Only We: Yosemite Conservancy

Discover a new way to talk to children about wildland fire with Only We.

Once upon a time there was a mountain
with two different sides
A bear took care of one side
A bobcat took care of the other

But the bear and the bobcat disagreed on what the mountain needed.

“More fire!” said the bobcat.
“Less fire!” said the bear.

As time passed and problems mounted—too much smoke, too little water—it was clear that the bear and bobcat were going to have to work together to care for their shared home. Told in gently poetic language with simple, adorable illustrations, this board book ends positively with, “Only we can care for the mountain together.”

Smokey Bear's "only you" approach by can only go so far. Real change in managing fire starts with how we talk about it, including with young children. Not all fire is bad, landscapes need care (not just protection), and collaboration between those who see the world differently can lead to better outcomes.

Only We brings nuance to family learning and conversations about wildland fire, while modeling cooperation, dual perspectives, and learning from others.

Perfect for:

• Families interested in climate resilience and ecological storytelling
• Preschool classrooms
• Nature-based programs
• Natural history museums, parks, arboretums, and botanical gardens

Only we can do this, together.