Burning Up

Written by Caroline B. Cooney

Narrated by Christina Moore

Fifteen-year-old Macey Clare decides to research the history of a burned-out neighborhood barn for a school project. But no one in her beautiful, wealthy town wants to answer her questions about the fire of 1959. When Macey discovers that somebody was actually living in the barn when it burned, she vows to find the truth. Macey and her friends are nearly killed when an arsonist attacks the black church where they have volunteered. Although it's only a town away, the teens she meets at Good Shepherd have lives she can barely imagine. And like the fire of '59, no one in her town seems to care. Burning Up teaches young adults about the evil of indifference and the power of accepting responsibility. Author of the award-winning Face on the Milk Carton series, Caroline B. Cooney has created a riveting novel, from which narrator Christina Moore evokes the full dramatic power.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 24, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490608013

Caroline B. Cooney

Caroline B. Cooney was born in New York, grew up in Connecticut, and now lives in South Carolina. Caroline is the author of about 80 books in many genres, and her books have sold over fifteen million copies. I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hug was her first picture book, based on a verse she wrote for her own children, Louisa, Sayre, and Harold, who are now grown. I’m Going to Give You a Polar Bear Hug is the sequel! Visit her at carolinebcooneybooks.com or Caroline B. Cooney’s author page on Facebook.

Reviews for Burning Up

[johngrant1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is an older children's/YA novel, and I wish there'd been more of this kind of stuff around when I was a kid. Young Macey lives in the swanky Connecticut burb that's been home to her family for generations. As a school project, she decides to delve into the history of a local burnt-out barn . . . and is surprised to run into a wall of adult hostility to the notion. It could have ended there -- why rock the boat? -- but Macey's attitudes mature quite a lot when she and a few classmates visit an inner-city church to do charitable work, see the deprivation of the kids there, and make friends; they mature even more when, soon after, one of those kids is murdered. With her new boyfriend, Macey pushes ahead and discovers why the barn was torched, and the levels of guilt and bigotry buried beneath the genial facades of some of her family members and their friends. The writing's good, the relationships are well handled, and difficult topics are handled more substantively than in many an adult "issues" novel. What's not to like?

[mknerem52 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

this is a good book

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

We did this book for 7th grade book club. It brought up some interesting issues about race and class in the history of our country and also more recently. Macey doggedly pursues truth regardless of the resistance she gets from her community as events in her life intertwine with the burning of an apartment in 1959.

[sammynop · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is about a girl who has to do a history report. Macy decides to do the report on a huge fire that happened about 30 years ago. Two days later, she goes to this church with her friend Austin to paint the rooms for community service. Macy is paired up with a girl named Venita. They become very good friends. A week later, Venita is murdered. Macy is upset and wonders if there is people in her town against black people. Macy then sees that her grandparents are a part of this. Macy is very upset. She tries to find out about the fire that happened 30 years ago, but no one seems to remember. Macy finally learns to let the fire and Venita go.This book was very good. I liked how Macy didn't give up even if people told her to. I was a little mad that Macy's parents didn't let her go to Venita's funeral. But I like the way the book was written and I like how Caroline Cooney mentioned Shakespeare. I think this book holds a life lesson. I think that the lesson is never forget the dead and never forget the past because you never know when it could mean something to somebody else later on.

[bamabreezin4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this. It made great use of symbolism and multiple themes that teens can either relate to already or learn to relate to as they read this poignant story that deals with the closet racism of many whites, even in the North, breakup of families, and secrets within those families. It does have two words that are considered strong language, though they are not used frivolously.

[dor_ian_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

welp good so far not done yet hope to finish to night