Book Talk and More: Firefighters! by Patricia Hubbell

Firefighters! Speeding! Spraying! Saving!

written by Patricia Hubbell
illustrated by Viviana Garofoli
published by: Marshall Cavendish Children, 2009
target audience: Toddlers and Preschoolers (ages 2 to 5)

With just ten days to go until October (already?) I was trying to come up with something connected to Fire Prevention Month and build on the theme of showing kids how books connect to life experiences and vice versa.

When I got their review of Firefighters, last week, I had something to start with. Here’s what Mrs. C and her boys (18 months and 3 years old) had to say:

My boys LOVED the bright pictures and the lyrical rhymes! We read this a bunch. This wonderfully illustrated portrays firefighting in such a way as not to scare a child. The rhymes are cute and exciting. This is great for kids who like trucks, sirens, and are fascinated by what firefighters do.

Then fate came along to take it to the next level. Stacey Kannenburg, a friend and colleague, recently introduced me to Alison Rhodes, The Safety Mom.™ Alison is hosting a Let’s Talk Safety Twitter party this week. The focus of this party (sponsored by Lowes) is to engage families in talking about ways to make their homes safe and, in turn, keep their kids safe. Here are the details …

When: Thursday, September 23, 2010, from 8:00P to 9:00PM EST
Where: #Lowes4Safety tag on Twitter
How: Follow hostess @SafetyMom and tweet with the party tag

Prizes: (2x) Whole home suites of GE Choice alert products (worth more than $100); (2x) $100 worth of Cooper tamper resistant outlets for the whole home; (2x) North States baby gates (3-in-1 Metal Super Yard, Lowes.com$148 each)

Read more at The Safety Mom™ blog.

So how does this connect to books? Well,  as you may know, every other Saturday, Lowes stores host Build and Grow clinics that give kids a chance to make something of their own. On Saturday, September 25, 2010, kids will get the chance to build their own wooden firetruck! for FREE! Space in the sessions is limited (50 kids grades 2 to 5), and as discussions build on Twitter this week, they could fill up fast.

There are still plenty of other ways to bring books to life …

* Firehouses around the country will host open houses and offer demonstrations, check your local community bulletin board for info.

* Grab the hose and a raincoat and play firefighter in the front yard!

* Ask your child to name other Community Helpers and see if there are opportunities to visit them.

Do you have some favorite books about safety and community helpers?

Note: Stacey Kannenberg, owner of Cedar Valley Publishing and an award-winning author, is creating a new media company called HerInsight. As she finds items of interest that match Reading Tub goals and objectives, she sends them to us. The Reading Tub, Inc. may receive income from our efforts.