Firefighter Ted

by Andrea Beaty, Pascal Lemaitre (Illustrator)

Overview

Burning toast, a sizzling sidewalk, volcanoes erupting at a science fair.... Danger lurks everywhere, and not a firefighter to be found.... Ted knows it is time to become Firefighter Ted. It's the least a helpful bear can do.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781416928218
Publisher:	Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date:	09/08/2009
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	418,135
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Andrea Beaty is the author of Doctor Ted; Firefighter Ted; Hush, Baby Ghostling; When Giants Come to Play; and Iggy Peck, Architect. As a kid, she spent her days being a detective, world explorer, movie star, and spy. Now, as a children's author, she spends her days pretty much the same way! She lives in the Chicago area. You can visit her online at andreabeaty.com.

Pascal Lemaitre illustrated Toni and Slade Morrison’s bestselling Who’s Got Game? series, as well as many other books for children. He and his family divide their time between Brussels, Belgium, where he teaches illustration, and Brooklyn, New York. Visit him online at PascalLemaitre.com.

Editorial Reviews

When the overzealous young bear who enjoyed a stint as a medical “professional” in Doctor Ted smells smoke one morning, he decides to become a firefighter and puts out the source of the “fire” (his breakfast toast) with a makeshift fire extinguisher (whipped cream in a can). After rescuing a kitten, two puppies and three tricycles from the sizzling hot sidewalk (he puts them all in a tree), he arrives at school only to find potential fire hazards everywhere. Lemaitre's thick lines and bold color schemes emphasize the resulting chaos as Ted “protects” his classmates, leaving them speechless (“No need to thank me,” he adds). Ted's blind confidence in his abilities will provoke lots of laughs. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

K-Gr 2—A young bear wakes up one morning smelling smoke, and when he can't find a firefighter, he becomes one. But Firefighter Ted gets so distracted by the details of being a rescue hero that he doesn't pay attention to what is actually happening around him. He uses a fire extinguisher on a piece of burnt toast among other disasters. Ted does, however, end up "rescuing" the school principal in a fairly spectacular way, proving that he does have fire-safety skills. Beaty and Lemaitre, who previously teamed up for Doctor Ted (S & S, 2008), again bring a light hand to their story. Ted is lovable despite his bumbling and his tendency to cause more trouble. A good book for all wannabe firefighters and for those who just love a fun story.—Susan E. Murray, Glendale Public Library, AZ

School Library Journal

Following his day as a doctor (Doctor Ted, 2008), Ted awakens to the odor of smoke (burned toast) and decides that since a firefighter cannot be found he must save the day himself. Outfitted and equipped with a whipped-cream fire extinguisher and a roll of caution tape, Ted faces a day filled with "fire hazards" and people who don't especially appreciate his brand of "help." In one scene Ted points out that Principal Bigham is blocking the fire alarm and "helps" him to safety by tying him up with caution tape. This rather steams the principal, who is then encouraged to "Stop, drop, and roll" to keep from overheating further. Beaty's tongue-in-cheek humor keeps the pages turning until finally Ted's diligence pays off and he really does put out a fire-and the scene is set for another sequel. Lemaitre's brilliant colors fairly jump off the pages. Capitalizing on the understated tone, his characters brim with personality and the scenes tell the real story. Sure to fire up kids' imaginations while tickling their funny bones at the same time. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews