Fighting Fires

by Seymour Simon

[See More Readers Level 1]

From ladders reaching more than 100 feet above the ground to aircraft that carry 2,500 gallons of water, this book presents an irresistible invitation to readers with fascinating facts and images of firefighting. Includes a deck of collectible cards. Photos. Consumable.

Genres: Nonfiction, Firefighters, Childrens, Picture Books

32 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2002

About the author

Seymour Simon, whom the NY Times called "the dean of [children's science:] writers," is the author of more than 250 highly acclaimed science books (many of which have been named Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association).

Seymour Simon uses his website, SeymourSimon.com, to provide free downloads of a wealth of materials for educators, homeschoolers and parents to use with his books, including 4-page Teacher Guides for all 26 of his Collins/Smithsonian photo essay books. The site provides multiple resources for kids writing book reports or wanting to explore the online Science Dictionary, and also features the Seymour Science blog highlighting current science news. Educators and families are encouraged to sign up to receive the monthly newsletter from SeymourSimon.com to stay abreast of the latest materials that Seymour Simon is introducing to enrich the reading experience.

He taught science and creative writing in elementary and secondary schools and was chair of the science department at a junior high school in the New York City public school system before leaving to become a full-time writer. "I haven't really given up teaching," he says, "and I suppose I never will, not as long as I keep writing and talking to kids around the country and the world."

Seymour Simon is also a creator and the author of a series of 3D books and a series of Glow-in-the-Dark Books for Scholastic Book Clubs, a series of leveled SEEMORE READERS for Chronicle Books, and the EINSTEIN ANDERSON, SCIENCE DETECTIVE series of fiction books. His books encourage children to enjoy the world around them through learning and discovery, and by making science fun. He has introduced tens of millions of children to a staggering array of subjects; one prominent science education specialist described Simon's books as "extraordinary examples of expository prose."

Seymour Simon has been honored with many awards for his work, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Lifetime Achievement Award for his lasting contribution to children's science literature; the New York State Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature; the Hope S. Dean Memorial Award from the Boston Public Library for his contribution to children's science literature; The Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Non-fiction; the Jeremiah Ludington Award for his outstanding contribution to children's nonfiction; the Empire State Award for excellence in literature for young people; and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Forum on Children's Science Books.

In a recent interview Simon was asked if he ever thinks of retiring. "I seem to be working faster and harder than ever. I absolutely don't feel any urge to sit back and look at what I've done. The only things that I'm thinking about are things I'd like to do in the future. I'm planning and doing and continuing to write. It's what I love to do. I remember a story about an anthropologist going to talk to a tribe and he asked them what was their word for "work." Their response was they have no word for work. Everybody does the things that they do in their life. I love that response. I don't differentiate between work and play. Everything I do is something that I enjoy doing - the writing, the research and everything else."

Seymour Simon writes and photographs nature from his hilltop home in Columbia County in upstate New York, where he lives with his wife Liz Nealon.

You can follow Seymour on Facebook and on Twitter, as well as on his website, which offers free, downloadable Teacher Guides to his books for educators, parents and homeschoolers, as well as the popular Seymour Science Daily Blo

Reviews

[Abbi Kraus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had real pictures that may have scenes that chilren have never witnessed before. The book gives a little bit of history and some measurement conversions to make this more comprehensive for elementary school students. For instance, it gives an amount of water in galloons, then in bathtubs-full. I would recommend this book for prospective teachers to keep in their library.

[Hanna Mammo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book describes some of the life saving things that firefighters do on a regular basis. How they put out fires in houses, building boats and more. This book is a very simple and easy to read book that I would allow my beginning readers to start reading from. This book is also simple enough that I would do a running record or miscue analysis with it.

[Horace Mann Family Reading Challenge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fire fighters risk their lives to save people from fires. L.

[Kymberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very realistic, and informative for a child. Pictures are the realism of fire.

[Sylvester (Taking a break in 2023) · Rating 3 out of 5]

5* photos
3* text

Very vivid and full-page photos make this book awesome.