Different people react in different ways when faced with perilous situations. While some individuals panic, others maintain composure when faced with a crisis. 
This was the case for the Stabnow family as they patiently waited for an evacuation notice during the deadwood forest fire of September 1959.

Ponderosa Pines: Days of the Deadwood Forest Fire is a book authored by Annette Gagliardi that gives true accounts of the deadwood forest fire of 1959, which claimed 4500 acres of land and several private properties and is recorded to be the most devastating fire outbreak in the state of South Dakota.

The eldest daughter of Bill and Anne Stabnow and the story's narrator, Annette Stabnow, takes us inside their first-hand experience during these tough times. On the morning of September 8, 1959, the Stabnow family and their cousins, who all lived together in the town of Lead, were going about their daily business. All of the kids got ready and showed up at school. As usual, Bill went about his mining job at the Lead gold mine, and everything was pretty normal until the fire outbreak. Lead schools were closed concurrently with the evacuation of the deadwood schools. Everyone in Lead was told to prepare to evacuate, according to the news source. Residents of Lead were getting ready to evacuate as the fire quickly consumed Deadwood. Anne prepared for the worst-case scenario with her children. After making all the necessary preparations, they awaited the government's instructions regarding the evacuation notice, while Bill was among the volunteer firefighters on the scene of the fire outbreak.

I felt the ferocity of the circumstances as I read this book. While waiting for an evacuation notice, Anne is under pressure to control the situation at home. It couldn't have been easy to maintain her composure with her husband among the firefighters working frantically to put out the fire, but I was genuinely impressed by her poise. She gave everyone hope and never wavered, even though she had thirteen kids to take care of. I learned from the book to appreciate how simple my life has been, and I realized that nothing is guaranteed.

I liked the author's narration in this book. The intensity, suspense, and fear of the day were recorded seamlessly and in a friendly manner. I especially liked the tea party Anne and Aunt Dolly organized for the children just to lighten the mood. Even though Annette at that time was young and vulnerable, she appeared to be the smartest among the children. I liked how she always had silent thoughts that questioned the ongoing situation they were faced with. I also liked how the author documented the casualties at the end of the story. It answered some questions I had been asking while reading the book.

I enjoyed reading this book, and there was nothing I disliked about it. I encountered no errors while reading, which is proof of exceptional editing. For this reason, I would give this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

People who have run out of options and are looking for a ray of hope should, in my opinion, read this book. The book will cheer those who are downhearted and serve as a beacon of hope in otherwise bleak circumstances.