Flashing Fire Engines

I'm certainly happy I bought Flashing Fire Engines for Devon when I bought Matchbox Real Action Red Fire Truck; it's the perfect accompaniment because it made him AND his mother happy. Mikki has a very distinctive reading voice that dramatically enhances any reading, but especially when a book is in verse for children...as this one is. The way she reads, I just know that Devon pictures himself jumping on a "real" firetruck and riding through the city with the firemen as the sound effects delight his senses. The award-winning children's poet Tony Mitton outdid himself with this book, describing noises and scenes that every kid is curious about: wailing sirens, flashing lights, squirting firehoses, blazing fires... A vivid aid to a kid's lively imagination. Mitton's choice of Ant Parker to illustrate this book was brilliant. They have worked together on several of Tony's books and proved to be a perfect match. What a team! What a book! As long as Devon is happy with my purchase, I am happy; his mom enjoying reading to him is an extra bonus. Recommended with two thumb up...and a big loopy grin! Reviewed by Betty Dravis, April 8, 2010 author of "Dream Reachers" (with Chase Von) and other books

a favorite these days with my 2 1/2 year old who loves fire trucks. a good balance of rhyming, cute story and pictures and some reality. Besides that the fireman are birds and dogs, they do some things real firemen do and the last page has pictures and descriptions of fire fighter equipment. Parents: it is a sing songy story that will stick in your head VERY VERY well .

My son loves to repeat the sound words in this book. He is beginning to tell me the story!

My son (age 2) has loved this book and the whole series of books by Tony Mitton and Ant Parker. The books use a lot of aliteration and poetry, so even younger children who can't understand the words like the rhythm of the words. The illustrations are pleasing and he gets a kick out of the fact that animals are driving. I don't agree with the reviewer who said they are only for under-three year olds; they actually give a lot of information and contain a glossary at the end. My son knows what a piston is that raises a dump truck, that a semi and tractor trailer are words for the same kind of truck, knows how tractors work, etc.. from reading this series to him (I even learned some things!).

My 3 year old daughter and I really enjoy this book and the others in this series. My daughter loves fire engines and this book is informative as well as fun. The story begins with the fire engines waiting at the fire house. The alarm bell sounds and the crew rushes off to fight a fire. As the story continues everything the fire crew does is explained in easy to understand terms. I really liked the expanation of how the water is pulled from the ground through the fire hydrant to fight the fire. After the resident of the house is rescued and the fire is extinguished, the crew goes back the fire house to clean up, take a break, and await the next fire. The illustrations in this book are just okay. The animals that make up the fire crew look a little strange to me but my daughter was able to identify what they were (bird, mouse, rabbit). The best part of this book is the informative rhymes that make up the story. Not too much information for a tired mom like me to read at night. My daughter and I really like the the last page of the book that lists pictures of fire engine parts and equipment and their names. Thanks to this book my daughter knows new words like water tank and pump and what they do. My daughter asks me to read this book often and it has become a favorite. If your child is really into fire engines and books about them check out the book Dot the Fire Dog. It's another one we really enjoy.