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After the Fire
Melissa is waiting for the "new life" that her mother Sharlene has promised her since a fire devastated their family. But nothing ever seems to change.
Melissa has difficulty making friends at school, they never have enough money and her little brother Cody is a brat. When Sharlene announces that they will be spending the month of August at a remote cabin on a wilderness lake, Melissa is less than thrilled. But there is more to do at the lake than she expected, and she is surprised to learn that her mother knows how to paddle a canoe, fish and make bannock and s'mores. On an island in the middle of the lake, Melissa meets Alice, a strange girl who is writing a fantasy novel. Alice shares her tree fort on the island with Melissa, and while at first Melissa is attracted to Alice's strong personality and her stories of her "perfect family," she becomes increasingly uneasy around Alice. As Melissa's relationship with her mother improves and her confidence increases, she is able to hold her own with Alice and start to appreciate her own imperfect family.
Melissa has difficulty making friends at school, they never have enough money and her little brother Cody is a brat. When Sharlene announces that they will be spending the month of August at a remote cabin on a wilderness lake, Melissa is less than thrilled. But there is more to do at the lake than she expected, and she is surprised to learn that her mother knows how to paddle a canoe, fish and make bannock and s'mores. On an island in the middle of the lake, Melissa meets Alice, a strange girl who is writing a fantasy novel. Alice shares her tree fort on the island with Melissa, and while at first Melissa is attracted to Alice's strong personality and her stories of her "perfect family," she becomes increasingly uneasy around Alice. As Melissa's relationship with her mother improves and her confidence increases, she is able to hold her own with Alice and start to appreciate her own imperfect family.
194 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
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67 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 15, 2017
Super quick read. Pulls at your heart a little, but is very inch deep. More of a 1.5 rating, but I didn't care for it.
October 3, 2011
Originally posted on my blog: http://libraryladyhylary.blogspot.com ! Check it out for more reviews!
Eleven-year-old Melissa lives with her mother, Sharlene, and her four-year-old brother, Cody, in a cramped apartment. Melissa doesn't trust Sharlene, a recovering alcoholic, and is haunted by memories of a terrible fire that destroyed the trailer her family shared with Sharlene's former live-in boyfriend, Darren. When a family friend offers Sharlene a lakeshore cabin to stay in for the summer, Melissa is skeptical. Sharlene, Melissa and Cody travel to the remote location; Melissa is annoyed by her mother's enthusiasm for the woods, the cabin, and the canoe she assures Melissa she will love paddling around the lake. Shortly after arriving, Melissa meets Alice, a girl her age, while exploring the island in the middle of the lake. Alice seems strange, but Melissa finds the fantasy world she creates to be interesting. As she spends more time with her mother and makes her first true friend in Alice, Melissa learns that holding onto her anger might not be worth the effort. And, as she learns more about Alice, Melissa wonders if perfect families exist only in fairy tales.
This surprisingly poignant novel provides an utterly realistic look into the life of a girl who, through tragedy and hardship, lost the innocence of childhood too early. The fragile relationship between Melissa and her mother, Sharlene, is at times heartbreaking. Sharlene desperately tries to make up for past wrongs, and Melissa resists her at every turn. Their time at Flycatcher Lake, despite Melissa's annoyance at having to spend her summer in a remote cabin, proves to be a therapeutic experience that brings the little family closer together. The character of Alice is also quite interesting. It is clear from the beginning that something is not quite right with the unusual girl. The descriptions of her family appear too perfect, and Melissa catches her in some lies early in their relationship. When Melissa discovers that Alice's life is even less ideal than her own, it presents a lesson not only for her, but for the reader, that the "grass is always greener" notion, in reality, never pans out. This is just one of the reasons why After the Fire is a wonderful novel for young readers. Although it covers some sophisticated topics, alcoholism, neglect, death, Citra does an excellent job of making the story appropriate for younger readers. A very thought-provoking book for tweens and teens.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel. Melissa is an extremely realistic and honest main character, especially for a story written for `tweens. Her anger at her mother, Sharlene, is very real, and many readers will, unfortunately, be able to identify with the situations Melissa experiences. After the Fire touches on some very advanced topics, but does so in a way that makes them appropriate for young readers. The novel definitely creates some talking points between parents/teachers and `tweens about alcoholism, neglect, death and family relationships. I would recommend this novel for readers interested in a realistic story.
