Firefighter Flo! (Big Jobs, Bold Women)

This inaugural entry in a series focused on women workers opens and closes with a cheer that should rev up young audiences: "Hey, yo!/ Firefighter Flo!/ You're a hero!/ You're a pro!" Zimmerman's rhyming narration remains at a fever pitch as Flo, a firefighter portrayed with brown skin, rouses the firehouse crew, portrayed with varying skin tones, in the middle of the night: "The smoke is thick!/ Flames have spread!/ Come on, crew./ Out of bed!" With percussive onomatopoeia pumping up the action, Flo drives the team to a burning house, and leads their response efforts ("The water rushed. The hoses gushed. SSSSHHHHH!"). When Flo spots a frantic dog still trapped inside the building, she breaks through the door with an axe, and as the fire roars around her and the building starts to collapse, she gets the pooch to safety. Yaccarino's punchy graphics are in full force, employing lots of eye-catching red and black as well as some terrific visual winks (the firefighters wear matching red plaid pajamas in the firehouse, and their dalmatian's spots are Ben-Day dots). The story ends with a good night wind-down, but Flo's bravery is served up with five-alarm excitement. Ages 3-6. (Nov.)

Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

K-Gr 2--The creators of the noisy and memorable Trashy Town kick off the aptly named "Big Jobs, Bold Women" series with another high-volume celebration of public service workers. Wakened by a jangling phone, Firefighter Flo and the rest of her crew tumble out of bed and into their gear, then roar down the street on a flashing, clanging, WOOOOO-ing fire truck to a burning building. As the others turn on the hose, Flo smashes down a door, plunges into the smoke...and carries out a trapped puppy for a grateful pajama-clad family. Sturdy, running figures and the big truck in Yaccarino's blocky digital screen prints capture the urgency of the call, and Zimmerman opens and closes her clamorous narrative with a gratifyingly rousing chant: "Hey, yo!/ Firefighter Flo!/ You're a hero!/ You're a pro!" Along with making dramatic reading on its own, this pairs up nicely for story time with Linda Ashman's Fire Chief Fran, likewise centering a woman firefighter while offering a broader picture of what she does all day. VERDICT A quick and effervescent tribute to every city's bravest, suitable for younger audiences, one-on-one or in a group.--John Edward Peters

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

★ "Zimmerman's rhyming narration remains at a fever pitch. . . . Yaccarino's punchy graphics are in full force. . . . Flo's bravery is served up with five-alarm excitement."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"This high-energy, heart-pounding tribute to firefighters, with its bold visuals and enthusiastic text, would make an especially lively pick for a group setting like storytime, even for the youngest listeners—invite a local firefighter to share in the fun."—The Horn Book

"A quick and effervescent tribute to every city's bravest. . . ."—School Library Journal

"It's an exciting story, and one that's chock-full of descriptive words that will help build young readers' vocabularies. Aiding that goal are the bold and bright digital illustrations, which have a sleek, classic vibe and make use of pops of red to keep young (and older) eyes dancing around the page. This one will be a popular choice among librarians, caregivers, and readers for years to come. Readers will be happy to have Flo in their homes day or night! This book's on fire!"—Kirkus Reviews

"An exciting book for all readers, especially empowering for girls."—Booklist