Gift help - book about firefighters for teenager slow reader?

Cafe Society
1

So I should be able to answer this myself but haven’t been able to find anything I like. My nephew is 16 but a bit delayed, a reluctant reader and reads below grade level. (Not that that necessarily makes a difference in the books I give them, understand. I figure he’ll read something if he’s interested, no matter what level it is.) He’s currently very much into firefighters and says he wants to be a firefighter.

So, I always get them books and although I know they mostly don’t read them I’m not going to stop giving them books anytime soon. I was wondering if there’s maybe a really good firefighter memoir, or a really readable popular history book about a specific fire (I tried reading one about the Peshtigo fire once and it was just not that captivating - I need something that grabs you, like the Isaac’s Storm of firefighting.) I figure there’s probably something about the Chicago fire but would like recommendations for a specific title.

Again, it doesn’t have to be exactly on his level, but it does have to be really readable. He’s not going to sit through a book that takes a while to ramp up or is overly academic. I’m hoping he might work through a book that’s adult in language and structure if it interests him.

2

I haven’t read it, but I’ve heard good things about Report From Engine Co. 82 by Dennis Smith. It might be a little dated; it was a big bestseller when it came out in 1972. Several of the Amazon reviews state they read it in middle school, so, hopefully that’s an ok level.

3

In my browsing I also found The Last Men Out by Tom Downy which is a more current account of firefighter life that has quite a few good reviews.

4

This illustrated history of the FDNY by a retired firefighter might be of interest. Look inside the Kindle version and see if it fits your needs.

5

My husband was really impressed with Norman Maclean’s Young Men and Fire. He doesn’t have any special interest in firefighting, as such, but found it compelling reading anyway. (It was a book club selection.)