Long before telephone communication and the internet, the Koreans used signal fires to warn the king of a pending attack. In case of attack, enemies were most likely to arrive by sea. Therefore, the firekeeper living closest to the sea would light a fire every night to signal he did not see enemy soldiers. There were a series of firekeepers between the sea and the palace, and it was each firekeeper's job to light a fire after ensuring the fire in his line of sight was burning. If ever a fire was not lit, it was a sign of trouble.
Firekeepers tended to come from the same family. In The Firekeeper's Son, one night the fire didn't burn as usual. When the son went to investigate, he found the fire should have been lit and made sure the job was completed proving himself to be a qualified firekeeper.
This tale of courage not only teaches children about a small part of Korean history, but inspires. When kids hear tales of children taking responsibility it empowers them to do the same. I recommend this picture book for kids K-4th grade.
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