Rating:  Summary: Can't read this without sobbing Review: A beautiful book about how the tradgedy of 9/11 brought out the best in New Yorkers. Of course we want to shelter our young children from awful events like this, but if they are elementary school age, they will hear about 9/11. Better to discuss it with them in a sensitive way. I have read this to my 6 year old about 5 times. I sob every time. Guess I'm teaching empathy.
Rating:  Summary: The Best Book Ever!! Review: Fireboat is a really good book about recycling. The John J. Harvey was the best fireboat out of 12 other fireboats in New York City. The John J. Harvey fought fires up and down the river. It put out the fire that was huge on another boat, the Normandie. After awhile they did not need 12 fireboats, so the John J. Harvey was sitting in the river for five years, then a group of people saw it and wanted it so they bought it. They had perfessional people fix it up, then they did not use it to put out fires. It was thiers to keep for partys or go out on a ride. Then the fire department needed a fireboat.They needed a lot of fireboats at that time, so they had to use the John J. Harvey to help control this fire. Can you guess what fire it was? Remember it's in New York City. It was the fire that was spread because of the crash of the Twin Towers. Fireboat is a really good book. I can't tell you the whole story, it's so good you better read this book if you like boats or you are interested in what happened in New York City with the Twin Towers! B.C
Rating:  Summary: The Best Book Ever!! Review: FIREBOAT tells the story of the John J. Harvey. In it's hey-day, the John J. Harvey was one of the finest fireboats in New York City, patrolling the piers and helping to save lives. However, society changed and the piers were destroyed and New York didn't have much use for many fireboats. Eventually, the boat was retired and was going to be turned into scrap. However, some people were interested in saving the John J. Harvey and bought the old ship. They restored her to pristine condition and she became a proud site for people to look at. No one thought she would ever fight another fire. Then came September 11th, 2001. Fires were raging and many water lines were broken. A call came asking for the John J. Harvey to help and help she did. For four days the little fireboat fought fires along with two newer, larger fireboats. When all was said and done, everyone was thankful for the John J. Harvey. She was given an award and would no longer have to worry about ever being turned into scrap.The illustrations that accompany the text are quite colorful and playful, adding to the story the book tells. Even though the story is mainly about the life of the John J. Harvey, it is also about September 11th. This book is directed towards young children, some who maybe too young to even remember the events of that day. For those that still do, the book deals with the tragedy in a very sensitive way. In time, I can see the book being used widely to help introduce children to something that, though still so close to our hearts and lives, will one day be remembered as a tragic day in history. The book also has some subtle lessons, such as respect for the elderly and how even the most seemingly insignificant things in this world can be worthwhile. Overall, FIREBOAT is a great children's book that deals with some very deep issues in a sensitive way.
Rating:  Summary: A Proud Mom's Review Review: I am the proud mom of a young man who has volunteered for the past few years in New York City, restoring the John J. Harvey. When he told me that the fireboat had been called into action on Sept. 11, I was very proud, and when I found out that this book had been written about her and her important contribution...well...let the book explain! This is a somewhat gentle, positive explanation of New York City's and America's response to the tragedy of 9/11. No one can ever totally explain to young children why 9/11 happened, but we can certainly tell them how we reacted. Having been on the John J. Harvey, you can feel the pride and strength of her from stern to bow and that is protrayed in this lovely book. It is also a lesson for young people; that which we seemingly "throw away" as being "old" often comes back to help us and show it's worth. I admit to being prejudiced for personal reasons about this book, but that aside, I feel it's a noteworthy example of the power of words and art to explain difficult situations to young children.
Rating:  Summary: Terrific Book - No Excuses! Review: I guess I'm somewhat taken aback by some of the reviewers who apparently read the book to their children, or got partway through it, without having looked it over themselves first. Sorry, that's just irresponsible. The book is a fabulous treatment of a terrible subject that your children ARE aware of, and this helps explain how ordinary people became heroes that awful day. My 6-year old first fell in love with this book when he was 4, and he knows enough about 9/11 to know it was a horrible event. His dad (me) was next door to the WTC that morning, so he and his brother lived through waiting to hear from me with his mom. The book is sensitive and touching. It's a great book and I highly recommend it. If you think your child might have a problem with ANY book, you should always read it yourself first.
Rating:  Summary: Terrific Book - No Excuses! Review: I guess I'm somewhat taken aback by some of the reviewers who apparently read the book to their children, or got partway through it, without having looked it over themselves first. Sorry, that's just irresponsible. The book is a fabulous treatment of a terrible subject that your children ARE aware of, and this helps explain how ordinary people became heroes that awful day. My 6-year old first fell in love with this book when he was 4, and he knows enough about 9/11 to know it was a horrible event. His dad (me) was next door to the WTC that morning, so he and his brother lived through waiting to hear from me with his mom. The book is sensitive and touching. It's a great book and I highly recommend it. If you think your child might have a problem with ANY book, you should always read it yourself first.
Rating:  Summary: a glorious tribute to heroes Review: I have been an educator for 30 years, and mother for 12. I have a doctoral degree in special education. I was so touched by this book that I have donated copies to libraries, in addition to buying them for friends with and without young children.
