Customer Reviews

The Fire Station

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

He was thrilled with the book. He is almost 3 and has been talking about fire trucks since he could first talk. We watch videos of fire trucks and now he has a book with a cute little story about 2 kids getting into mischief.

I love Robert Munsch! I saw this title on NetGalley.com so I guess it's been re-released, but originally it was published twenty years ago. Like all Robert Munsch books, it holds up beautifully. It's also one of my daughter's favourite types of Robert Munsch stories, namely the little-kid-with-a-fast-vehicle (her other favourites are Angela's Airplane and Zoom!). Of course, one of the best thing about Robert Munsch books is Robert Munsch himself, his storytelling is beyond compare. If you ever have a chance to take your child to see him in person, it's definitely worth it. In the meantime, check out his website. You can download audio files of him reading almost all of his books. (It's fantastic for long car rides for those of us who don't have video games and DVD players in our cars.)

For more reviews, please visit my all new children's book review blog, The Bookish Elf!

Disclaimer: I received a digital galley of this book free from the publisher from NetGalley. I was not obliged to write a favourable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

A fun-to-reread classic from my childhood with great artwork. Sheila is totally devious and not a good role-model, though. Poor Michael. This may make a good cautionary tale sort of book for young sons.

We love the books by this pair (Munsch and Martchenko). The Fire Station was an immediate hit with my soon to be four year old. Not only does it have the requisite fire engine, but the kid characters are curious, smart, adventurous and have relate-to personalities. The writing is inventive and colorful, is great for read-aloud, and doesn't talk down to kid readers. Martchenko's illustrations are great.

This is a great story for kids who love fire engines, kids who are irrepressible, or kids who know another kid who just won't take no for an answer.

Michael's friend Sheila won't let the word "no" stop her; not from Michael, and not from any of the adults. She wants to see the fire station so she takes Michael in with her and asks for a tour. The friendly fireman agrees, but then Sheila wants a ride in the fire engine and is told "of course not." So, Sheila gets in the engine anyway (dragging Michael along despite his protests), and wouldn't you know it, the alarm goes off, and the two of them are part of a huge downtown fire detail.

Martchenko's vibrant pictures, as in so many books he does with Munsch, are glorious. And the ending can lead to a great discussion with your child about learning a lesson, and how some people have more trouble doing so than others. The two children have such definite personalities, Michael the insecure worrier and Sheila clearly on her way to thrill-seeking sports such as glacier skating.

This is one my kids asked me to read them many times over.