Eleven-year-old Melissa lives with her mother, Sharlene, and her four-year-old brother, Cody, in a cramped apartment. Melissa doesn't trust Sharlene, a recovering alcoholic, and is haunted by memories of a terrible fire that destroyed the trailer her family shared with Sharlene's former live-in boyfriend, Darren. When a family friend offers Sharlene a lakeshore cabin to stay in for the summer, Melissa is skeptical. Sharlene, Melissa and Cody travel to the remote location; Melissa is annoyed by her mother's enthusiasm for the woods, the cabin, and the canoe she assures Melissa she will love paddling around the lake. Shortly after arriving, Melissa meets Alice, a girl her age, while exploring the island in the middle of the lake. Alice seems strange, but Melissa finds the fantasy world she creates to be interesting. As she spends more time with her mother and makes her first true friend in Alice, Melissa learns that holding onto her anger might not be worth the effort. And, as she learns more about Alice, Melissa wonders if perfect families exist only in fairy tales.
This surprisingly poignant novel provides an utterly realistic look into the life of a girl who, through tragedy and hardship, lost the innocence of childhood too early. The fragile relationship between Melissa and her mother, Sharlene, is at times heartbreaking. Sharlene desperately tries to make up for past wrongs, and Melissa resists her at every turn. Their time at Flycatcher Lake, despite Melissa's annoyance at having to spend her summer in a remote cabin, proves to be a therapeutic experience that brings the little family closer together. The character of Alice is also quite interesting. It is clear from the beginning that something is not quite right with the unusual girl. The descriptions of her family appear too perfect, and Melissa catches her in some lies early in their relationship. When Melissa discovers that Alice's life is even less ideal than her own, it presents a lesson not only for her, but for the reader, that the "grass is always greener" notion, in reality, never pans out. This is just one of the reasons why After the Fire is a wonderful novel for young readers. Although it covers some sophisticated topics, alcoholism, neglect, death, Citra does an excellent job of making the story appropriate for younger readers. A very thought-provoking book for tweens and teens.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel. Melissa is an extremely realistic and honest main character, especially for a story written for `tweens. Her anger at her mother, Sharlene, is very real, and many readers will, unfortunately, be able to identify with the situations Melissa experiences. After the Fire touches on some very advanced topics, but does so in a way that makes them appropriate for young readers. The novel definitely creates some talking points between parents/teachers and `tweens about alcoholism, neglect, death and family relationships. I would recommend this novel for readers interested in a realistic story.
November 9, 2011
Melissa is still adjusting to life after the fire with her mother Sharlene and her younger brother Cody. Then Sharlene announces they were going to spend the summer at her friend Jill's cabin, though Melissa wanted to go to art camp, and Melissa is disappointed. Melissa meets a girl named Alice while canoeing and they instantly became best friends. Alice, according to Melissa, has the perfect life, but throughout the book Melissa finds out there is more to Alice than she thinks.
I picked this up because I read the back and it sounded interesting.
I finished it because I was wondering why Alice had lied.
I would reccommend the to Lucy because it's a short book and still a good story.
I picked this up because I read the back and it sounded interesting.
I finished it because I was wondering why Alice had lied.
I would reccommend the to Lucy because it's a short book and still a good story.
August 27, 2019
This book was just kind of boring. I mean it was nice and all but not very exciting.
August 4, 2021
horrible
December 19, 2023
Nothing special, definitely for a younger audience. Finished in 1 day.
October 10, 2025
I’m sure the story may be interesting, but this book is so poorly written I can’t believe it got published.
February 24, 2017
This was a cute and touching coming of age story. Reminds me of the kinds of books I read when I was 11/12. I think I am going to add it to my classroom library.
January 4, 2014
I read this book on the recommendation of a young writer I am mentoring. Becky Citra is one of her favourite authors. I can see why.
After The Fire is the story of Melissa, an 11-year-old girl, who takes a months holiday with her mom and 4-year-old brother Cody to a remote lake in B.C. Melissa is worried at first that the vacation will be a boring flop. Her mother, Sharlene, is a recovering alcoholic who has mostly neglected Melissa and her brother. However, since a fire in their trailer 2 years ago, Sharlene has been working at being a better mother and provider.
During their time at the lake, Melissa meets a mysterious girl named Alice while exploring a nearby island. Alice is writing a fantasy novel and wants to experience the fantasy as she writes it. Melissa is grateful for a friend, but wary of Alice who seems to tell a lot of lies.
