Deanne couldn't join because she was under the 5' 5", 130 pound size requirements. Undaunted, she filed a complaint based on the Equal Employment Opportunities Act, and continued to train while it was being investigated. Eventually, she was allowed to work in her chosen field. The book ends with more notes about Shulman's career, as well as a glossary of terms.

The illustrations are rendered in yellows and oranges, and have a smoky, soft focused look to them that makes the book feel very steamy! There is plenty of good information about wild fires, and also about what the job of fighting them entails. Seeing Deanne as a young child enables readers to put themselves in her boots and equipment. It would have been nice to have the years that various events happened right in the text, but younger readers won't necessarily miss them.

Given the number of wildfires that have made the news in the US, this is a great picture book biography about a woman who broadened opportunities for others. It's a great choice not only for Women's History Month, but for Young readers interested in firefighting or forestry work, and would be a great nonfiction accompaniment to books like Rose's The Burning Season.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deanne loved spending time in nature with her family as a young child. It was a love that continued throughout her life. When wildfires started spreading in California, Deanne applied for a job with the U.S. Forest Service. She was hired by them to fight fires. She had found exactly what she loved. It was a physical job with long hours and risks. But Deanne wanted to do more: she wanted to become a smokejumper. So, at age 26, she started taking the required physical tests. She passed them, but was found to be too small for their requirements. Deanne fought the decision, filing a formal complaint. Months later, she was allowed to take the tests and soon passed them to become the first female smokejumper in the nation.

Deanne is the epitome of resilience and determination. The book focuses on her willingness to take risks but also on her level-headed approach to gaining new skills as she pushes the envelope of society’s biases toward women. The writing here is approachable and evocative. It shares how Deanne was feeling as she hit each obstacle and overcame them. The illustrations are full of flame colors, smoke and fire. It brings the dangers and the drama directly to the reader.

Bravery, resilience and character are all on display in this great picture book biography. Appropriate for ages 4-8.

[Professor Cindy Judd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the true story of Deanne Shulman, the woman who became America’s first female smokejumper. As a kid, Deanne loved being outside—climbing trees, hiking, and camping—and as she got older, she started noticing how dangerous wildfires could be for both nature and people. That passion pushed her to join the U.S. Forest Service, where she worked on hotshot crews and took on tougher and tougher fires. She was told she was “too small” to become a smokejumper, but she didn’t give up and eventually earned her chance, making history at age 28. Deanne's story is inspiring and a great book for elementary classrooms.

[Wade Huggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ablaze tells the inspiring story of Deanne Shulman, the first female smokejumper. The book features well-crafted, poetic prose paired with beautiful illustrations of forests, wildfires, aircraft, and the specialized tools Deanne used in her work. The text highlights her perseverance as she made her way against the rules that once kept her from competing for the job she dreamed of. An author’s note and a glossary of key terms are included at the end, providing helpful background and context for readers. Recommended for ages 7-12 by SEPA School Library Book Reviewers.

[Pavers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so drawn to Ablaze because it promises more than just a biography, it feels like a tribute to courage, determination, and breaking barriers. Deanne Shulman’s story of fearlessly facing raging wildfires and defying the odds as the first female smokejumper resonates deeply. I can already feel the intensity of her experiences through Jessica Lawson’s lyrical writing and can’t wait to see Sarah Gonzales’ illustrations bring those moments to life. This is exactly the kind of inspiring, empowering story I want to immerse myself in.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great and interesting story about the first female smokejumper. Why anyone would want this job is beyond me. The illustrations were gorgeous. and matched the flame, heat and spark that was shown in Deanne.

[Linda Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book with an inspiring message.
The illustrations are beautiful.
Would make a great addition to a home or school library!

[kate. · Rating 5 out of 5]

i could frame these illustrations on my wall. also, i love nonfic like this.

[skcocnaH · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Sharlene Shazzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book read more like an encyclopedia article than a story.

[Ashley (scatteredthistle) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cool snd powerful book. Her story is a great jumping off point to discuss women in different types of rolls as well as Equal Opportunity and its importance.