Hill Of Fire

I Can Read: Level 3

by Thomas P. Lewis, Joan Sandin (Illustrator)

"El Monstruo!" Every day is the same for Pablo's father. Then one afternoon the ground growls, hisses smoke, and swallows up his plow. A volcano is erupting in the middle of his cornfield!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Childrens, 2nd Grade, Geography, Picture Books, School, Fiction

Paperback

First published March 23, 1971

Reviews

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical fiction for our youngest readers, it was first published in 1971 and based on an incident in Mexico in 1943. It includes an author's note at the end that could also be shared at the start of the story to provide background knowledge.

[Malia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I have no choice but to rate a book that literally haunted my dreams for my childhood five stars. What is more terrifying than a volcano sprouting up out of nowhere? To me as a child, literally nothing.

I saw this on Reading Rainbow as a kid and had recurring nightmares for years and years. I recently rewatched the episode, and honestly, it's still pretty scary. The book is too, because that full page volcano illustration is really extra.

LeVar, I love you, but it really would have been great if you had reassured sensitive kids that volcanoes only happen in certain parts of the globe. Would have really helped me out in my youth.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I faintly remember this book from my childhood.
It’s a fascinating read! It’s written easy enough for a second grader to read it but there are many details that all ages can enjoy.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this is worth digging through the RR archives for. As a child I would have been blown away (get it?) by the thought of plowing open the earth. As an adult, I appreciate so much about it, but especially the farmer's complaint that 'nothing ever happens' in his town. Isn't there a famous saying, attributed to the Chinese, about being careful what you wish for? I also particularly like the art, showing the people in this small rural town as more 'Indian' than the city dwellers, which is (was) accurate.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just saw this book come across my desk and was like "OH MY GOSH! I THINK THIS IS THE BOOK!!!" See, I have this memory of being a child reading a book about a Mexican farmer who had a volcano erupt in his field, but I didn't remember anything more. So I read this, and yep! This was it! I didn't love it as much as I did at age 4, but it was still good, and the nostalgia factor was awesome!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: Once there was a farmer who lived in Mexico. He lived in a little village, in a house which had only one room.

Premise/plot: Pablo's father, a farmer, is always, always saying nothing EVER happens on their farm, in their village. Every day is the same: dull and predictable. But one day SOMETHING happens, and Pablo witnesses it all. The two are in their field plowing when suddenly a VOLCANO begins to form. What started as crack in the ground soon becomes a big volcano--an erupting volcano. From the moment "it" appears--the crack-soon-to-be-a-volcano--Pablo runs to warn the villagers. It isn't long before the villagers are fleeing the village for safety. Indeed the whole village will have to be relocated and rebuilt.

This is a nonfiction early reader set in Mexico in 1943. A father and son truly witnessed the formation of a new volcano. That is far from an ordinary occurrence. The author's note states that human eyes--so far as we know from records--have only witnessed two such events. (Paricutin in Mexico and Tenerife in the Canary Islands.)

My thoughts: I remembered this book from Reading Rainbow. I'm not sure I ever read it myself until I found it in my local charity shop. Even though it was not in the best shape--a discarded library copy from Connecticut of all places--I knew I had to have it. The story was just as absorbing as I remembered it. Definitely recommended.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reason for Reading: Ds read aloud to me for his reader.

This book never fails to stun kids, the first time they read/hear it. How can a volcano just grow like that? It seems utterly amazing. But this is based on a true story and the volcano really did appear in a farmer's cornfield and bury the village with lava and ash.Written in a simple, easy to understand narrative, from the point of view of the farmer's son Pablo. This is a truly unique story that is sure to please any child, even those who don't usually like non-fiction. The illustrations are ok. We weren't too pleased with the depiction of the erupting volcano as it wasn't realistic enough and my son kept asking what's that?, what's happening there? and it was just that the illustrations didn't show the *how* of it very well. A diagram at this point would have been appreciated. Fortunately, I was able to explain and illustrate with my hands to his satisfaction. Otherwise, a very entertaining book. The Volcano is called Paricutin and it, along with the abandoned village, may be visited today.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading this "I Can Read History" book in about 2nd grade, I had the idea that volcanoes were big mountains that had erupted before and could erupt again, but this story tells about one that just came right up out of a farmers field while he was plowing the ground! This was in Mexico and I lived in Virginia; but when we moved to So. cal,near the San Andreas fault soon afterwards,and I was introduced to earthquakes, I started having nightmares about volcanoes spontaneously erupting in my neighborhood, right under my house - being swallowed up in lava as my home went up in flames around me. (That didn't happen in the story - no one died, but that's not how my young imagination processed this information. Why do I have this book in my home library, then? Honestly I just have to take it out and remind myself once in a while that it's not quite as terrifying as I remember it. (Note: none of my children have had - or at least admitted to having had - nightmares about volcanoes after reading this book).