Lately, I have really been appreciating setting both in my own writing and in the books I read. After The Fire has a strong sense of setting and time of year. We have been experiencing a long, cold snow-covered winter and I was glad to escape to a long, hot August in British Columbia.
Melissa is a believable, unsure 11-year-old. I could relate to her inner turmoil and insecurities. I loved the layered relationships in her family -- the way she both admired and was embarrassed by her beautiful, outgoing mom.
The writing was simple, yet rich. There was some overuse of the phrase "Melissa felt sick" and Melissa blushes an awful lot in the story, however it is believable that an 11-year-old would blush this much and feel sick this often.
In conclusion, I have to say how much I enjoyed the length of the story. I am coming to love novella's more an more. I could read the entire book in a day and still fell like there was time to develop the characters, story and plot sufficiently. Maybe this just shows that I'm not the sophisticated reader I like to think I am. Or maybe it is proof that young adult readers and writers are more sophisticated than they are given credit for.
After The Fire is the story of Melissa, an 11-year-old girl, who takes a months holiday with her mom and 4-year-old brother Cody to a remote lake in B.C. Melissa is worried at first that the vacation will be a boring flop. Her mother, Sharlene, is a recovering alcoholic who has mostly neglected Melissa and her brother. However, since a fire in their trailer 2 years ago, Sharlene has been working at being a better mother and provider.
During their time at the lake, Melissa meets a mysterious girl named Alice while exploring a nearby island. Alice is writing a fantasy novel and wants to experience the fantasy as she writes it. Melissa is grateful for a friend, but wary of Alice who seems to tell a lot of lies.
Lately, I have really been appreciating setting both in my own writing and in the books I read. After The Fire has a strong sense of setting and time of year. We have been experiencing a long, cold snow-covered winter and I was glad to escape to a long, hot August in British Columbia.
Melissa is a believable, unsure 11-year-old. I could relate to her inner turmoil and insecurities. I loved the layered relationships in her family -- the way she both admired and was embarrassed by her beautiful, outgoing mom.
The writing was simple, yet rich. There was some overuse of the phrase "Melissa felt sick" and Melissa blushes an awful lot in the story, however it is believable that an 11-year-old would blush this much and feel sick this often.
In conclusion, I have to say how much I enjoyed the length of the story. I am coming to love novella's more an more. I could read the entire book in a day and still fell like there was time to develop the characters, story and plot sufficiently. Maybe this just shows that I'm not the sophisticated reader I like to think I am. Or maybe it is proof that young adult readers and writers are more sophisticated than they are given credit for.
November 7, 2012
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
When Melissa's mother tells her they will be moving, it doesn't come as a big surprise. They've never stayed anywhere very long, so she figured it was just a matter of time. The surprise is that they are moving to a larger apartment, but first they will be vacationing at a cabin on a lake.
It all sounds exciting, but Melissa had her heart set on going to a summer art camp she heard about at school. What will it be like at some lonely cabin with just her mother and her little brother, Cody? Melissa isn't used to her mother doing anything with Cody and her. For years, all Melissa can remember is her mother's drinking and a string of her unpleasant boyfriends. Her mother has been promising that life was going to be different, but nothing seems to change.
Memories of a terrible fire in their house trailer still give Melissa nightmares. It's true that since then her mother has stopped drinking, has a good job, and doesn't have a boyfriend. Maybe there is hope for a better life.
When they arrive at the lake cabin, any worry about loneliness disappears when Melissa meets Alice. Alice's invitation to her secret tree house on an island in the middle of the lake gives Melissa plenty of activity every afternoon. She learns about Alice's family, her interest in fantasy and writing, and also how she seems a bit strange and mysterious at times. Some of their experiences together are a little unsettling for Melissa, but her desire for friendship causes her to dismiss the concerns as minor issues. After all, she should know - no one's life is perfect
AFTER THE FIRE is a story of healing and change. Author Becky Citra shares the story of two girls whose lives have been complicated by tragedy. Each has learned to cope in her own individual way, and both must now learn to trust that things can change as life goes on.
When Melissa's mother tells her they will be moving, it doesn't come as a big surprise. They've never stayed anywhere very long, so she figured it was just a matter of time. The surprise is that they are moving to a larger apartment, but first they will be vacationing at a cabin on a lake.
