In December, I read the book Two Degrees by Alan Gratz. Two degrees is a historical fiction book about Akita, Owen, George, and Natalie who are all affected by climate change. Akira was riding her horse in California, when a wildfire starts and grows at a rapid speed. Owen and his best friend George, live by the snowy Canadian tundra where they are always seeing polar bears. When on their way to George’s family’s ice fishing cabin they come face to face with a protective mama bear, they have to overcome their differences and figure out how to survive. Natalie lives in Miami where a massive hurricane comes through her city while she’s at home. Where the hurricane crashes into her house and she has to escape to survive, but she has nowhere to hide or family to protect her.

I really enjoyed this book because it kept me entertained throughout the entire book with all the challenges the characters faced. I also loved all the action in the book and how it is about historical fiction. I love how Alan Gratz wrote about the dangers of climate change, and how it can affect people, animals, and the environment.

Akira was my favorite character, because she is independent and courageous. Even though she was in a forest fire with her horses and her dad, she still cared about the horses safety and strangers she just met. Sue, a girl she just met. Akira noticed one of her arms was limp and was clearly hurt, she stopped to make a sling for Sue’s arm. Remembering everything her father taught her, and when they came to a house after escaping the fire for a little bit of time. Akira saw Dodger, her horse was trapped on top of a pool plastic cover. Instead of leaving Dodger behind, she decided to go rescue Dodger from the quickly approaching wildfire. Also when they were found by a truck driver named Vicki, Akira made sure Sue was safe. Akira was hesitant if she should go with the Vicki and Sue or ride with Dodger, but she stuck with her gut feeling to stay with Dodger to make sure he was going to be alright. Even though the Vicki and Sue were telling her to get in the truck and let Dodger find his way out of the fire like the first time she found him on the plastic cover. Akira was a courageous character and I can prove it with this quote, “It was surprisingly hard to leave Sue too. But Akira couldn’t abandon her horse. ‘I left Dodger once before,’ Akira said, ‘and I promised I’d never do it again.’ Vicki tried to talk her out of it, but Akira’s mind was made up.” (pg. 187)

My favorite quote from the book is when Akira and Sue are about to separate because Sue is in the pickup truck with Vicki and Akira is with Dodger, and even though they just met. They have started to become friends or even best friends, in a situation where there is a dangerous forest fire is come towards them. Sue gives Akira her number and says, “‘So we can see each other again, come hail or high water,’ Sue told her. Akira laughed. She’d thought before that Sue might be somebody who could become a real friend, and she was sure of it now.” (pg. 187) This is my favorite quote because it shows that no matter what is happening to you or around you, there will always be someone there for you. Who could have the potential to become a best friend.