Simone is a sweet book about the California wildfires and how natural disaster evacuations have impacted a young daughter and her mother. This book was heartwarming while depicting the relationships between a mother, daughter, and their community. The illustrations and coloring were poignant. I liked the parallels between the mother and daughter - the duality of them both fleeing with crayons. I was unaware of the prisoners turned firefighters, but they play an interesting role in this book - and are further illuminated in the notes in the back for adult readers. The end note states a desire for a more 'collective, collaborative, and compassionate future', which encapsulates this book very well. Overall, this was a sweet book that will help young victims of natural disasters understand their situation and communities. And I'm very glad the cat was found.

This story is so full of heart and kindness and joy. It's a story of perseverance and courage. I was so moved by it. The illustrations are beautiful and the words flow so neatly on the pages. This one is winning awards, I'm sure of it.

A tale of a young girl evacuating during a fire. Art and imagination help evacuees cope.

*was really glad that cat was shown safely at the end of the story

Thanks Net Galley and Minerva for the temporary ARC to review.

Simone was a beautiful book about a mother and daughter that are forced to flee a wildfire. I appreciated the author recognizing the role that incarcerated people play in being firefighters, as well as the need for diversity in the profession. I thought it was a tense book at first, but then brought calm with the children drawing and the mother being strong. The author packed a lot in a few pages, referencing the mother's childhood flood in Vietnam. I liked the use of black and white and then color to show creativity and fear dissipating.

A heartwarming and touching story about a Vietnamese girl whose life is changed when she experiences a wildfire. Simone is awakened by her mother and rushed out when a wildfire threatens her home. She experiences things she's never experienced and learns about her mother's life as a little girl in Vietnam who was forced to evacuate during a flood. This was truly such a sweet and beautiful story, and I absolutely adored it. It's got stunning art inside and the story itself is wonderful.

*Thanks Netgalley and Astra Books for Young Readers, Minerva for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*