Tuesday Storytime: Firefighters

Back to me again, and a theme I had prepped waaaaaay back in February. It's been waiting patiently, and I figure it's a great one for a big boisterous crowd like today. It's also our last self-pick theme before our Summer Reading kicks off next week and we move into all sorts of Space books.

Fire! ¡Fuego! Brave Bomberos!
Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Dan Santat
ISBN: 9781599904610
Multi-ethnic and male/female fire-fighter crew rescues a cat from a burning building. Santat's illustrations are as always rich and vibrant and lively, with animated faces and postures, and vivid environments.


Fireman Small
Wong Herbert Yee
ISBN: 0395689872
Probably my most-used picture book. I just love how sweet and calming the repetitive portions are, and how simple and easily-understood the fire-fighter's work is, and the pause for gratitude and community at the end. Sweet and unassuming, but classic quality.

Fire Engine No. 9
Mike Austin
ISBN: 9780553510959
"wordless" in the sense that there are a lot of onomatopoeic bits, and lots of sound, but the "story" is carried by the illustrations and the sound effects. There is "soot" on the pages, and the illustrations are gritty and punchy - a few kids were visibly slightly distressed at various pages (the window-breaking was cause for a good bit of verbalized concern) but everything ends well and the endpages have interesting (ie distracting) equipment to distract away from fears or intense feelings.

Special Program Review: School Tour: Community Helpers

We had a school tour scheduled for this fall that asked at the last minute for a dedicated storytime with the theme of "Community Helpers" and I came up with a small program for them with some books we had on-hand.  This is my regular reminder to be grateful for a library system that keeps the branch locations well-stocked with new and updated children's nonfiction and picture books that can be used (by patrons or staff) on a moment's notice.

All of these were EXCELLENT books, and I was so proud of our library selectors that I could just swoop in and grab them immediately when they were needed.

Officer Buckle and Gloria
Peggy Rathmann
ISBN: 9780399226168

Show Me Community Helpers: My First Picture Encyclopedia
Clint Edwards
ISBN: 9781620659182

Helpers in My Community
Bobbie Kalman
ISBN: 9780778794882

Whose Hands Are These? A Community Helper Guessing Book
Miranda Paul, illustrated by Luciana Powell
ISBN: 9781467752145