As a native New Yorker now living in another state, I struggled daily to explain 9/11 to my students and my own children. Not until I saw "Fireboat" did I have a children's book to help my explanations. None of us can ignore what happened in 2001. I have seen parents and teachers try, and their children became more confused and scared by the secrecy than they would have been by an open discussion of the events.
I applaud the sensitive story, the beautiful artwork, and the idea that, out of the terror and horror of 9/11, we can find positive acts and hope.
I recommend this book to parents everywhere.
Rating:  Summary: Surprised, but pleased Review: I picked this book up at the library without looking through it. I intended it for my 3 year old son. I was as surprised as another reviewer that it was about September 11th. However, once I realized it, I read it privately and showed it to my husband. He and I both agreed that it was a beautiful book that dealt with a enormous, important event sensitively. I decided to buy it for our own collection. The illustrations are very colorful, and the text simple. My son loves the book. Clearly, he doesn't understand the whole story. But I remember holding my son tightly on that day and think this story memorializes the day and the heroes of the John. J. Harvey well. I recommend it.
Rating:  Summary: A happy-go-lucky tale of September 11 Review: So you're walking around the children's section of the library with your child and on a desk or a table or the floor your kid sees a picture book called, "Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey". On the cover is a picture of a perky little fireboat spurting water hither and yon. It's a charming little image and without flipping through it (or perhaps just the first few pages) you pick it up and check it out. Later, you're reading it to your toddler when, to your surprise, there's a mention of September 11th. Turning the next page you see two planes flying side by side into the Twin Towers. Turn another page and the towers have exploded. Gouache fire, smoke, falling debris, and what could possibly be blood cascade from the sky. Now totally apart from the fact that two planes did not, in fact, fly into the Twin Towers at the same time, what on earth is this doing in a children's book at this time? Who's bright idea was that? And what in the world is this story about?
Well, you've just stumbled across Maira Kalman's answer to the tragedy of 9-11. "Fireboat", in its own somewhat mistaken way, is the tale of the little ship that could. Based on a true story, the book begins with a slapdash encapsulation of New York City, the way it was in 1931. The Empire State Building was built, Babe Ruth hit his 611th home run, Snickers the candy bar was made (if this was a movie I'd wonder if the Mars company got a payment of some sort for this gratuitous product placement), and a fireboat was born. The John J. Harvey was great but in 1995 it was retired. Fortunately a group of philanthropists decided to purchase the run down boat and make it as good as new. They did so and not a minute too soon. When the Twin Towers fell the water pipes needed by the firemen were broken down and buried. It was up to the John J. Harvey to put out the nasty fires and save the day. And now, "The Harvey is back to being a very happy boat". The end!
Entirely aside from whether or not it's appropriate to draw such a gratuitous depiction of the Towers falling at this moment in time (and baby, gratuitous doesn't even begin to explain the half of it) let's look at the book as a whole. There's a really weird thing going on in this story. First of all, author Kalman doesn't seem to be entirely certain what kind of tale she wants to tell. Obviously she wants to honor the owners of the Harvey as well as the actions of others on that tragic day. To do so, however, she's chosen an oddly cutesy method. Her explanations of 1931 include this tidbit: "On a hot and jazzy night the word HOT-CHA was invented". Then she shows how Harvey went along its merry way putting out fires in the piers where items sold included, "wood and cotton and bananas and bubble gum and EVERYTHING". Short of putting a face on Harvey (which this reviewer is mighty glad she abstained from) it's hard to make the elements of this tale any cuter. Then out of nowhere she draws two planes crashing into the towers, a mere page or two after the phrase, "A boat says hello with four toots". Talk about switching gears. The image of the Harvey fighting the fires of the burning towers may have calm semi-comforting words, but the page depicts gigantic burning fire enwrapped shells of buildings. It is, quite frankly, a terrifying image. And then... AND THEN the book ends (I kid you not) with this sentence: "The friends of the Harvey have found a little tugboat to adopt. Doesn't everyone need a tugboat?" Well gol durn. If terrorists blow up a cruise ship sailing out of the Chelsea piers I can guess what the next oh-so-adorable book will center on.
Look. I'm not saying that good picture books about September 11th can't be done. They're just very difficult to manage. They take a certain amount of skill and dexterity. Observe the subtle and brilliant 2004 Caldecott winner, "The Man Who Walked Between the Towers" by Mordecai Gerstein. It acknowledges the loss without including poorly thought out two page spreads of planes tearing into buildings. Kalman's book lacks tact. I think her intentions were pure with this book, but in the end the story is frightening and badly written. If you want to introduce your children to the events of that day, do so slowly with Gerstein. If you want to scare them with a falsely cheery boat tale, do so with Kalman's.
Rating:  Summary: Wonderful! Review: This book handles the events of 9/11 in a wonderful way. The pictures are very tasteful. After seeing all the horrific images on the tv, the children will not be frighten by these pictures. This is a very well written book. Parents should always read a book before reading it to their child. Although I can't imagine why this book would be offensive.
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