Parents' Guide to Construction Site: Firefight!

Construction Site: Firefight book cover: Red Turntable truck shoots water on a fire while a red truck and car and yellow Excavator look on.

Common Sense Media Review

Regan McMahon By Regan McMahon , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 4+

Truck friends help firefighters in exciting action tale.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 4+?

Any Positive Content?

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Parent and Kid Reviews

age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

What's the Story?

CONSTRUCTION SITE: FIREFIGHT! begins in the middle of the night, when the truck friends are asleep at the construction site. Then the wind kicks up and topples a power line pole, and a spark catches on some spilled fuel and ignites a fire. Immediately, the Fire Crew comes zooming in. "Speeding, racing through the night, / big hero trucks approach the site." The construction trucks swing into action, too. "Bulldozer plows the entry gate / while Excavator moves debris / so trucks can roll in easily." One by one the specialized fire trucks attack the flames, and the construction trucks assist them. "Now Foam Tender takes position / for a super-special mission. / Burning fuel fires are so tough / that water is not strong enough! / She sets herself and then takes aim, / spraying FOAM to fight that flame!" The teams work together all through the night until the fire is finally out by sunrise. "It's out now, thanks to everyone. / The air clears—and this job is done."

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 1 ):
Kids say : Not yet rated

This action-packed account of an all-night firefight waged by various trucks is a heart-pounding tale of skill, courage, and teamwork. The excitement level is high in Construction Site: Firefight!, but it's not really scary. There's a lot for readers to learn about who does what in battling the flames. But the strongest message, as usual, is how these hardworking vehicles get the job done by working tirelessly together—and then get a good night's sleep after all their hard work.

Sherri Dusky Rinker's rhyming text is clever and crisp. And AG Ford's dynamic illustrations are loaded with drama and emotion. Seeing the scene change from the perilous darkness of night to the cheerful yellow of daylight brings relief, and then resolves with the pink of dusk and the dark blue of bedtime. "Sleep tight, you brave, tough friends."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the firefighting trucks in Construction Site: Firefight! Which ones did you already know about? Which ones were new to you?

  • How important is teamwork when putting out a fire? How did the construction trucks help the fire trucks?

  • Have you ever seen a fire truck in action near where you live? What happened?

Book Details

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Construction Site: Firefight book cover: Red Turntable truck shoots water on a fire while a red truck and car and yellow Excavator look on.

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