Fire Book Review: My Mom is a Firefighter

Preparing for camp last month, I made a quick run to our local library and borrowed a slew of books. I always look at the firefighter books to either borrow a favorite or to find a new potential favorite. On this particular trip I found a book that I knew my readers needed to know about and so I checked it out. And it’s been a favorite ever since.

My Mom Is a Firefighter doesn’t really represent our family. Written by Lois G. Grambling and illustrated by Jane Manning, the book takes a look at a young boy whose mom works at the fire local fire station. There aren’t many books of this kind. Knowing that gender roles and breaking stereotypes are important to me, to FireDad and to our family, I thought it might be a good book for us to read and discuss. I was right! (Obviously.)

I automatically fell in love with the book because, well, I judge books by their covers. The illustration on the cover and the ones on the following pages are colorful, interesting and true to form. I love the firefighters’ shirts when Billy, the child, talks about his “firehouse uncles.” BigBrother immediately noticed that they were “just like Daddy’s.” Also, when the family is eating supper together, there are peas on the plate! I’m all for subconscious vegetable coercion.

The story is complemented by the illustrations. We follow Billy as he visits his Mom at the firehouse one morning on the way to school. Hoping for pancakes, he finds them cleaning the fire trucks, having been on a fire in the middle of the night. Later in the day, his Mom visits the school to talk about what firefighters do. I was pleased that she mentioned fighting fires and mopping the floor and taking turns cooking dinner. Many times, even adults don’t understand that firefighters do more than fight fires. Trucks have to be checked. Classes need to be taught. Elderly citizens need help installing smoke detectors. The list goes on.

A favorite page of BigBrother’s was the description of fighting the fire. He spent quite a bit of time investigating the illustration, talking about the smoke and stopping, dropping and rolling (not blogging, mind you). We talked about fire masks and hoses. And the ladder. And the axe. And breaking the windows (!). And why the firefighters search the burned building afterward. And if they’re tired or not. Really, it was just a case of 20 Questions after that page.

The book ends with Billy declaring that he’s going to be a firefighter as well. Just like Mom. (Something we’re familiar with hearing in this house… except just like Daddy. I don’t run into burning buildings. I just write about such things.) BigBrother related to that page as well, asking if he could try on FireDad’s gear. When we told him no, he went and got his own turnout gear and played firefighter for awhile.

The point of this review, of course, is to let you know that a book like this exists. Most firefighter books feature only male firefighters or, even the ones that have females, they aren’t the focus of the story. In fact, some historical books that we own push my feminist buttons. That’s why I was so excited when I found this book. While I am not the firefighter in this family, it is important to me that my sons know and understand that women (mommies!) can be firefighters, too. BigBrother’s response was, “Mommy, you work on your com-pay-ter.” I do. But some mommies fight fires.

If you are a female firefighter or know of a family where the Mommy rushes out the door when the pager goes off, My Mom Is a Firefighter would be a great addition to the library of that child. Otherwise, it’s a great book in itself that opens the door for potential discussion that Moms can be anything they want to be as well… just like we teach our kids. BigBrother has also requested that we purchase this book for our library now. I feel pleased enough with this book to oblige.

_
[No compensation was received for this review. I borrowed it from the library. Hooray for libraries!]