Matt loves fire trucks, and one morning when he wakes up, he is a fire truck--right down to his hoses, hooks, and ladders! His wheels and sirens couldn't be handier for performing many important duties around the house, especially rescuing teetering teddy bears or precariously placed pets. And a gatefold spread of Matt's fully loaded rig will have happy young viewers counting from one to ten--over and over again--in this fun-filled ode to the classic red fire truck by Caldecott Honor-winning Peter Sis.
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
What could be better to a fan of fire trucks than playing with them and reading about them all day long? Well, how about being one! That is just what happens to Matt, a little boy whose first and last words every day are "fire truck." Imagine his happy surprise when he wakes up one morning and discovers he has sprouted wheels, flashing lights, and sirens! Matt wastes no time. He drives around the "neighborhood" (his house) rescuing cats and teddy bears, and putting out fires. There's only one thing that can tear this dedicated fire truck away from his work: pancakes on the table!
Peter Sís's wonderful red and black gouache illustrations are old-fashioned in their sweet simplicity. Combined with a little counting practice thrown in for good measure (one driver, two ladders, three hoses, on up to 10 boots), this book is bound to please the fire-truck-obsessed child on your list. Sís is the award-winning illustrator of many well-known books, including another excellent ode to vehicles, Trucks, Trucks, Trucks. (Preschool) --Emilie Coulter
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Sis blends simple text with bold pictures to give insight into one boy's vivid imagination. Matt's passion for fire engines permeates his whole life: "His first words in the morning were 'fire truck.' The last thing he said before he went to bed was 'fire truck.'" Not content just to play fireman, Matt wakes up and finds that he has actually become a fire truck. Only the insistent aroma of pancakes can bring him out of his enticing daydream. One simple sentence per picture allows for plenty of page turning without sacrificing the clear story line. A fold-out page of the fire truck accompanied by a numbered list of items to look for can be read as part of the narrative or returned to later as a find-and-count game. Matt's pajamas and cap are flamboyant red like his extensive collection of toy trucks, while other details of home are reduced to plain black outlines, showing how imaginary worlds can seem more real than everyday life. Small groups of toddlers will love tearing around the room making siren noises just like Matt. This short, active story (plus the undeniable allure of fire engines) is perfect for children who have just discovered the joys of pretending.
Torrie Hodgson, Burlington Public Library, WA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Torrie Hodgson, Burlington Public Library, WA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
My two year old son really enjoys this book -- so does his two year old cousin (we gave him a copy!). This is an imaginative story about a little boy who loves fire trucks. When he "becomes" a fire truck, the little boy puts out a fire, rescues a cat and teddy bear, and finally, drawn by the smell of pancakes, pulls up at the kitchen table where he parks his truck. The last picture shows the little boy eating a large plate of pancakes. The illustrations are great -- simple but clever drawings. On one page, there is a large diagram of a fire truck, and the items on the fire truck can be counted -- 2 ladders, 3 hoses, 10 boots, etc.). As an adult, I appreciate having interesting children's books around the house as I will be reading them over and over. This one is a winner.
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
We've probably read most every book there is about fire trucks and this remains the favorite. I like that we can count from 1 to 10 and learn while enjoying this delightful book.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
If you are a children's author hailing originally from the Czech Republic and you have a child that is obsessed with fire trucks, it just makes good common sense to write your child their very own fire truck book. Starring that child. Meet author/illustrator Peter Sis. An artist whose works have extended from the poster for the movie "Amadeus" to the recent breathtaking oh-my-goodness-how-did-he-make-all-those-dots "Tree of Life", Sis is a master of detail and complexity. Yet in "Fire Truck" he makes a 180 degree turn in the opposite direction. Where his past works would make Seurat himself envious of their painstaking detail (emphasis on the pain), "Fire Truck" is an experiment in clean lines and utter simplicity. It has a beautiful Eastern European flavor to it and simple words and pictures that kids will be drawn to.
One there was a boy named Matt who loved fire trucks. As the book progresses we see just how much Matt adores his trucks. They are, we are told, the first words he says in the morning and the last words he says at night. One day, Matt wakes up and lo and behold he has merged into his very own fire truck. The book counts off all the items that are a part of Matt and prove his new fire trucky status. One driver, four flashing lights, nine axes, etc. He saves animals, puts out fires, and rescues falling teddy bears. And when pancakes are filling the air with their scent he parks the truck at the table and (now a boy once more) sits himself down to eat.
Simple stuff. If you're looking for a long in-depth treatise on the inner working of fire trucks, look elsewhere. Here you will find the barest bones of the story. There are approximately three colors in this book altogether. You've got your blue, your brown, and (of course) your red.... Read more ›
One there was a boy named Matt who loved fire trucks. As the book progresses we see just how much Matt adores his trucks. They are, we are told, the first words he says in the morning and the last words he says at night. One day, Matt wakes up and lo and behold he has merged into his very own fire truck. The book counts off all the items that are a part of Matt and prove his new fire trucky status. One driver, four flashing lights, nine axes, etc. He saves animals, puts out fires, and rescues falling teddy bears. And when pancakes are filling the air with their scent he parks the truck at the table and (now a boy once more) sits himself down to eat.
