Parents' Guide to My Mom Is a Firefighter

There are lots of fascinating details about firefighting included here without making the book seem like a lecture. Any kid interested in what life in a firehouse is like will enjoy the details about the pole the firefighters slide down, their communal meals, and how they fight fires. Kids will understand Billy's pride and interest in his mom's work. The illustrations are skilled yet unremarkable, but still well-suited to the story's friendly, realistic tone.

The title of the book may lead you to believe that the book is about women firefighters specifically, but it's actually about firefighters in general. While Billy's mom -- not his dad -- is the one heading out with sirens wailing, there's no heavy-handed gender discussion here. Instead we're introduced to Billy's mom and his "uncles" (the guys who work with her at the firehouse) in a practical way, similar to a Sesame Street short.