"Firefighters A to Z" by Chris Demarest is a great read for anyone in preschool to first grade. It has information about Firefighters and what they do, while going though the ABC's. I think this book would be great for children to read during Hero's week, which is a time where certain schools take time to appreciate Police, Firemen, EMS, etc. for all that they do for the community. I would keep this book available on the shelf in my classroom for the students interested in Firefighters and for the students learning the alphabet. When a student is learning about something they enjoy, they'll retain the information easier. Books that include children's specific interests are extremely beneficial to have in the classroom.
Genre: Picture Book - Alphabet Book Awards: N/A Audience: PreSchool-3rd grade A. This is an alphabet book because it highlights each letter. Every letter has it's own page and the word chosen to represent the letter revolves around the theme of firefighters. B. Color plays a significant role in this book. The illustrator used vibrant colors to create the images. The colors darken with images of the fire, but this makes the firemen pop in their bright yellow outfits and red helmets and trucks. Each letter introduced is in a color while the rest of the text is black. C. I would use this book with students who are starting to learn the alphabet, but have already been introduced to it. I would use this book in a small group where the theme of firemen interests the students. This would be a good way to have them connect their interest and their learning. D. What does T stand for? T stands for teamwork.
I probably won't be using this for a storytime simply because the words might be a little harder for me to explain, and they can't be replaced because they correspond to a particular letter. This is a great readers advisory choice though for those learning about firefighters and the alphabet either at home or in the classroom.
My children love these little books. They thoroughly enjoy each and every story, as if they are all unique and individual without any cause for similarity among them. Even though sometimes, they might seem tedious and repetitive to me as a parent, I do enjoy being able to read short-stories to my children that are clean and respective.
I agree with another reviewer who says "Rather than an effective introduction to the alphabet, Firefighters A to Z seems more like a child’s 'first informational book.'” So it depends on what your purpose is for reading this book with a child/class.
This is an illustrated picture book that gives one sentence descriptions of different tasks firefighters complete, from putting on their equipment to going to sleep in the firehouse. A storytime read.
This book told a story in addition to being an alphabet book. It introduced quite a lot of vocabulary and had a nice rhyme and rhythm. I could see this book being a favorite of those children who become obsessed with firefighting at a young age. I used it in storytime and it went over well.
I like how this alphabet book creatively describes a firefighter’s routine and the things that they encounter throughout the day. I would use this in a very young class where students are learning the alphabet or I would just keep it in my class for students to read independently.
This non-fiction, 2000, concept, A-Z picture book was not only informative, but enhanced by engaging imagery. I think this book could be used to discuss careers in the classroom or simply, recognizing the sacrifice and hard work of members from our very own community.
We read this book during community helpers week as well and it was great way to learn more about firefighters and things they do or items they use! The kids love the colors and illustrations! Great way to kick off lesson on stop, drop and roll!
This book covers the basics of a firefighters job by using the alphabet to show how they react to fires. I enjoyed this book because it took the time to show the beginning to end of the process that is needed to successfully fight a fire. I would use this to show how fighting a fire is done and what it takes to be a firefighter.
CONCEPT BOOK 2000 This is an interactive and intriguing book about all things firefighters from A to Z. Although it encourages the alphabet, the content itself is deeper and provides information that many would find interesting in a classroom.
Children will be attracted to the extremely exciting cover of this book, featuring two firefighters working together to combat a blazing fire, and Demarest’s glowing, realistic illustrations, rendered in pastel crayon continue to crackle with action and movement throughout as he presents a day-in-the-life of firefighters from A-Z. Although the subject of firefighters combined with the alphabet may be attractive to young children, this book is more developmentally appropriate for kindergartners in tone and application. Rather than an effective introduction to the alphabet, Firefighters A to Z seems more like a child’s “first informational book,” introducing information about the tools and situations involved in the daily life of a firefighter using the alphabet as a clever delivery device. Although the rhyming scheme sometimes feels a bit forced, the simple text is quite informative and the vocabulary is excellent. Readers will appreciate Demarest’s nod to diversity as there are images of female firefighters as well as firefighters of color included. In addition to the information included on each illustrated page, there is also—prior to the beginning of the book proper—a line-drawing of a firefighter in full turn-out gear and SCBA, labeled and with acronyms expanded, as well as a special author’s note at the end which features a detailed explanation of some of the more obscure vocabulary used in the book, like “primary search” for the letter “P” and “K-tool” for the letter K. This book would be useful for reviewing the alphabet with the children who are already familiar with it and also to talk about fire safety. I would use this book during Fire Safety month, in October, to highlight the important job that firefighters do.
This is a great alphabet book that actually had me smiling the entire time I read it. It covers one or two actions of pieces of equipment that have to do with firefighters for each letter of the alphabet. The fun part is that the pairs of letters on a page rhyme ("A is for Alarm that rings loud and clear...B is for Boots stowed in our bunker gear..."). I think the book is also conscious of gender-stereotyping. These are "firefighters" and not "firemen" or something gender-specific like that. One of the first pictures in the book is actually of a female firefighter. I'll even forgive them for totally cheating on X (eXtinguish!?!)
Includes actual, clear, accurate drawings of tools firefighters use, as well as an explanation in the author's note of some of the less well-known tools and actions used. Before the book begins there is also a line-drawing of a firefighter in full turn-out gear and SCBA, labeled and with acronyms expanded.
Drawings are bright and easy to understand, the text with each page is easy to read and the rhymes are darn cute. Aside from the "Actual Size!" book about firefighting equipment, this may be my favorite. It seems like it could be a pretty good and adaptable book for younger school-age/preschool programs.
This is the perfect length for my storytime. October is National Fire Prevention Month, and thanks to our local fire department, we have little plastic fire hats and goody bags with fun stuff and fire safety literature to hand out to our kids.
Firefighters A to Z is unique in that it is an ABC book, but it also tells a complete story, from beginning to end. The illustrations are nice, and I think the kids will like it. It also introduces some new vocabulary. Luckily, there is an explanation (geared toward adults) in the back of the book that details some of the terms that might be unfamiliar, such as sounding or a K-tool.
This story is told using the alphabet, such as "A is for Alarm that rings loud and clear". The first page is a labeling of a fire fighter and his gear. Every page has large emotional pictures. Then there is a page for every alphabet that presents a day in the life of a fire fighter (28 pages). An author's note is included in the back with information a teacher can use depending on their students. This book is a must to have for National Fire Prevention Month in October.
When I first opened the book, I saw a huge and wonderful diagram of a firefighter. This is a great idea for primary and intermediate grade levels. They can visually see each part of the fiefighter's uniform. This informational text is a wonderful tool that informs children about fire, firefighters, and the fire department. This book will ignite any child's interest, curiosity, and inquiry. I love the bold and vibrant illustrations.
This was a great book for older children who are struggling with learning the alphabet. It provides a unique take on learning the alphabet by relating the letters to firefighter terms. The illustrations are captivating and emphasize the letter that they are referencing. This book will work great for young boys who are less likely to be interested in a book. You are easily captivated by the interesting terms and realistic illustrations.
This book is an informational text about firefighters. It explains the process that firefighters go though everyday and how they do there jobs. The book is very helpful for kids that are interested in firefighters.
The illustrations in this book are very vibrant. The majority of the colors used are red, orange, blue, black, and yellow. The lines in the book are usually pointing to a fire or whatever is the subject of the specific page. The illustrations are all full page.