cover image Firemouse P Ov B W Jkt

Firemouse P Ov B W Jkt

Nina Barbaresi. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, $10.95 (34pp) ISBN 978-0-517-56337-3

A mouse named Mack is without a home (it burned up in a fire) and decides to settle at the fire station. The other mice welcome him, although a cat named Suspenders isn't as cordial. The mice form their own fire company, make uniforms, train and build a truck. When Suspenders tries to scare a chubby mouse named Bunk, he accidently starts a fire, and the mice go into action. They triumph anonymouslythe human firefighters don't know who helped them. Set in a snug brownstone section of Brooklyn, this is a story with heart. With its childlike sensibility, it is geared toward the imagination and curiosity of the very young. Barbaresi's watercolors highlight the contrast between the firefighters and their tiny helpers. Ages 4-8. (September)