Fire

50 Burning Questions: A Sizzling History of Fire
by Tanya Lloyd Kyi


When human beings discovered fire, it changed everything. Instead of prey, we became hunters, and thus were more likely to survive. Fire also became a means of communication, a driver of technology, an object of worship, and an instrument of war. Tanya Lloyd Kyi summarizes the history of fire in quick, easily digestible fact boxes, explosive activities, and hilarious cartoons. However, while the destructiveness of fire is not overlooked, the cartoons tend to make light of the danger. 




For a more serious take on the subject matter, get Burn: The Life Story of Fire, Lloyd Kyi's earlier book. It begins with a riveting account of a 1958 school fire that killed 92 children. While the layout is not as kid-friendly as the later version, it provides more complete information.