Hallie Morse Daggett loved spending time outdoors, hiking among the tall trees of the forests in California's Siskiyou Mountains. She wasn't afraid of the bears, coyotes, and wildcats. But Hallie was afraid of fire and understood the threat it posed to the forests, wildlife, and people. And more than anything, she wanted to devote her life to protecting her beloved outdoors; she decided she would work for the US Forest Service.
In the 1880s the Forest Service didn't hire women, thinking they couldn't handle the physical challenges of the work or the isolation. But the Forest Service didn't know Hallie or how determined she could be. This picture book biography tells the story of Hallie Morse Daggett, the first woman "fire guard," whose hard work and dedication led the way for other women to join the Forest Service.
"The men take bets that she won’t last in the tiny, isolated cabin she’s assigned, but of course she does, spotting 40 fires in her first season. When, 14 years later, the wee cabin is replaced by a much fancier installation, Daggett retires after only one season in it, a decision framed by Bissonette in her admiring, economically engaging narration as prompted by her distaste for frippery.... An efficient introduction to another groundbreaking woman." — Kirkus Reviews
Recommended Age | 5 - 9 |
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Author | Aimee Bissonette |
Illustrator | David Hohn |
ISBN | 1534110615 |
Publication Date | Feb 15, 2021 |
Publisher | Sleeping Bear Press |
Language | English |