With the Fire on High is a contemporary young adult novel that follows Emoni Santiago, a high school senior and young single mother navigating the pressures of school, work, and raising her daughter. Gifted with an intuitive talent for cooking, Emoni finds an outlet for creativity and self-expression in a culinary arts class, where food becomes a way to connect her cultural roots, personal identity, and future ambitions. As she balances responsibility with desire, the story explores themes of resilience, family, love, and the courage to pursue one’s passion despite social and economic obstacles. The novel presents a grounded, emotionally rich portrait of growing up under real-world constraints, with food serving as a powerful thread of memory, culture, and possibility.
Number of pages: 400
Year of publication: 2019
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Language: English
Original language: English
