What You Take with You: Wildfire, Family and the Road Home

This book recalls the devastating 2016 Fort McMurray fire, told through the experiences of Greenwood and her husband during the crisis and evacuation. The author uses simple vocabulary to provide insight into the personal side of this well-known Albertan event. What You Take With You is short enough to be suitable for a novel study, yet it has deep themes of relationships to community, place, and objects that could prompt discussion around identity, especially in times of crisis. It could also inspire learners to write short works about the material items that add value to their lives, and why. As Greenwood doesn’t shy away from sharing her feelings in this book, it could be used to talk about emotions and coping mechanisms during stressful situations.

Awards: Shortlisted, Trade Non-Fiction Book of the Year, 2020 Alberta Book Publishing Awards