FireWorks

by Oliver Smuhar

Inspired by true events.
Come gather, come gather, for Illuka, the koala, is ready to explain how he and his friends survived the Australian bushfires.
Yes, yes, he is, he is! All of the animals in the bush have come together to uncover the truth behind Alinta, the flame, and her dancing orange lights.
Please, join us, join us! Open this classic adventure, and follow Illuka and Bouddi, the sugar glider, as they explore the Blue Mountains and face the black sky.
Quickly now. The family herd is waiting!
*FireWorks outlines the events of the 2019-20 bushfires, specifically in the Blue Mountains/Lithgow region, NSW, Australia. All of the dates, facts and photographs are depicted accurately and their original sources have been credited.

288 pages, Paperback

First published March 4, 2021

About the author

Oliver is an Australian author. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Technology, Sydney and has been writing since 2015. Four of his novels have been published, including a #1 best-selling fantasy on Amazon, he has won multiple literary awards, written several screenplays for film and television, and has crafted comic book scripts for illustrators.

Author:
- The Gifts of Life (2018)
- The Gifts of Happiness (2020)
- FireWorks (2021)
- Cold Hands (2022)
- The Gifts of Love (TBA)

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Reviews

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF @ pg 180 (69%)

It's not terrible, just not really for me I'm afraid.

The plot talks about the impact of the 2019/20 bushfires that ravaged Australia, with particular focus on the Blue Mountains area. Only the story is told for younger ones by the koala, Illuka, who survived 'Alinta' and now passes the story down to the new generation.

The book is aimed at younger readers aged 9-14 so is designed to be educational and includes some fantastic illustrations and authentic photos, accompanied by interesting animal facts and statistics. As an added bonus, the launch of the book coincides with the author's fundraising campaign called the FireWorks' Fund - proceeds of which go towards conservation efforts for Australian flora and fauna, as well as to sustainability and the wellbeing of communities and individuals. The release of this book marks an attempt to make a positive impact on the world we live in, and I support that effort 100%.

You can learn more about the campaign HERE

On that note alone, I encourage you to look into this book and the FWF campaign, and consider contributing.

Now, the story itself.

Things that worked:
- Animals
- Illustrations
- Plot formula bringing the crew together slowly
- The crew itself
- Humour
- Genuine facts
- The reality of the impact

Most of my reason for not wanting to continue with this one is that it was just a little too ambitious for me. As a book aimed at middle grade readers, I expected it to be quite simple and easy to digest, but this packs in details that started to weigh the story down. The flora and fauna are detailed minutely but all at once, so rather than setting the scene it blurs it into a haze of names and descriptions, thus lessening the impact. A lot of animals are named straight away, so it's easy to lose track of which name corresponds to which animal. The illustrations do make this easier, but they're peppered throughout the story so mostly come a little too late. For a children's story, I felt it was drowning in the details. On the other hand, older readers will likely enjoy creating their own mental image with the plants and animals they recognise, so those who enjoy detailed descriptions will find themselves immersed in an authentic Australian bush setting.

The other way ambition strikes is through trying to teach readers how to be a better person in a lot of different ways - kindness, patience, selflessness, compassion, understanding ... they're all great ideas but after a while it does start to feel a little repetitive. I'm glad the story took the time to instil these great qualities in the characters, but when they all turn out that way it does take away some of the more interesting dynamics. They're all so altruistic and selfless that it becomes a bit cheesy. On this particular point, I believe children will receive the story better than adults. Whilst older readers may be a little tired of these do-gooder animals, kids will learn great lessons about treating others with respect and kindness, which is a message that can never be scorned.

Finally, the story itself is quite ambitious - it details Illuka's quest to warn other creatures of the bush of Alinta's impending arrival, so we travel with him as he makes new friends and faces down the danger of the scorching flames. I felt there was a lot of superfluous detail that bogged the story down, and while I loved meeting all the new characters as they came together, I lost sight of them often amongst all the other things that were happening in the story. They were such a fun cast of characters, but the story is so serious and dark that it drags the tone down, so it's hard to enjoy the playfulness of Coda or the sass of Myaree when there's danger all around. I wish there had been more focus on interactions between the five main characters as a reprieve from the danger of Alinta. It just wound up being a bit too 'doom and gloom' for me, and that's a huge part of why I chose not to continue with it.

