cover image Firefighter Ted

Firefighter Ted

Andrea Beaty, , illus. by Pascal Lemaitre. . S&S/McElderry, $15.99 (32pp) ISBN 978-1-4169-2821-8

When the overzealous young bear who enjoyed a stint as a medical “professional” in Doctor Ted smells smoke one morning, he decides to become a firefighter and puts out the source of the “fire” (his breakfast toast) with a makeshift fire extinguisher (whipped cream in a can). After rescuing a kitten, two puppies and three tricycles from the sizzling hot sidewalk (he puts them all in a tree), he arrives at school only to find potential fire hazards everywhere. Lemaitre's thick lines and bold color schemes emphasize the resulting chaos as Ted “protects” his classmates, leaving them speechless (“No need to thank me,” he adds). Ted's blind confidence in his abilities will provoke lots of laughs. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)