Fireworks The Science, the Art, the Magic

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6"Ooooh! Ahhh!" The appreciative cries of delighted onlookers are almost audible in this visually appealing book on the fireworks produced by the Gruccis of Long Island, New York. Kuklin takes readers right into the factory where the family and longtime employees load the shells that will ultimately become Roman candles, blue and golden spiders, white waves, and more. The clear text describes the mechanics of fireworks and follows the pyrotechnicians as they prepare for a show. The stars of this book are the full-color photographs. Glorious explosions almost burst from the pages, just as the Gruccis' finales fill the night sky. Martha Brenner's Fireworks Tonight (Hastings, 1983; o.p.), for older readers, is thorough, but has only black-and-white photos. Kuklin's title will delight young and old while filling a serious void.Kathleen McCabe, East Meadow Public Library, NY

Stephanie Zvirin

As she did in her 1994 book "From Head to Toe" (about doll making), which was written for a slightly younger audience, Kuklin takes readers into a small business operation that manufactures a product of interest to kids. Her focus here is on the Grucci family, whose fireworks business and pyrotechnic displays have earned them the title "First Family of Fireworks." As usual, Kuklin's photos are fascinating and crystal clear, catching not only the spectacle of a well-staged fireworks show but also the preliminary work that goes on behind the scenes. The text, however, is problematic in both its explanations and its organization. Information about the Grucci family, placed in an afterword, would have been better at the beginning, and although Kuklin tries to personalize the text, speaking often of family members (and quoting them at times), the individuals shown in the erratically captioned photos are not always easily identified through the accompanying text. Readers will be intrigued by explanations of fireworks in the making, but there are no diagrams to ease them through the intricacies. Yet, with relatively little information available about fireworks, this may answer some questions, and the photos are guaranteed to attract browsers.

Kirkus Reviews

Young and old alike will enjoy meeting the Gruccis, dubbed "The First Family of Fireworks," and learning all the details involved in staging a fireworks show. Readers learn that the Gruccis love their business, which dates back to 1850. None of them, however, is able to explain exactly what makes the work more of a calling than a job, although certainly part of the answer can be found in the trademark fireworks they detonate at every show, to honor deceased family members. Actual preparations for a show require infinite care: Made by hand, the fireworks in a twenty- minute display may require two days' work; employees wear only cotton, to avoid sparks of static electricity. Many of the full- color photographs illustrate the fireworks detonated during a show, while the text defines all the jargon of the business: aerials, breaks, and reports. The book concludes with a brief history of fireworks.

Some of the posed photos of the Gruccis have a stilted, silly quality, and Kuklin (Speaking Out, 1993, etc.) can become so gushing that the book reads like a public relations piece. The subject of fireworks, however, is so inherently exhilarating that readers will easily forgive her for getting a little carried away.