That being said, I did really love Coda, and I think young ones will love all of the characters. They are a cute sample of Australian fauna, and the illustrations will help kids get to know the local wildlife. I enjoyed the way the characters all came together, and I feel they are the greatest strength of this book.

Overall, I feel there is a lot of merit in this story, though it was a little too dense for my tastes. It's full of realism to convey the genuine impact bushfires have on the environment, but at the same time you've got a whole lot of different species of talking animals congregating together. The contrast was a little jarring. I think it would have worked better if the story had been simplified - the repetitive details could have been edited out, and perhaps the gathering of animals reduced, spread out more, or just detailed in an illustration rather than in the text. The story could have been condensed easily, and more fun with the characters would have created a stronger investment in the story and the real Australian animals they represent. I believe there could have been a way to make this story shorter without lessening its impact - even, perhaps, increasing the impact.

This is an ambitious story brimming with authentic details, brilliant illustrations and characters you can fall in love with. It moves a little slow and can seem a bit complex, but its noble intentions make it a worthy addition to the bookshelf and I encourage adults and children alike to check it out.

Releasing 4th March, 2021. With thanks to the author for a copy to read and review.

[Darcey · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changes my rating or review.

4 charming stars.

What a sweet, touching novel! I really enjoyed reading this story, and I found it wonderful to learn about the struggles that many faced throughout the 2019-20 fires. The perspective of a koala – a classic Aussie animal – added a unique touch and interesting twist to the tale, and increased the likeliness of children finding this story enjoyable and funny.

I also really liked the educational photos and information on different Australian animals, and the factual statistics about damage caused by the harsh fires of 2019 and 2020. The little scattered animal drawings – accompanied by the names of the respective characters in the book – helped me to work out who was who, which I found quite difficult in the beginning, as a lot of characters and names are simply thrown at the reader. However, I will say that I loved the Indigenous Aboriginal names that many animals had – including fire itself – and I really enjoyed the nickname given to the firefighters – angels.

Another unique and interesting aspect includes the quotes scattered throughout the book. These inspirational quotes were from famous Australians, such as Cathy Freeman and Julia Gillard, and I thought they really added to the realism of the story.

“You got to try and reach for the stars or try and achieve the unreachable.”
(Cathy Freeman quote)

And then, of course, there was the animals themselves! They were such cute characters, and I loved reading about their journeys. Each character had their own personality, and most of the characters were quite young, making the book ideal for children. The storytelling style also flowed really well, told by Illuka the koala.

“it was his voice. How brittle it sounded. Not like a king, like a slave. Illuka spoke the truth.”
(Omeo’s thoughts while witnessing Illuka)

Overall, this book is well-suited for a young audience or a family with children, though I – as an older teenager – also enjoyed the book. I loved the information on the fires, and I thank the author for the free copy :).

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simply delightful and heart-warming tale based on the ugly truths of the true victims of fire, the environmental changes and loss of habitats, FIREWORKS by Oliver Smuhar champions wildlife and nature, as well as the well-being of humanity and Mother Earth.

**Please note: a large portion of the net proceeds from this book are being donated to a variety of charities and non-government organizations across Australia through FireWorks’ Fund.**

Told through the eyes of a young koala, Illuka, this tale recounts his adventure and journey to safety, with the help of a young human man and his own sheer luck as many of his friends survive an Australian bushfire.

Perfect for younger readers or as a family read to enjoy while learning that loss of property for us is so much more for animals in the wild. Adults, too will be ensnared in Illuka’s charming innocence as he is forced to run for his life and learn to cope with new environments. Simply told with an upbeat manner, this tale has an eye-opening message to unveil. Pick it up for yourself or to share!

Told from the heart, Oliver Smuhar has a gift with words, bringing this story to life and endearing his characters in our souls.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Oliver Smuhar! This is my honest and voluntary review.

Series: The BushWorks - Book 1
Publisher : Mountain Blue Publishing; 1st edition (March 4, 2021)
Publication date : March 4, 2021
Genre: Children's | Animal Preservation | Conservation/Renewal Fund Raiser
Print length : 272 pages
Available from:  Amazon
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Oliver Smuhar · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say is that I’m very proud of this book. I would want this one to go down in history as the book I was known for. The story for me is personal, and I want people to know what it was like to live in Australia during the 2019-20 bushfires. It’s designed for the whole family, and there’s a lot I managed to put inside of it. It’s not just a book, it’s an experience.