[M.M. Hudson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Reading Rainbow book tells the tale of a farmer who is essentially bored with his mundane life. Everything is the same, he does everything the same, and wears the same things. That is until one day when a volcano erupts out of his farm land and everything changes.

This is based on a true story that happened in 1943. The moral of the story is to be happy with what you have because in an instant, it could be all gone.

The illustrations are as mundane as the farmer feels. Done in blacks, whites, browns, and greys, the illustrations have movement and add to the feel of the book.

Overall, I liked the book but it was not a wow for me either. Still, I can give it 3 stars.

Michelle
Disclosure: I bought a copy of this book for my own collections. The views here are 100% my own and may differ with yours.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
An easy reader book based on the true story of the Pericutin volcano that erupted in the Mexican state of Michoacan in 1943. This story starts with a farmer that is bored with the monotony of his life because, "nothing [interesting] ever happens." Then one day, while plowing his fields, the earth opens up, smoke and fire are spit from the ground, and a volcano begins to grow.

Told in simple language with a lot of repetition, this is a good story for 1st-3rd graders (and low upper grade readers) to learn a bit about the history of Mexico, and a reminder to be careful for what you wish for.

[Jeani · Rating 5 out of 5]

IDK if Thomas P. Lewis based the farmer on a real person associated with these real-life events or not, but I utterly loved this telling of the story. The farmer is basically clinically depressed and having some sort of mid-life crisis when a volcano appears out of nowhere and upends his entire life and the farmer is loving it. He's got a new lease on life as the closest person to this major event. No one dies, but a volcano is born and it is super exciting. Before reading this book (at age 42, mind you), I had no idea that people have seen volcanos just appear like this. It's rare, so kudos to the farmer for 'right place, right time'.

[Aimee Fuhrman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hill of Fire tells the story of the birth of the Paricutin volcano in Mexico in 1943. Not only does this easy reader tell a story otherwise unknown in children's literature, it gives kids a great historical look at a bygone era of Mexican history and culture. Though the pictures are the old three color style, making it appear a bit tired compared to the fabulously illustrated books now produced for children, it is still worth a read!

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good historical fiction easy reader about a Mexican farmer who was bored with his life, until a volcano was created right in the middle of his farm. Kind of a neat situation and you can still visit the sight this occurred and see the volcano and walk among the abandoned village that is now buried under lava and ash. It was also nice to see a fiction easy read that was realistic and whose story is set in another country. My rating - 3/5

[Jennifer Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review by Homeschooler Lily, age 9,

I saw it and was like, "whats in this?" We read it, and I thought, "Wow, how could someone be plowing and open a hole to a volcano?" I like that its a living book, not a text book. I feel you can really get more out of it. I loved to think that it was real and that people saw it happening.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a historical account of a volcano that "sprouted" from a corn field in Mexico in the early 1940s. The text was age appropriate for my 6 year old and it was an interesting story that we both enjoyed learning about. There are better books out there... but this one is about a volcano and little kids do like volcanoes.

[Cathy Sheetz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a true story of the Paricutin volcano erupting in a farmer's field in Mexico in 1943.

This is a beginning reader and great for 1st through 3rd grade classroom library. Can be used as a read-aloud as young as Kindergarten to explore volcanoes.

[Isaiah Espinoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember watching the book read on Reading Rainbow. It stayed with me. Reading the book years later the familiarity of the story has lost none of its original impact. It continues to fascinate me as a historical event.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A farmer feels very down because nothing new ever happens. Then one day when he is plowing a volcano erupts in his field. half the village is destroyed. The people all begin a new life. Based on a true event.

[Steven Aguilar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is realistic because I have seen farmers before doing the same work as this book. I have seen farmers in Los Angeles and México.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great nonfiction text for early readers.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This true story is good for young children (ages 6-9).

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on an actual eruption in Mexico in 1943. Be careful what you wish for (the man wishes that something exciting would happen to him).

[Good · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good beginner reader book, truly with simple and consistently repeated words. Cultural pictures. Told as a story but true event. Well done.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

AR 2.9

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cool story!!

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Q

[Sydney Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Level 3 "I Can Read" historical fiction.

[Brittany Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of a volcano forming in a village in Mexico. Good read…

[Aisley Faust · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story about a farmer who appears to be bored with his life because,"nothing ever happens" as he says, one day he is out plowing his fields when a volcano erupts and changes his life!

[Pamela Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating story of a new volcano in Mexico. This prompted a good discussion on historical fiction with my 5th graders!