Publishers Weekly Review
Demarest's passion for firefighting ignited two terrific books (Firefighters A to Z; Smokejumpers One to Ten); now he makes it three with this compellingly detailed salute to the highly specialized ground crews called "Hotshots." Following a fire from its inception (sparks from a train land in a dry field) to its defeat through a tactic called "backburning" (in which the hotshot crews actually set small fires intended to rob the oncoming inferno of more fuel), Demarest's journalistic framings and staccato couplets conjure all the drama and urgency of a breaking news report. "Police drive through streets, calling `Evacuate!'/ For some people's homes, it is just much too late./ Chaparral explodes and jumps a side street./ A wood-shingled roof torches off from the heat." The pastel illustrations, ablaze in oranges and yellows, explode from the spreads with a sense of heat and growing danger as the hotshots work bravely and diligently to thwart the inferno's power. In a series of extraordinary spreads that form the book's climax, Demarest plunges readers into the thick of a hillside's 60-foot flames, which force the hotshots to hug the ground in tent-like "Shake 'n Bake" shelters as a wall of fire literally rolls over them. A brief but informative author's note concludes this exciting and invaluable companion to understanding wildfires and the heroes who battle them. Ages 5-8. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved |
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-An outstanding informational source that is highly appealing in its presentation. The brief rhyming text, similar to that in Demarest's Firefighters A to Z (2000) and Smokejumpers One to Ten (2002, both McElderry), tells the story of the "hotshots" called to put out a brushfire that is threatening to destroy a mountainside neighborhood. The short, uncomplicated text belies the author's knowledge of his subject. Despite an occasional forced rhyme, each word has been carefully chosen. While the text is simple enough for young listeners, it includes keywords that impart factual material. An author's note includes additional information and explanations of terminology. Borderless, double-page pastel illustrations effectively show the progression of events, from the accidental ignition of dried grass and deployment of brush rigs and trucks until moments after the fire has been extinguished. The vivid color and smudgy look of the pastel crayon artwork perfectly re-create the wildly raging fire and the hotshots. Every library will want to have this book on hand.-Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
Booklist Review
K^-Gr. 2. Similar in subject and format to Demarest's Firefighters A to Z (2000) and Smoke Jumpers One to Ten (2002), this large-format book features hotshots, "the elite ground fire-fighting corps with permanent stations dotted throughout the western United States." Sparks from a passing train ignite a fire that rages out of control, burning homes as well as brush-covered countryside. The hotshots respond quickly, racing up a mountain, setting a "backburn," and protecting themselves with heat-resistant coverings when the blaze overtakes them. After their backburn stops the fire, they reload their tools on the truck, ready for the next call. The rhythm of the short, rhyming text sounds a bit clunky, and some terminology may confuse the uninitiated. But the story builds to a terrific climax, and the dramatic, intensely colored pastel illustrations are riveting. In the appended note, Demarest describes the process of battling wildfires, explains the fire-fighting terms used in the book, and lists books, videos, and Web sites for further information. Sure to enthrall children with an interest in fire fighting. --Carolyn Phelan |
Horn Book Review
Demarest introduces highly trained hotshots, the elite ground firefighting corps. Intense pastel illustrations bring the devastating power of wildfires and the people who fight them vividly to life. Unfortunately, the poorly rhymed text as well as a diagram, incorporate complicated terms not defined in context or in the author's note ([cf2]chaparral[cf1], [cf2]Nomex[cf1]). Reading list, videos, websites. From HORN BOOK Fall 2003, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
Kirkus Review
Demarest adds another gem to his lambent survey of modern firefighting with this mesmerizing look at the men and women who are specially trained and equipped to fight wildfires. In big, eye-filling scenes he shows a fire's genesis in sparks thrown off by a passing train, then its swift passage across fields and down upon a housing development as the "Hotshot" teams work frantically to contain it. With broad, dramatic brushwork, he not only captures the fire's breathtaking speed and fury, but depicts the firefighters' specific gear and techniques as they quickly create a backburn, then drop beneath collapsible shelters dubbed "Shake-n-bakes" as the wind-driven blaze roars up. The author captions each scene with a line or two of rhymed text, supplies additional details at the end, and closes with lists of recommended books, films, and Web sites. This one fire finally brought under control, the Hotshots are last seen readying themselves to take on the next--not as larger-than-life, tall-tale heroes, but as a team of steady professionals in a very dangerous line of work. Altogether admirable. (Picture book/nonfiction. 6-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission. |