*Majority of the net proceeds FireWorks makes WILL go to different environmental charities across Australia. But I can’t raise any money if no one reads/reviews the book!

The book includes real facts about Aussie animals, photographs from the 2019-20 bushfires, an interview with a professional Fire Ecologist, quotes from inspirational Australians, and several hand drawn pictures that took me hours to create.

There are many ways to describe FireWorks, but I promise you that it will be unlike anything you’ve ever read. It is a story from my heart, and I can’t wait to see what people think of its overall moral and message.

[Julia (Pages for Thoughts) · Rating 3 out of 5]

One thing I liked about the book is the pictures of the different animals and the various facts and descriptions of them. Personally, I have never heard of dingoes before. I also learned that the Eastern water dragon can climb trees, and I learned that the scientific name for the red-tailed black cockatoo is Calyptorhynchus. The drawings of the animals are very helpful for imagery, and while black and white, the actual pictures of the bush fires and their impact is also educational.

I did enjoy the story, and it felt well-written. It is also obvious that the author put a lot of work into the book. I'm not sure that a bibliography fits with a middle grade book, but the sources can be helpful if the reader wants to look up more information. I also love that most of FireWorks' profits goes to charity.

One major issue that I have is their name for the fires- Alinta. Not coincidentally, that is also the name of one of Australia’s major fossil fuel energy companies. While the meaning of the name Alinta is fire, there are over a hundred other names that mean fire or flame. It is highly unlikely that the author, who is Australian, would not know the name’s other connotation. The political message (fossil fuels = climate change = more wildfires) is very difficult to ignore.

That being said, the target audience is for middle grade readers, and they would likely would not understand the connection and the political statement. That is an issue in itself of writing for the target audience. Alinta makes the audience seem older, in the YA group, but literally stating the moral of the story would be for a much younger age group, perhaps elementary school.

I was conflicted with how to rate this book, but I feel that the issue is great enough to rate it 3 stars, despite enjoying the story.

[Magdalena]

Oliver Smuhar is a powerhouse of youthful energy.  At the age of seventeen, while still doing his Higher School Certificate exams, he published his first novel The Gifts of Life which he soon expanded into a two book series. By twenty, he had created the FireWorks’ Fund (FWF) a registered charity designed to raise funds for a variety of worthy causes including the Blue Mountains Koala project, WIRES, the Save the Bilby Fund and many others.  As a means for raising funds for his charity, Smuhar wrote a young adult book geared specifically for 8-14 years olds.  The book is beautifully presented, with hand drawn illustrations, photographs, quotations, and facts about the different animals in the book and the events that inspired them, particularly the 2019/20 Australian bushfires, which were particularly devastating in Smuhar's Blue Mountains hometown and which had some an intense impact on Australian flora and fauna (for example, some 60,000 koalas were negatively impacted by the fires). Smuhar's goal with this book is not only to raise funds, but to entertain and educate. The story is narrated by anthropomorphic animals, particularly Illuka the koala and Bouddi the sugar glider, whose story is narrated to an enthusiastic and sometimes impatient audience of younger animals. The antagonist in this story is Alinta, the angry and ravenous bushfire, who destroys all in her path with ‘dancing orange lights’. The story moves quickly, driven along by Illuka and Bouddi's charming narrative as the koala, sugar glider, and their growing band of friends as they try to escape Alinta.

Smuhar’s deep knowledge of the Blue Mountain Grose Valley setting provides the perfect backdrop for the story, and his descriptions of the flora against the raging fire are evocative: 

Gums, bloodwoods, ashes, apples, oaks and Lilly Pillies fell slapping the ground as the lights raged on. There is nothing as loud as an ancient tree falling onto the land. You can hear its weight as it drops, feel the grass suck up the collision and taste its history leaving its roots. (31)

Each of the animals who joins Illuka’s band of friends has its own unique personality which young readers will find charming. There is Myaree the energetic and cheeky peep-wren, Coda, the self-effacing dancing bat, Kalinda, the cheeky and soft-hearted dingo, and Tyler, the kind walker (aka human) to name just a few.  All fo the creatures in this book learn something and there's a gentle camaraderie that grows as the novel progresses. Smuhar does a good job of bringing these characters together, building the relationships slowly as new animals join the 'family'. Smuhar has also created several free activity books as companions for the novel, including Find-A-Words, CrossWords, Mazes, Math Puzzles, Colouring In Sheets, and Word Puzzles for readers 5-8 and 9-12. The activity books, the story and the facts in the book combine to make FireWorks an excellent resource for primary classrooms, and these could be used in conjunction with lessons or projects around the bushfire, or around conservation or reading comprehension.

Though bad things happen to the characters in the story, for example, Illuka loses his mother to the fires early on, the tone throughout is hopeful, with the underlying message being the power of cooperation and mutual support. Illuka in particular sets a strong example in keeping positive in the face of adversary:

“Wait! What if I fail? What if Alinta wins?”

Illuka returned to Omeo’s side. “Then she wins,” he said. “And the trees will be black and burnt, the grass scorched and sore, and the animals lost and weary. But there will always be a tomorrow.  And what is hurt, whether it is a gum, a fern, a bloodwood or a critter, it will heal.” (252)

With everything that happened in 2020 and 2021, the 2019/20 bushfires seem like a long time ago, but it is almost certain that longer fire periods and hotter summers are on the horizon. FireWorks will continue to be an important resource for parents, teachers and younger readers to learn about the impact of fires and the importance of preparation and conservation without either causing undo anxiety or understating the severity of the impact. More information on FireWorks including samples, the workbook downloads, and audio material can be found at: http://www.oliversmuhar.com/fwf.html

[Reader Views · Rating 4 out of 5]

“FireWorks” is an endearing tale by Australian-born award-winning author Oliver Smuhar. Inspired by Australia’s bushfires that occurred in 2019-2020, this heartwarming tale tells the story of five Australian animals as they flee far from the affected territories. The story is narrated by the animals, especially Illuka, the koala, a herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and Bouddi, an omnivorous marsupial. The author describes the antagonist as Alinta the bushfire with an esurient appetite that destroys everything in its wake.

The author’s creative use of anthropomorphism is superb. It has succeeded in creating vivid, imaginative characters that readers can relate to. The warm tale captures a wave of emotions in a reader as one gets a glimpse of the fear, uncertainty, and destruction caused by the bushfires in Australia. Oliver Smuhar is descriptive in his writing and provides a perfect setting for his story.

Notable is the fact that there are art-conscious visuals present in the book that welcomes readers across the chapters. I loved how the author created fictional characters to represent authentic facts relating to the sad period. Told from a hopeful perspective, “FireWorks” is a story of loss, hope, determination, and strength.

Author Smuhar has further added inspirational quotes from notable Australians that serve as hints to the themes expressed in the chapters. This book is not only an eye-opener but also educative as well. The language used is easy to understand and the storyline easy to follow.

Oliver Smuhar has introduced numerous characters in the beginning chapters that can throw a reader off-balance for a while. For this reason, I give the book 4 stars. That notwithstanding, “FireWorks” is a spectacular novel that is appropriate for all ages and would make a fantastic class reader for young children. The names given to the characters add to the enjoyment of the book. It is a timeless resource that will be used for ages to come.

[Amy Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and educational read!

Smuhar pens a fun children's story in FireWorks. One thing I do want to mention is that, "Majority of FireWorks' net proceeds will be donated to a variety of charities and non-government organizations across Australia through the FireWorks' Fund (FWF)." Anyway, I felt that was important to mention. I have read work from this author before, and I really enjoyed it. The characters, a group of animal friends led by Illuka band together to survive the bushfires. It's an educational and also fun read, that takes on a serious note, because though these animals are fictional, the events are not. "Alinta had arrived. Alinta! ... You could feel the heat the moment the red and orange sparked behind the gums. You could smell the vapours of the leaves sizzle ..." When it comes to survival, family can mean anything, and welcomes anyone. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fireworks captured my heart with its warm tale about five young Australian animals who journey across the land during the 2019 bushfires. Not only did this book tell a heroic adventure, which these cubs experience, but it also wrapped the story with historical facts.
Surprisingly, it brought back many of the emotions I felt when my home was impacted by the fierce fires, and it gave me insight into what our beautiful native wildlife had to endure. The tale was written in classics folklore style with Illuka - the koala capturing the attention of the young cubs.
Creating words of suspense, FireWorks brought forth an overwhelming sadness for the native animals/plants. I think not many people would have realised this moral as most Australians were too busy trying to save their own homes.
It’s a perfect story for all ages!