Fire! (Scholastic Reference)

Aimed at upper elementary schoolers and brimming with photographs, a dramatic, comprehensive look at fighting fires traces its history, describes the vehicles, equipment, and clothing used, and profiles the heroic efforts of many different types of firefighters.

Grade 3-6?Readers will feel the heroism, bravery, and thrill of being a firefighter when they delve into Masoff's informative and action-packed presentation. Spectacular full-color photos accompany a text that tells how fires start, how they burn, how firefighters get to the fire, and what equipment they use. Jargon such as flashover, flashpoint, and backdraft is clearly defined. This book expresses well the point that being a firefighter involves much more than putting out fires. Readers will see that firefighters respond to numerous calls for help such as a child trapped in a cave, a car accident, a hazardous materials spill, and many others incidents. An interview section brings out a discussion of a firefighter's worst fears, how hot fires are, and the various tests of strength required to do the job, such as being able to drag an 80-pound hose. Masoff also provides a historical look at firefighting in colonial Jamestown and includes other bits of history such as the invention of alarm boxes and the introduction of the dalmation as mascot. Safety tips for fire prevention are included as is a "find out more" section that includes magazines, films, addresses of organizations, and a Web site. If you have budding firefighters in your midst, this is a must buy.?Katherine Borchert, Arlington Central Library, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Masoff's first book overflows with childlike fascination for the subject of firefighting. Near-encyclopedic for beginners, the volume features two-page spreads that contain separate but related spoonfuls of information, often with sidebars and boxes, and plenty of sharp, full-color dramatic photographs. The pages are strewn with interesting facts on new equipment, such as thermal imagery cameras that reveal fire victims buried in the densest smoke, and Kevlar fire gear; a good dose of firefighting lingo; some plain old curios, e.g., why firefighters sport golf tees in the bands of their helmets; plenty of historical trivia concerning dalmatians, Ben Franklin, and Mrs. O'Leary's cow; and a recipe for a four-alarm chicken dish that is reheatable in case the firefighters are called away to rescue. For browsing or for research, this book is full of serious information served up in an exciting format. (diagrams, index) (Nonfiction. 8-12) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Gr. 3^-7. Masoff's tone is sometimes breathless as she describes the excitement and the facts of firefighting. This is authentic real-life drama, where just about everything is an emergency, death is often close, time is running out, and people are rescued by heroes doing their jobs. At the same time, this full-color photo-essay is rooted in details of how fires start, how they burn, how firefighters get to the fire, what gear they use, and all the ways they perform their rescue work. The design is like a lively, crowded magazine article with lots of pictures, sidebars, screens, and captions for browsing. Each double-page spread shows various firefighters at work--in city buildings, forest areas, floods, auto accidents (the Jaws of Life is a big 50-pound can opener for a crushed car). The book begins and ends with important warnings ("12 safety things you can do right now"), and there is a bibliography of books and magazines, associations and online resources, films, and places to visit. Kids may start by browsing through the accounts of incredible rescues, past and present; many readers will also enjoy the details about technology, arson detection, and equipment. Hazel Rochman