Simple stuff. If you're looking for a long in-depth treatise on the inner working of fire trucks, look elsewhere. Here you will find the barest bones of the story. There are approximately three colors in this book altogether. You've got your blue, your brown, and (of course) your red.... Read more ›
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
My son loves this book!! We read it several times a day. It is easy to relate to if you have a firetruck crazy child. I also like the fact that counting in incorporated into the story. I highly recommend!
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
At 18 months, my son couldn't get enough of this book, and at two, he still asks for it frequently. I think the age range for the book is too high, causing the frustration expressed by other reviewers. The simple illustrations are perfect for the younger child, and the counting feature is terrific. For older kids, try Fireman Small.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Lela Mama
Format:Board book
My son loves this book. We had gotten it from the library, and I had to buy it because after we returned it he kept talking about it. It's about a boy who turns into a fire truck. Need I say more? (It includes some counting, too, but the items are kind of small for him to count at this age.)
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By A. Flores
Format:Board book
Fire Truck by Peter Sis
Matt is obsessed with fire trucks. In fact he is so consumed with fire trucks that one morning he wakes up and he is a fire truck. No this is not a copy of Kafka's The Metamorphosis, but a playful look at children's imaginations.
The black and white illustrations of Matt and his surroundings are nicely contrasted with Matt's very red and very bright fire truck collection. Matt has a busy day as a fire truck by racing down the street, rescuing a cat, putting out a fire and then saving a teddy bear. And this is all before breakfast! As with all children's imaginations hungry pains tend to stop them in their tracks. Once Matt smells pancakes for breakfast he is back to being a boy. With the fire truck parked safely at the kitchen table Matt can enjoy the benefits boyhood with a hot pile of steaming pancakes.
Older children and parents will enjoy how Sis integrated counting by listing the different items on a fire truck: 1 driver, 2 ladders, 3 fire hoses, etc.
Matt is obsessed with fire trucks. In fact he is so consumed with fire trucks that one morning he wakes up and he is a fire truck. No this is not a copy of Kafka's The Metamorphosis, but a playful look at children's imaginations.
The black and white illustrations of Matt and his surroundings are nicely contrasted with Matt's very red and very bright fire truck collection. Matt has a busy day as a fire truck by racing down the street, rescuing a cat, putting out a fire and then saving a teddy bear. And this is all before breakfast! As with all children's imaginations hungry pains tend to stop them in their tracks. Once Matt smells pancakes for breakfast he is back to being a boy. With the fire truck parked safely at the kitchen table Matt can enjoy the benefits boyhood with a hot pile of steaming pancakes.
Older children and parents will enjoy how Sis integrated counting by listing the different items on a fire truck: 1 driver, 2 ladders, 3 fire hoses, etc.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By R. Haeckler
Format:Board book|Amazon Verified Purchase
Every time we go to the library my son manages to find this book and get me to check it out for him. Obviously other little boys love it as well, because today the pages had worn out and the librarian said they'd have to send it in to get repaired! I decided to just buy it for him. As an adult, I don't really get why it has such appeal, but for a 3 year old little boy, it sure seems like a great book!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Peter Sis Fire Truck & Trucks Trucks Trucks Book
My son is now three and has loved the truck trucks trucks book since we first introduced it to him. We recently purchased the Fire Trucks book and he has not put it down since. Read more
Published 3 months ago by JessPek
1.0 out of 5 stars
No Preview
It looks like a possible book to buy but the page previews are not available by the publisher, so since I can't even see if its appropriate I'm not buying it.
Published on March 2, 2011 by Billy Goatsin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect for your Little Firefighter
Fire Truck by Peter Sis is one of my three year-old son's favorite books. The premise of the book is that a little boy named Matt who loves fire trucks wakes up one morning to... Read more
Published on July 29, 2010 by Instantly Interruptible
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not what we expected.
My kids, 20 months and 2 1/2 years, were absolutely turned off to this book. They love fire trucks and anything related, but they had no interest when the fire truck became half... Read more
Published on May 31, 2009 by S. Morris
5.0 out of 5 stars
4 year old loves this book
I agree with a previous reviewer that there are not many words to this book, and it would have made an excellent board book for younger kids. Read more
Published on April 3, 2009 by J. Crumb
5.0 out of 5 stars
Book-- Fire Truck by Peter Sis
Favorite new book for a two year old. Great story, easy to understand and to memorize. Great concept. Has a count and learn feature.
Published on August 22, 2007 by L. Vankleeck
1.0 out of 5 stars
What happened to the rest of the book?
Not at all impressed. The story ended abruptly. My three year old son and I were wondering if someone ripped the rest of the pages out
Published on February 20, 2000
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