The Fire Cat (I Can Read Book 1) (Paperback)

by Esther Averill (Author, Illustrator) "Once upon a time, there was a yellow cat with black spots in his fur..." (more)
Key Phrases: little cat

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Quiet, captivating text...precise, beautiful watercolor illustrations...a lovely story with lots of child appeal." -- -- School Library Journal --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

Product Description
Pickles is a young cat with big paws and big plans. But all he can find to do is chase other cats, until he is adopted by the local firehouse.

Knowing that this is his chance to do big things, Pickles works hard to be a good fire cat. He learns to jump on a fire truck. He learns to help put out a fire, and he even helps out in a rescue!

Beginning readers will cheer when Pickle's dream finally comes true.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (September 7, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064440389
• ISBN-13: 978-0064440387
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #57,084 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly charming, April 14, 2004

By	Sardan (Round Rock) - See all my reviews

I had a most unusual experience recently with this book. I was browsing at a local children's bookstore (sorry, Amazon!) when I saw this book on the shelf. A thrill of recognition shot through me like a bolt of lightning! This book had been one of my favorites (...).

I immediately purchased it, and read it to my kids. Have you ever had fond memories of something from your childhood, but found out when you revisited it as an adult that it didn't hold up over the years? Luckily, that is NOT the case with The Fire Cat--this book is every bit as wonderful today as it was 40 years ago.

The illustrations deserve comment. Esther Averill was amazingly deft in her illustrations of cats; anyone who has owned a cat will appreciate the subtle perfection of the way she captures the poses of the cat in various situations. Yet her illustrations of the people and objects in the story are pretty crude. They don't have the obvious charm of Maurice Sendak's work, or the zany energy of Dr. Seuss. But I assure you the illustrations will captivate any young reader as the perfect companions for the text.

And what a text! It is elegant and beautifully structured, yet it's so simple and straightforward that any preschooler can easily follow along. Pickles, the main character, starts off as a bit of a bully, but by the end he has completely redeemed himself and is a hero. I especially like that the good things that happen to Pickles don't just happen by chance, as they do in so many other children's stories--Pickles actually works hard to better himself.

This book is truly a classic. If your budget permits, spring for the library binding. I guarantee that if you get it for your kids, they will someday be reading it to their own kids!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Cat Club Book, May 18, 2002

By	Sand Flea Press (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Anyone who enjoyed this book should know that there are twelve more Cat Club books (some are novels!), most quite charming. Unfortunately, they are all out of print, but are well worth searching for.
This is the easiest-to-read volume in the sage, and the story is very appealing. The art is not Averill's best; her cat illustrations are usually simple and darling, but here she attempts to draw more human characters and difficult perspectives and the results are a bit awkward. Kids don't mind too much, though.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My daughter's first real chapter book, December 9, 2005

By	Real World Reader - See all my reviews

My daughter (she's six) just finished reading this book herself, out loud to me at bedtime. It took her four or five nights to read the three short chapters.

In the middle of the book, when Pickles the cat has a small triumph, she said "it makes me cry!" and at the end she said "I wish it just kept going". I felt so glad for her to have the experience of what it's like to read a good book - these are the feelings that make one a real book lover for life!

Like another recent reviewer I thought the pictures a little crude but the cats were remarkably cat-like; there was no effort to make them cute or cuddley. Yet, perhaps because of that simplicity, Pickles invokes a strong sense of feeling/identification as the he "grows" into a better cat through the three short chapters.

I think this was the perfect book for my daughter to read at this time. Just challenging enough, a great story and illustrations that work very well with the story. I'm also am glad to find a good children's book that's NOT about a boy (though Pickles IS a "he"); I'm sure all parents with daughters know that the vast majority of kid's books are about boy hero (yes I know there are some excellent exceptions) so a wonderful book that's not about a boy is a great find.