The Fire [Hardcover]

Annette Griessman (Author), Leonid Gore (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

When the fire starts, Maria is scared, but she remembers the rules of fire safety, and soon she and her family are safely out of the house. But even though the firefighters are brave and strong, the fire still rages. Maria feels they’ve lost everything, but Mama gently reminds her of all they still have. With a lyrical text and poignant, stunning illustrations, The Fire pays tribute to the bravery and dedication of firefighters everywhere. And for those who believe in the strength of families and their extraordinary ability to brave hardship, The Fire will be a compelling story that goes straight to the heart.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3–Maria is playing with her teddy bear and Pepito is coloring a picture while their mother makes soup. Suddenly they smell smoke and realize that their house is on fire. Maria helps her brother crawl on the floor under the smoke and all three escape safely. The firemen arrive but are unable to save the house. As the children and their mother wait forlornly outside, a fireman brings them the only things salvaged: the teddy bear and a photograph of the family. Maria says, Everything is gone! but her mother gently replies, The picture reminds me of what I have. This is everything. Told from the girl's point of view, the story contains descriptive images (I take a deep breath and feel the rubber bands in my stomach relax). Beautiful, glowing illustrations done in acrylics and pastels illuminate it. They are fashioned mainly with dark backgrounds against which the fire and firemen stand out in warm yellows and reds. The emotions of the characters are softly delineated and reassurance is conveyed at the end. This fine book has a message that could help children experiencing any kind of life-changing disaster.–Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 3. The title and the firemen on the jacket immediately establish the framework for a picture book that works both as poignant portrait of a family in crisis and a tribute to firefighters. Mama is making soup, Pepito is coloring, and Maria, the story's narrator, is holding her toy bear, Nina, when smoke starts to filter in from the hall. The three run outside as firemen arrive. As they watch the roof fall in, they realize nothing is left. Then a fireman hands them Nina and a framed photo of all of them. The last line resonates: "The fire came and took our home--but it didn't take everything." Acrylics and pastels in intense, fiery reds, oranges, and golds viscerally convey the children's fright and the vicious heat of the blaze, and sensitive phrasing will connect kids right to the characters' feelings: "I have a funny feeling in my stomach, like it is made of a hundred rubber bands." In contrast to David Diaz's heavy brushstrokes and cubist images for Eve Bunting's Smoky Night (1994), Gore's art makes the tragedy personal, less harsh in its grim realism, and closer to home. A heartfelt, tender story. Julie Cummins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (October 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399240195
• ISBN-13: 978-0399240195
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #987,189 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Serious but Gentle, October 15, 2009

By 

bookaddict (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fire (Hardcover)

I was at first hesitant to read this book to my three and a half year old son. He is fascinated by firemen, and very curious about some fires in our neighborhood. But as a child I was deathly afraid of our house burning down.

This book is a wonderful way to introduce children to the concept of home fires... it is so warm and inviting in its humanity. The illustrations have a velvety texture that glows. Somehow they convey both the suffocating smoke, the glowing terrifying fire, and the warm love of the family with equal aplomb. Indeed the artwork is stunning. It manages to be dramatic, warm and cute all at once.

The situation is so everyday: a little girl with her bear, her little brother colouring, in the kitchen while their mama makes soup. Something is burning... is it the soup? No, there are curls of smoke coming down the hallway and mama looks frightened. The children make their way out of the house: it is a good book for showing small children how to act in a fire: the little girl stops her wee brother from going further into the house, they don't hesitate over belongings, but get down close to the floor below the heavy smoke and meet with their mother outside.

Mama knocks at the neighbor's, the firemen are called, and they watch as the firemen fight the fire. There at first seems hope the battle will be won, but then with an awful crash, the roof falls in, and everything is lost. The house is reduced to smouldering rubble. But then a fireman approaches them with the girl's teddybear and a photo... which turns out to be the mama, girl, wee brother and the teddy bear. Not everything was lost... they still have the most important: eachother. They are all safe.

The tragedy and how quickly it can happen on an ordinary day is very clearly shown. The firemen are impressive and brave. The fire is swift and deadly and dramatic. The characters are full of caring, love and good sense. The fear, sadness, relief and very real love are palpable. Despite it treating such a difficult subject, my son wanted it read again. I found it harder, as an adult, having very real fears of such an event. But given that my son recently brought home fire safety materials from his daycare, I found this to be a much more human, convincing and reassuring depiction of home fires. Recommended.

5.0 out of 5 stars Sad it is out of print, January 16, 2011

By 

lovemylibrary (Randleman, NC United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Fire (Hardcover)

Love this story, so sad it is out of print. It is a great intro into fire safety with elementary age students.