Overview
Spend a hilarious day at the firehouse--now available in board book!
Join Edward and his cousin Judy as they spend a fun-filled day learning how to be firefighters. From a fire drill that leads to a slippery slide down a fire pole, to a hysterical battle with an out-of-control fire hose, Edward is in for an action-packed adventure. And when faced with a real emergency, it's Edward who saves the day!
Synopsis
Join Edward and his cousin Judy as they spend a hilarious day learning how to be firefighters. From a fire drill that leads to a slippery slide down a fire pole, to a hysterical battle with an out-of-control fire hose, Edward is in for an action-packed adventure. And when faced with a real emergency, it's Edward who saves the day!
Praise for Mark Teague's FUNNY FARM!!!
Parent's Choice Award Silver Medal
". . . There is a confidence to Teague's artwork that will win over almost any reader . . . " - BOOKLIST
". . . the humor found on each page is satisfying . . . " - KIRKUS
Publishers Weekly
Edward, the dapper yet hapless dog last seen mucking around the barnyard in Teague’s Funny Farm, is back for another adventure, this time to the firehouse. His sensible cousin Judy returns as well, accompanying Edward on a tour during which the all-Dalmatian crew of Engine Company 5, led by the chief, Mrs. Speckle, includes the visitors in its daily routine. From trying on a shiny fire hat to heading out on a drill, Edward is excited but clearly—and comically—overwhelmed. As in the previous book, the author’s deadpan text is cleverly paired with silly, expansive antics depicted in the crisp oil artwork. (“Judy opens the fire hydrant. The water is so strong it knocks Edward off his feet.”) But when a real emergency call comes in and Edward proves himself a capable hero, there’s plenty to bark about. This perky blend of educational field trip and funny outing brings readers into the action with bold, often close-perspective scenes and a few entertaining details (like the tiny mice in firefighter gear along for the ride and the company’s spaghetti dinner). Ages 3-5. (May)
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
A day at the firehouse: Could any youngster imagine a more exciting outing? In this entertaining picture book story, Edward and his cousin Judy have fantasies of dangerous heroics, but in practice, things begin a bit differently. First, there's a very slippery slide down a fire pole; then a hilarious losing battle with a big fire hose that has a mind of its own. Before the day is done, however, Edward rises to a fiery occasion. An engaging picture book on a perennially favorite topic.
Publishers Weekly
Edward, the dapper yet hapless dog last seen mucking around the barnyard in Teague’s Funny Farm, is back for another adventure, this time to the firehouse. His sensible cousin Judy returns as well, accompanying Edward on a tour during which the all-Dalmatian crew of Engine Company 5, led by the chief, Mrs. Speckle, includes the visitors in its daily routine. From trying on a shiny fire hat to heading out on a drill, Edward is excited but clearly—and comically—overwhelmed. As in the previous book, the author’s deadpan text is cleverly paired with silly, expansive antics depicted in the crisp oil artwork. (“Judy opens the fire hydrant. The water is so strong it knocks Edward off his feet.”) But when a real emergency call comes in and Edward proves himself a capable hero, there’s plenty to bark about. This perky blend of educational field trip and funny outing brings readers into the action with bold, often close-perspective scenes and a few entertaining details (like the tiny mice in firefighter gear along for the ride and the company’s spaghetti dinner). Ages 3-5. (May)Children's Literature -
Edward and Judy visit a firehouse because Edwards wants to become a firefighter. It isn't all fun and games—the first thing the Fire Chief wants them to do is help wash the fire truck. They go up to the crew's quarters and the game of cards that he and Judy were playing is interrupted by a fire alarm bell. Everyone gets into their gear and slides down to the truck. Edward is literally hanging on to the back of the truck by his fingers. There is a bit of a mishap at the fire hydrant when the stream of water knocks Edward over. It takes teamwork to handle the hoses and climb up the ladder. This was a drill, but no sooner do they return to the firehouse when the alarm goes off again and this time it is a real emergency. (Although I am not sure that firefighters still will come and rescue cats caught up in trees). Teague's collection of canines are amusing and expressive and kids will have fun looking for the little mice dressed as firefighters in nearly every scene, including the closing one where a tucked out Edward is fast asleep with the kitten he rescued sitting on his bed. Reviewer: Marilyn CourtotSchool Library Journal
Gr 2—Teague is known and loved for his '40s-style acrylic paintings with hilariously odd perspectives, wry facial expressions, and a heavily ironic disconnect between text and pictures. Here, the nattily dressed, citified bulldog introduced in Funny Farm (Scholastic, 2009) visits the firehouse in hopes of becoming a real firefighter. The station's mice laugh as "Edward tries on a shiny red fire hat," but the text fails to indicate that the pup has put it on backwards and is struggling to extricate his face. Nor can you tell from the impassive professional firefighters—all Dalmatians, of course—what wild blunders Edward makes as the team goes out for a drill. Still, when a real emergency occurs, Edward is the hero, and the story ends with a parade in his honor and, anticlimactically, a sound sleep. Children will enjoy Firehouse! for its mild humor, winsome and colorful illustrations, and depiction of firefighters at work. While it's not as funny as many other Teague books, it should attract a wide audience.—Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NYKirkus Reviews
"Edward wants to be a firefighter. One day he and Judy visit a firehouse." So begins a day that includes both a practice fire drill and a real "emergency"-kitten up a tree. Boston terrier Edward revels in the highs and wrestles with the lows, from pretend-driving the truck to getting blasted off his feet by the fire hydrant's spray. The Dalmatian firefighters (as well as retriever cousin Judy) display a grand, resourceful equanimity-and the daring exploits that Edward's permitted syncopate perfectly with a three-year-old's firefighting dreams. Teague's full-bleed oils supply just the right balance between dramatic, dizzying perspective and resourceful, doggy competence, and the visual laughs are nicely pitched to a preschooler's developing sense of humor. Firemice-in jackets and helmets-provide I Spy opportunities, and the charming fantasy concludes with a big parade in Edward's honor. No depicted conflagrations here-just sure-fire fun. (Picture book. 3-5)From the Publisher
Praise for FIREHOUSE! (hardcover):
"Full of expressive animal protagonists, rich color, and perfectly drafted perspectives..." --BOOKLIST
"Children will enjoy Firehouse! for its mild humor, winsome and colorful illustrations, and depiction of firefighters at work." --SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
"This perky blend of educational field trip and funny outing brings readers into the action with bold, often close-perspective scenes and a few entertaining details." --PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY