Nov 10 2026Press release
Two Years After the Los Angeles Wildfires, 35 Local Storytellers Publish a Book Supporting Relief Efforts
Recorded OTOak Tree Comics
We Are Los Angeles, a new anthology of comics from Oak Tree Comics
WE ARE LOS ANGELES publishes January 5, 2027, to commemorate the two-year anniversary of the LA fires, with publisher's profits benefiting local wildfire relief
To tell the story properly, I believed it needed to be told from a communal lens.”
— Josh Oaktree
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, November 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Two years after wildfires devastated communities across Los Angeles in January 2025, 35 local writers and artists have turned the city's loss and resilience into an anthology of comics in support of wildfire relief. WE ARE LOS ANGELES, edited by Josh Oaktree and published by Oak Tree Comics, arrives January 5, 2027, the two-year anniversary of the fires.
Publisher's profits from the book will be divided equally among four Los Angeles nonprofits leading in environmental restoration, relief, and recovery: the Theodore Payne Foundation, Palisades Recovery Coalition, My TRIBE Rise, and TreePeople. The 264-page graphic anthology is available for preorder now wherever books are sold and through the publisher at Oak Tree Comics.
Geared for middle-grade readers and older, the stories embrace imagination and range from fantastical allegory to first-person nonfiction. Together they show why Los Angeles is such a magical place to call home, and how the city can rebuild to be greener and more sustainable. Several stories celebrate native plants and wildlife, and the role native landscapes play in preventing wildfires.
WE ARE LOS ANGELES is being published by Oak Tree Comics, an LA-based independent children’s book publisher with a focus on imaginative storytelling that embraces environmentalism, founded by Josh Oaktree.
Oaktree, an L.A. transplant of nearly 15 years, had never experienced a wildfire like the January fires of 2025. When he began writing about the experience, he realized one person's imagination couldn't tell the story.
"As fleeting ideas came to me, I quickly realized that any story from my imagination alone would fail to capture the real story, which was about this community taking on more pain than ever imagined possible, and yet, finding a way to persevere and help each other," said Oaktree. "To tell the story properly, I believed it needed to be told from a communal lens."
He had published one anthology before. His first book, DID YOU BOSCOV TODAY?, co-edited with his cousins, gathered close to 100 stories about his late grandfather, the retailer and philanthropist Albert Boscov. For WE ARE LOS ANGELES, he recruited local storytellers whose work reflects the city's range of voices and imagination.
Contributor Lili Todd captures the feeling of returning to the city after the fires in her personal story, "Visiting Home":
"All day, my skin felt thin like an eggshell that could crack if I didn't step lightly. But being this very raw version of myself only made me feel closer to the people I love."
Though rooted in Los Angeles, the anthology speaks to any community facing climate disaster.
"Anyone can enjoy this book. You don't have to be from LA," said Oaktree. "Sadly, natural disasters are happening more and more often, and while that's universal, I believe finding hope in community is also universal. If there's a central theme to the book, that's it—together, we can make a world of difference!"
Written for readers ages 8–12 and up, WE ARE LOS ANGELES is well suited to classrooms and libraries, especially across Southern California.
Oak Tree Comics plans a launch event at each of the four nonprofit partners' locations, with details to be announced. Leading up to the book’s debut, the publisher has shared three free stories from the anthology each month on Instagram and Facebook, paired with contributor reels by each storyteller spotlighting local nonprofits. The final four previews post in November and December.
One of the closing stories from the anthology, Kristen Wang's "Our Neighbors, Our Wildlife", shares the book’s central theme:
"Together, we could invite nature into our lives and homes…and create a city where we look after our neighbors, our wildlife. Because even the smallest gesture can make the biggest difference in achieving our wildest dreams. From one neighbor to another… together, we are Los Angeles!"
Readers: The book is available for preorder at oaktreecomics.com and wherever books are sold. Publisher's profits benefit four local nonprofits helping Los Angeles recover and rebuild.
Media: Review copies, interviews with Josh Oaktree and anthology contributors, the high-resolution cover, author headshot, and sample pages are available on request.
Book details:
Title: WE ARE LOS ANGELES: AN ANTHOLOGY OF COMICS IN SUPPORT OF WILDFIRE RELIEF
Editor: Josh Oaktree
Book designer: Hannah Perez
Publisher: Oak Tree Comics
Publication date: January 5, 2027
Format: Paperback and ebook, 264 pages
Price: $21.95 US / $28.95 CAN
ISBN: 978-1-954754-18-8 (paperback); 978-1-954754-19-5 (ebook)
Ages: 8–12 and up (middle grade)
Genre: Nonfiction graphic anthology
Distributor: Lakeside Book Company
Available wherever books are sold in the US and Canada, and at https://www.oaktreecomics.com/
Social: @oaktree_comics (Instagram); @oaktreecomics (Facebook, TikTok)
Contributors, in order of appearance: Aaron Painter, Reid Byron, Ashley Breitman, Leah Patel, Catherine Chen, Aishwarya Chandramohan, Francis C. Marfone, Justine Alameda, Melissa May Curtis, John Charles Bricker, Rebecca Avalos, Miguel Ramirez, Lili Todd, Brad Beideman, Léandre Perrin, Kristin Marine, Elsa Valent-Croci, Shideh Ghandeharizadeh, Kelsea Mayfield, Trenyce Tong, Pedro Iniguez, Tenzin Lhamo, Lucy Xue, Srimoyee Acharya, Emily Brunner, Amanda Leigh Smith, Kristen Wang, Katie Lazo, Stephen Lee, Jason Wise, Lesley Goren, and Phoebe Longhi.
About Oak Tree Comics
Oak Tree Comics is an independent publisher where imagination meets environmentalism, creating books for young and middle-grade readers that inspire a love for nature. Learn more at https://www.oaktreecomics.com/.
About the Editor
Josh Oaktree is the managing director and founder of Oak Tree Comics. His award-winning books for young and middle-grade readers include the ART & OAKIE ASK series, THORN THE UNICORN, and THE WEIRD ANIMAL HOUR. He holds an MFA in screenwriting from the American Film Institute. Originally from the Philadelphia area, Josh lives in Los Angeles.
Nonprofit Partners
Theodore Payne Foundation · Palisades Recovery Coalition · My TRIBE Rise · TreePeople
Media Contact
Josh Oaktree
Oak Tree Comics
info@oaktreecomics.com
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