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The Fire Within

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The Fire Within
by Chris D'Lacey
Orchard Books, 2005. 340 pp. Chapter book.

In The Fire Within, D’Lacey uses his vivid imagination to mix two very separate plots of fantasy and realism. Lucy, a high-energy child of 10 is obsessed with squirrels – in particular a one-eyed squirrel that didn’t have the strength to follow his friends when their home was chopped down by a pesky neighbor. Enter David, a college student who has come to board with Lucy and her mother, Liz. Liz makes clay dragons, and through a series of odd, although slightly underplayed adventures, convinces David they’re real. David becomes a hero of sorts, writing stories for Lucy, and helping catch and care for squirrels, while figuring out how his personal clay dragon, Gadzooks, plays an integral part of him.

Separately, both of the stories could be expanded upon and are enjoyable. However, combined, they don’t adhere very well, and make for a chaotic read. David’s characterization is not consistent: in the beginning appears as a maturing young adult, becoming a pouty teenager-type by the end. Younger readers will enjoy this book, but the inconsistency of the story as a whole loses the interest of older readers.
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