FIREFIGHTER TED

Following his day as a doctor (Doctor Ted, 2008), Ted awakens to the odor of smoke (burned toast) and decides that since a firefighter cannot be found he must save the day himself. Outfitted and equipped with a whipped-cream fire extinguisher and a roll of caution tape, Ted faces a day filled with “fire hazards” and people who don’t especially appreciate his brand of “help.” In one scene Ted points out that Principal Bigham is blocking the fire alarm and “helps” him to safety by tying him up with caution tape. This rather steams the principal, who is then encouraged to “Stop, drop, and roll” to keep from overheating further. Beaty’s tongue-in-cheek humor keeps the pages turning until finally Ted’s diligence pays off and he really does put out a fire—and the scene is set for another sequel. Lemaitre’s brilliant colors fairly jump off the pages. Capitalizing on the understated tone, his characters brim with personality and the scenes tell the real story. Sure to fire up kids’ imaginations while tickling their funny bones at the same time. (Picture book. 4-8)