Flash the Little Fire Engine, by Pam Calvert/Illustrated by Jen Taylor, (Nov. 2019, Two Lions), $17.99, ISBN: 978-1-5420-4178-2
Ages 3-6
Flash is a little fire engine who wants to do big things, but every time the alarm clangs at the firehouse, Flash arrives on the scene to discover another truck is there, better able to handle the challenge. Dejected, Flash heads back to the firehouse, only to discover the a sudden snowstorm has blocked the bridge, and there’s a fire in the town square! It’s up to Flash to save the animals in the burning animal shelter!
Flash the Little Fire Engine is a sweet story about a spunky little fire engine, and encourages us kids who were always at the front of the line when we lined up in size order. Flash may be too little for some rescues, but he’s always ready to help – and that determination pays off when the stakes are high and the other trucks can’t get through. The book also gives kids an introduction to other first response vehicles, like an airport crash tender, the ever-popular turntable ladder truck, and an airplane firefighter and foam tender. The text moves between the story narrative and sound effects, which are bolded, larger, and in bright colors, to draw attention and encourage the kids to howl along with you during a storytime reading. The digital illustrations are bright, bold, and give the vehicles big, expressive faces that will instantly appeal to Blaze and the Monster Machines fans. The kids in my library (heck, every library I’ve been at) LOVE vehicle books, and have a special love for fire engines, so I’ll be adding this to the storytime rotation, along with firefighter hat coloring sheets, like this one from Education.com.
Pam Calvert is an award-winning children’s book author. Her books include the Princess Peepers series, illustrated by Tuesday Mourning; more recently, Brianna Bright, Ballerina Knight, illustrated by Liana Hee; and other titles. Formerly a science teacher as well as a writing instructor and coach, she speaks to thousands of children every year. When she’s not speaking or writing, you can find her having fun with her family in Texas. Learn more about her online at www.pamcalvert.com or on Twitter: @PammCalvert.
Jen Taylor is an illustrator and arts-and-crafts enthusiast born and raised in New Jersey. She attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where she majored in illustration and animation. She is the illustrator of the Brave Little Camper series as well as the picture book Ninja Camp, written by Sue Fliess. She previously worked in animation on such shows as Sid the Science Kid and MAD. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and their corgi, Rocket. Learn more about her online at www.jentaylor.net.
“Calvert deftly finds a new way to introduce kids to different kinds of firefighting vehicles…sure to slip in effortlessly with other firetruck books.” —Kirkus Reviews
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