It all sounds exciting, but Melissa had her heart set on going to a summer art camp she heard about at school. What will it be like at some lonely cabin with just her mother and her little brother, Cody? Melissa isn't used to her mother doing anything with Cody and her. For years, all Melissa can remember is her mother's drinking and a string of her unpleasant boyfriends. Her mother has been promising that life was going to be different, but nothing seems to change.
Memories of a terrible fire in their house trailer still give Melissa nightmares. It's true that since then her mother has stopped drinking, has a good job, and doesn't have a boyfriend. Maybe there is hope for a better life.
When they arrive at the lake cabin, any worry about loneliness disappears when Melissa meets Alice. Alice's invitation to her secret tree house on an island in the middle of the lake gives Melissa plenty of activity every afternoon. She learns about Alice's family, her interest in fantasy and writing, and also how she seems a bit strange and mysterious at times. Some of their experiences together are a little unsettling for Melissa, but her desire for friendship causes her to dismiss the concerns as minor issues. After all, she should know - no one's life is perfect
AFTER THE FIRE is a story of healing and change. Author Becky Citra shares the story of two girls whose lives have been complicated by tragedy. Each has learned to cope in her own individual way, and both must now learn to trust that things can change as life goes on.
April 9, 2014
"I hate this apartment!" Melissa and her mother go through some hard years - but Melissa still wants to go to a camp. Not the one she planned, as her grade four teacher finds a discount family camp. Melissa wasn't surprised that she would move away from this apartment after the camp, but they didn't usually live in specific places for long.
Melissa finds an awkward girl and asked her some weird questions. She replies in a low tone voice, like she expected to see Melissa.
Melissa always imagined to live in a big, beautiful apartment. She didn't get what she wanted after the camp, but, she said "I can live with it".
I'd recommend this book to People who love a little, humorous action-packed adventure.
Overall, I'd give After The Fire 4/5 stars.
Melissa finds an awkward girl and asked her some weird questions. She replies in a low tone voice, like she expected to see Melissa.
Melissa always imagined to live in a big, beautiful apartment. She didn't get what she wanted after the camp, but, she said "I can live with it".
I'd recommend this book to People who love a little, humorous action-packed adventure.
Overall, I'd give After The Fire 4/5 stars.
June 30, 2010
4.5 stars. Recommended for gr. 6-9. Melissa's mother is trying to straighten out her life and family two years after a fire linked to substance abuse destroyed the family trailer and injured Melissa's hand. Melissa is skeptical about the changes, as she has been the one raising her younger brother when mom was absent. They are offered a chance at spending a month at a remote lake cabin. Melissa meets a new friend there who has what seems to be the perfect family life. But things aren't always what they seem. Will appeal primarily to girls.
January 7, 2013
I hadn't heard anything about this book before picking it up at a bookstore a few days ago. I was looking for a quick read, but wanted something with some depth. Going into a book blind can backfire, but I was pleasantly surprised by Becky Citra's After the Fire. The characters were all super compelling and this is just a really well paced, poignant story. Don't you just love it when things work out like that?
For full review
http://backstagebooklover.blogspot.co... (link goes live 07/01/13)
For full review
http://backstagebooklover.blogspot.co... (link goes live 07/01/13)
September 29, 2010
Well written - about Melissa and her little brother who grew up with very little consideration from their alcoholic/absent single mom until a terrible fire put the family on a different course. When the three of them spend a month in a remote cabin, Melissa is given the chance to re-examine the mother/daughter relationship and, with the help of a strange secretive girl, put her life into perspective.
March 30, 2015
All about a girl's family Melisa, Cody (her brother) and her mother (Sharlene). 2 years ago, something tragic happened to them, so they decided to go away from the past, so they moved to a cabin in the woods for the summer. Melisa met a creative girl named Alice. Little that she knew, she was going to be her best friend.
August 12, 2011
Fire is a symbol for change and has two meanings in this book. It is a simple story of the growth of two families through tragic events.
April 20, 2016
for a much younger audience (grade 5-7)
March 16, 2014
It's an okay read. Very easy read and the suspense KILLS you!
July 29, 2015
This book is one of the best novels about friendship and family I have ever read. It is so beautiful written.
I will do a full review of this book.
I will do a full review of this book.
July 5, 2016
This book is a quick read and a good book for a preteen. The end is quite abrupt but ok. The characters are believable and likable.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews