With the Fire on High Summary
Elizabeth Acevedo

With the Fire on High Overview

Elizabeth Acevedo’s young adult novel, With the Fire on High, follows the life of Emoni Santiago as she navigates her senior year in high school as a teenaged mother. Emoni possesses both passion and talent in the kitchen, and is afforded an opportunity to study abroad in Spain to hone her skills. Yet balancing academics, employment, and motherhood proves to be a challenge. Emoni learns that this, along with a dash of hope and magic, may put her dreams of being a chef within reach. Themes of the novel include identity, family, responsibility, and coming-of-age in an increasingly challenging world.