Product Description

A 2001 Children's Literature Choice

Every day, brave firefighters come to our rescue. When the fire alarm sounds, men and women put on their uniforms, slide down the firehouse pole, jump in their big red trucks, and rush to save our lives. From the minute the fire alarm rings, the day of a firefighter is filled with adventure -- and danger. Wherever there is a fire, we can be sure that firefighters will always be there!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #127175 in Books
• Published on: 2003-05-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780689859991
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2-Demarest takes a different approach to the subject in this rhyming alphabet book. Despite the simplicity of the format, a great deal of information is conveyed in the one line of text per page. While the author's note at the end elaborates on how a "K-tool" works and how "sounding" is done, the rhymes themselves are natural and meaningful. "G is for Go as we race at full speed./H is for Hoses and Hydrants we need." The bold pastel illustrations are dramatic and convey the action in an appealing manner. Karen Magnuson Beil's Fire in Their Eyes (Harcourt, 1999) uses full-color photographs for a more realistic portrayal of her subject. Nevertheless, Firefighters is sure to spark the interest of young enthusiasts.
Edith Ching, St. Albans School, Mt. St. Alban, Washington, DC
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Children fascinated by fire fighters will find plenty to please them in this large-format picture book, in part, because Demarest knows the subject firsthand: he's a member of a volunteer fire department. As the title suggests, the text is arranged alphabetically, beginning with "A is for Alarm that rings loud and clear. / B is for Boots stowed in our bunker gear." Though the rhyming verse is less satisfying than the dramatic artwork, the simplicity of the text makes this picture book accessible to kids young enough to be excited about fire engines. The large-scale, deeply colored pictures, ablaze with yellows and orange-reds, show broad scenes, such as two firefighters knocking down a wall and closer views, such as a firefighter's hand using a "kool-tool" to open a door. In three appended pages of notes, he discusses fire fighting and explains some aspects of the text. A colorful, dramatic introduction that future firefighters will adore. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author
Chris L. Demarest says: "A few years ago my wife and I brought our two-year-old son to an open house at a fire station. Ethan loved the big red fire trucks and I became totally enthralled not only by the trucks, but by the idea of serving my community as a firefighter.

"Being a full-time illustrator, I work at home, so I could be on call at any time. I took a lot of classes, passed some hard tests, and became a volunteer firefighter. I am on call for the Meriden, New Hampshire, station, where I now get to drive those big red fire trucks.

"I created Firefighters A to Z to show Ethan and other children what firefighting is really like. It can be an exciting job, but it's also a dangerous one. I hope to convey that through this book."

Customer Reviews

Not just another firetruck book
Lots and lots of interesting pictures not seen in other firefighting books - these focus on the fire fighters and the job they do rather than the trucks. This book also gently introduces the idea that fighting fires is DANGEROUS - fire fighters must continuously test the floors for weakness, do a primary search to locate people before the hoses ever get turned on, chop holes in the roof to let explosive gasses out, etc., which has opened up some very educational discussions with my sons. A valuable addition to our firefighting collection - one that gets read at least once a day.

What a great book!
If there was some way to give this book more than 5 stars, I would. My 5 year old son has read this book so many times that we both have it memorized. The illustrations are wonderful, the text easy enough for a beginning reader, yet challenging enough that my 8 year old neighbor loves it as well. He explains the unfamiliar terms in the Author's Notes in the back of the book. What a fantastic book!

Firefighters A to Z
Written by a trained fireman, this exciting alphabet book realistically takes the reader through a fire fighter's day as it goes through the alphabet. Its rhymes are unforced, written in natural language. Firefighting vocabulary is explained. The illustrations capture the excitement of firefighting. Includes an illustration of equipment and further informative fire fighting facts in an author's note. This book is sure to become a favorite.