Families can use the story to help young children put words to frightening memories, worries and feelings after a serious wildfire, bushfire or large-scale fire. It is aimed at children who may have seen smoke, fire engines, evacuations or damage in their neighbourhood and need a gentle way to talk about what happened with a trusted adult.

The booklet introduces Trinka and Sam, two child-friendly mouse characters, and sets up a story about a big fire using simple language and clear illustrations. The visible pages include both colour and black-and-white artwork, with a note encouraging adults to let children colour some of the pictures if they decide to read it together.

A short adults’ note at the beginning is particularly important because it asks parents and professionals to read the story first and decide whether it fits the child’s experience. It recognises that children affected by severe community fires may need different support from children who experienced a smaller fire with minimal damage, which makes it useful for thoughtful trauma-informed planning.

In practice, the story could be used at home, in early years settings, in family support work, or during sessions with a counsellor, social worker, play therapist or child mental health practitioner. Reading slowly, pausing over the pictures, naming feelings and noticing what the child asks about can help adults understand whether a child is anxious, confused, clingy, avoidant or still processing the event.

The title page states that the story was written by Chandra Michiko Ghosh Ippen and Melissa Brymer, illustrated by Erich Ippen, Jr., and includes a parents’ guide by Chandra Ghosh Ippen and Melissa Brymer. It was developed to support young children and their families in beginning conversations about feelings and worries after experiencing a fire.