Firefighters

April 1, 2018

K-Gr 3-Dramatic opening scenarios will hook readers into learning about community helpers. Photos depict workers employed in typical settings, wearing job-related garb, or using tools of the trade that are also singled out and labeled in a "gear" box. An emphasis on caring and safety, such as how teachers must be patient, be good problem-solvers, and "keep misbehaving students on task," is a running theme throughout. Large and colorful images of adults interacting with children reflect a number of races, genders, and religions, including a nurse wearing a hijab. In each book, the narrative is formatted on the left side of the page and uses predictable sentence patterns. Vocabulary is in bold type, and arrows point to the word represented in the photo to reinforce context. The index in each book is lacking; one includes children and students as entries. Concepts such as how nurses track how medicine changes their patients' health exemplifies a higher level of thinking than most for this audience. VERDICT Thoughtful presentations for elementary schoolers.

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